Vat - Extra Large Stockpots

[Cheese Head]

Wayne, I assume that wasn't a typo in your other post? 100 US quarts! For all the non-Americans here, that's 95 litres!

Of course you know you are going to need a monster parmesan hoop for all that curd!

(I've just started this new thread for Wayne or anyone to talk about Extra Large Stockpots.)

[wharris]

Not a typo.

I would like to make a single wheel,  monthly.  in the 10kg size..

A 100 qt pot is here

[Cheese Head]

Wow, shipping weight is 42 pounds, that's 19 kg, even after packing material, it would be heavy and huge just to move.

If you do buy this, what are you going to put it on or in to warm the milk and how would one get the curds out  and how would one get the whey out?

[Likesspace]

Wayne,
That's actually a really nice price on a 100 quart pot.
I've been looking on another site but their prices are considerably more.
One thing about it though....
This site has one pot that is 200 quarts and several others of various shapes and sizes.

Here's a link: http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/stockpots.html

I've decided to stick with my 24 quart for now but maybe next year jump up to a 35-40 quart.
That way I could do a 5 or 6 gallon batch with plenty of free space above the milk.
I'm also curious as to how you plan to handle such a large pot.
The weight of the pot alone is quite a bit and when you add the weight of the cheese it is going to be quite a challenge to move, drain, etc.

Looking forward to your response (since I'd also like to move up in size some day).

Dave

[saycheese]

Yes, I'm curious how you handle such a large pot-- do you treat it like the large copper cauldrons I've seen on websites (like fxcuisine's Alpine Cheese making pictures) and scoop the curds out? We have a 8 gallon heavy bottom stock pot we use for brew and we plan to use for tomato sauce making in September, but haven't made any cheese in it yet -- I'm still trying to get the hang of smaller 1-2lb. cheeses first.

[wharris]

This setup is all in my head mind you.

But i have a 1-ton winch already in my basement. (block and tackle with a boat winch.)

I am going to create a small steel grate to rest the pot on, and the grate will be raised and lowered with the winch.  It will be lowered in and out of a larger water bath.

The water bath will rest on a large hotplate, and the stockpot will be lowered in-out of the bath to control temp.

I plan on putting a 3/4 ball valve in the bottom and a curd gate for whey drainage. I have a NSF HDPE must scoop (winemaking) that I will use to put curd into SS colander for drainage.

These are just preliminary thoughts...

[LadyLiberty]

100 qts?  That's 25 gallons, isn't it?  Sheesh, how would you possibly ever warm it up?  You would use half a tank of propane that way! And I mean the size propane that you use for the house!

That's ambitious, Wayne.

[wharris]

I plan on using a water bath that circulates hot water around the pot giving me maximum surface area.
Of course there will be time trials and process refinements...


But you brind up a good point. 


The point is i would like to make 1 wheel a month.  (as opposed to every weekend).
I would prefer that the wheel be substantial.  10Kg...

That will produce wedges with enough "meat" to rind.

10kg is ~22lbs
That will need 22-23 gal of milk (whole, for cheeses like gouda or cheddar).

So,  100qt stockpot is where i am headed...

[wharris]

They are getting cheaper all the time:


(picture is a link)

[Likesspace]

(Likesspace speaking to himself)
Your pot is fine. You don't NEED this. Size is not important......

Dave

[Cartierusm]

Wayne if I come out to help on the shed/barn we could build a custom vat with that, that has a frame that allows it to swing like the link you posted of the ebay auction.

[DeejayDebi]

I was wondering ... I few members mentioned brew pots. I also brew beer and I have a ball valve sprigot on the bottom of my mashtun. Why can't we do that with cheese? There's no way I would be able to lift a pot bigger than 20 quarts by myself.

[Cartierusm]

As long as you have some sort of screen to keep the curds from draining away you can use it to drain off the whey, that's the way professional vats work. Just make sure the pot is Stainless and not aluminum.

[micah]

I would verify that the handles (and wall structure of the pot) are strong enough to be lifted by the handles when the pot is full. 

[wharris]

I have,  they are not.
Reference the thread here.