About to buy a burner - is Blichmann worth it?

Okay, the time has come to upgrade to an outdoor burner. I was enticed by my local Gander Mountain store advertising a Bayou Classic type burner and 30 quart aluminum pot for $59(probably won't use the pot for brewing, but I would like to actually fry a turkey from time to time so it is a nice add-on). But as I think more about it, I really want this to be a purchase that will last a long time and not leave we wanting to upgrade again in a few months or years. So I have been considering a Blichmann top-tier type floor burner, but I can't help but think that maybe they are no better than most burners, and I would be paying 60+ bucks extra for a purty stainless stand and a brand name. I really don't care about appearance - just performance and longevity. Anyone have experience with both Blichmann burners and turkey-fryer kit type burners and have an opinion?

-Adam

I had a Bayou Classic burner (it was a gift) that served me well for several years. It handled boiling my five gallon batches just fine. But when I moved to 10 gallon batches it showed it's weaknesses. I'd collect wort from the mash which would be at about 140 degrees by the time I was ready to light up the burner. The Bayou Classic burner took about 90 minutes to bring 12 gallons of liquid from 140 to boiling!

I decided it was time for a new burner and ordered a Blichmann since I'm planning to get a Top Tier anyway. I brewed my first batch on it, and it took about 30 mintues to bring 13 gallons from 120 to boiling. A huge improvement.

Now, I'm not saying that the Blichmann is the only burner that will heat that fast. In fact I'm pretty sure it's not. Others will likely perform just as well. But given it's heating ability and the fact that it's constructed of stainless steel, I have no doubt that it will likely last me for the rest of my life if I want it to.

Brian

What other burners are there that compete with Blichman's power?

Benthic said:

But when I moved to 10 gallon batches it showed it's weaknesses.

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This is what I was worried about. I currently do 5 gallon batches, but I was hoping to avoid having to upgrade my burner once I go 10 gallon. I guess Blichmann it is, unless anyone knows of anything cheaper that is of comparable quality. Anyone?

I usually do 6.5 gallon batches and even at that low volume as compared to 10, it makes the whole brew day just GO FASTER. Less time WAITING. And a big factor to consider that will outweigh the cost is that it uses WAY LESS propane than any other burner I've come across. Sorry about all the caps but I must express how BAD ASS this burner is!

I have only brewed with the Blichmann burner so I can't compare it to other burners. I can say that the Blichmann is very well built and should last for many years. It had no trouble bringing 10-gals of water to a rolling boil. I think it runs more quietly than your average propane burner also.

I got the leg extensions kit also and it raises everything up to a convenient brewing height for a floor-standing burner.

My experience was similar to Benthic's, I started with a lower output burner (60K BTU) and when I started going to 10 gallon batches it took too long for the wort to boil. I switched to a top tier system and love how much quicker the burners are. That being said, I think any of the higher output burners would work just fine for you.

I use the sq-14 for ten gallon batches and it works well. I don't know what kind of boil kettles you have, but I have keggles which require a bigger diameter/dimention stand. That is the main reason I got the sq-14. It has been a while since I researched, but I don't remember the blichmann being big enough for Keggles. That might be the only down side to the blichmann. Stainless will last a lot longer if you can afford it. My stands are not even close to falling apart, but they are rusty.

joel4482 said:

It has been a while since I researched, but I don't remember the blichmann being big enough for Keggles.

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Just a quick FYI, the Blichmann burners are large enough for kettles.

bighand said:

Just a quick FYI, the Blichmann burners are large enough for kettles.

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Correct. It can handle keggles.