Bayou Classic Pots

[scalded_dog]

Found a 16 Gallon one on Amazon for $103.00 but was wanting to know who has one. All I can determine is that it is 20 gauge SS. I want a pot with a stronger bottom than I have now. Currently using an cheapo 8 gallon SS turkey fryer pot that is very thin. The other feature I need is to have it marked in gallons and it doesn’t specify.

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-106 ... rew+kettle

I’m wondering if the kettle on Amazon is a lesser version of the one on their web site. The one on the Bayou website says the bottom is “triclad” to prevent scorching.

[thirstyone]

Hey Dog!
I have a ten gal. Bayou Classic with the layered bottom & marked in 1/4 gal. increments. It also came with a valve screen, valve, thermometer, and false bottom for about $130. Had it for about a year and love it. Now i’m thinking about a larger one for 10 gal. batches on occasion. I’d definitely look into another Bayou.

[thirstyone]

Oh BTW, i believe i found it on ebay!

[scalded_dog]

Thirsty, thanks…I think I am correct to assume there are different grades of pots…the one I was looking at is a stock pot (which I had planned to drill for a spigot) but I think it is of a lesser quality.

This one is a full 16 gallons:

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-106 ... rew+kettle

[dobe12]

Just a heads up… there were some CRAZY cheap deals for Bayou pots on Amazon 2 weeks ago. A few guys from my brew club placed orders and shortly there after were sent emails saying the pricing was a mistake and the orders would not process. These deals were ridiculous though… like the pot you’re referencing for something like $28! Apparently the company who was selling them has a bad history of posting bad prices and not fulfilling orders.

Just be sure to check the sellers reviews if not sold by Amazon.

[tom_sawyer]

I have a 20gal Bayou Classic, no clad bottom just an inexpensive kettle. I paid around $100 but its been awhile and I don’t remember the exact price. I added my own brewmometer and no-weld valve. I’m happy with it, it was one of the cheapest 20gal kettles I could find.

[scalded_dog]

Thanks Lennie…there are definitely different grades of pots from Bayou Classic. I’m going to see what Home Depot has since they sell BC pots.

[tom_sawyer]

I checked out Home Depot out of curiosity, they do have several BC options. The cheaper ones are aluminum, nothing wrong with that. I have SS, didnt see any clad bottomed stuff. Don’t need it really.

[deliusism1]

I bought a Bayou Classic 30 qt. brew/mash kettle with a false bottom for around $220 from Amazon back in September. All in all, it’s a high quality setup that works great for me and is really easy to clean after brewing. The only problem (which is kind of a big one, as far as value for money is concerned) is the built-in thermometer, which simply doesn’t really work at all. It only works sporadically, and it never matches the reading I get from the floating thermometer I use in the unit instead. That having been said, I have to question the usefulness of a built-in thermometer in a mash tun anyway, because of the fact that it cannot be moved around, and can only ever check the temp in the spot it’s rooted to. I prefer a floating thermometer that I can move around because a mash tun is always going to have hot and cold spots, and you can never really be confident that the temp you’re reading in any one spot is a reliable indicator of the temp for the mash as a whole. Apart from that problem with the thermometer, though, I have to say that the unit feels quite solidly built to me, and it’s way less expensive than one from Blickmann. Their stuff just seems way overpriced to me. I hope that info was useful.

[scalded_dog]

@deliusism1

I bought a Bayou Classic 30 qt. brew/mash kettle with a false bottom for around $220 from Amazon back in September. All in all, it’s a high quality setup that works great for me and is really easy to clean after brewing. The only problem (which is kind of a big one, as far as value for money is concerned) is the built-in thermometer, which simply doesn’t really work at all. It only works sporadically, and it never matches the reading I get from the floating thermometer I use in the unit instead. That having been said, I have to question the usefulness of a built-in thermometer in a mash tun anyway, because of the fact that it cannot be moved around, and can only ever check the temp in the spot it’s rooted to. I prefer a floating thermometer that I can move around because a mash tun is always going to have hot and cold spots, and you can never really be confident that the temp you’re reading in any one spot is a reliable indicator of the temp for the mash as a whole. Apart from that problem with the thermometer, though, I have to say that the unit feels quite solidly built to me, and it’s way less expensive than one from Blickmann. Their stuff just seems way overpriced to me. I hope that info was useful.

Yes sir very helpful. I agree on the thermometer. I will probably buy the pot and drill a hole for a spigot. By next spring I want a 15 gallon brew pot with a spigot where I can run my wort through either a plate chiller or a counter-flow. This time of year the immersion chiller I got cools a 5 gal batch in about 15-20 minutes but that won’t be the case when my water warms up. Also good points on the mash tun. I see all grain in my future just not quite sure when yet.

[tom_sawyer]

I don’t use my kettle for a mashtun (I mash in a cooler), just for heating water and boiling wort. I love the thermometer, I use it to check my mash water temp and to know when the wort is chilled after boiling.

[deliusism1]

@Scalded Dog

[quote=“deliusism1”]I bought a Bayou Classic 30 qt. brew/mash kettle with a false bottom for around $220 from Amazon back in September. All in all, it’s a high quality setup that works great for me and is really easy to clean after brewing. The only problem (which is kind of a big one, as far as value for money is concerned) is the built-in thermometer, which simply doesn’t really work at all. It only works sporadically, and it never matches the reading I get from the floating thermometer I use in the unit instead. That having been said, I have to question the usefulness of a built-in thermometer in a mash tun anyway, because of the fact that it cannot be moved around, and can only ever check the temp in the spot it’s rooted to. I prefer a floating thermometer that I can move around because a mash tun is always going to have hot and cold spots, and you can never really be confident that the temp you’re reading in any one spot is a reliable indicator of the temp for the mash as a whole. Apart from that problem with the thermometer, though, I have to say that the unit feels quite solidly built to me, and it’s way less expensive than one from Blickmann. Their stuff just seems way overpriced to me. I hope that info was useful.

Yes sir very helpful. I agree on the thermometer. I will probably buy the pot and drill a hole for a spigot. By next spring I want a 15 gallon brew pot with a spigot where I can run my wort through either a plate chiller or a counter-flow. This time of year the immersion chiller I got cools a 5 gal batch in about 15-20 minutes but that won’t be the case when my water warms up. Also good points on the mash tun. I see all grain in my future just not quite sure when yet.[/quote]

I forgot to mention that my kettle does have volume markings on the sides. I actually forgot to look into that before I bought it, too. I’m glad those are there. I brewed for years in a kettle that didn’t have those, and I hated having to trust myself to cut off the boil when I thought I had reached the final volume by visual approximation alone. Don’t forget to verify that feature before you buy a kettle!

[scalded_dog]

Check this deal out $203 bucks…not a bad deal.

http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/b ... 7AodviQAhA

[deliusism1]

[quote=“Scalded Dog”]Check this deal out $203 bucks…not a bad deal.

http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/b ... 7AodviQAhA

[/quote]

That looks like the exact same one I bought. The price you’re quoting is pretty darn good, about $20 cheaper than what I got it for. You won’t regret buying it, but be prepared to use your own floating thermometer, for reasons I stated before. I’ve had great success with it as a mash tun.

[thirstyone]

That is a good deal. It’s exactly what i use, but i only got the 10 gal. version. :cheers:

[scalded_dog]

Hopefully Santa will bring me a brew pot…God knows I left him enough hints If he doesn’t deliver I know where to get one.

[scalded_dog]

Dang…Santa let me down…so I just ordered it. That same pot with false bottom and bazooka screen is almost double what I paid for it on the Bayou Classic website.

[grainbelt]

they are cheap and thin compared to other brew pots.

[tom_sawyer]

They work just fine too.

[scalded_dog]

@grainbelt

they are cheap and thin compared to other brew pots.

This is completely wrong. UPS just delivered the pot and it’s rock solid with a very thick bottom. The sides are 20 gauge and the lid and other components (spigot, bazooka screen, false bottom and thermometer are all great. They also include a heat shield. I think the standard every day pots from Bayou Classic are in fact thinner and cheaper, but this one I bought is a purpose built brew pot. The only issue I have now is it’s so big that I will need a new burner. Also when I brew 5 gal batches my current immersion chiller won’t work too well…I had planned to buy either a counter flow or plate chiller anyway.