Here's my take on P.B.S. I think they do very good work. Clearly, they have plenty of experience modifying stainless steel Vollrath pots (experience your local sheet metal shop may not have). P.B.S. is certainly not cheap, but stainless steel work is very expensive. I believe that their prices are fair.

P.B.S. modified a total of four Vollrath pots for me (I don't use my original 10 gallon Vollrath mash vessel in my current system). One thing that I found to be true in each case was that they always delivered the pot weeks after the committed date.

With each pot, I provided P.B.S. with detailed drawings of the fitting and drain height and orientation with respect to the handles. With each pot, the work was performed to my specifications with one exception. I had ordered a ½" fitting to accept a thermowell on my mash vessel and it arrived (weeks late) with a 3/8" fitting. I had to return the pot to New York (at their expense) and have the fitting replaced.

P.B.S. has a rather interesting pricing policy. P.B.S. charges $225 (October 5, 1997) for a 60 quart pot. I purchased a total of three 60 quart Vollrath pots from Something's Brewing. Two for $155 and one for $170. I talked with Ellen and had the pots drop shipped from Vollrath in Wisconsin directly to P.B.S. in New York.

This would seem like an immediate savings of $70 and $55 over the cost of the P.B.S. pot, but P.B.S. charges more to make modifications to "Ketttles Purchased Elsewhere",

"Please add 35% to the price of the first welded modification (usually the drain) and 25% to the price of the second modification for kettles purchased elsewhere or that you supply. Additional modifications are at regular price."

Actually, I think this "Purchased Elsewhere" policy was put in place after I drop shipped my first two $155 Vollrath pots for modification. You also have to pay the cost of shipping to get the Vollrath pot to P.B.S. If you are interested in a P.B.S. pot, you'll have to do the math for yourself.

Overall, I've been happy with P.B.S. and I'd encourage others to give P.B.S. a try.