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2/14/2012 -- I am looking to buy the Deluxe Home Brewing kit. I currently own a 7.5 Gallon (30 quart) pot that I have used to fry turkeys in and plan to cook seafood in. My question is would there be any reason that I couldn't use the same pot for brewing beer that I currently use to fry turkeys and boil seafood as long as I clean it thoroughly? If I did . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: You didn't mention what your pot is made of. Some materials, like stainless steel, are better than others. Aluminum for instance does tend to "pit" in time and can affect taste after some use.
All things being equal however, a good thorough detergent cleaning should be enough to remove residual grease/oils. Rinse well of course.
If the . . .
5/17/2010 -- what is your phone number?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: We can be reached at (425) 355-8865
Our toll free order is (800) 850-2739
5/11/2010 -- Hi- Will it affect the taste if I use an aluminum stock pot to cook the wort? Bob
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Homebrewers have taken sides over this issue for years. We feel that stainless steel is the BEST material, however.
Aluminum is light, transfers heat quickly and is inexpensive to buy. Drawbacks to aluminum brewpots are that it will "pit" over time, it doesn't clean as easily, it will dent easier, and some claim that there is a "metallic-like" . . .
5/28/2009 -- Do you recommend a glass or solid lid for the brewpots? I'm fairly new to homebrewing, and need to purchase a pot, trying to decide between 20qt and 30qt (borrowed a turkey fryer pot for my first batch, don't want to scrub peanut oil off the pot any more). My usual batch size is 5 gallons for now, so I was thinking 30qt would allow ample room . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: I would recommend a 30 quart (or larger) pot for cooking 5 gallons batches. Remember, you will lose about a gallon to evaporation during the boil. A little headspace is nice to prevent boilovers. The type of lid is unimportant, but I would recommend a stainless steel pot over anything else.
A spigot is handy, but if you don't mind lifting . . .
7/27/2008 -- Love your store! Just finished my first all grain 5gal batch. My setup is all homemade. Picnic coolers and a copper manifold with slots cut in it. Long story short my sparge(4gal) took almost 4hrs! Did I mill my grain too much? Maybe it always takes that long, I mashed with 3gal, sparged with 4gal and wound up with 4gal of wort. My s.g. was . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, that sounds like it could be the problem. Either that, or poor flow thru your slotted manifold/valve. You should crush your grains so that the husks are just barely cracked. Don't turn it into flour!
A normal sparge should take perhaps an hour, maybe 1.5.
5/16/2008 -- Hi folks,
I'm thinking about trying my first all grain brew after a couple of extract batches which were delicious! I want to make sure that I have all the proper equipment. Currently I have a 7.5 gal brewpot with the spigot. I have all the necessary fermenting equipment, but what else do I need? False bottom, bazooka screen, tubing? Can . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: For all-grain brewing you will need a large brewpot, a false bottom/spigot arrangement for mashing the grains, and another brewpot to collect the sweet wort at the end of the mash for boiling. You will also need a means of sparging, i.e. applying hot water to the top of the grains in order to "rinse thru" the grains. In a nutshell that is . . .
4/19/2008 -- I am looking for a good book to help answer some of the questions I have related to getting into all grain brewing. I have not yet acquired any equipment and was hoping I would find a book that would guide me into getting the "best" equipment necessary. There are a few titles I found on Chapters and Amazon, but wanted to check with you guys . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: We like "How to Brew" by Palmer, or The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing" by Papazian
1/26/2008 -- I live about an hour (if traffic is good) from the address on your website. Do you have an actual store or is everything here based solely online?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, we have an actual brick-and-mortar store in Everett, WA. People actually walk in and buy stuff!
Our address is:
Homebrew Heaven
9109 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204
Here is a video of our shop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1a5fKvv8XI
Heck, you can actually call us on the phone, too! It's 425-355-8865. A person will . . .
1/28/2007 -- Can I use this jumbo straining bag to put in my brew pot during the steeping process to hold all of the grains for an all-grain brew and then to sparge just pull it up above the water and pour the sparging water through the grains so that the water just runs in with the rest of the water in the pot to continue from there? or is there a different . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, this simple method can be used, but there are drawbacks you should be aware of.
First, your mash water/grains will be VERY hot, say 150 deg F, which is much hotter than you can pick up with your bare hands. It will also be very heavy, so you need plan accordingly.
Second, once the grain is in the straining bag, stirring is not easy . . .
11/5/2006 -- I live in Seattle, can I come and pick up the bottles in Everett? Do you have a "brick and mortar" store?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: You sure can. It is literally made of bricks and mortar, in South Everett. Our address is:
Homebrew Heaven
9109 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204
425-355-8865
Hours are 10-6:30 M-F
and 9:30-5 on Saturdays
Here is a video of the place:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1a5fKvv8XI
Take a look around!
8/20/2006 -- I am looking at getting into all grain brewing and want to start with a stainless steel mash/lauter tun. I currently brew 5 gallon batches, but may want to increase to 10 gallon batches. If I purchase your 15 gallon brewpot with a brewmometer and spigot would this work for both 5 and 10 gallon batches?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Certainly; but most brewers find that for the same amount of time, you might as well brew 10 (or more) gallons. Temperature control is also easier, due to the larger thermal mass (less temperature swing). Beside...who can't use MORE beer?
7/25/2006 -- I have purchased the deluxe kit and a 7.5 gal brewpot. Must say i love it all. Now i want to move on to an all grain brew and i want to get the spigot and brewmometer and just wanted to know what i needed to do to install it all along with the hole diameter
Response From Homebrew Heaven: It's not too hard to install either one, but I should tell you that if you want to move to all-grain brewing, you are (probably) going to want an additional pot anyway. Of course, we can install those items for you. One is used to hold the grains and water, and the other is used to collect the runoff for boiling. There are other ways to do . . .
1/11/2006 -- when i make a 5 gallon batch of beer from one of your kits, how big of a brew pot am i going to need to have? can i get by with a small kettle or do i need one of the big 6 gallon pots?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Using a small brewpot (or less than a full volume boil) causes a "concentrated boil", if you will. Many inexpensive "kits/recipes" put this in their instructions, but it is bad advice.
This concentrated, sugary mixture will easily carmelize with heat, causing a darkening of the beer, as well as a poor breakdown of the malt sugars. Without . . .
1/8/2006 -- I'm getting ready to purchase your delux kit, and i also plan on getting a brew pot. I would like to also use this pot for cooking soups and such (would this be advised against? i make a wicked chicken corn soup), so i question whether it is worth putting a through-wall thermometer on the pot. Also, will the thermometer shaft sit far into . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: A good stainless steel brewpot like ours can be used for LOTS of things...crab cooker, turkey fryer, and yes, even chicken corn soup. That's the beauty of stainless steel, it cleans up so easily and completely.
A thru-wall type thermometer is nice, but not essential. After all, a floating thermometer does the same thing, just not quite . . .
10/30/2005 -- I am entirely new to brewing beer and would like to get started with all of the right equipment that I would need. I am positive that I would like to do all grain brewing eventually and everything that I read recommends that you make a larger batch when doing all grain. Basically, I am wondering if you could price out a good, complete starter . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Here is a good way to do it. It gets you a 12 gallon pot, false bottom, and thermometer mounted in the pot. You will probably also need an outdoor cooker too, they run $49.95-$69.95:
1 Deluxe Brewing Equipment Kit
No. Equipment Only; Outdoor; DVD Format $152.95
1 12 Gallon Stainless Steel Brewpot with Lid $87.95
1 BrewMometer . . .
4/18/2005 -- If money were not an issue, what would your recommendation be for a burner for 10 gallon batches? Similarly (pretending that money weren't an issue) what would you recommendation be for a brewpot for 10 gallon batches (please pick your preferred pot, spigot, etc.). Thank you.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Here is how I would do it:
Shopping Cart
1 NEW High BTU Revolution Cooker $49.95
1 15 Gallon Stainless Steel Brewpot w/Lid $110.95
1 Thru-Wall Fitting (1/2" Npt) $8.95
1 Stainless Threaded 1/2" Nipple $3.95
1 NEW - Stainless Steel Ball Valve AR 316 $37.95
1 Stainless Steel Barbed Fitting - 1/2" NPT $10.95
Subtotal . . .
3/14/2005 -- How big of a brew kettle can a standard electric range hold and effectively heat?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Electric ranges vary considerably, but most can handle a volume of 5-6 gallons...it's more a matter of how LONG it takes to bring it to a boil, not the pot size. A wimpy burner may take well over an hour, a "hot" one will take about a 1/2 hour.
Propane cookers are considerably faster than any standard electric range I have seen.
3/6/2005 -- Just recently purchased a kit and want to begin but I am looking for a pot for boiling. Many local stores sell aluminum 7 gallon pots but all you sell is stainless. is there a reason for this or is going with an aluminum pot ok as it is much less expensive.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Homebrewers have taken sides over this issue for years. We feel that stainless steel is the BEST material.
Aluminum is light, transfers heat quickly and is inexpensive to buy. Drawbacks to aluminum brewpots are that it will "pit" over time, it doesn't clean as easily, it will dent easier, and even the contention that aluminum contributes . . .
1/19/2005 -- Can you use an aluminum cooking pot,like the ones they use for frying turkeys to cook your wort?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: The easy answer is that you can... it's up to you, of course. However:
Homebrewers have taken sides over this issue for years. We feel that stainless steel is the BEST material.
Aluminum is light, transfers heat quickly and is inexpensive to buy. Drawbacks to aluminum brewpots are that it will "pit" over time, it doesn't clean as easily . . .
1/13/2005 -- Hi; I am trying to decide between your 7.5 gal and 9 gal brewpot. I am new to brewing, and have started with extract brews. I will probably move on to an all grain brew at some point. Which pot would be better for me? I will be brewing on your standard kitchen gas stove. Any tips or equipment recommendations welcome.
Heather
Response From Homebrew Heaven: You know what they say...bigger is better. This is especially true if you think you will be doing all-grain brewing later on. This allows you to collect and boil a large runoff, and to make high-gravity beers that require much more grain. In fact, all-grain brewers often make double batches (10 gallons or more) because it takes the same amount . . .
10/8/2004 -- I am a novice and have only brewed 3 5 gal. batches. My instructions say to boil 2 to 2.5 gallons of wort. Am I correct in reading that you suggest to boil the entire 5 gallons?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Correct. No idea where you got those instructions, but we recommend boiling the full 5 gallons (or more).
Using a small brewpot (or less than a full volume boil) causes a "concentrated boil", if you will. Many inexpensive "kits/recipes" put this in their instructions, but it is bad advice.
This concentrated, sugary mixture will easily . . .
5/7/2004 -- I read elsewhere online that the wort can be brewed in a smaller pot, i.e. 5-quart, and then mixed with cool water in the fermenter to lower the temperature. Does this work, and if so, are there any undesireable side-effects?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: This is a really bad idea. The problem with the web is that anyone can post false information, and it's taken as true. In the first place, a 5-quart pot won't even hold the malt in our kits, much less any water. There are other problems as well:
Using a small brewpot causes a "concentrated boil", if you will. This concentrated, sugary mixture . . .
2/10/2004 -- Can you use an aluminum pot to brew in.or would this alter the taste of the beer?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: The easy answer is that you can. It's up to you, of course.
Homebrewers have taken sides over this issue for years. We feel that stainless steel is the BEST material, however.
Aluminum is light, transfers heat quickly and is inexpensive to buy. Drawbacks to aluminum brewpots are that it will "pit" over time, it doesn't clean as easily . . .
12/13/2003 -- sorry, i just sent a question but i forgot to ask...do i need to order a special type of large pot, or if i have one around the house, will that be good enough. thanks again.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Any large pot will work, but we recommend one at least 4 gallons in size. Stainless steel is best, but enamel canning pots work well too.
7/29/2003 -- Is a brewpot anything more than a stainless steel pot?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: No. It doesn't even have to be stainless. An enamel canning pot will work also.
6/2/2003 -- I'm just getting into home brewing. What is the purpose of the False bottom?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: It is normally used in all-grain brewing, where no malt extract is used, just grain. It's purpose is to hold back the grain husks, and to allow the sweet liquid (wort) to drain off for later boiling. All-grain brewing is fun and not that hard to do, but does take additional time and temperature control to be successful.
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