Electric brew kettle recommendations for BIAB noob

[zinn]

I've brewed some partial mashes on my stovetop, but want to make the leap to BIAB. I'm worried that my stovetop won't handle 5-gallon BIAB batches, so I'm looking to purchase an electric kettle. I don't have a dedicated 220V outlet at the moment, so I'm hoping to stick with 120V.

It seems like there's a lot of love for the Anvil Foundry, but I've also read some reviews saying it's overpriced/unnecessary for BIAB. I'm hoping some seasoned BIAB-ers can recommend the best electric kettle for BIAB. I'd like to keep the cost under $500. I'm aware that you can BIAB without an electric kettle, but I want to start off on the right foot by minimizing frustrations. I'm thinking a solid electric kettle will make my brew day a little easier.

Thanks for the recs and any other advice for a BIAB noob deciding on equipment.

 

[renstyle]

I am an anvil foundry 6.5 owner, it's been good.

here is how I weaved thru the dollar issue:

I didn't have a propane option, nor a pot. So when I decided on an electric 6.5 gal kettle, it was because I did not have any hardware holding me to the gas, as it were.

I ferment in 5 gal corny kegs, so my batch volume in the kettle is assumed to be 19L/5 gal. I add fermcap-S to lessen blow-off.

I use a 5gal igloo cooler as my mash tun for MAIB. Only needed to add a SS ball valve on the output side, and used a brew bag inside for filtration. Don't <need> a circulation pump but if that's your dance, go for it.

If you are looking at the 10.5 foundry, you can easily utilize a brew bag inside the included grain basket, or go without the basket and just use the bag.

Again, I have not "upgraded" to the ability of a pump to recirculate during the mash. That may be a consideration for you if you choose to mash inside the kettle vs using a secondary vessel (igloo cooler) such as myself.

A 10.5 foundry is a no-brainer in my mind, considering what you get for the $$$. The ability to upgrade from 120V to 240V once you have sufficient resources is a great option. The mash cooler is optional with a 10.5, but it was mandatory for my 4.5 gal batches as the Foundry 6.5 was perfectly sized for corny keg fermentation (sub 5 gal).

An anvil foundry works well. Get the size you desire for your intended use-case and batch size.

I'm biased, as an owner, but my review is based in real-world experience. I use my 6.5 on both 120V or 240V with an adapter cable including an in-line GFI.

Go electric vs propane if you can. Brewing at 120V will work fine for a 5 gal batch (on an anvil 10.5 unit). Not the most robust boil but certainly enuf for the grains we have available today in 2021. At $399 for a 10.5, it's a good money proposition compared to the alternatives (IMHO).

The <only> negative I would mention is the included SS chiller coil. It's not the best for a primary chiller. I ended up using mine sitting in a cooler of ice water (my mash tun actually) as a pre-chiller to send chilled fluid to a copper chiller coil immersed in the wort. Past that, a foundry is a good buy. A dozen-plus batches thus far and still going strong.

Hope this helps.....

 

[RufusBrewer]

The Foundry is a good value when you consider that you get a very usable control system. Nothing fancy, nothing automated, but good at what it does. All in one turnkey ready to brew out of the box has it's advantages.

There are other all in one systems that you can consider. Price Vs features and batch sizes, I can leave that to you to evaluate.

Everything else, you have kit up yourself. Choose a kettle, choose a heat source, choose how to control the heat source, choose a temperature reading method, choose your bag, figure out how you are going to hoist the bag.

 

[Carolina_Matt]

I use the basic Digiboil with a neoprene jacket and I like it a lot. Set it to strike temperature, unplug it and add the Wilser bag and grains, mix it up, then cover with a moving blanket or sleeping bag for an hour. After the mash, lift the bag and start heating to a boil. It's inexpensive and effective.

 

[csantoni]

I use the basic Digiboil with a neoprene jacket and I like it a lot. Set it to strike temperature, unplug it and add the Wilser bag and grains, mix it up, then cover with a moving blanket or sleeping bag for an hour. After the mash, lift the bag and start heating to a boil. It's inexpensive and effective.

+1 for the Digiboil. I don’t BIAB (3V Igloo), but this thing would do that very well I believe. Also, it’s perfectly fine on 120V, no speed records but it gets the job done. I draw water and set my strike temp the night before brew day and wake up and mash in.

 

[teesherv]

I use the baby anvil foundry (6.5) and would encourage people newer to brewing and BIAB to look into it. I’ve done propane turkey fryer, 3 vessel natural gas, and 15 gallon semi automated 240 electric panels. It depends on what you want. Right now, I want a quicker brew day with 2.5 gallon batches. Anvil fits that bill.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I've brewed some partial mashes on my stovetop, but want to make the leap to BIAB. I'm worried that my stovetop won't handle 5-gallon BIAB batches

Have you thought about brewing smaller batches? I am a big fan of brewing 2.5-gallon batches on my stovetop and I put out a few articles and videos on the topic: Stovetop BIAB: The Best All-Grain Batch Size! | Cascades Homebrew

I don't have any first hand experience with the electric all-in-one, but they seem like a great fit for you. You have a few brews under your belt so investing a few hundred $ seems reasonable, and you don't already have equipment like a kettle, propane burner, and chiller. I see the appeal of the Anvil Foundry as far as the price point, and features. The ability to adapt for 120 vs 240 is an awesome feature.

Something like the Digiboil would provide capabilities very similar to what I have with my 5-gallon batch setup (10 gallon kettle, propane burner). I wish the sizes of the Digiboil were a better fit for my brewing, as 9.25 gallons is a bit small for full volume BIAB mashing...but probably fine for slightly smaller batches or with a sparge step. The 10.5 gallon size of the Foundry makes a lot more sense to me.

 

[zinn]

Pulled the trigger on the Anvil Foundry. Thanks for all the advice! Looking forward to giving the BIAB a shot.