I’ve been using the same 55k BTU burner for years doing both 5 and 10 gallon batches. For the 10 gallon batches I have been getting sick of heaving my kettle onto the burner with the temp of the wort at that point at around 140-150 and then waiting an hour or more to get a boil. I think I’m going to buy one of the 210K Banjo Burners, but just wanted to check with folks about how much propane they eat up…Do you go through a lot more gas?
Why not drain the mash tun into the kettle while it’s already on the burner? By the time I finish sparging (for a 5 gallon batch) the wort in the kettle is already at around 180°F.
If you batch sparge and you only own one burner, that may not be possible. That’s the way I run and I need my burner to heat my sparge water while the first runnings are draining from the mashtun. Once I dump the sparge water in, I then have to lift the kettle (granted, only half full) onto the burner and the sparge runoff can then go into the “on burner” kettle.
That’s how i’m running it also, but I don’t have a pump either. I’m going to get a new low-profile burner and elevate my HLT and Mash Tun and rely solely on gravity for now. I’m just wondering what kind of burner to get. 4x the BTUs of my current burner just sounds nice.
It isn’t a problem for me. I just heat my sparge water to 200°F or so, set it aside, and by the time I’m done with the first runnings it’s still plenty hot.
+1 That’s what I do and I have two burners. That way I only have to get one of the out.
So…how much more gas do the bigger burners use? A lot…A little. Are they terribly in-efficient?
You were asking about the 210K banjo which I know little about other than I believe it has a 30PSI regulator. I use the 185K Bayou Classic SP-10 which uses a 20PSI regulator. I wouldn’t call mine inefficient as I easily get probably a half-dozen batches per 20lb tank (I mix in some grill time on the tank so I don’t have an exact count). You only really need to crank the gas while you’re getting up to boil, once you’re there, (at least on the SP-10) you can turn it down to a trickle of gas just to maintain the boil.
Hey Mikey
check out this thread at the BN
http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16238
The short story IIRC, is to stick with the 4" burner as the big ol banjo ones aren’t as good. At least that’s what one of the posters said. Oh, and check out the prices at agrisupply. 4" 180K btu burner for $8… sounds like a good deal to me.
I think it’s (210K banjo) pretty good compared to the 55K burner I have. For a 6 gal batch I’m using about 6 lbs of propane for everything (boil, mash, sparge). For a 10 gal batch I don’t use much more than that for some reason only like .5 lb more.
I was using about the same with the 55K burner except I couldn’t do a 10 gal batch.
At my local Academy sports they sell the 160K for less thgan the 80…TWENTY BUX!!
anything over 90KI BTU will work.
I live in Louisiana-5 miles from Metal Fusion who are the big maker (under many brand names)of “Cajun” and Bayou" etc burners and even at their rare "damaged"goods sale they aren’t this cheap
…have U considerd an electric heat stick?..the energy can be contained with insulation and not wasted as in propane and U can get to 190 degrees easily-EASY to build.Above 210 degrees requires HUGE energy to convert liquid to steam
IMHO,I would ditch the low BTU burner and for 20-30 bux get the 160K and heat 1st water with it then use electric for subsequent water.The problem with storing hot water for future use is that >180 plastic used in coolers WILL leach.I don’t know your finances but U could buy TWO for 20 bux each
Re:efficiency-I made a metal shroud for liquor tank as well as boiler whose sides I wrap with a blanket while boiling and always keep the flame within the circumference of the pot…having flames lick the pot is wasteful and NOT any quicker
I am looking into propane burners as well. There is a local store selling the Camp Chef High Intensity burner for $54. Amazon.com would this be good for a 10 gallon boil?
That one says 75K Btu. You’d probably be a lot better of with the SP-10…
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-SP10-High-Pressure-Outdoor/dp/B000291GBQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=garden&qid=1264644924&sr=1-1
…that’ll give you 185K Btu and it’s only $39.96 with free shipping.
+1 That’s what I have and it’s a beast. And you can’t beat the price.
There is a review on this burner that states that kettles made out of kegs do not sit properly on it. Has anyone had this difficulty?
I’m using a regular kettle so I don’t know how a keg would fit on it.
Sorry, can’t help you there. I use a Megapot so I have no idea about a keggle.
I just picked up the Banjo Burner off of Craigslist, it looks like it will work with a keg very well. Plus i’m sure that the 200+BTUS wills be great for getting large volumes to boil.
I have two banjo burners and cook exclusively with converted kegs. The banjo burner is almost two powerful for the kegs as I only use about half power on the burner and the bottom skirts of the kegs are red hot and I have even seen some deformation of the skirt due to excess heat. Oops.
I used a half-barrel keg on mine once but didn’t feel comfortable with it. The keg base is just barely larger in diameter than the burner ring, so it’s precarious and has to be kept perfectly centered.