Got me a couple nice big pots, now what?

[njviking]

So a friend of mine was cleaning out a building he had just purchased and called me to see if I wanted these for brewing...

Seems they were used to make candles or something of the like. Inital clean up has shown promising results. They are stainless, 40 gal, 1" fittings and water jacketed.
Seems that the elements are probably too small to get a water jacket to boil but I have not gotten that far yet.

I'm thinking that I would need at least need 2 5000 watt elements to turn one into a boil kettle. with the water jacket though; I wonder if I can actually get it to boil somewhat efficiently even if at all. Thoughts appreciated.

I'd like to make a BIAB herms/rims system out of them I think? just need to do some research on what would work best.

Thoughts?

 

[vtipsy]

Use it as a mash tun ... could be an upgrade on HERMS/RIMS.

Got a photo of the top?

 

[njviking]

Sure do. 22 wide and 26 tall, should be rouhly 40 gal. Could probably go single vessle biab with recirculation.

 

[lschiavo]

https://www.soapmelters.com/mobile/...Soap-Mixture-Water-Jacket-Melter-p/sw153.htm=

It's a valuable thing to a soapmaker...

You could buy the best Brew pots available if you could sell them for a fraction of what they go for new.

 

[njviking]

Holy crap. I grabbed 2; maybe I'd better go over and get the rest of them.

In college we brewed on a triple 55gal system as we had alot of contrubuters to the cause. For the last twenty I've scaled down to a single keggle biab minimalist system. I like the idea of brewing whole barrel batches again and was hoping these would work with a little modification. the problem as I see it is the water jacket acting as a heat sink preventing a full boil. I'm probably gonna go to home depot and get me 2 5500 watt elements and give it a run through..

If it works and I can automate it; I'll have a couple extras to pass along to those interested.

 

[vtipsy]

I wouldn't BIAB with it but use it as a dedicated mash tun. Offers temperature control with gentle heat and without pumping wort.

But ... better just cash in like @ischiavo says. $$$.

 

[Kirkwooder]

Polish those turds to like new and put them on e-bay.... then go shopping for a 1 barrel system.

 

[lschiavo]

Yeah. It seems a double walled stainless vessel is not a cheap thing.

If I used them for brewing, I would certainly not do any damage with new holes or anything.

You can get some nice large stainless vessel here:http://www.bubbasbarrels.com/catalog/stainless-steel-drums-and-accessories/used-drums-0

 

[njviking]

https://www.soapmelters.com/mobile/...Soap-Mixture-Water-Jacket-Melter-p/sw153.htm=

It's a valuable thing to a soapmaker...

You could buy the best Brew pots available if you could sell them for a fraction of what they go for new.

I could try to sell them. looks like they are 50 gal, and can hold 300lbs wax/soap. cheapest I can find on the web is $1900 new.
so maybe clean them up and sell for $300+ each OR, get out the tools and have at it. I am a tig welder for marine industries after all.
I'm gonna do a run in them tomorrow with just water as is if they fire up. If not I'll go get some new elements then do it. The dials go to 250 derees so I have my finers crossed. If it doesn't work,then I'll seperate one of the well seasoned ones of its outer shell and reweld rhe bungs directly into the pot.

The way I look at it , its a win either way.

 

[lschiavo]

It sounds like you have some skills I don't and if you're finding them in the price range you mention, maybe they would be better repurposed.

I think we can all agree that beer is way better than soap. We have to consider what would make the pots happy too