full boil with 20lb. propane tank

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red999

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How many brews (5.5 - 6 gallon boils)have people gotten out of one 20lb. propane tank? I just started doing full boils and I don't want to run out of gas half way through a brew.
 
I usually get 2 batches with some left over for the barbecue out of a 20lb tank. That includes heating sparge and strike water, as well as boiling for 60-75 minutes (never use pilsner malt).
 
A second tank is always good....rather for the brew or the grill...Nothin worse than having to bring the steaks in and broil em.....
 
A second tank is always good....rather for the brew or the grill...Nothin worse than having to bring the steaks in and broil em.....

Best Advice in Brewing!

I ran out last brew day....about 1/2 way through boil.....at 11:30 at night. It's good to be able to fill your own...but a PITA still the same.
 
I have gotten 3 several times. I have run out on the forth once, and had to borrow the neighbor's. I now have two tanks.
 
ya but you can feel the gas in there ,, and in warm weather there will be a condinsation line out the out side of the tank after uses that alines with the inside gas level
a 20# tank weights about 20 lbs empty and holds about 20 lbs full so full it should be 40 lbs

or get a clear one :) Transparent propane tank - Boing Boing
 
I get a few more than 3 (I'm not sure exactly how many), and it's for strike, sparge, and boil. Aluminum boil kettles (which my current kettle is) require less flame to keep the boil going, and I think that is what helps me. Some people boil with a huge flame, I keep it lower since I'm right on the verge of a boil-over most of the time.

+100 on getting a second tank and keeping it full. Nothing sucks like running out, whether it be grilling or boiling.
 
I do full boild extract brews and I have gotten I think 7 out of my tank so far. The last time I was brewing it felt a little light but I have a back up if it runs out.
 
I guess I come in somewhere around 3, but I use a tank for all propane applications until it runs out, then switch to one of the spares. If you don't have a spare, you are either rolling dice in the hopes you make it through, wasting money on ingredients that don't get boiled, or wasting money on filling a tank that isn't empty. It might be all three. That's no good.


TL
 
+1 on a spare tank. It sucks running out mid-boil. It also sucks filling 3/4 of a tank and paying for a whole tank. I picked up a reconditioned 20lb tank, filled, at the place i get my propane for like $25, well worth the investment in my opinion.
 
I got 4 brews out of a tank using my keggle when they were filled with 17#. Now that they're 15# I'm guessing I'll never see 4 brews from 1 tank again.
 
I heat my strike and sparge water for 5 gallon batches on the stove and only use the propane for boiling. So far I have 4-5 boils and I'm confident that I have at least one more in the tank.

But I have a spare, so I'm not worried.

Mike
 
Sounds like a lot of people are much less efficient in their use than myself. I get 5-6 batches out of a tank. That usually includes a 75-90 min boil.

You should always have atleast 1 back up tank, and fill the tanks when you empty them. Nothing worse than having an empty backup when you need it.

Craig
 
Anyone use a bigger than 20lb tank? Where do you get them?

I use the 30 lb tanks that are off of the front of my travel trailer. 60 lbs out there that doesn't get used, I might as well make beer with it.

Any RV lot should have them and you can get them filled anywhere that fills 20 lb tanks.
 
Just started using propane, got 2 and a half out of it. Luckily I ran out before the boil started.

I Need to put a heat shield around the burner.
 
What size batches are you making? If I'm doing 5 gallon batches, I'll heat my strike and sparge water on the electric stove to save gas. It seems to heat up much faster anyway.

Mike
 
My 55k BTU burner gives me 5 to 6 batches including heating sparge water. I'm guessing everyone that only gets 2 batches uses a bigger burner.
 
i have a 40lb tank for brewing, and always enough in the 20lb BBQ tank just in case. i've never paid attention to how many batches i get per tank, but i'm using a lot less propane now that i made a heat stick. i use that combined with propane to heat my HLT very quickly, but don't use propane again until the boil. the heat stick keeps the HLT temp where i need it, and it also helps get the boil going. if you don't know what a heat stick is, it's basically a water heater element on the end of a pipe. instructions were in an issue of zymurgy about 6 months ago. i recommend everyone make one of these, they're very handy.
 
Wow, I get like 6 out of mine, but I only use i for the boil. I heat the strike and sparge water on teh stove.
 
I guess I'm one of the more efficient guys too. :eek: I get at least 5 batches from each tank, including heating mash water, sparge water, and then usually doing a 90 minute boil.

I use the square 55K BTU Bayou Classic burner and a converted Sanke keg. I did some experimentation the first few times I brewed all-grain with this setup and I found that going full-bore with the gas flow didn't heat the water much quicker than backing off the gas to just over the point where that "blow torch" sound is really noticeable.

I also keep a backup tank so I can squeeze the last of the gas out of it before refilling. Like many things with brewing, the initial outlay for the equipment sucks, but after a few batches you are glad you spent the dough.
 
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