Burner and BTU question

I am getting ready to build a all grain system, and building a bench or tower. My question is I want to make sure I get the right burners for it. More particulary the right amount of BTU's. But don't want to spend the extra money for a larger burner. I will likely max out at 15 -20 gallon batches. Can anyone recommend a good size burner? And if their is and advantages to the jet style burners?

socalhomebrewer said:

I am getting ready to build a all grain system, and building a bench or tower. My question is I want to make sure I get the right burners for it. More particulary the right amount of BTU's. But don't want to spend the extra money for a larger burner. I will likely max out at 15 -20 gallon batches. Can anyone recommend a good size burner? And if their is and advantages to the jet style burners?

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I don't know much about jet burners but I understand they throw out a lot of heat but are difficult to control.

If you really think you'll do 20 gallon batches, you'll want a big-#ss burner, in the neighborhood of 175,000 btu/hr, if you want to boil in under fifteen minutes.

Disclamer: I'm also new to brewing AG batches, but I've learned.......

I recently got the Banjo Classic, and holly smokes it brings my big pots to boil super fast! I like that it is nice and quiet too!! I think the raging jet noise (of jet burners) could get tiresome quickly, and seriously limit the times I might be able to boil-w/o waking the nbrs/bride...
I've seen people with jet burners, and they have some of the jets plugged/cut off-for whatever reason...(?)

i use 1 fryer burner and 1 jet burner. the jet burner gets my wort up to a boil quickly, then i turn it down for the duration. no problems with control; it's set and forget

socalhomebrewer said:

I am getting ready to build a all grain system, and building a bench or tower. My question is I want to make sure I get the right burners for it. More particulary the right amount of BTU's. But don't want to spend the extra money for a larger burner. I will likely max out at 15 -20 gallon batches. Can anyone recommend a good size burner? And if their is and advantages to the jet style burners?

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IMO, any of the high pressure burners should work well with a boil kettle or HLT. I would use a 6" ring type burner with a 0-15 psi adjustable pressure regulator. This would be similar to the burner setup on an SQ-14.

socalhomebrewer said:

I am getting ready to build a all grain system, and building a bench or tower. My question is I want to make sure I get the right burners for it. More particulary the right amount of BTU's. But don't want to spend the extra money for a larger burner. I will likely max out at 15 -20 gallon batches. Can anyone recommend a good size burner? And if their is and advantages to the jet style burners?

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Have a look at this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/burner-basics-209397/

I have a couple of KAB burners. I get nowhere near the advertised 210K BTU, even with a full tank. Also, the tank kept freezing. I wrote Bayou about the problem. Their response was to buy a larger tank as a 20# cylinder will not allow enough propane to be pulled off to achieve anywhere near 210K BTU.

Some folks swear by the KABs. If I'd do it again, I'd probably go with the SQ-14. YMMV