(Part 3) Best steamers, stock & pasta pots according to redditors

Recipe:

Whole chicken bones
Onion
Carrots
2 tbsp fish sauce
Couple slices of fresh ginger
8 c water

Cook 2 hours on soup setting.

The tastiest, and easiest ever!

Thanks to the instant pot and modern essentials and co instant pot steamer basket

Listen to this person, homebrewers don't let homebrewers buy 5-gallon pots.

Buy a 10-gallon one instead:

• Stainless Steel $106 - Induction ready for high-tech indoor brewing.
  
  
• Aluminum $47 - Even cheaper than the CostCo one, and made of very, very sturdy aluminum.

Here's what I personally use:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008FUUQJW - Extra sealing ring to use when you make sweet things to avoid transferring any smelly savoryness from the other ring.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKPBT1Z/ - Steaming basket, of course.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KHHFCKS/ - A 7" springform pan to make Cheesecake #17 in. (If you only get one thing, this is the one. Because cheesecake.)

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008FUJ2LK/ - Tempered glass lid for slow cooking and/or letting people peer into the pot in awe while food is being kept warm.

And if you just want to buy fun things, the mini mitts are nice for getting the cheesecake out right away: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B012D33BD4 And not catching on fire when you want to remove the inner pot or hold it in place while you saute.

I also bought these stackable pans the other day (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M130JJL/) but so far all I've used them for was a dual meatloaf. I like them but I can't really think of a lot of uses for them at the moment.

I use an asparagus pot and I boil several at a time.

It's not crazy, there are even pasta pots with integrated strainers.

https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Home-4-Piece-Multipots-Stainless/dp/B00O8LFGEC?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3

How about a veggie steamer as a cheap false bottom. http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Large-Stainless-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B00004UE8F

I have this one, I really like it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0792RSPZY/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If money is no object a copper pot for making jams and jellies is lovely. Something similar to this.

If you live in a hot environment it's nice to have a propane stove for canning outdoors in the Summer.

This food mill/strainer is great for making tomato juice and sauce.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorio-VKP250-Strainer-Sauce-Maker/dp/B001I7FP54/ref=sr_1_1

If you don't have a dedicated water bath canner that comes with a jar basket, finding a stainless steel rack that fits into the pot you plan on using is also a very useful thing to have. It elevates the jars off the bottom.

A steam juicer is also a nice piece of equipment.

A conical food press is also useful.

http://www.amazon.com/Mirro-9605000A-Canning-Accessories-Wooden/dp/B00002N5ZQ/ref=sr_1_12?

A good metal ladle that portions food in 1/2 or 1 cup measures makes things easier.

Cloth jelly bags are useful.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-615-Jelly-Strainer-Piece/dp/B001FBEHFC/ref=sr_1_1

A canning lid rack can be useful, I like mine but most don't use them.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-605-Canning-Lid-Rack/dp/B0000CF39X/ref=sr_1_8

Tattler lids are always useful since you can reuse them.

http://www.amazon.com/Tattler-Reusable-Regular-Size-Canning/dp/B0051PDXCQ/ref=sr_1_3

Question 1 - I just finished my 11th Extract Brew. The majority have turned out amazing, but I think I am ready to start upping my game. I have seen all the tiered-mashing systems on here recently, but I think the next step for me would be to do BIAB. I currently have a 6 gallon aluminum pot which I don't think will be big enough.

I am debating between getting the 8 Gallon or the 16 Gallon. Pros and Cons of going bigger from the start? Or will an 8 Gallon do for what I want and be usable for the future?

EDIT: If it helps - this is currently what I am brewing on: Brinkman Turkey Fryer. It probably won't fit a bigger pot inside the ring, but I assume as long as it sits on top of the ring, it should still work?

Here are my faves.

Silicone lid

Stackable egg trivets

Veggie Steamer

Extra sealing rings

Fat Daddio Cake Pan

I think my absolute fave is the Fat Daddio pan. It's the perfect size for cooking pot-in-pot. I mostly use it for rice and the rice never sticks at all.

> a large conventional pot (40-50L something along the lines of https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BNRXQ2)

As others mentioned, be sure your stove can quickly heat, and boil, 40L of water. The Concord Kettle is a great kettle I can vouch for. No matter what, you’re going to want to make a hole and install a spigot.

> a pre-tapped fermenter to bottle straight from there

It could work if you prime with sugar individually in each bottle, but many find it easier to leave behind sediment and get even carbonation by transferring into a bottling bucket first.

It's helpful to get one of these or something like it so you can steam your vegetables on top while other stuff cooks on the bottom:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4E8PG6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And a steamer basket like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011JG4U8G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm sure you could find them cheaper. I don't think those are affiliate links. Not trying to shill - just trying to be helpful.

Err on the side of undercooking thing. Physics is amazing and pressure cookers cook ultra fast, so in the beginning you might overcook more often than not.

Don't be afraid to manually release the pressure in the middle of cooking so that you can open it up and put in things that take a shorter amount of time to cook. It comes back up to pressure really quickly.

This stand:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4E8PG6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage

It is 2.7" tall which allows you to clear any protein in the bottom even if it is on the steam rack provided with the IP. But it is short enough to allow you to put a collapsible steamer basket in without running into the lid. This allows you to simultaneously steam a protein on the bottom and veggies on top. Furthermore both can be frozen and will defrost and cook. This seems to be the only stand at this height.

These tongs:

https://www.amazon.com/Tint-Kitchen-Multifunction-Handle-Holder/dp/B00VTHP87I

They grab the inner pot and lift it out with trivial ease.

This steamer basket:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005638RPQ/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491524844&sr=sr-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=silicone+coated+steamer+basket

Handy

Genuine Instant Pot Silicone Steamer Set, Gift Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LFGJYBS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CQzRAbA9GK1ER

If your only pot is 16qt and you plan on doing biab, I'd say your next purchase should probably be a larger kettle, unless you prefer doing small batches. A 16qt stock pot with BIAB will be challenging to do a batch larger than 2 or 3 gallons. I'd suggest a 10 gallon kettle, though that's a tough find at $25. Aluminum will be cheaper than stainless, so that's the direction I went for the sake of cost back when I wasn't sure if I'd stick with this hobby.

I got this kettle shipped for $30.53. I lucked out by finding one that someone had returned (slightly dented) that amazon was trying to recoup something for. Even came with a lid, which I don't think that listing does normally.

I like this steamer basket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HCBDF2/

I got something similar to this or this, although mine has two equal sized pans. I like it because I don't have to clean out the main pot, just remove the pans, dump out the water, and put it back into the cooker. It's also nice because the food won't burn and stick to the pans.

I use a vegetable steamer basket as my "false bottom."

I don't know if it's 100% necessary, but I haven't scorched my bag yet, so I can't really complain. For the price, why not have it? Also it works pretty nicely for its intended purpose as well.

Also, oven rack over pot = winning for draining the bag. I can hoist 20lbs of wet grain, but fuck if I'm gonna hold it over the pot. Oven rack solves that quite nicely, couldn't agree more.

Question: Are there any major concerns with using a conventional pot for stove-top BIAB?

(Apologizing in advance if this is covered somewhere... if it is my google-fu is severely letting me down.)

I'm looking to get into homebrewing, as decent beer is quite expensive where I live and I've always wanted to give it a shot. I'm constrained in space and money, especially since I'm just starting out. Essentially I'm trying to put up minimal cash for now and "prove" to the wife I'll stick with it, and gradually upgrade over time.

That said, initially I'm looking to get into a BIAB setup as that seems to be the best compromise between potential quality of the brew, control over flavor, and simplicity in setup. Researching equipment, a lot of people seem to buy pre-fabricated pots with built in or added electric heating elements that are pre-tapped. From the outside it appears to add more cost to an initial build than convenience.

What I'd like to initially get is a large conventional pot (40-50L something along the lines of https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BNRXQ2), a DIY immersion chiller, a pre-tapped fermenter to bottle straight from there, and just funnel the chilled brew from pot to fermenter.

The "silicone egg bite thingy" is used at least thrice a week in our kitchen. This 7" spring-form pan works brilliantly for cheesecakes.

Edit: I forgot! This steamer basket we use for "boiling" eggs in the IP. 5mins, quick release, ice water bath. Perfect.

I'm relatively new to using the Steam juicer (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055Q2D2W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) But after doing about 35 gallons of mead using it I've gotta say the profile and taste is superior.

Not to mention its SO much easier than dealing with muslin bags and the others issues I mentioned.

I just got this kettle
Bayou Classic 1064 Stainless 16-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007V493PG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_it7myb8PP9N4Y

At 16 gallons with weldless value it's not a bad price to do a mashturn and boil kettle for $260 I believe it's a single ply bottom so you would have to watch closer about scorching but that saves you some money to buy other toys and fittings.
I spent a few bucks on modding my kettle with temp probe, down tube and a recirculating fitting. I would like to add maybe a hop blocker to it.

Maybe pick this up for up for your sparger

Bayou Classic 1032 Stainless 8-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007TV9LSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Qx7mybGFYBFKT

I run an outdoor gourmet 24" but it's only 55k btu so it takes few mins to get to temp, I been wanting to get a banjo type burner maybe a anvil or blichmann hellfire.

I still like the false bottom you picked out as I don't care for how bc does theirs.

My next step is I am building a keggle for my hlt and adding a herms coil to it.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0792RSPZY

We got a weird thing called a fourth burner. it looks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Kuhn-Rikon-4200-12-Cup-Burner/dp/B00381ANTG

Anyone have one or cook with it? What do you make?

You can approach scaling in two different ways:

• Vertically scaling is where you increase the capacity of your brew vessels. As noted by others, your vessel should be larger than your target batch size to avoid boiling over and to compensate for wort volume lost from evaporation.
  
• Horizontally scaling is where you increase the inventory of your standard equipment and run multiple batches simultaneously.
  
  It's also possible to combine methodologies. For example, you can vertically scale using 15.5 gallon keg kettles or 60 quart stock pots and horizontally scale by running two batches simultaneously to hit your 25 gallon target.

I bought this steamer basket. Works pretty well and fits in the DUO60.

Doesn't seem to be available on Amazon.com, sorry if you are from the US :(. But I'm sure something like this or this would be almost exactly the same.

This is the reason these exist.

You won't outbrew an aluminum pot's life, so long as you take care of it. If you want to do this on the cheap, you do it thusly:

| Part | Cost |
| :-- | --: |
| Thunder Group Stock Pot (60 qt) | $48.35 |
| Weldless kettle kit with 2-piece ball valve | $22.00 |
| Camlock Type F | $3.99 |
| Thermometer | $24.00 |
| Thermometer coupling | $6.50 |
| Amazon Shipping | $12.86 |
| Bargain Fittings Shipping | $5.00 |
| Total | $122.70 |

This assumes you already have a step bit. If you want the 40qt pot, it's $14.95 less than the 60qt.

Sorry it took me a while to reply. It's somewhat hard for me to write down the recipes, because I usually just wing the quantities and add/forgo ingredients depending on what I have/don't have in the pantry rather than follow a recipe to a T. However here I try.

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Idli

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I used a ready mix. This one. You'd also need the right cooking vessel like this one. Perhaps you can use ramekins (like those for creme brulée). I have never tried them though.

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Pulihora

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Here's one recipe. You don't need to add desiccated coconut and carrot or jaggery and asofetida. Another version is a lemon pulihora (instead of tamarind). If you are looking for tamarind, you can find it as a concentrate or peeled&pitted.

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Sambar

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Sambar is a basically a lentil vegetable soup to which you can add pretty much any veggies you have. Here's a recipe I shared previously. I added this spice mix called sambar powder. You can leave it out if you are not keen on it.

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Coconut peanut chutney

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This was a hit at the dinner. My friends couldn't get enough of it. Since I am too lazy to write down my recipe here, I googled for one. This comes closest to how I made the chutney. I didn't use garlic at all. However I did add lightly-fried-in-oil green chillies to the mix (before grinding) instead of the red/dried chillies. Again if you don't have tamarind, use lime juice instead for the tangy flavor. I also didn't have curry leaves. You might be able to find them at an Indian store (nearby or online).

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Bread carrot halwa

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This is my own making. You can find numerous recipes for bread halwa and carrot halwa separately, usually using ghee (clarified butter) and animal milk. I substituted the ghee with margarine and the animal milk with almond milk. I initially planned on making carrot halwa and later found some stale bread in the pantry, not enough for making bread halwa though. So I decided to add the bread to the carrot halwa to make it bread carrot halwa.

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Bread halwa recipe I followed. (Used almond milk instead of water, margarine instead of ghee).

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Carrot halwa recipe

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BTW, I have no affiliation to the websites I linked. They just showed up on my google searches. I have had comments here before about how difficult it is to find ingredients for Indian dishes, so I am only trying to be a little helpful.

Also please do share if you end up making any of these items. Good luck!

even worse than that...why would you eat microwaved popcorn? it's just as easy, healthier, and tastes much better to do kettle popped popcorn.

what the hell is wrong with you, dude?

EDIT: here's what you do:

1. get a pot like this. a nice, tall pot with a glass lid, because its fun to watch them pop.
   
   
2. get some popcorn kernels (i like the popsecret brand, myself).
   
   
3. fill the bottom with however much popcorn you want.
   
   
4. take canola oil and pour onto the popcorn. enough to half coat all the kernels.
   
   
5. turn on heat. pop corn.
   
   
6. when popping slows to 3-4 seconds a pop, turn off heat.
   
   
7. open lid.
   
   
8. here's the trick: two pinches of salt for every pinch of sugar sprinkled on the popcorn.
   
   
9. shake pot with popcorn like a polaroid picture without spilling all over the place.
   

For Yogurt, I boil milk in IP and then transfer it over to a Insulated Casserole, basically it doesn't culture inside the IP and yes I do not use the Yogurt button. I have always made yogurt at home even before the existence of IP and now I basically use IP for boiling the milk, for the exact same reason as you that I don't have to monitor it like on a stove top.
When making multiple items that need to be boiled or steamed but not together I use [this.] (https://www.amazon.com/Stack-Stackable-Steamer-Insert-Sling/dp/B072N6N96Y).
I have yet to find a way to sear meat as well as steam veggies! But tbh the only reason I haven't bought a second one is because I don't have the counter space. Go for it!

What's your budget, and how much space do you have?

I had a good experience with the first one that comes up on Amazon and used it for a couple of years. After a boil over and a desire to move to all grain, I ended up buying a bigger one. If your budget and space allow for it you may as well get it sooner rather than later

Not sure what shipping is for those, but I bought this aluminum stock pot on Amazon last year for about $60 shipped. It's awesome, very sturdy, and seems well made.

That said I have no experience with the two you listed, but I hope this helps a little but at least. And BTW aluminum is awesome, much more economical than stainless. I would only go stainless for the "bling" factor.

Something like this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K5VH8SG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502224269&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=idli

Yes. Not all pots come with one. You have to seek it out. Here’s a nice looking set: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O8LFGEC/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b1G5r_c_x_2_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=5GWB6REWSEHT4M50M1M3&pf_rd_r=5GWB6REWSEHT4M50M1M3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=c65abcd5-e455-5c66-98f4-5727c564f65d&pf_rd_p=c65abcd5-e455-5c66-98f4-5727c564f65d&pf_rd_i=300195

I also BIAB and have worried about scorching. On my next brew, I'm going to use a vegetable steamer (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004UE8F/ref=redir_mdp_mobile) to keep the bag off of the bottom.

Here's the pot. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FNLTCU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a 40QT stainless stock pot that I added a valve to. From the reviews I'd say the quality is pretty decent.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZS5PEO/ref=ya_st_dp_summary

This analysis does and will actively trawl dal makhni is this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K5VH8SG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502224269&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=idli

I agree with rxus2. 5 gallon is just not gonna cut it. Might still be able to find a clearance turkey fryer from last year for $30 or so. They usually come with a 7.5 gallon aluminum pot, mine has lasted over a dozen batches and is still doing fine. If you're going to invest in stainless, you might as well get something commercial quality and big enough to keep around when you decide to try all grain recipes. This is the hot deal right now.

Building an immersion chiller was some of the best money I've ever spent.

You mentioned sanitizer but didn't say what kind it is. If its powdered, then you might want to consider getting some star san. The 32 oz bottle will last you years.

As for the thermometer, the analog one that comes with the turkey fryer will be fine for steeping grains with your extract kits, but you'll probably want to get a good digital instant-read once you do all-grain.

Not to be rude, but I really don't think you have the disease quite yet. Have you only made 1 batch with the Mr. Beer kit since December? I got my first kit (the midwest groupon, bought 2) December '11, I've since made 65 gallons of beer and 5 gallons of apfelwein, and I just finished my 5 tap keezer this week. You'll feel it when it really kicks in, and so will your wallet.

These have some long legs that fold under if needed.

This is something I'm going to try with other recipes, but I don't want my mashed potatoes flavored of lemon butter chicken, so things like that will be kept separate and done in pot-after-pot. :D

As for a separator, I haven't tried it yet but I think the steamer rack in this Instant Pot Steamer Set will stand up higher. If not, take a look at the "egg" stacking racks referenced in the "Customers also bought" list on the steamer set page as those should definitely stand taller than the stock rack.

This one, but I got it on sale for about $98.00 USD shipped.

Yes!! I use a "4th burner pot" that the blogger on Food in Jars recommended, and you can stack up to 3 of those short fat half pint jars in it. It is super useful just for canning, as its tall and skinny and holds a lot of water. Its also graduated and has a neat pouring/straining features. Its basically the cutest best pot ever :)

I just used my stove and bout a 16qt Pot from Amazon. Worked perfect. You could even get fancy and drill a hole and put a valve in and it could be gravity fed too. It was $35!!!


Excelsteel 16 Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot With Encapsulated Base https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030T1KR0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-.qZDb98V9K54

I have also cold sparked for the first time and had no issues. Was a 9-11lbs of grain.

Go another level up and get a Pasta Pot.

My pressure cooker came with a steaming tray. I just put that in the bottom and put the food to be steamed on it, with some water underneath. You could probably do the same with a steaming basket or similar item.

Something important to note, though, is for items with a short steaming time, the cooking speed improvements of a pressure cooker (roughly 3x as a rule of thumb) don't necessarily apply, because even with the higher boiling point of water, there's time required for the food to heat up and the cooker to get up to operating pressute. So if you need to steam something for an hour in a regular steamer, you can steam it for 20 minutes in a pressure cooker. But if it needs to steam for 15 minutes, you can't do it in 5.

I used a steam juicer. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055Q2D2W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Thoughts on these. It so much cheaper than the equivalent SS pot. Will use to upgrade to 5 gal BIAB. Currently do 2 gal in a 4 gal pot.

[This is on Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Commercial-Stainless-Induction-Certified/dp/B000FNLTCU/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?adgrpid=54480396165&gclid=Cj0KCQjw753rBRCVARIsANe3o47zMQVqg8N9Tge93KG0iW9OaJRyBcLr9SbkEYVUdvisLonUmpaS1aEaAnyiEALw_wcB&hvadid=274714584395&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9061153&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=5774574749693466865&hvtargid=aud-646675774026%3Akwd-296286048931&hydadcr=14860_9624363&keywords=induction+ready+stock+pot&qid=1567128579&s=gateway&sr=8-7) but it's like 150 bucks. I don't think there is an option for exactly what you want that is budget friendly

Here's one. My mom has one just like it and I have spent WAY too long playing with it.

There is specific pots for this sort of thing as well, https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Home-4-Piece-Multipots-Stainless/dp/B00O8LFGEC?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3 for instance.

The cheapest route will be to get the parts and build it:

• Kettle: http://www.amazon.com/Winware-Stainless-Steel-Quart-Stock/dp/B001AS90CK
  
  
• Valve: http://www.amazon.com/Beer-Brewing-Kettle-Valve-Weldless/dp/B007B1W0J0
  
  
• Thermometer: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008FEPE18/ref=pd_aw_fbt_328_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1NDJH7J4KN0B7F35H6VR
  
  That gets you what you want for $140 before shipping costs. You could go with aluminum or a smaller pot (this one is 10 gallons) to save a little more, or shop around a bit. I just did a quick search for those.
  
  Just bear in mind that the handles on the cheaper pots tend to be a bit flimsy, so you're better off not moving it once it's full. Make sure you're brewing up high enough that gravity can do its job.

Just curious, but why? You can get a SS/Alumin 40 Qt pot for about that price. SS if you wait for a sale, aluminum almost always, like here.

Well I don't because I don't like pasta. But when I drain the hot water from potatoes I run cold water and slowly pour the hot water out so it mixes in the sink first. You could also use a spaghetti fork to scoop it out of the pot and into a bowl. Or buy a pasta cooker (pot with a built in colander): http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Pasta-Cooker-Stock-Strainer/dp/B0067NMEXU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1374538047&sr=8-4&keywords=colander+pot

Since buying my nonstick pot, I haven't used the stainless one once.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ICL8M1I

I also recommend the silicone trivet/steamer set.
https://smile.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-Silicone-Steamer-Set/dp/B01LFGJYBS

cheap 5 gallon pot

Question: Are there any major concerns with using a conventional pot for stove-top BIAB?

(Apologizing in advance if this is covered somewhere... if it is my google-fu is severely letting me down.)

I'm looking to get into homebrewing, as decent beer is quite expensive where I live and I've always wanted to give it a shot. I'm constrained in space and money, especially since I'm just starting out. Essentially I'm trying to put up minimal cash for now and "prove" to the wife I'll stick with it, and gradually upgrade over time.

That said, initially I'm looking to get into a BIAB setup as that seems to be the best compromise between potential quality of the brew, control over flavor, and simplicity in setup. Researching equipment, a lot of people seem to buy pre-fabricated pots with built in or added electric heating elements that are pre-tapped. From the outside it appears to add more cost to an initial build than convenience.

What I'd like to initially get is a large conventional pot (40-50L something along the lines of https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BNRXQ2), a DIY immersion chiller, a pre-tapped fermenter to bottle straight from there, and just funnel the chilled brew from pot to fermenter.

Yup!

I steam my eggs this way. I use a pasta strainer pot as a steamer basket kind of thing, and with a dozen eggs from the fridge it takes about 11.5 minutes to get them steamed just right. You'll have to test it with your setup and the size of eggs you can get and all that, but once you nail it down it's really reliable. Then if you're doing a bunch, you can peel batch 1 while batch 2 is steaming.

Just don't be me and let all the water boil off. That was dumb. Then I panicked and set the pot on a pot holder because my other front burner was occupied, and melted my pot holder. I didn't even know you could do that, but apparently you can. I had to peel the pot holder off a bit at a time. RIP in pieces.

https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Commercial-Stainless-Induction-Certified/dp/B000FNLTCU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480708395&sr=8-2&keywords=40+quart+stock+pot

This style is the norm here in Europe. Many companies produce almost identical pots.

https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-SPS-40-Induction-Stainless/dp/B000X1OLJW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1480708395&sr=8-6&keywords=40+quart+stock+pot

I use 6 and 8 gallon pots like this at home and work on induction and they work great.

Edit: are you talking about the kettle fryer or the burner? Lol

Tri Ply Pros:
Less chance of scorching the wort. Less cleanup due to nothing caking on the bottom of the kettle. It's mainly a concern if you have a powerful burner. I have a Kab4 on natural gas and I do experience some light scorching since I run it on full blast. I'm uncertain, but I believe it has a slight impact on the color of lighter wort, and even less so on flavor. Grab a tri-ply if you are OCD about these things.

With that said, I have a 16 gallon version of this, and it's really hard to beat. Consider the cost of a ball valve, weldless bulkhead, and hole drilling bits.

This version:
Pre-drilled bulkhead (mine had a weldless)
Ball valve
Ready to go out of the box

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1032-Stainless-8-Gallon/dp/B007TV9LSU/

If you have those already, there are cheaper options also from bayou on amazon, like this

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1118-32-Quart-Stainless/dp/B0009K8SJ6/


Edit: for those wondering about the 16 gallon - my main complaint is that it is so tall that smaller batches will be problematic with wort chillers since they are so low in the kettle. It's not much more expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1064-Stainless-16-Gallon/dp/B007V493PG/

You also may have good luck on your local craigslist

You can use a steamer rack such as this:

https://www.amazon.com/Steamer-Resistant-Handles-Electric-Pressure/dp/B07MK2D4ZZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=steamer+rack&qid=1556570950&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

Or this:

https://www.amazon.com/meleg-otthon-Steaming-Stainless-Multi-function/dp/B01B4E8PG6/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=steamer+rack&qid=1556571031&s=gateway&sr=8-7

To prevent toys from touching the bottom of the pot when boiling.

I'd like to do 5 gallon batches. I don't think the quantity from the Mr Beer keg is worth it.

How's this look? Total is around $80.

Fermentation bucket

Bung/airlock

Stock pot

Autosiphon

Star San or Idophor (What's the difference?)

Is there any advantage to having a carboy as well? How long would I leave the beer in the fermentation bucket?

So if I wanted to do sours, I'd basically have to get 2 of everything?

Edit - actually, wouldn't this kit be about the same, but with an extra bucket but no stock pot?

Edit 2 - another pot, 36qt is good price, leaving this here so I can find it again.