When it comes to home brewing there are a few absolute must-have items, one of those items is a brew kettle. Essentially, a brew kettle is a huge pot that allows the boiling of wort; it is most typically made out of stainless steel, aluminum, or an enameled steel material each with it’s own distinct characteristics. They range in price and quality substantially; from DIY brew kettle solutions such as modifying an old keg which can cost under $100, up to more specialized brew kettles which can run in the area of $620. Let’s examine a few of the common aspects of brew kettles a little more in-depth.

Pot Size

The size of a brew pot can vary considerably and will depend upon the needs of the individual who is doing their brew. If a person is planning on doing smaller batches such as in the area of 5 gallons and plans on doing most of their beer making from extracts they will be able to get by with brew kettles as small as 4 gallons. However, it would be well advised for them to keep an eye on their wort through-out the boiling process in an effort to avoid boil overs – it can be quite a headache indeed to clean this sort of mess up. For those that are interested in all-grain brewing, it is advised to look at a minimum brew kettle size of 7 gallons or else it will be necessary to divide the wort into multiple pots.

Brew Kettle Material

There are basically three materials you can find brew kettles made out-of, each has its own strengths and weaknesses but a stainless steel pot is generally considered to be the best option. For those on a budget, aluminum and enameled steel pots will be a good solution.

Stainless Steel Brew Kettles

There are many advantages of stainless steel and very few drawbacks; in fact the only real drawback of stainless steel is poor heat conductivity which can be a problem if you are relying on a home electric heat source. But stainless makes up for that with better pot strength, ease of care, aesthetics and generally is just a more durable material – your investment will be around for quite a while if you choose a stainless steel brew kettle.

Aluminum Brew Pots

Firstly, there are some unfounded rumors about aluminum brew pots producing metallic tasting brew – this is mostly due to a pot not being properly prepared before use. An aluminum pot must have water boiled in it for at least 20 minutes prior to its initial use. This is to help the aluminum form an oxidized layer between the metal and the contents which will stop any metallic flavour being imparted on the wort. The major drawback of aluminum is the material strength; even a 6mm thick aluminum pot will dent easier than a .8mm thick stainless steel pot.

Enameled Pots

Enameled pots come in a variety of colours, many people suggest that it’s best to avoid these types of pots altogether as if they happen to chip you will not be able to stop the metallic flavour from entering your wort. They are quite affordable though, comparable to aluminum pots.

There are many places to find a brew kettle, both online and offline. If you are interested in obtaining one for home brew purposes you’re advised to do your homework, luckily there are quite a few good forums out there to learn from. Always remember, if you can afford it, it’s better to make a solid investment today then spending more down the road – so I strongly suggest that you consider a stainless option if you are in the market for a brew pot.