HELP! Ran out of propane 40 minutes into boil

[nspringstead]

Its 12:15 am and I ran out of propane with 20 minutes left in boil. I can't get a tank till the morning.

I was planning on picking up the boil were I left off. But should I pull out the hops bag or not. Just bittering 2 oz of willamette in the boil so far.

 

[bob1852]

What style are you brewing and what is the complete hop schedule?

 

[skidaddytn]

if you have any neighbors still awake you might be able to offer them some free beer to grab one off of their grill?!?!? surely someone is partying on friday...

I really think as long as you boil it again for the full 60 mins it should still be decent... 2oz of hops is not really that much... just make sure to cover it and boil for the full 60 mins tomorrow....

 

[nspringstead]

It's 12 degrees out right now with a wind chill at 5 F, not looking for a tank tonight.

I will just pick it up in the morning. Recipe is NB Winter Warmer.

5 Gallon batch w/OG at 1.066
2 oz Willamette at 60 min.
1 oz Willamette at 10 min.

So you think I should boil 60 mins. in the morning?

 

[bob1852]

I'd throw the willamette in now let it sit for a few minutes and chill as normal.

You're risking too much to let it sit overnight, in my opinion.

 

[skidaddytn]

not ideal, but sounds like he doesn't have a choice... just make sure and boil full 60 tomorrow... the reason for this is killing off any bacteria... plus you probably have a secondary hop addition to add a few minutes prior to shutting the boil down...

I know a guy that covers the lid on his brew pot and lets it cool down "over night"... tell me that's ideal... it still works and makes a drinkable product, but not what i would consider quality beer

 

[billtzk]

You're risking too much to let it sit overnight, in my opinion.

I respectfully differ.

He said it's 12 degree weather. If he just leaves it covered on his brew stand, it'll be chilled in short order colder than a refrigerator could manage. He'll have to boil it at least another half hour tomorrow, so that should kill any yeast or bacteria. But really, there's little likelihood of that so long as he keeps it covered since he's already boiled it 40 minutes.

 

[joeybeer]

I agree, if you're 40 mins into a boil, throw the last hops in, HACHBs* and chill & pitch as normal..

Save six bottles, and brew the same recipe next time, save 6 bottles and tell us the difference

Honestly, 40 mins in, I'd call it good (not perfect, and not what you intended, but it'll be good !)

 

[bob1852]

I respectfully differ.

He said it's 12 degree weather. If he just leaves it covered on his brew stand, it'll be chilled in short order colder than a refrigerator could manage. He'll have to boil it at least another half hour tomorrow, so that should kill any yeast or bacteria. But really, there's little likelihood of that so long as he keeps it covered since he's already boiled it 40 minutes.

I wasn't referring to an infection, rather a recipe stanpoint. Boiling willamette twice after the wort has sat around for a day may be gross, while adding the late hops now for a bit and chilling won't be, based on that recipe.

 

[tmurph6]

By morning he'll have wort slush

 

[skidaddytn]

boil it again tomorrow, ferment, bottle, and then send it all to me, i'll take care of it for ya ;-)

 

[billtzk]

I wasn't referring to an infection, rather a recipe stanpoint. Boiling willamette twice after the wort has sat around for a day may be gross, while adding the late hops now for a bit and chilling won't be, based on that recipe.

I didn't think of that. It would be an interesting experiment.

I use pellet hops and put them in a hop spider. Under circumstances like his, I'd pull the hop spider out and toss it in a bucket, then put it back in for the remainder of the boil. Maybe it would work, maybe not, but it would be fun to try.

 

[BigUgly]

Throw your hops in, chill and pitch.

 

[Brewskii]

Its 12:15 am and I ran out of propane with 20 minutes left in boil. I can't get a tank till the morning.

I noticed that my local Home Depot has a self serve LP rack that is 24 hours! There is a kiosk where you run your cc and pay and the tanks are in individual solenoid latched compartments.
Worth finding one for occasions just like this.
BTW... This is central VA area...'I can't imagine that the rest of the HD stores don't have this or are getting them.

 

[Brewskii]

Oh, here you go...see for your self;
http://www.homedepot.com/hdus/en_US...cs/Propane_Listing_by_Store_-_all_vendors.pdf

 

[Bernie Brewer]

not ideal, but sounds like he doesn't have a choice... just make sure and boil full 60 tomorrow... the reason for this is killing off any bacteria... plus you probably have a secondary hop addition to add a few minutes prior to shutting the boil down...

You don't need to boil for 60 mins to kill bacteria. That will be taken care of in less than 5. His main concern here is keeping his hop schedule as close to his original plan as possible.

 

[nspringstead]

Thank for all the input. I started the boil over at 30 minutes. I figured that would give me a good 10 m in. boil before I put in the chiller for 20 minutes before I'm done. The 10 min. last hop addition was the biggest concern. I wrapped the pot in a towel and brought it inside overnight so it was still at 115F this morning at 8 am.

I didn't have the energy last night to run the 15 minutes each way to the 24 hr propane thing at Menards.

Hope it turns out.

 

[BrewMU]

Get it out NOW, or your beer may taste like hops.

 

[EdWort]

I didn't have the energy last night to run the 15 minutes each way to the 24 hr propane thing at Menards.

Hope it turns out.

I don't have anything to add, but the moral of the story.

Always have backup propane before beginning a brew.

 

[usfmikeb]

Yep, that's why I have 2 propane tanks for brewing, plus a spare in my bbq grill.

 

[C-Rider]

I don't have anything to add, but the moral of the story.

Always have backup propane before beginning a brew.

+1 The week after I bought my turkey frier and propane I bought a second tank as back up. Sure don't want to run out like him.

 

[jldc]

I don't have anything to add, but the moral of the story.

Always have backup propane before beginning a brew.

Yep. Also, if you can find a place that will refill the tanks you'll get 20 lbs of propane in your tank instead of 15 lbs at the exchange.

L

 

[JasonToews]

why not throw it on the stove?

 

[ILBMF]

Bingo^^^

 

[kh54s10]

I ran out once, right at the start of the boil. Carrying almost 7 gallons of 210° wort in a turkey fryer pot filled to only 1 inch from the top from the garage into the house and then lifting onto the stove was a bit nerve wracking! Got it back to boiling in about 10 minutes and very carefully, avoiding boil over, finished without too muck trouble. And mine was in the late afternoon. I could have found a replacement tank.

 

[baldric]

I ran out once, right at the start of the boil. Carrying almost 7 gallons of 210° wort in a turkey fryer pot filled to only 1 inch from the top from the garage into the house and then lifting onto the stove was a bit nerve wracking! Got it back to boiling in about 10 minutes and very carefully, avoiding boil over, finished without too muck trouble. And mine was in the late afternoon. I could have found a replacement tank.

How you avoid boil overs in the first place is a great mystery!

You really need to find yourself a 10 gallon brew kettle. A 10 gal turkey pot is pretty inexpensive.

 

[Droot]

The last time I did that, I snagged my neighbors grill tank, he was not home. When I put it back he pulled in the driveway to find me on HIS porch. Not a problem, but funny.

I would just throw the hops in and let them steep. Chill and ferment normally.

Yeah, relax, don't worry, have a beer. Its going to be good any how.

 

[DobrePivo]

Yep. Also, if you can find a place that will refill the tanks you'll get 20 lbs of propane in your tank instead of 15 lbs at the exchange.

L

Ever see a tank blow off when it got warm? There's a reason they leave expansion space in a tank. Want more gas? Get a second tank. Please don't offer advice that could hurt someone.

 

[spook]

Many tanks are designed to hold 20lb safely but when you trade them in at wally world you get a tank that has been only filled with 14-18lb. Purely a marketing/pricing thing.

Reputable propane dealers will not overfill your tank but they will fill it to 20lb. Uhaul usually sells it and they are all over. My local high end bbq place does it too.

 

[Rev2010]

Many tanks are designed to hold 20lb safely but when you trade them in at wally world you get a tank that has been only filled with 14-18lb. Purely a marketing/pricing thing.

Reputable propane dealers will not overfill your tank but they will fill it to 20lb. Uhaul usually sells it and they are all over. My local high end bbq place does it too.

^^^ He's right. I read up somewhere that Blue Rhino, for example, started only filling to 14lbs and when inquired they'd said they decided to fill less than to charge customers more. Tropicana did the same thing with their orange juice - went from 16oz down to 14oz, same price but less juice because they didn't want to raise prices.


Rev.

 

[jldc]

Ever see a tank blow off when it got warm? There's a reason they leave expansion space in a tank. Want more gas? Get a second tank. Please don't offer advice that could hurt someone.

The tanks are DESIGNED to hold 20 lbs. This is NOT overfilling. What you get at Lowe's, Blue Rhino, etc is a deliberately under filled tank.

You tell me not to offer advice that will hurt someone, but I would reply not to offer incorrect advice.

L

 

[dwarven_stout]

The tanks are DESIGNED to hold 20 lbs. This is NOT overfilling. What you get at Lowe's, Blue Rhino, etc is a deliberately under filled tank.

You tell me not to offer advice that will hurt someone, but I would reply not to offer incorrect advice.

L

It's the propane equivalent of the gas station putting 8 gallons in your 10 gallon tank, charging you for 10, and insulting you when you ask why you're overpaying.

 

[EdWort]

It's the propane equivalent of the gas station putting 8 gallons in your 10 gallon tank, charging you for 10, and insulting you when you ask why you're overpaying.

Yep, and you don't even get a kiss or a reach around. :cross:

My local HEB sells exchanges for $14.98 and the tanks are filled to 17#. Compared to Lowe's or HD, it's more for less.

I also take a digital scale with me and weigh the tank to make sure I get my full 17#. I have found that 4 out of 10 will be light by a pound or more.

 

[Droot]

If you look around where you buy exchange propane, it usually says Contents 15 lbs.

David

 

[jasert39]

Yep. Also, if you can find a place that will refill the tanks you'll get 20 lbs of propane in your tank instead of 15 lbs at the exchange.

L

great advice...never exchange tanks unless absolutely necessary, costs about the same to get them filled up...and completely safe!

 

[DobrePivo]

The tanks are DESIGNED to hold 20 lbs. This is NOT overfilling. What you get at Lowe's, Blue Rhino, etc is a deliberately under filled tank.

You tell me not to offer advice that will hurt someone, but I would reply not to offer incorrect advice.

L

I jumped the gun. 4.7gal is usually the max for a 5gal cylinder...which is what the OPD allows. Just so happens that 4.7 is approximately 20lbs. I read your original post wrong.

The moral here is to pay by the gallon, not by the fill. You'll be better off economically.

 

[jamboparty]

...The moral here is to pay by the gallon, not by the fill. You'll be better off economically.

This.

Our local truck stop fills up my propane tanks, and you only pay for what they put in. The pump is right there so I can watch how much they're putting in. I always feel better getting it from there rather than the flat-price places.

 

[Lechien]

This.

Our local truck stop fills up my propane tanks, and you only pay for what they put in. The pump is right there so I can watch how much they're putting in. I always feel better getting it from there rather than the flat-price places.

I like doing this, I've got three tanks and leave my empties by my big tank for the delivery guy to fill and pay by the pound.
The only time I exchange is when I want a different tank.

 

[skidaddytn]

But... you also have to realize that a trip to go get one filled usually goes like this:

1) show up with empty tank and ask for someone to help fill it
2) you pay, they page someone, and you wait............
3) guy shows up 10 mins later and starts to fill your tank
4) takes a while to fill it... you wait again....
5) if you didnt pay in advance, guess what... more waiting......

net result... its worth it to lose some money on an exchange...
if you are lucky like Revvy and find someone willing to give you a 17# exchange, take it and run like the wind....

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

But... you also have to realize that a trip to go get one filled usually goes like this:

1) show up with empty tank and ask for someone to help fill it
2) you pay, they page someone, and you wait............
3) guy shows up 10 mins later and starts to fill your tank
4) takes a while to fill it... you wait again....
5) if you didnt pay in advance, guess what... more waiting......

net result... its worth it to lose some money on an exchange...
if you are lucky like Revvy and find someone willing to give you a 17# exchange, take it and run like the wind....

That sucks - takes me a sum total of less than five minutes most times.