I brewed my first batch today (Irish Red kit from Midwest) and had to wait a long time for my electric stove to bring the wort to a boil. I'm now looking at alternative heat sources, and think that turkey fryers are the best option, but has anyone tried a "hot plate"/single coil electric burner? I know that these are used for canning, and could see how they would be used for brewing. Or is the turkey fryer the way to go? Thanks!
I believe that when you are canning you have a closed pot. Which is totally different. To brew you need some juice. And if you didn't know, propane cookers are rated on how fast they burn fuel and not how efficient that they are. I love my Blichmann burner. If you don't know of Blichmann, he makes some very good and yet very expensive products. But his set up seems to be the most efficient burner on the market. Since I know that I'm in the game for the long haul I bought one. If you aren't sure then going cheaper is an option. You could always use the cheaper burner for a hot liquor tank burner or whatever.
most people use a turkey fryer. how much of your wort do you boil? i do a little more than 3 gallons on my electric stove and it takes a little while but at this point i think there are better things i could upgrade first.
If you can brew outside yes, I would highly recommend a turkey fryer type burner. I was lucky enough to be given one but they are reasonably priced. If you ever plan on doing full boils, it's the way to go.
I use a turkey fryer. Make sure to get one with at least a 30 qt. pot because you will need it if you stick with the hobby and move on to all-grain brewing. A fryer with a pot should run you in the $35-50 range. Welcome to brewing!
Thanks a lot everyone. When I heard of the electric option I was skeptical since I hadn't really read of anyone using one. Looks like I'm in the market for a turkey fryer now. Thanks again!
where can you find those prices? most brew kettles i've seen that are big enough for a full boil start at $50
Blichmann burners are the shiznit. I'm usually having to turn my burner DOWN while boiling because it kicks out so much heat.
I found the one at bass pro for $30 (burner and 10.5qt...i have a 24qt now). i'll be getting that one soon.
I have not jumped into this, yet, but some brewers, both electric and non-electric, supplement their brewing with a "heat stick". Searching will turn up DIY plans for heat sticks made with electric water heater elements, with a price of about $30. From one site: "Compared to propane, electricity is highly efficient. A 2000W heatstick will bring 5 gallons of 50 F tap water to mash temps in about 45 minutes, and then go from mashout to boil in another 15 minutes or so. If you figure an hour boil, that's 2 hours x 2000W or 4 kWh. At $0.15 per kWh, that's a whopping $.60 for a brew session!" I have also read of brewers using a bucket heater - perhaps easier for the non-DIY type: http://www.amazon.com/MARSHALLTOWN-Premier-742G-Bucket-Heater/dp/B000BDB4UG I brew on an electric stove top, but do not do 5 gallon batch full volume boils. (I do smaller batches). No matter what method you use, use the lid to heat faster. Don't cover completely during the boil, but a partially covered pot can help maintain a rolling boil.
A partially covered pot will also inhibit (but not eliminate) the evaporation of DMS precursors. So while it's sometimes necessary, I'd avoid it if possible.
