Heating up mash and sparge water

[s2cmpugh]

How is everyone heating up their water? I have a new smooth top electric stove, but haven't used it yet for brewing anything. I'd prefer to NOT use my propane burner to heat water as propane is kinda pricey compared to electricity.

Will my stove heat up about 4 gallons of water to 170 or so you think?

Thanks for the help!

 

[hypergolic]

I can boil 4 gallons on my electric stove, but that's about the limit. So I would think you can bring 4 gallons to 170.

 

[dienster]

Make sure any pot is flat bottomed and doesn't have a recess or you may end up buying a new stove.

My first batch of beer ended up costing about 3$ an ounce after replacing the stove. I melted and distorted the glass where it wasn't touching to conduct the heat then a few days later it shattered.

Didn't like that cooktop anyways. Replaced it with propane.

- Steve

 

[s2cmpugh]

Make sure any pot is flat bottomed and doesn't have a recess or you may end up buying a new stove.

My first batch of beer ended up costing about 3$ an ounce after replacing the stove. I melted and distorted the glass where it wasn't touching to conduct the heat then a few days later it shattered.

Didn't like that cooktop anyways. Replaced it with propane.

- Steve

Well damn, that sucks! As far as I know, my 5 gallon brewpot is flat on the bottom, which I was planning on using as my mash and sparge water pot.

 

[crackhead7]

I didn't judge the heat pushed up the sides of the pot and melted the clock and oven temp nob, and got banned from ever brewing indoors again by swmbo!

Edit: forgot to say this wad a gas stove.

 

[dallasdb]

I have a glass top stove and I could barely boil 5 gallons. Took about an hour to bring it up to a small boil.

As far as steeping grains, I could get up to 170 no problem but it took about 30-40 minutes.

I would throw the pot on the stove, turn it on full blast and leave to the LHBS to grab my ingredients. Come back in 30-40 minutes and be right around 170.

 

[wilserbrewer]

170 should be easy on the stove, but electric elements, or electric bucket heater work great for heatin large quanties of water given enough time. Stoves arent really a good match for brewing as detailed above. W/ patience and proper care. a stove can work fine, but dont push it.

 

[kh54s10]

From hot tap water to 170 on my glass top stove takes no longer than 15 minutes. I have to watch carefully to keep from overshooting.

One time I ran out of propane with 7 gallons right at boil. I put it on the stove, very carefully, and had the boil back in about 10 minutes and had no problem holding it for an hour.

 

[crackhead7]

You might want to do some research about using hot tap water. If you have an old water heater that water might be full metals and oxides from the sacrificial anodes and steel tank. Most worrysome are alluminum anode rods.

 

[mfraier]

I heat my mash and sparge water on my kitchen stove. Right after I mash in and check the temp I start heating the mash water. It takes about 45 minutes for my stove to get 4+ gallons to sparge temp.

 

[s2cmpugh]

In general it sounds like using my stove should work just fine as long as I keep an eye on things.

 

[bigljd]

Before converting my brewery over to electric, I used to heat 3.5 gal of strike water and 3.5 gal sparge water in a 16qt pressure cooker on my glass top electric stove. I'd pour it in my brew kettle with the remaining water I'd need to heat, so it minimized the amount of propane I needed to use for heating water. I'd use the propane burner for the full boil.
Doing this really extended the life of the propane tank, and electric is a lot cheaper and more efficient too.

 

[Iceman6409]

Are you guys putting the pot over both burners? I do on mine. I have an electric stove with flames and I can bring 6.5 gallons of water or wort to full boil in about 20 minutes from out of the mash tun or very hot tap water. I always make sure I put the lid on until it gets to a rolling boil and then take it off from there. Done it twice so far and it works like a charm.

 

[broadbill]

Comparing BTU to BTU, is propane really that much more expensive?

Seems penny-wise, pound-foolish to me....you might save money with electric but waste time waiting for it to heat. How much is your time worth?

 

[Iceman6409]

I don't stove top brew to save money at all. Never even though if it would save money or not. I do it on stove top because everything is right there in front of me indoors, especially during the winter. I have a propane burner and love it but when it's cold out why not do it inside. Much more convenient. Takes about the same amount of time for me in the end.

 

[broadbill]

I don't stove top brew to save money at all. Never even though if it would save money or not. I do it on stove top because everything is right there in front of me indoors, especially during the winter. I have a propane burner and love it but when it's cold out why not do it inside. Much more convenient. Takes about the same amount of time for me in the end.

I was asking the OP since they were the one that brought up the price of electricity vs propane...

 

[bigljd]

Comparing BTU to BTU, is propane really that much more expensive?

Seems penny-wise, pound-foolish to me....you might save money with electric but waste time waiting for it to heat. How much is your time worth?

If you go full electric (install an electric element in your brew kettle), it costs about $0.75 to brew a 5 gal batch of beer, vs $4-5 in propane (1/4 tank) or more. So if you brew a lot, yes it saves you a lot of money.

Even just using the stove to heat some of the water helps. And you heat the strike water while getting ingredients ready, so I wouldn't count that as waiting, and you heat the sparge water during the mash, so no waiting there. It's ready when the mash is done.

Also, electric is more efficient, even when using a stove. Put your hand next to your kettle with your propane burner on once, and feel how much heat is pouring up the side of the kettle and floating off into space. Now do the same with a pot on an electric stove - much less heat loss.

 

[CGVT]

Build a heatstick and use it to supplement the stove and help the burners (or just build two and use them and forget about the stove)

See Heatsticks=Awesome

 

[s2cmpugh]

Comparing BTU to BTU, is propane really that much more expensive?

Seems penny-wise, pound-foolish to me....you might save money with electric but waste time waiting for it to heat. How much is your time worth?

It's worth it to me! Around my area, a propane exchange is about $20, but electricity rates are relatively cheap. Plus, I enjoy brewing so the time factor doesn't bother me. If it takes 45 mins. to heat up water, that's 45 mins. I get to chat with friends and drink beer!

If you go full electric (install an electric element in your brew kettle), it costs about $0.75 to brew a 5 gal batch of beer, vs $4-5 in propane (1/4 tank) or more. So if you brew a lot, yes it saves you a lot of money.

Even just using the stove to heat some of the water helps. And you heat the strike water while getting ingredients ready, so I wouldn't count that as waiting, and you heat the sparge water during the mash, so no waiting there. It's ready when the mash is done.

Also, electric is more efficient, even when using a stove. Put your hand next to your kettle with your propane burner on once, and feel how much heat is pouring up the side of the kettle and floating off into space. Now do the same with a pot on an electric stove - much less heat loss.

Agreed. While I really enjoy brewing outside, using propane to heat up mash and sparge water can get expensive and annoying if you keep having to relite the burner. Not to mention, the annoyance of having to exchange the tank more often, whereas you just turn a knob on the stove and instant heat!

Build a heatstick and use it to supplement the stove and help the burners (or just build two and use them and forget about the stove)

See Heatsticks=Awesome

I just searched this and the idea really fascinates me! Yesterday I was at Lowes and happened to walk by the section for water heaters and saw some elements and thought "how cool would it be to use those to heat my water". I may look into this further.

Question though, could one hook up a grounding or clamp to the kettle using bare copper wire so the person isn't "considred" a path for current?

 

[Iceman6409]

You said it best s2cmpugh. Homebrewing is all about having fun and if you have friends over to helps that is even better to share a great hobby and laugh and have fun while you do it. I too personally do not care in any way shape or form how long or little time it takes me. It's my time and my time only. The guy that taught me how to brew RACES through his process when he brews. I prefer to take my time. I got no where to go, nothing to do. If it takes me 8 hours it takes me 8 hours. If it takes me 3 hours it takes me 3 hours. I could absolutely care less if my wort takes 45 minutes to boil or 15. I really don't care. It's my time. My best friend who is a major geek egg head did an analysis of cost of propane versus my stove top and the times involved and all that crap. In the end it came out that it would cost me about $5 more to do it the propane way but it would be less time. And he DROVE that point into me. Are you kidding me? You are getting that upset over $5. Seriously??? Please. If it costs me $5 more to make beer inside on my stove in the dead of winter I think I can get by. And if I can't then I have some very serious financial problems and should not be wasting money making beer in the first place. HOMEBREWING IS ABOUT FUN AND FUN ONLY IN MY WORLD!!!

But on the other hand I understand all those good people out there who have families and what not. That is their own situation and I am happy they have families and can find time to brew. But for my world I just don't understand the undying desire to brew as fast as humanly possible. But like I say. To each their own. As long as you are having fun who cares how you do it. Just make good beer and everyone is happy.

 

[LyonsViper27]

I used a wood fire to heat my strike water on my second AG batch to 185 and let it cool, was hoping it would save propane but truthfully its was more trouble then it was worth. I think ill just stick with the gas for now