How many batches does your propane tank last?

I've got two five gallon batches under my belt. About five hours time on the tank. Is it time to refill?

I think my last tank I got 4 or 5 AG brews out of it, current tank is almost empty and I'm pretty sure my next brew will be number 5 but it won't make it through the entire thing. I like to have 2 tanks on hand just in case one happens to run out mid-brew. I'll use the emptier of the two if one is real close to being empty to heat strike and sparge water and then use the full one for the boil so it doesn't get interrupted half way though

Too many factors. Burner size, temperature, wind, boil time, kettle size. Just lift it after each batch and estimate how much you used. If you aren't 100% confident that you have enough get it filled before each batch.

You should have two tanks. That way you can run it dry and then switch. Only way to be sure.

I weigh my tank with a fish scale after every batch. I know what an empty tank weighs so I can tell if I will have enough to get through another batch. Warning though; always include a big safety factor, because the last X ounces seem to go a lot faster than the first X ounces.

Cbaddad said:

You should have two tanks. That way you can run it dry and then switch. Only way to be sure.

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Good call. I'll get it filled an keep a look out for another one as backup

3 batches then I refill to be sure.

BetterSense said:

I weigh my tank with a fish scale after every batch. I know what an empty tank weighs so I can tell if I will have enough to get through another batch. Warning though; always include a big safety factor, because the last X ounces seem to go a lot faster than the first X ounces.

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This^

I got a luggage scale off Amazon that I weigh my tanks with. I made a spreadsheet that calculates out what's remaining. I also use it to track and trend my usage so I know what I can typically get out of a tank as well as how much I spend on a batch.

I weigh my tank before a brew day. If it is less than 5lbs or so I take it up and have it topped off. I only get charged for what it takes for the fill. I have a spare on my grill and can use that in a pinch. I never let my grill run to less than a 1/4 full. It's nice to have a refill place that only charges for the amount that they dispense. Just like filling the gas tank on your car. You pay what it takes to fill it up. Not some flat rate place that swaps your tank and only fills it to 3/4 full and charges you more.

I used to get only 3/ 20lb tank but that was with a 60,000 BTU venturi style propane burner. I've since moved to a low pressure regulator 12,000 BTU burner and it seems to be using alot less propane. I always have a spare 10lb cylinder at the ready though just in case I run out.

I am on batch 4 of this tank and by feel have one small beer left. and I all grain brew. before this last kolsch I did three high gravity beers.

so in all 5 batch per 20 lb tank.

I have two tanks, one for my fryer and one for my grill. I get paranoid and fill both before brewday. Most of my paranoia is that it's a 15-20 minute drive to get them refilled. I don't want to add that time to a brewday if I run short.

I have gotten two beers on one tank, but it seemed like three would have been pushing it.

I can usually get 3 90 minute boil batches out of a tank. 4-5 60 minute batches.

I usually keep two tanks just in case. Works great except when the gasket on one has dry rotted and won't seal. I need to call the propane company and see what to do about that...hope I don't have to eat it.

I can get 3 most times. One thing you have to watch is homeless depot does not give you full tanks, they only have 15 lbs of gas.

To many variables like others have said here. For instance I mash inside the house and use the stove top to heat up my water. The only propane I use is during the boil and I get many, many batches out of a tank.

I've started weighing them to keep track of what I burn on a typical brew day. I just use a regular bathroom scale. If you look on the top of the tank/handle thing, it gives you the weight of the tank empty. My blue rhino is 16.6lbs. I just keep track and when I get within a couple lbs of that, I go fill 'er up. It's working so far.

Cbaddad said:

You should have two tanks. That way you can run it dry and then switch. Only way to be sure.

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^^This

To answer the OP, I get 5-6 batches out of a tank. But I ALWAYS have a full spare waiting in the wings.

Frige said:

I can get 3 most times. One thing you have to watch is homeless depot does not give you full tanks, they only have 15 lbs of gas.

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Are you sure about this? Are they selling 20lbs but filling 15lbs?

I've made a change that increases the number of batches to nearly double of what it was before. 5 years ago I switched from an electric/Oil home to Natural Gas. One item I put in was a tankless Natural gas water heater. Last fall I installed a monitor unit for it that allows me to pull unlimited hot water up to 177°F. Now I do my entire Mash and Sparge right from the tankless water heater and don't use Propane until it's time to boil. Cutting probably in half of what I used before. A caveat to this change, the heater is a 199,000 BTU unit and most tank water heaters are 40,000 to 50,000. So I larger Natural gas supply line are needed to be able to get the right amount of gas to the heater. I planned for this when I made the switch and have a 1.25 inch line from the meter to a manifold where I have (4) 3/4" lines that run to my heater (only needs .5") a .75" line to my tankless water heater and a .3/4" line that feed my dryer and stove. Most tank water heaters only have a 1/2" gas line to them and that can't supply the amount of gas a tankless will need. My gas bill with the tankless water heater in the summer is only 15/month of which 9.00 is the price to send the bill with zero gas being used, my parents have a tank water heater with all gas as well and their bill is 30.00. I'n in Southern NJ and my entire natural gas bill for the year is 700 to 800 for the year. My last oil heat season was 1200.00 about 6 years ago, and my electric tank water heater was probably around 70/month back then too. I can also go from milling to Mash in just a few mins so I have also decreased the hours of the brew day by a an hour of two.

geckholm said:

Are you sure about this? Are they selling 20lbs but filling 15lbs?

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Blue Rhino tanks are only filled to 15lbs. They are a total rip off since they are much more expensive than a 20lb fill at your local place. (A 20lb fill should run you 12-13$)

Also, if you pour warm water down the side of your tank -- feel to see where the water goes from warm/cold. This is how much propane you have left in your tank.

Last year it was 12.49 now it's 15.99 for a fill around here.

celly said:

Blue Rhino tanks are only filled to 15lbs. They are a total rip off since they are much more expensive than a 20lb fill at your local place. (A 20lb fill should run you 12-13$)

Also, if you pour warm water down the side of your tank -- feel to see where the water goes from warm/cold. This is how much propane you have left in your tank.

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I was brewing two 10 gallon batches per tank, that's part of why I switched to electric. Brewing indoors is also a nice bonus. I had priced out propane and it was costing me $5.50/batch in heating. 5KW hours for a few hours is a lot less expensive.

I'm buying propane at HD, but they are selling Amerigas by me, not Blue Rhino. Not sure about the cost, but I think I am only going to get 2 1/2 batches out of my last exchange, with 60 minute boils. But, living in the Chicago area and brewing outside in cold weather, maybe that's not unreasonable......

geckholm said:

I'm buying propane at HD, but they are selling Amerigas by me, not Blue Rhino. Not sure about the cost, but I think I am only going to get 2 1/2 batches out of my last exchange, with 60 minute boils. But, living in the Chicago area and brewing outside in cold weather, maybe that's not unreasonable......

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I think Amerigas is a 15# fill also. You can check the signs on the cages it has to say how much they are selling you. edit... I just checked and they are 15#. That's why it is hard to compare number of batches. If you Blue Rhino or Amerigas you are starting with a tank that is 3/4 full.

My Costco does $10 fills. Might want to check them out if you have them in the area.

We have Costco, but they don't do fills. I actually fill it at BJ's in New Castle, DE. A month ago it was 15.99.

This all sounds odd to me. Don't you guys just fill it at almost any gas station? And if not, do you go to home depot to fill up your car or truck if it runs on propane?

I can find about 10 propane exchanges (blue rhino, etc.) for every propane filling station.

Almost all the gas stations around here do exchanges. Almost all the grocery & hardware stores have exchanges. Finding actual filling stations is so rare that every time I find another one I mark it on my GPS.

I used to use blue rhino and paid 20 bucks for a "full" tank that would last me 1 to 2 brew days. I now get my tank refilled for 12 bucks and it lasts at least 3 brew days. I have to say, I feel like the blue rhino is a rip off. There were times when I'd swap out my tank and it barely felt heavier than the tank I was trading in. Definitely worth it to take it somewhere that fills them with you standing there.

Did a little searching, at some locations U-haul does refills, not exchanges. They do not charge the same $/ at all the locations so probably a good idea to search it out. The ACE HW by me charges a flat 19.99 per refill, no exchange, not based on volume. That seems a bit steep.....

I remember when I was a kid our family car was propane, I do remember an instance when we went on a trip to the states when we had to drive out of the way pretty far to fuel up. All these new vehicles now it's harder and more expensive to swap to propane so it's driving the price down here in Canada it's 79 cents liter it used to be 1.29 a couple years ago

I think pretty all of the exchange companies only fill their tanks to 15 lbs. They started doing it when the price of propane went up so they could keep the exchange price the same, but now that it's going back down they're still only filling them to 15 lbs because most people don't notice. So it's always a better deal to get your tank filled even if it's at an Ace where they charge a $19.99 flat rate because you'll still be getting almost 5 more pounds for about the same price as an exchange.

Most places that sale or service rv/campers have filling stations.

I bought a 100 lbs cylinder. I have yet to empty the damn thing

geckholm said:

Did a little searching, at some locations U-haul does refills, not exchanges. They do not charge the same $/ at all the locations so probably a good idea to search it out. The ACE HW by me charges a flat 19.99 per refill, no exchange, not based on volume. That seems a bit steep.....

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I fill up at Tractor supply for $2.49 right now and U-haul is $5+ so only use that place if last resort. There are a lot of places that fill tanks. Look at where you get your CO2 filled (if you keg). Also as people already pointed out the "exchange" places are a complete rip off and should be sued for their practices.

I get about 3 10G batches on my tank. I think I can do better once I get my Jet burner dialed in. I had been keeping it at 100% and I could hear whistling but last brew I dialed it down then once I hit boil I turned it down some more to just keep a good boil. I got a spare tank off of craigslist for cheap. And I have had to switch tanks several times so it was definitely worth it.

Here on the farm, we have about 8 20lb cylinders and 1 200lb cylinder. I never run out. You city kids need to learn that one is none and two is one.

That said, I started using a water bath and it looks as if it will get me 6+ batches by doing so. I'm 4 and counting on the first tank since implementing the water bath.

abarker8541 said:

I bought a 100 lbs cylinder. I have yet to empty the damn thing

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+1 I got tired of my 15 lb blue rhino exchanges only lasting a couple of brews and splurged for a big boy. I have 4 brews on it now and it is still 2/3-3/4 full. My best brewing decision in a while.

just paid 3.19/gal refill at Uhaul. Not too bad.

Brewed recently and got a refil after three batches. I only needed one gallon. Woot.