Peco 33L Masher / Boiler - OR - 50L Stainless Steel Pot With Tap & Element

[merrydown]

Hi,

I am planning to move on from beer making kits (mainly interested in IPA like so many others) to Steeped Grain brewing / partial mash. I need to make a decision in the next couple of days about a boiler. I want to get something that will do well for now and hopefully be good as part of an all grain outfit if I ever graduate that way.

OPTION 1
I can get a Peco 33L plastic thermostatically controlled masher boiler for about £105

OPTION 2
I inject another £65-£75 I can get a 50L stainless steel pot with stainless tap, thermometer, 3KW element and buy an inkbird temperature controller.

Could you give me your opinion on what sounds like the best bet?

Also, will the standard Inkbird temperature probe and cable survive repeated boiling if I use it for that? I know it is rated to 99C, but I figure that is the metal part of the probe rather than the cable and don't want to be rash.

I have read pros and cons of both methods, head-room, time to boil, capacity etc... I suspect the stainless route is better in the long run, if I get the temperature controller part right. I don't really want to spend the money if I'd be better off buying something else anyway, IF, I ever go All Grain.

Many thanks for any opinions or help you can offer!

Jim

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I don't use a temperature probe during the boil - it isn't necessary.
Have you considered a 40 litre tea-urn type boiler, such as the Buffalo or Burco?

 

[Fil]

How much are you considering paying for a pot??? buy direct from the German ebay.fr sellers, search using "inox marmite 50l" for ebay.fr listings, email for a uk delivered price and it will be a saving on the ebay price reflecting no ebay charges, pay safely with a paypal invoice.. expect delivery in a few days, just be prepared to open the box and check for major dings and creases that would warrant a return and dont accept the goods as it will save a week at least on the return/exchange. (good pots and service, crap packaging and courier handelling ) lil dings you can pop back out should be accepted...

 

[Fil]

btw 50l diy pot all the way....

 

[merrydown]

Thanks for the tip. I think that the steel pot I was looking at assembled, was this one (I hope it is ok to post that link here, if not I will remove it)

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Stainless-Steel-56-Ltr-Electric-Boiler.html

I think I may only save myself £25-30 quid if I bought the pot, the thermometer and housing, kettle element, fixings, got bits suitable to drill all the holes, paid for it to be delivered and put it together myself. My estimate also included a temperature controller which I'd like for steeping, maybe some mashing etc. I reckon up to £30 for sorting it all out and shipping it if I buy the ready made one then add an inkbird. Does that sound way off?

I did look briefly at the 40l boilers. Better size in a way than the 50l, but more expensive than going the route I was proposing I think. I've been circling the issue when I have a chance, there're so many ways to do it, prices and combinations. The options I proposed seemed to me to be easy options to cover myself for a mashable boiler.

I wouldn't mind going the plastic route and saving the money for now to be honest. I'm put off 32 litres, it seems a touch small to be fully multipurpose. I haven't tried brewing beyond kits yet, so it's hard to judge. Opinions also seem somewhat divided, apart from that stainless steel is pretty much always best :)

 

[chesters-mild]

As an owner of a Peco digital boiler, I can testify that they work quite well. As they only have 1 - 2.5Kw element they do struggle to get a frantic rolling boil, but will boil 28lit of wort well if you lag the bucket. I use 2 layers of el-cheapo yoga mat on mine, strapped well down with duct tape. from mash temp. about 67c it takes 20 to 25 min. to get 28lit. to the boil. I've found it very useful to be able to monitor the temperature raise in order to avoid boil overs. I did have to replace the mains plug once as I'd over stressed it (getting too hot) but all in all -very pleased with it.
Now done 14 brews with it.
Cheers

 

[foxbat]

I've had the Peco and upgraded to stainless after 18 months or so. If you think you're going to be doing this for a while then you might as well go stainless up front. HDPE plastic does absorb some of the liquid from the boil causing permanent staining and made me wonder what it was giving out in return though that may have been an unfounded worry. No such worries from SS.

If you're buying an immersion chiller make sure it's matched to the pot and volume that you'll have after boiling. When hooked over the edge it needs to sit such that all the coils are in the wort. A small volume in a large pot would present problems for some of the immersion chiller designs.

 

[-Bezza-]

Thanks for the tip. I think that the steel pot I was looking at assembled, was this one (I hope it is ok to post that link here, if not I will remove it)

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Stainless-Steel-56-Ltr-Electric-Boiler.html

If vague comments are a help....

I've seen these in the shop and they look pretty good to my uneducated eye. I don't think I would have been disappointed in the quality of the pot had I bought one. They're not actually assembled though - it's a pot with all the bits and a pre-drilled hole.

 

[Wilfy]

Thanks for the tip. I think that the steel pot I was looking at assembled, was this one (I hope it is ok to post that link here, if not I will remove it)

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Stainless-Steel-56-Ltr-Electric-Boiler.html

I think I may only save myself £25-30 quid if I bought the pot, the thermometer and housing, kettle element, fixings, got bits suitable to drill all the holes, paid for it to be delivered and put it together myself. My estimate also included a temperature controller which I'd like for steeping, maybe some mashing etc. I reckon up to £30 for sorting it all out and shipping it if I buy the ready made one then add an inkbird. Does that sound way off?

I did look briefly at the 40l boilers. Better size in a way than the 50l, but more expensive than going the route I was proposing I think. I've been circling the issue when I have a chance, there're so many ways to do it, prices and combinations. The options I proposed seemed to me to be easy options to cover myself for a mashable boiler.

I wouldn't mind going the plastic route and saving the money for now to be honest. I'm put off 32 litres, it seems a touch small to be fully multipurpose. I haven't tried brewing beyond kits yet, so it's hard to judge. Opinions also seem somewhat divided, apart from that stainless steel is pretty much always best :)

I've got that pot, used it as a boiler for a canny while but use it as a sparge water heater now I have the Grainfather.

 

[merrydown]

Thanks very much for all the replies. It's all useful to hear. I think I will probably go for the stainless steel at that rate!

When I said assembled, I was trying to say all there to use (as in I'd just need the temperature controller to complete it).

I have the same worry about plastics Foxbat, fermenting in plastic is one thing, heating another. I don't know how well they match the materials used to the job. Are plasticisers and so on released into the beer or wort? Perhaps better not to chance it if it isn't necessary.

Thanks again guys, very useful information and comments :)