5 Gallon Full Boil on Electric Stove?

[bechard]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to determine if my run of the mill electric stove (2 big burners, 2 medium burners) will handle a full boil of 5 gallons. I'd like to go all grain, and use my stove if possible.

I'm currently boiling 3.5 gallons from extract and partials which do get a pretty vigorous boil. Should the extra gallons of an all grain batch be ok? My guess is a 5 gallon batch will probably be about 6 gallons to boil, so I guess I'm asking if my anyone else can get an electric stove to boil 6-7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch.

Cheers.

 

[unionrdr]

Mine has trouble with 3 gallons,but it's 11 years old too...

 

[shecallsmeblue]

I did full boils on my stove for a while. I will warn you though that it took like an hour to get to a boil. Also, you may want to do 90 minute boils in case of DMS issues. You dont get a very strong boil I find.

 

[osagedr]

Your boil volume will push well over 6 gallons to finish with 5--even more if you end up using much pilsner malt. Depends on your stove I guess.

 

[Jsmith82]

It will take forever to get going, but it is possible.

I brew on an electric stove and it's by far not a top of the line, my first all grain I split the pre boil wort volume across 2 4 gallon pots aluminum pots (sold at my local grocer for 15 bucks a piece), then divided the hop additions into separate cups for each pot. The issue though I ran into with this method, pot#1 started boiling 10 minutes after pot#2 but I adjusted accordingly and went with it with fairly good success.

Here's was my topic if it helps: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/fisrt-all-ag-brew-strange-success-243208/

 

[PIGMAN]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to determine if my run of the mill electric stove (2 big burners, 2 medium burners) will handle a full boil of 5 gallons. I'd like to go all grain, and use my stove if possible.

I'm currently boiling 3.5 gallons from extract and partials which do get a pretty vigorous boil. Should the extra gallons of an all grain batch be ok? My guess is a 5 gallon batch will probably be about 6 gallons to boil, so I guess I'm asking if my anyone else can get an electric stove to boil 6-7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch.

Cheers.

I'm facing the same issue, and I was wondering about how the electric burner would handle the weight of the full boil. Probably better off outside with a propane burner.

 

[bechard]

Alright, sounds like I'll be sticking with Partial and Extract for a while.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[bratrules]

I wouldn't even want to think about try a full boil indoors if you don't have the means to get a propane burner I'd stick to doing partial boils for now!!

 

[profallout]

I do full boils on my flat top electric range. Takes 6.5 gallons 45 minutes to boil though.

I have never had a problem with weight but there was a thread a while ago that a guy had a stove built in to his cabinetry and the whole thing collapsed. Sent wort everywhere.

Edit: Here's that thread. The pic is near the bottom: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/glass-top-range-stove-top-all-grain-234988/

 

[PIGMAN]

I do full boils on my flat top electric range. Takes 6.5 gallons 45 minutes to boil though.

I have never had a problem with weight but there was a thread a while ago that a guy had a stove built in to his cabinetry and the whole thing collapsed. Sent wort everywhere.

I think a flat top would handle it better than the raised burners.

 

[bechard]

In comparison, how long does 6.5 gallons take to start a boil on a standard propane burner from the mash temp?

I'd like to find a way to use Natural Gas if I was to go the outdoor route, as I have a line for my BBQ that I could tee from.

My LHBS doesn't have anything listed as Natural Gas, so I'm not sure where to look.

 

[atchinator]

I do 6+ gallon boils on my stove all the time with minimal problems. I use 2 large stainless steel crock pots.
The only drawback I find is that it takes me about 30 minutes to get to a boil from cold tap water. Also, after I've mashed and the wort is warm, it takes maybe 15 minutes to get to a boil. Not a big deal at all.

Where I live, it rains a lot so doing it inside has some advantages.

 

[stewie24]

I do extract kit boils on a year old generic branded electric stove. Yeah, it takes about 1/2 hour or so to get the 5+ gallons to a boil after the 1/2 hour of keeping the grain at 155 degrees using the biggest burner mind you, but still works none the less. I ordered a flat top GE stove, which is waiting delivery right now. I've never done an all grain boil, so just by guessing I would have to say you'd be brewing quite a long time with an all grain. Good luck though.

 

[geneb]

I don't have too much trouble with full boils on the electric stove. I built a heatstick to help out, though. Still don't get a very vigorous boil, though.

 

[Mdessert]

I can barely do 3 gallons on my electric. I'm looking into a canning burner to handle the extra weight.

 

[wittmania]

For what it's worth, I used to do full-boil 5 gal. all grain batches in a 7.5 gal. stainless kettle on my "builder's grade" electric range. It wasn't the fastest thing in the world, but it worked. I batch sparge, so I found that I saved a lot of time by heating the first runnings as they were collected and while the sparge water was doing its thing before starting the second runnings.

If you're looking to increase your beers-per-hour production, upgrade to using fire and a converted keg for your kettle. Otherwise, I think you'll be just fine brewing 5 gallons inside unless your stove really sucks.

As for the weight, I build a big "U" out of three pieces of 1/2" copper and two elbows and then put it around one of the big burners on my stove to help spread the weight to the range cover rather than all on the burner itself. If I remember correctly, I had to pound the pipe flat just a little bit to get the kettle to rest right on top of the element. That really seemed to make the kettle more stable and took some strain off of the burner.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Before you try it with wort, try it with the same amount of water. That way, if it doesn't work, you didn't waste your time (or beer).

Also, look at this thread about insulating your pot:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/improved-boiling-stovetop-53683/

 

[wrclar2]

I dont know how your set up is but my 8 gallon pot will fit on BOTH the front and the back burner at the same time. I crank them both to high and can get a full pot to boil in about an hour.

 

[moicel]

any suggestions what hot plate i can use for a 15 gallon SS pot?
moved to an apartment and only has electric stove cannot use a propane burner.

 

[Bubbles2]

Try it, I've canned using both, raised and flat electric, they are covered though, yet you can cover yours until you get your boil and if you want you could leave it partial covered to maintain a slow boil. Might have to dump the lid a few times to excrete the steam rising.
I have made with almost a full cover and I guess it depends on the beer you are making whether or not you will get off tastes. A hop forward IPA and you won't taste an almost covered, compared to a Michelob Ultra type lite beer. AMF the last guy who asked me how to make a Michelob I told him don't bother, take yourself to the store and crack open your purse and buy it for 50. cents a can...

 

[mashpaddled]

You won't know until you try but trying risks damaging your stove. A coil stove should have enough power to eventually get you to a boil but it will take a long time. The problem with a coil stove is that the weight of the wort presses down on the stove cover and traps a lot of heat against the wiring to the coil. That in turn can cause you to burn out the wiring from the switch to the coil, melt and destroy the wiring harness or short out the coil. I know because I did all of those at least once.

If you really want to do full boils inside on an electric coil check if your stove has a canning element available. They heat up hotter and have a built in support for more weight and will do a better job. It might be cheaper and more time efficient to acquire a turkey fryer.