Indoor brewing options?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
T

Thedutchtouch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
468
Reaction score
82
Location
Berwyn Heights
I currently brew mostly partial mash or extract 5 gallon batches, using my (gas) stovetop. I am interested in switching to all grain in the near future, and would like to continue brewing in the house if possible, however have a number of barriers...

Electric: I have old wiring with mostly 10 amp circuits and no access to 240. it's a rental so no way to upgrade wiring and moving isn't an option for now. I suppose I could run an extension cord from a different room and run two smaller elements?

Propane: Would it be possible to build a fan/vent that could be mounted in a window (slide top pane down and mount at top of window) to safely use a propane burner indoors? The heat lost /extra money spent on utilities is not a concern.

Other options? I suppose I could do BIAB on the stovetop but I'd rather build a dedicated stand/table.
 
Brew smaller batches.
Use a heat stick to assist your stovetop to get a full boil.
Do no sparge in a big tun with a lot of grain or combine two mashes to get a high gravity wort and top off after boiling.
 
No propane indoors. Dont do it. Do you have a balcony or garage/patio? +1 From your cook top you could BIAB. No reason not to do a cooler MLT all grain either. Your limitations indoors are your brew pots size and the output of your cooktop burner. (will it take and hour to bring 5 gal wort up to boil or water to strike temp.) Perhaps just do 4 gal batch's. Good Luck
 
The weather here is either nice and I'm working outdoors, or cold and wind when I want to brew so I do a lot of indoor brewing. I do 2 1/2 gallon batches all grain via BIAB. My electric stove does have a burner capable of boiling a 5 gallon batch but then I have to remove that from the stove and move it somewhere to cool and I don't like to handle that big of a batch of boiling liquid.

With some practice I've gotten quite efficient at BIAB, with starting bringing equipment and grain up from the basement to having the wort ready to chill in less than 3 hours. Making smaller batches means I get less beer per batch but more varieties.
 
Northern Brewer has 3 gallon BIAB recipes...which i plan on doing this winter because living in New England its the best option...also it was 18 F this morning when i left work so indoor BIAB seems like a good option for all grain inside brewing

Just my .02
 
I used to split my all grain batches in half during the boil phase using 2 4 gal canning pots. You can also insulate your brewpot to get it to boil faster, and do a partial cover. All this being said, and speaking from experience, it's a pain in the ass to manage in a rental though, as you can't modify anything to make it easier.

Now I just brew outdoors, even in the brutal cold. If i couldn't do this, I would stick to extract or partial mash + smaller batches. Remember, the majority of all award winning beers are made using extract or partial mash techniques*. You can still get amazing beer!

*At least according to the book Designing Great Beers.
 
It depends on your stove, but I have an awesome stove with a big burner that can easily boil 6.5 gallons of wort.

It wasn't pretty, but I brewed this way for several years:
4189-dscf0085-1-12007.jpg


How much can you boil on your stove? That is usually the limiting factor.
 
I bought two 12 qt cheap pots at a dollar store. It works well on my apartment electric stove. I think they were $18 a piece. Bonus; you can mash in the oven.

Insulating the pot doesn’t help much. It doesn’t do much to insulate the walls if you have no roof. I wrapped R-13 around a pot on an induction plate, the difference was maybe 10%.
 
Currently, i run a propane burner in my basement for my brews and do BIAB. If you're going to run propane, make sure you have someway to vent it (I use a basement door and 2 20" box fans) and have a carbon monoxide detector. I've also done around 6 extract brews with this setup, and havent had any issues.
 
I wouldn't ever do propane indoors even if well ventilated due to not wanting to burn my house down :D. Definitely seen a couple freak accidents with burners tipping from being bumped or stirred too hard and even talked to one guy who had his gas hose start to leak and turn into a nice little flame thrower.

How much water can you boil on your gas stove?
I can do up to about 7.5 gal on my electric stove split between two pots. Cover when heating and do a partial-cover while boiling to help keep the boil going.
 
I did a stove top all grain batch last week. If you haven't already, take a look at Deathbrewer's threads on partial mash and stovetop all grain brewing. I did have to split the boil between two pots, and it took longer to get the boil going than outside with my turkey fryer, but it still worked reasonably well.
 
hedbutter said:
Currently, i run a propane burner in my basement for my brews . . . I've also done around 6 extract brews with this setup, and havent had any issues.
Click to expand...
I'm on the glass side of the glass vs. plastic debate, but this isn't even a debate. Using a turkey fryer in your house is just nuts. When the fire marshal finds a propane tank and burner in the charred rubble where your house use to be your homeowners insurance will be worthless.
 
AnOldUR said:
I'm on the glass side of the glass vs. plastic debate, but this isn't even a debate. Using a turkey fryer in your house is just nuts. When the fire marshal finds a propane tank and burner in the charred rubble where your house use to be your homeowners insurance will be worthless.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but he won't be worried about insurance at that point. The fumes from the burning propane would have killed him hours before the fire consumed the house.
 
As mentioned, your only indoor restrcitions are brew pot and strength of stove. I would simply do 2.5 gallons batches and continue to use the mash tun. No need to give up the mashing process.

cheers
 
I've done 5 gallon all grain batches in my kitchen - my stove can boil 6.5 gallons without much trouble (a 1000W heat stick helps it get to boiling). I have a couple of coolers as HLT and MLT, and a big kettle that just fits on the stove, and I fly sparge, using a chair to give a 3 tier setup.

I've been outside on a burner all summer, as brewing steams and heats the kitchen too much in summer. But I'll brew indoors this winter as necessary (maybe smaller batches, or extract/PM batches though).
 
Like Yooper, before going electric I boiled on a gas range in our kitchen. Here's my old 10 gallon aluminum pot with 7+ gallons. In my case the pot made a big difference. I could barely get 4 gallons to boil in a cheap 5 gallon stainless pot and had trouble with a thin walled aluminum turkey fryer, but the thicker wall aluminum pot would get to a decent rolling full boil.
:hs:

BrewDay090422-07.jpg


BrewDay090422-09.jpg
 
While the recommendations on not using propane indoors may be well intentioned, it's really no more risky than using a gas stove indoors. A multitude of people do this every day. They produce the same fumes as a burner.

Safety and common sense are what is critical to the process. Well maintained equipment is where you start. Hoses, fittings, o-rings, valves, etc all need to be in good condition. With the cost of a POL regulator and hose under around $20-25 there is no excuse to not replace one that is worn. I own my 2 tanks (30 lbs) and have them filled. I got them used for next to nothing, and they came off an RV where they were stored under a cover and still look new even though they are 10 yrs old. I have them refilled by a reputable place that won't hesitate to refuse a fill if any doubt about the tank condition. I would never use an exchange tank indoors. The ones I get for my grill are scary sometimes. Do not store them indoors. Flame off, valve off, no exceptions.

A safe work area/ethic is equally important. If the risk of knocking over the pot/burner is a concern, then it must be unstable already. I use a turkey fryer burner that I converted to a banjo burner, and there is no way it will tip over without excessive force. It's base is a ring about 18" around with feet extending out from there. The pot will fall off long before the burner tips over. A three legged burner is highly unstable, and 4 is only slightly better. Put a ring around the legs at the bottom and the stability jumps way up.

Never leave the burner alone with the flame on. Allow at least 3-4 feet clearance around the burner area, and do not position it such that you have to go around (or over!) during the brew time. Keep the tank at the maximum distance from the burner, and closest to where you are working from. If anything goes wrong you want that valve at hands reach.

I happen to have a purpose built vent fan (standard wall mount attic fan) that I made to fit my basement windows during my woodworking days. My burner area is in front of a window (because of the window), and I put the fan in that window on brew days, and leave it running on slow speed (light dimmer) whenever the burner is on. I do this mostly to keep the heat and moisture under control. It's on high during the warmer days. I open another window to ensure I don't create negative pressure and suck the furnace fumes out of the chimney. And I check it to be sure.

Common sense is the single most important thing. If you work sloppy, have marginal equipment, and aren't careful then you will be at risk of a disaster. Is common sense enough, maybe not, but your risk of dying in a car accident is very likely much higher than during your brew day where you are in control.

I'm sure there are plenty of other things one could include here, but I think I covered the most important.

John
 
jleiii said:
While the recommendations on not using propane indoors may be well intentioned, it's really no more risky than using a gas stove indoors. A multitude of people do this every day. They produce the same fumes as a burner.

Safety and common sense are what is critical to the process. Well maintained equipment is where you start. Hoses, fittings, o-rings, valves, etc all need to be in good condition. With the cost of a POL regulator and hose under around $20-25 there is no excuse to not replace one that is worn. I own my 2 tanks (30 lbs) and have them filled. I got them used for next to nothing, and they came off an RV where they were stored under a cover and still look new even though they are 10 yrs old. I have them refilled by a reputable place that won't hesitate to refuse a fill if any doubt about the tank condition. I would never use an exchange tank indoors. The ones I get for my grill are scary sometimes. Do not store them indoors. Flame off, valve off, no exceptions.

A safe work area/ethic is equally important. If the risk of knocking over the pot/burner is a concern, then it must be unstable already. I use a turkey fryer burner that I converted to a banjo burner, and there is no way it will tip over without excessive force. It's base is a ring about 18" around with feet extending out from there. The pot will fall off long before the burner tips over. A three legged burner is highly unstable, and 4 is only slightly better. Put a ring around the legs at the bottom and the stability jumps way up.

Never leave the burner alone with the flame on. Allow at least 3-4 feet clearance around the burner area, and do not position it such that you have to go around (or over!) during the brew time. Keep the tank at the maximum distance from the burner, and closest to where you are working from. If anything goes wrong you want that valve at hands reach.

I happen to have a purpose built vent fan (standard wall mount attic fan) that I made to fit my basement windows during my woodworking days. My burner area is in front of a window (because of the window), and I put the fan in that window on brew days, and leave it running on slow speed (light dimmer) whenever the burner is on. I do this mostly to keep the heat and moisture under control. It's on high during the warmer days. I open another window to ensure I don't create negative pressure and suck the furnace fumes out of the chimney. And I check it to be sure.

Common sense is the single most important thing. If you work sloppy, have marginal equipment, and aren't careful then you will be at risk of a disaster. Is common sense enough, maybe not, but your risk of dying in a car accident is very likely much higher than during your brew day where you are in control.

I'm sure there are plenty of other things one could include here, but I think I covered the most important.

John
Click to expand...

So basically, it's no more risky than using a burner, and here's the myriad of steps you need to take to make sure it's no more risky. Sounds to me like it's more risky.
 
TheZymurgist said:
So basically, it's no more risky than using a burner, and here's the myriad of steps you need to take to make sure it's no more risky. Sounds to me like it's more risky.
Click to expand...

I'm not advocating propane indoors, but everything he's saying is good advice for a stove burner in your kitchen, too ;)

To the OP, you have literally no outside access? I do my mashing, sparging, etc inside. So I only have to heat that water, and of course my boil outside. I have a large deck/patio area to work on, but I'm really not requiring much outside space to "brew" in. :)
 
TheZymurgist said:
So basically, it's no more risky than using a burner, and here's the myriad of steps you need to take to make sure it's no more risky. Sounds to me like it's more risky.
Click to expand...

Myriad of steps? Which of these would you skip if you were using a burner in your garage? It's all common sense safety for using ANY portable gas device. Not following common sense/safety is where the risk comes from.
The obsession with this being certain death on this site is amazing.
John
 
Just keep brewing outside. I've done it in single digit temps. As long as you have the right clothes, it's not bad at all. (And take the March pump inside when not in use, or it'll freeze up.)
 
jleiii said:
Not following common sense/safety is where the risk comes from. The obsession with this being certain death on this site is amazing. John
Click to expand...

I have yet to hear anyone make a "certain death" post. More like that the "common sense and safety" you speak of should keep anyone from giving this anything other than a passing thought. You're right. The odds are surely in favor of nothing bad happening, but when it does, the consequences are too high to justify the risk. To come on here and claim that it's "no more risky than using a gas stove indoors" is misleading, reckless and does not help the OP in any way. Do whatever risky things you want, but please don't try to influence others to do the same.

Some things are just no-brainers. Knowing that it's not safe to have a 30lb tank of propane in your basement is one of them. Having an open flame in basement at the same time is way over the top.
 
jleiii said:
Myriad of steps? Which of these would you skip if you were using a burner in your garage? It's all common sense safety for using ANY portable gas device. Not following common sense/safety is where the risk comes from.
The obsession with this being certain death on this site is amazing.
John
Click to expand...

To be fair, you were comparing it to using a stove. There are a lot more steps that need to be considered when using a propane burner, both outdoors or indoors, than there are when using a stove. I was just pointing out that you said it was the same, then listed a bunch of reasons why it's not the same.
 
jleiii said:
While the recommendations on not using propane indoors may be well intentioned, it's really no more risky than using a gas stove indoors. A multitude of people do this every day. They produce the same fumes as a burner.

Safety and common sense are what is critical to the process. Well maintained equipment is where you start. Hoses, fittings, o-rings, valves, etc all need to be in good condition. With the cost of a POL regulator and hose under around $20-25 there is no excuse to not replace one that is worn. I own my 2 tanks (30 lbs) and have them filled. I got them used for next to nothing, and they came off an RV where they were stored under a cover and still look new even though they are 10 yrs old. I have them refilled by a reputable place that won't hesitate to refuse a fill if any doubt about the tank condition. I would never use an exchange tank indoors. The ones I get for my grill are scary sometimes. Do not store them indoors. Flame off, valve off, no exceptions.

A safe work area/ethic is equally important. If the risk of knocking over the pot/burner is a concern, then it must be unstable already. I use a turkey fryer burner that I converted to a banjo burner, and there is no way it will tip over without excessive force. It's base is a ring about 18" around with feet extending out from there. The pot will fall off long before the burner tips over. A three legged burner is highly unstable, and 4 is only slightly better. Put a ring around the legs at the bottom and the stability jumps way up.

Never leave the burner alone with the flame on. Allow at least 3-4 feet clearance around the burner area, and do not position it such that you have to go around (or over!) during the brew time. Keep the tank at the maximum distance from the burner, and closest to where you are working from. If anything goes wrong you want that valve at hands reach.

I happen to have a purpose built vent fan (standard wall mount attic fan) that I made to fit my basement windows during my woodworking days. My burner area is in front of a window (because of the window), and I put the fan in that window on brew days, and leave it running on slow speed (light dimmer) whenever the burner is on. I do this mostly to keep the heat and moisture under control. It's on high during the warmer days. I open another window to ensure I don't create negative pressure and suck the furnace fumes out of the chimney. And I check it to be sure.

Common sense is the single most important thing. If you work sloppy, have marginal equipment, and aren't careful then you will be at risk of a disaster. Is common sense enough, maybe not, but your risk of dying in a car accident is very likely much higher than during your brew day where you are in control.

I'm sure there are plenty of other things one could include here, but I think I covered the most important.

John
Click to expand...

I completely agree. If I had my choice, I'd own a house that a specific brew shed/separate garage for brewing, but we cant always get what we want.
 
TheZymurgist said:
To be fair, you were comparing it to using a stove. There are a lot more steps that need to be considered when using a propane burner, both outdoors or indoors, than there are when using a stove. I was just pointing out that you said it was the same, then listed a bunch of reasons why it's not the same.
Click to expand...

Good point, but the stove comparison was only about the "dangers" of using gas indoors. The rest is about doing it safely when brewing beer on a burner in any location, not just indoors.
I did neglect (I'm not qualified) to comment on the CO aspect. I replaced my burners with banjo styles because the other style were bad performers. The first (Bass Pro Shop all SS turkey fryer) was not as bad as the second (NB Dark Star - dark clearly means absurd amounts of soot). Clearly CO is a major concern as well.
John
 
hedbutter said:
I completely agree. If I had my choice, I'd own a house that a specific brew shed/separate garage for brewing, but we cant always get what we want.
Click to expand...

Same here. No garage, shed 100 ft from house and occupied with shed stuff. I have a 31x16 boat 'shed' but that's filled with a boat, and it's made of wood, so I like to keep flames far from it, too.

I quickly tired of lugging my equipment and supplies up from the basement to the kitchen then back down, and that was extract kits. When I began the transition to BIAB I built a brewery in the basement. Now the furthest I have to move anything is about 10 feet, and unfortunately it's the brewpot from burner to sink.

Damn, now I want to brew something, but no time.

John
 
I read the paper work that comes with new things, not once have I ever read that propane burners like what we use are rated for indoor usage. All of the examples of other appliances etc, that have been mentioned in this thread have been rated for indoor usage and have a UL stamp stating the unit has been tested for the uses it is purchased for.

Is this all due to manufacturer's liability concerns, of course it is. All of the burners I have ever seen state that they are not designed to be used indoors and are not rated as such.

Sure, there may be people that choose to use them indoors and may have no issue doing so but does that make it safe? Does that make it the responsible thing to do? What is the value of your home, family, personal safety, is it really worth it?

Perhaps you should call your insurance agent and ask them if you'd be covered if you chose to use a outdoor rated propane burner in your home and the whole house went up in smoke, or a friend or loved one was injured due to it's indoor usage.

If you want to play follow the leader and do something just because some dude on the internet told you could, be my guest, of course it's on the internet, it must be okay!
 

Similar threads

W
Power distro
Replies
1
Views
340
whoaru99
W
D
Control box placement/brew area setup
Replies
3
Views
752
Deadalus
Deadalus
kotamoore23
120/240v DIY PID Controller Help
Replies
17
Views
1K
whoaru99
W
S
New to Electric brewing
Replies
14
Views
1K
Exception13
Exception13
D
Newbie question on potential options
Replies
17
Views
1K
seatazzz
seatazzz
BrewSwag 300

Latest posts

Back
Top