20 gallon brews, help with burner suggestion!

as the title states I am building a 20 gallon system, my Vessel is 30 gallon so I am actually going to be needing to bring about 22.5 gallons up to boil. I have been looking into the SP-10 but I am a bit concerned that I wont be able to get it up to boil in a reasonable time frame. Oh Brew Masters, help me! Do I need to step up to the KAB 4? or do you think the SP-10 will be sufficient?! I did do some searching but I am pretty inept at all things computer.

Thanks in advance guys!

BB

Bayou Classic Banjo Burner BG14

I use this on a 26gal brew pot. Combined with a 30psi regulator and a heat shield from brewers hardware, I have no problem getting up to a boil quickly.

I've yet to measure the time from mash to boil but it's boiling by the time the mash tun is cleaned out.

Bayou Classic BG10 High Pressure - works fine for mashing in a 26gal MLT

Brew on!

I have the SP-10. I use it for keggel brewing up to 10gal at a time, it works ok. If it were me, I'd go bigger. I also have the 32tip jet burner on natural gas, that brings the temp up quick, it also heats the floor, the walls, and makes things burst into flames. If the sun goes out I can re-light it.

Mike

BG14 or 23 tip jet

I've have built 6 20gal Brutus style systems for myself and customers. I've used jet burners on the first 2 (I hate jet burners) but these have been the most efficient and have more than enough power for up to 30 gal of wort.


http://www.agrisupply.com/images/l/30295.jpg


Also they are the cheapest you can find.

Here is the most recent system I've built.







And here they are mounted.

no thermocouple protection?

Haha I knew you would be the first to comment on that.

I have a different opinion on safety and brewing.

Most systems I have built have always had standing pilots, I agree that standing pilots are truly very unsafe, that is why I have now been using hot surface ignitors that are lit the entire brew session. I also believe that a real brewer is constantly monitoring the brew session and should be relatively close by incase something does go wrong.

I completely understand your reasons for using the smart valves for liability and safety reasons, but in my personal opinion I believe that people need to also realize that brewing in general can be a very hazardous hobby.

Also the systems I have built have always been for very close friends. I might do it different if I was making a business and living out of it.

cash... thank you for qualifying...
BTW, your systems look very nice

Thanks.

And I have to say you are deffinatly a top notch fabricator.

Cash that system is gorgeous, thank you all for your input! I really appreciate all the help. Cash, that picture you linked is that the BG 12?

The cheap CB135 from agrisupply works great for me. I use two in tandem with the high pressure regulator (see pix) to get my boils rolling. I have done brews up to 35 gallons with no issues.


cashbrewing: you can get 30 gallons boiling with 1 of there ?!?!? that IS amazing!!

I use tri clad pots which probably helps.
My buddy uses old stainless pool filter housing that he got from me and I believe his boil pot is in the range of 40 gal plus and he uses the same burners with no problem at all.

When I used my jet burners I would go through a tank of propane per brew on my old 10 gal Brutus. I now do 20 gal plus most of the time and can get almost two brew sessions out of one tank. These burners are very efficient.

The other name for the burners Cash is using is BG10. One reason we steer clear of them is because they are extremely loud. Then again, sound alone is a safety feature... right? Noise = gas is burning.
I'm a firm believer in tri-clad kettles, however, since we build custom stands and often do not supply the kettles, we have to make sure the burner will work with the customers equipment. Therefore we use BG12s/BG14s and for NG we often spec jet burners which can be controlled very effectively when combined with a needle valve.