Buying a boiler

Chris_1984 · Aug 8, 2012

Up until now, I've been using a big stockpot and demijohns to make small batches of BIAB beer but I'd like to upgrade if possible.
Any recommendations for an electric boiler? Will any standard catering water boiler (Burco or otherwise) do? Or should I go for one specifically recommended for homebrewing (like a Brupak with hop filer attached)

So far, I'm looking at this to start me off:

http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/ag-equipment/boilers/brupak-boiler.html

The Goatreich · Aug 8, 2012

Personally I wouldn't have thought 29 litres is big enough. Mine is 30l, and is cutting it very fine for 23l brew lengths. If you're intent on buying rather than making then the one I bought from Hamstead brewing. It's similar to this one, but had a better tap fitted than the one pictured.
http://www.hamstead-brewing-centre.co.uk/itm00759.htm

Not particularly cheap, but has been absolutely fine so far for me. Only thing is that I wish it had two elements to bring the wort to the boil a bit quicker.

Chris_1984 · Aug 8, 2012

Apart from the lack of a 2nd element, no other problems?
I always think that maybe plastic won't last as long & that maybe getting a decent metal one, for a more bit, would be a better investment...
Does yours come with a hop filter like the Brupaks?

tazuk · Aug 8, 2012

:shock: :shock: make ya own :shock: :shock: wot will it cost i would say for a 60 ltr boiler 45 squid :thumb:
ie 2 tesco kettle elements 60 ltr fem bin a tap and 2 hole cutters

you will find loads of people use plastic ones m8 :thumb:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25277

Vossy1 · Aug 8, 2012

You could always ask Hamstead to fit another element for you :thumb:

Jonno996 · Aug 9, 2012

I had the Brupaks one (use it as a HLT now) you have to keep the element very clear of any scaling up, I had it cut out mid boil several times due to build up on the element during the boil.

empty down, clean reboil etc, a real pain!

I have this now

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/Manual-Fill-Water-Boiler/CC192/ProductDetail.raction

no hop filter, but I used a sieve to catch bits, it is better in every respect, larger volume, more powerful, easier to clean as the element is hidden and shiny to boot!

If you are in the market for spending the sort of money needed to buy a Brupaks boiler, buy the Buffalo one!

The Goatreich · Aug 9, 2012

The hamstead one does come with a hop filter, although I still have to use a sieve as I get little bits come through. I wish I had the foresight to ask Hamstead for a second element, that's good advice from Vossy1.

I've so far only done 6 AG brews in it, so I can't really comment on how long it will last.

If my DIY skills were up to scratch I'd have definitely made one as most people suggest, but I know I'd mess it up, and didn't fancy messing electrics with boiling hot water.

whitey · Feb 26, 2015

Bought one of these a year or two back. Used it ok for about 15-20 brews and took care to clean element each time plus soaked it overnight in vinegar and lemon juice solution after use.

Cut out on me last week in the middle of a brew. Very frustrating in terms of time and ingredients all wasted. I was told to remove the element for proper cleaning. This is ok but replacing it is not as one hand is stuck in the boiler trying to hold the element in place whilst securing three fiddly screws underneath. And the thermostat wire is connected so the base is half attached. Needless to say I now have a broken thermostat wire.

Have to say that I'm very disappointed with this, a Â£145 boiler and can't believe a German design and manufacture can make something so difficult to remove and replace. :-(

Fil · Feb 26, 2015

+1 for looking at building your own, the tricky bit is cutting neat round holes for the fittings, for the boil vessel some good options are :
circa Â£10 for 45-50l mango barrel - ebay
circa Â£30 for a 60l PP bucket - copper kettle and other online brewshops
circa Â£50 for a 50l stainless steel stockpot via the german supplier to ebay.fr
to cut neat holes in stainless steel Qmax punches are the best tool for the job and if you cant borrow em for element and tap hole sizes your looking at another Â£20-25 in tool costs.. add your selection of valve and filter hardware and the cost of elements Â£5-Â£50 each.. and the build once holes have been cut is a simple fitting job doing up screws and nuts

a rolling boil and the initial foam up of a boil may struggle to be contained in a circa 30l vessel as for a 23l brew the preboil volume will be 28-32l depending on your boil off rate.. so a small boiler may necessitate holding back some liquor and topping up the boiler as you go to stop messy boil overs and spills.

my first brew was in a small volume burco boiler, Never again, it was the root of a stressful brew..

mm707 · Mar 1, 2015

Keep an eye on nisbets ebay clearance and make a cheeky offer for a 40 litre
Buffalo boiler. Got mine for Â£50

clibit · Mar 1, 2015

Saw this recently, looks decent, 32 litre, Â£47.50, possible option.

http://www.geterbrewed.com/peco-boiler-for-brewing-beer--all-grain--biab.html

xdaver · Mar 15, 2015

I am hoping to go to AG soon and was really thinking of buying the brupak boiler but not too sure now. I was looking at buffalo boilers but need the boiler for my mash water so need a temp display or dial. I have looked on a few HB shop sites but there doesnt seem to be a good range or customer reviews.

Cwrw666 · Mar 15, 2015

I got me an Ace 30 litre boiler for Christmas. Done 3 boils with it so far. Seems to work ok and has a thermostat dial so you can do a full BIAB in it. Element is not in the brew but underneath and it has a mesh filter on the tap so you can just chuck the hops in. Â£30 litres is barely enough for a 5 gallon brew though without risking a boilover.
It cost something like 80-odd quid off ebay.

Covrich · Mar 15, 2015

Cwrw666 said:
I got me an Ace 30 litre boiler for Christmas. Done 3 boils with it so far. Seems to work ok and has a thermostat dial so you can do a full BIAB in it. Element is not in the brew but underneath and it has a mesh filter on the tap so you can just chuck the hops in. Â£30 litres is barely enough for a 5 gallon brew though without risking a boilover.
It cost something like 80-odd quid off ebay.

Do you sparge with that?

I was looking at these or the peco boilers but I was thinking I could mash in there sparge in a FV with 13 liters for example which I heated on a pan.. then add to the boiler to top up for full boil?

Toffee · Mar 15, 2015

mm707 said:
Keep an eye on nisbets ebay clearance and make a cheeky offer for a 40 litre
Buffalo boiler. Got mine for Â£50

I put in a cheeky Â£35 offer for a 30L boiler from them the other week, which they accepted. Used it yesterday for the first time.

I used the BIABacus to scale the recipe so I was putting 19L into the FV. This basically meant filling the strike water up to the MAX fill line (around 25L), mashing in there, then using 7L in another pot to dunk sparge. I put 4L of this back into the pot for the boil and then added the 3L during the boil. You could probably up that a little by playing with the amounts a little and diluting etc, but I am happy with 19L

GHW · Mar 15, 2015

What do people make of this?
http://www.geterbrewed.com/biab-all-grain-starter-kit-includes-a-mash-kit

from an earlier discussion it seems that reduced boil volumes don't seem to get great hop utilisation so I was thinking of getting a bigger pot (to do full 10L boils, for a 10L brewlength). Problem then is I don't think my cooker is up to keeping a 10L boil rolling.

This sort of biab kit would solve all my problems, but either they are chucking in really low quality stuff, or its a massive deal. even assuming it's the Â£45 boiler, with all the other kit they chuck in I reckon it's a Â£50 quid saving. Still if it's rubbish, is it worth it?

Cwrw666 · Mar 15, 2015

Covrich said:
Do you sparge with that?

I was looking at these or the peco boilers but I was thinking I could mash in there sparge in a FV with 13 liters for example which I heated on a pan.. then add to the boiler to top up for full boil?

I drained and squeezed out the bag over the boiler, then dunked the bag in a small FV with a kettleful of hot water then hung it back over the boiler, drained and squeezed the bag & added the sparge water to the boiler. Miscalculated my volumes a bit though as this left the wort about an inch from the top of the boiler so I ended up with a small boil-over but not too messy! Got the right OG according to the recipe so I'm very pleased with myself.:lol:

TartanSpecial · Mar 15, 2015

I went for the Brewferm Stainless Kettle to use for hot liquor and for the boil. It works fine, and doesn't have an exposed element (flat stainless steel bottom). I use a digital thermometer for temperature checking which is easy. The two downsides are 1) it was expensive and 2) the stated 27 litre capacity is right to the brim and isn't enough to do full 23ltr (post boil) brew where I'm usually starting out with 27 or 28 litre of pre-boil wort, so boil 4 ltrs in parallel on the cooker and add to the main boil when evaporation makes enough space. If I were making the decision again to buy a new kettle I'd go for something min 30ltrs, or preferably 33ltrs.

GHW · Mar 15, 2015

@mm707 and toffee, which buffalo boiler did you get from nisbets eBay? The only 30L ones I could see were Â£120. Im guessing they didn't take Â£40 for that?!

Toffee · Mar 15, 2015

Mine was listed as a "refurb or second". Was listed at 55 quid, but offers accepted. So I offered 35 as I had read on here they accept offers, and they did.

Buying a boiler

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