Post
by jason.loxton » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:17 pm
I think I would tend towards big. The 7.5 gallon could do you a 5 gallon batch (maybe 5.5 G in a pinch), which means you could ferment in a carboy and have the perfect size for a keg. But, the same amount of work can yield two kegs, and you are going to want that capacity eventually. If you can't afford everything at once, the pot I use isn't a bad bet, as you can do full 8-10 gallon batches (10 is a stretch, but doable, even on 90 minute boils, if you hold back a bit of wort to add later in the boil) on your stove to start, and then add a burner and tank later. (That said, especially if you already have a propane tank, buying some of the cheap kegs that have been floating around and just using one as a no frills pot--no drain, thermometer, false bottom, etc.--would be pretty darn cheap. You can get a burner for ~$50, kegs pop up for $20-30, and someone on here can probably help you with the cut. The only reason I am not going the keggle route is that I need to have my pot in the kitchen to chill any way (I don't have an outdoor tap), so it is just as easy to boil on the stove using the two burner method.)