5 gallon full boil extract. forcing me to the garage or basement? Need ideas!

[bmickey]

I as of right now have always cooked on the gas stovetop, a Jenn-Air gas stove top. I just moved up to a bigger 10 gallon pot so I can do a full boil extract kit setup. I think this pretty much ends the ability to cook in the comfort of my kitchen. Could I do it in the basement? From what I'm hearing using a propane burner is not only unsafe but puts off too much gases for a basement? What bout electric burner elements in the brew pot? I'm just looking for ideas. If I can't do it in my kitchen, my second thought would be the basement, the 3rd would be the garage and the 4th would be outside on the patio. Really the boil is the tricky part but not sure I want to carry my 10 gallon Polarware pot with 5 gallons of wort into the house to finish up. What do others do. I'm not even talking AG brewing at this point, just full 5 gallon boils. Help me with some ideas. My basement is a 13 brick high concrete wall, unfinished at this point. My garage is pretty big, 30' x 28' or so. I have a patio that is pretty close to the kitchen but not sure about brewing outside.

Ideas!? I'm excited to do the full boil and someday AG. I've purchased the equipment: burner, made a counterflow chiller, and 10 gallon pot. The other thing is I could use some ideas for setup regardeless of where its at...sorta like a 3 tier system of kettle, chiller, then into primary 6.5 gallon fermenter bucket. Anyone have any pictures of there setup?! Sorry I have so many questions, my head is spinning with both anticipation of that first full 5 gallon brew and headache trying to figure out the logistics.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Don't use the basement unless you have very good ventilation. I still wouldn't suggest it with propane. An electric heating element is an idea, and a lot of brewing websites sell them. I'm going to be setting a friend up with a new system, and since he has an apartment, it will be all electric.

I personally brew in my garage. I have a 4 car garage though, and the back half is pretty much like the inside of my house anyways. It was setup as a woodshop, but I'm very picky about how clean it is. It has A/C and Heat so I can brew all year long.

Brewing outside is also not a problem as long as you keep bugs and leaves and things out of your beer.

 

[malkore]

good ventilation and a Carbon Monoxide detector should keep you safe-ish in a basement.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

haha....safe-ish. I like that.

 

[weirdboy]

I do full boils (and AG) on my stovetop. I just spread the BK across two burners. I use a 7 gallon BK, though. 10 sounds a little tall.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

It used to take me the same amount of time to do 3 gallon boils on my stovetop as it does to do 7 gallon boils on my propane burners. Plus, my stove always got pretty nasty after boiling for that long. Black around the burners.

 

[rico567]

If you're doing extract brews, I did extract in the kitchen (full 5-gal. boils) on my Jenn-Air cooktop in a 7.5 gal SS pot. Originally, I could barely maintain a bubbling boil, then I got some insulation from J.C. Whitney, intended for automotive firewalls, stuck it onto the pot with some spray adhesive they sell, and that made it a lot easier to maintain the boil. When I went to AG, I moved to the garage and a 50K btu propane burner. I wouldn't consider using a propane burner in the basement without a commercial-volume ventilation system...and, as mentioned in a previous post, a CO detector.

 

[Synovia]

I do full boils (and AG) on my stovetop. I just spread the BK across two burners. I use a 7 gallon BK, though. 10 sounds a little tall.

My first couple AG batches, with 7g boils in an 8.5g pot were on a gas stovetop, and it certainly wasn't a big nice jenn-air stove.

 

[Sawdustguy]

I will probably take some bruises for this, but don't let anyone tell you using propane in your basement is safe. I don't care if you have 10 fans, 15 carbon monoxide detectors and a partridge in a pear tree. It is just not worth the risk. Do what you want, but I have said my piece. Ok, now you can all hit me with your best shot.

 

[bmickey]

What about natural gas in your basement, is that really any different or safer?

 

[bmickey]

I like the idea of using an electric heating element. Do the ones that heat up 5-10 gallon of wort all run on 240V? How much of an investment is that to get goign with? I just bought a 10 gallon Polarware pot to do 5 gallon full boils.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I will probably take some bruises for this, but don't let anyone tell you using propane in your basement is safe. I don't care if you have 10 fans, 15 carbon monoxide detectors and a partridge in a pear tree. It is just not worth the risk. Do what you want, but I have said my piece. Ok, now you can all hit me with your best shot.

I won't trash you for this comment. You're being safe, and that's smart. I don't recommend basement brewing either.

And to Bmickey... I believe most heating elements are set up for 110V. It may depend on how high the output is though.

 

[Jkane101]

Gotta say I agree with Sawdust on this one, I'd rather brew in the garage then bring the propane into the basement. Just me being a tad paraniod.

 

[kaiser423]

Do the garage, or just use your stovetop. I put a towel on my lid, and can get to full (6.5 gallon) boils relatively quick, and keep the boil going well (but not vigorous).

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I get the bit about not wanting to brew on patio but, why is the garage such a last resort?

My garage has become my berewery and I do everything in there, even the rare bottling.

If you are worried about cleanliness well, clean that fooker up. Or, tour some Belgian breweries and then you'll not be so worried about it.

 

[bmickey]

Thanks everyone!! My garage is not heated, just thinking its going to be pretty darned cold this winter brewing in the garage, but at least I"ll have a boil going to keep me somewhat warm!!

 

[wormfishin]

Even with electric in the basement you will need some decent ventilation for all of the moisture you will be generating in the boil. Unless it's a finished basement or you don't have any moisture problems at all currently

 

[beerocd]

My brewing setup is going into the basement soon. Because of the potential for gas leaks and CO I decided it'd be better to go electric. Sure I can electrocute myself - but the rest of the family and the house come out unscathed. The garage is not climate controlled, has no running water, drains or sinks, and I ferment in the basement anyway. So December brewing won't be a problem, and fruit flies and other insects will not be bothering me while I brew during the summer.

-OCD