Using 2 burners for stovetop brewing & the distance apart

Soulive · 02-07-2008, 03:41 PM

As mentioned yesterday, I'm going back to extract for one batch. In the past I was able to boil about 3.5 (starting volume) on my one burner. I'd like to incorporate the other burner so I can start with 4-4.5 gallons. The two burners are about 10-12" apart on center. Is that too far apart to use both simultaneously?

IowaStateFan · 02-07-2008, 03:48 PM

I'm assuming you are planning on 1 brewpot over 2 burners. I do this when I'm brewing indoors. If your pot is big enough to cover both burners, I'd say you're set to go.

Soulive · 02-07-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IowaStateFan

I'm assuming you are planning on 1 brewpot over 2 burners. I do this when I'm brewing indoors. If your pot is big enough to cover both burners, I'd say you're set to go.

The width of the pots base will not cover both burners. That's why I'm wondering what to do. I'm assuming I'll have some flames creeping up the sides...

Dinbin · 02-07-2008, 03:52 PM

aproach the pot from the side to avoid burning your fingers.

SRFeldman79 · 02-07-2008, 03:54 PM

sounds like an excuse to get a bigger pot.

**Bobby_M** · 02-07-2008, 03:55 PM

You'll get it up to temp a little faster but you will be wasting a lot more gas due to the heat loss on the uncovered flame. I'd try to stick with one burner. Now, one idea is to fill the big pot with 3 gallons and fill another pot with another gallon or two. Keep it split up like that until you reach boiling, then dump the smaller one in the larger. The hardest part is the heating, after it's boiling it doesn't take much energy to keep it going.

Soulive · 02-07-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

You'll get it up to temp a little faster but you will be wasting a lot more gas due to the heat loss on the uncovered flame. I'd try to stick with one burner. Now, one idea is to fill the big pot with 3 gallons and fill another pot with another gallon or two. Keep it split up like that until you reach boiling, then dump the smaller one in the larger. The hardest part is the heating, after it's boiling it doesn't take much energy to keep it going.

That sounds good. I didn't think of splitting. What do you think of heating like 1.5 gallons in one pot to do my steeping, bring it to a boil, and then adding it to the 2.5 gallons of water in my main pot - once they're both near boiling? This is your old 30qt pot I'm referring to btw...

blacklab · 02-07-2008, 04:50 PM

Before I got the grain bag, I used to do the steeping in a separate pot, then pour thru a strainer into the big boil pot to remove the sediment.

You could have 2.5 galls or so in your big pot coming up to boil and do your steep in another gallon on the side.

Works fine!

SuperiorBrew · 02-07-2008, 04:53 PM

When I use the stove I use 2 burners, about 15-20% of each burner is off the kettle but it still is about exactly twice as fast as using one and I can maintain a vigouous boil with close to 7 gallons this way, with one just one burner its a gentle rolling boil.

Soulive · 02-07-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacklab

Before I got the grain bag, I used to do the steeping in a separate pot, then pour thru a strainer into the big boil pot to remove the sediment.

You could have 2.5 galls or so in your big pot coming up to boil and do your steep in another gallon on the side.

Works fine!

That's exactly what I wanna do. I was going to mill my grains right into the smaller pot once it hit 150F or so, then steep in there, strain into something else, and bring both the wort and my water to seperate boils. I can't bring the steeping pot up to boiling while the grains are still in it (obviously)...