Wife told me to "brew outside"

So i get to get a propane buner. I could use some suggestions on what to get.

Thanks

Mike

I'm sure somebody will chime in here with specifics, but I'll just say buy as many BTU's as you can. My buddy loaned me his turkey fryer and it will boil 7 gallons (straight from the mash ~130-140F) in < 15 minutes. I bought a brand new one at Target over Christmas to replace his and after 30 minutes I wasn't sure it was ever going to boil, so I went back to my buddy's cooker. The new one probably had a crappy regulator.

Bottom line...all turkey fryers are not created equally!

Welcome to the club .

Mike's Brew and Brat said:

So i get to get a propane buner. I could use some suggestions on what to get.

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- chair to sit on and drink while you wait.
- a large tub to clean your equipment in.
- a small table for your recipe/notes

All the other gear you should already have from your indor brewing

Kai

I just got this one from Home Depot for 50.00. I like it. It takes about 45 minutes to get 7 gallons of cold water to a roiling boil.
http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/product_310_detailed.htm

I saw that one at Home Depot. Looks like the way to go.

Blender said:

I just got this one from Home Depot for 50.00. I like it. It takes about 45 minutes to get 7 gallons of cold water to a roiling boil.
http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/product_310_detailed.htm

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I've got this same one... I normally fill my brewpot with hot tap water and it'll get that boiling in about 20 minutes...

can you use a propane burner inside a garage, maybe near the door with it open...?? it may be raining tonight and I want to brew...

Jester

Jester said:

can you use a propane burner inside a garage, maybe near the door with it open...?? it may be raining tonight and I want to brew...

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I've done that before, and I'm still typing (although I used to feel smarter). Definitely open the garage door, and you might even consider a box fan depending on the size of your garage, but I imagine you'll be fine without it.

Jester said:

can you use a propane burner inside a garage, maybe near the door with it open...?? it may be raining tonight and I want to brew...

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As long as the garage is not below ground level (few of them are) you should be fine. The concern is that propane is heavier than air and may pool in low spots.

Kai

...are you sure she used those words....?

Brewing in a garage = fumes. I wouldn't recommend it, but if I did it I would probably place a fan on a higher level to push them out the door.

my wife also said 'brew outside' i think she really meant, build an outbuilding and get your brewing gear out of the house all together!!!!

open the garage door when you brew and a window opposite the door if you have one, for a good cross breeze.

You should be able to swing it as long as you have ADEQUATE VENTILATION!

t1master said:

my wife also said 'brew outside' i think she really meant, build an outbuilding and get your brewing gear out of the house all together!!!!

open the garage door when you brew and a window opposite the door if you have one, for a good cross breeze.

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That's more like it....

I brew in the garage all the time this time of year (Winter/early Spring). It's too damn cold and windy otherwise. I place my burner /brewpot close to the garage door and the tank actually just outside the door. And I open the garage door all the way.

get one of these - it will serve you well when you graduate to partial mash and then on to ag

SWMBO really stands for She Wants Me Brewing Outside.

-a.

brewhead said:

get one of these - it will serve you well when you graduate to partial mash and then on to ag

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You may want to watch out, in case you plan to get a bigger brew pot. It may be to big to fit another pot next to it.

Kai

I got a turkey fryer 45kBTU at Home Depot for $29.99 on sale

Kaiser said:

You may want to watch out, in case you plan to get a bigger brew pot. It may be to big to fit another pot next to it.

Kai

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that rig will hold two 40 quart pots side by side

pictured here are 40 and a 30 quart:

I'm a garage brewer. Door wide open hasn't been a problem yet.

I've read that it's not a problem of propane fumes but a problem of oxygen depletion from the air. Many areas of the country do not have natural gas and the kitchen stoves use propane also mobile homes utilize propane. Any comments?

t1master said:

my wife also said 'brew outside' i think she really meant, build an outbuilding and get your brewing gear out of the house all together!!!!

open the garage door when you brew and a window opposite the door if you have one, for a good cross breeze.

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That's what mine said to, so now I have the brewshed or as some of my friends say "The BackYard Brewery", it works out so great it's hard not to brew all the time. Check out my gallery.

i had the same conumdrum..and so.....

http://www.madawg.net/pix/100_0858.JPG

I have outbuilding envy now for sure....

brewhead said:

i had the same conumdrum..and so.....

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That's sweet, is it an old cabin? Yours looks nicer than mine. I had to install some ventilation in mine this weekend, it get's real hot in there with the burners going.

these out buildings are so cool. I don't have any room for such an animal. Lving in Southern California there's not much space. I'll go to Home depot and get one of the Cajun cookers.

Thanks for all the advise.

when i bought my house way back when i also bought the lot next to it. on this lot stood this "barn" for lack of a better word. it was built in or around 1948. i know this because when i was peeling off some boards off the inside walls - the owner had long ago nailed a small flip calendar torn off to April 1948. the story goes that the owner used to make mattresses in this barn. with a history like that how could you not make good beer in it.

i put the siding on it/painted/new plywood floor-soon to be covered, and do brew in it though i am in the process of renovating it to be have more creature comforts.

Kaiser said:

As long as the garage is not below ground level (few of them are) you should be fine. The concern is that propane is heavier than air and may pool in low spots.

Kai

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The danger is not propane pooling - in fact, if you are leaking propane you have major problems and are flirting with a very dangerous situation where you may blow something up.

Of concern is carbon monoxide, which like it's cousin carbon dioxide, is heavier than air. It will also kill you if you breathe it in significant amounts. You also have to worry about carbon dioxide buildup, which can suffocate you - and that is NOT a pleasant way to die.

Mike's Brew and Brat,
If you're looking for a really kick ass outdoor cooker check out Bayou Classic's - Banjo Cooker! I got mine on Willygoat.com for $61.99 plus shipping. Its a very sturdy 17" x 17" stand boasting a powerful 210,000 btu burner with a 30 psi regulator. The burner itself is 10" in diameter. This thing is a beast and will boil 120 quarts of water in less than 20 min.
Check it out!! S.O.B

Hey Brewhead,
How about givin' me a shout out down here in Chucktown! I want to start up a Homebrewers club like what you guys are doing in G'ville. I think its great and I'm so jealous. I wish still lived in Greenwood cause I'd definately be interested in checking out the club meetings on Sats. Send me an email sometime [email protected].

Later, S.O.B. (South of Broad)

Brewhead - what's the name and model of that burner setup? That's cool. I've already needed something like that. How much does it cost?

Mike's Brew and Brat - I see you're from Fountain Valley. Where is your LHBS? I live in Torrance, but work all over Orange County. I go to Stein Fillers in Long Beach.

Brewsmith,

I got all my equipment from SteinFillers. Great place. I usually buy kits on line though.