AG without propane/burner

[Soulive]

So my laziness led to another discovery last night. I can do 5-5.5 gallon AG batches in the comfort of my kitchen. I've been doing these batches in about 4-5 hours outside with the burner. Last night I did it indoors in 4.5 hours. I plan on doing double batches most of the time, but I was stoked to know I can do single batches inside. The bottom of my pot is wide enough to utilize the whole flame on my stove burner. Muuuch better than standing outside in the dark & rain last night. Sorry, I just need to rant from excitement...

6.25 gallons beginning to roll on my stove;

 

[Yooper]

That's great isn't it! I would like to do 10 gallon batches, but I really don't want to move to brewing outside. Maybe in the summer, I'll get a bigger pot and do bigger batches outside. But being inside the rest of the year is awesome!

 

[the_bird]

Is my monitor off, or do you have purple wort? You're not brewing a "Grape Pale Ale," are ya?

 

[Soulive]

Is my monitor off, or do you have purple wort? You're not brewing a "Grape Pale Ale," are ya?

I took the shot with my phone so its lacking in quality, however, it IS an Irish Red so not far off. Its just great knowing I can pull it off indoors in the same amount of time. Things actually went more smoothly than my last batch outdoors...

 

[the_bird]

I've been doing a hybrid method, where I mash and sparge indoors, then bring the keggle outside for the boil. Works great for me (helps that the kitchen is right off the driveway). I've been able to get my mash temps balls-on virtually every time (lots easier to control the strike water's temp with a wussy electric stove than with 220k BTUs... :rockin

The next house will have natty gas, so I can brew indoors in the winter.

 

[RobertHSmith]

My wife and I have done 3 AG's in the kitchen. It gets faster ever time. Our 10 Gallon pot sets nicely over 2 of the burners on our natural gas cook top. We are in Rochester, MN right now so doing it inside is a luxury as the garage temps get down to the single digits, not to mention what is outside.

 

[FlyGuy]

I just figured out how to get a full wort boil indoors on my stove too, so I share in your excitement, man! I used to do the old two-pot split-wort boil and it was a PITA, although not as bad as brewing outdoors in the winter.

 

[Soulive]

I just figured out how to get a full wort boil indoors on my stove too, so I share in your excitement, man! I used to do the old two-pot split-wort boil and it was a PITA, although not as bad as brewing outdoors in the winter.

Yeah I saw that thread. I was thinking of doing the same thing but only on the upper 2/3s of my pot, so it wouldn't burn. It looks like I wouldn't need it now though. Either way, glad we made it...

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I have a 16k BTU burner on the stove in the kitchen, but when I was doing PM's indoors it took 20+ minutes to bring 2.5 or 3 gallons to a boil. I moved to the garage with a burner and never looked back.

Although if I could boil indoors in the winter I probably would. I haven't brewed in about 5 weeks now and probably won't until it warms up again.

 

[Bobby_M]

Excellent!

 

[Soulive]

Excellent!

Yeah, its all about that pot man. My old one was about 2in smaller in diameter. This one is able to cover all that heat from the burner...

 

[cheezydemon]

MMMMMMMMMMM gas. I hate our electric flat top.

 

[Soulive]

MMMMMMMMMMM gas. I hate our electric flat top.

Did you see FlyGuy's solution for electric ranges?

 

[balto charlie]

Yeah, its all about that pot man. My old one was about 2in smaller in diameter. This one is able to cover all that heat from the burner...

Great what was your pot size diameter and burner BTU. I think I can do it as well but am thinking you have to have the right size pot. Not too wide and decent BTUs. My stove top has 2 reg size burners, 1 small and 1 BIG one. I have had 4 Gallons boil but the pot is not big enough to boil 5 gallons. I am in thinking going with a 5 gallon AG system if I can do it inside. Charlie

 

[Soulive]

Great what was your pot size diameter and burner BTU. I think I can do it as well but am thinking you have to have the right size pot. Not too wide and decent BTUs. My stove top has 2 reg size burners, 1 small and 1 BIG one. I have had 4 Gallons boil but the pot is not big enough to boil 5 gallons. I am in thinking going with a 5 gallon AG system if I can do it inside. Charlie

I would guess my pot is about 12" in diameter. I don't know how many BTUs I have, but I use the bigger burner on my stove. I crank it to get up to the boil and then throttle back a little to maintain the boil...

 

[drunkatuw]

Did you see FlyGuy's solution for electric ranges?

I did a quick search but couldn't find anything, what is FlyGuy's solution for electric ranges?

 

[Soulive]

I did a quick search but couldn't find anything, what is FlyGuy's solution for electric ranges?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=53683

 

[CallMeZoot]

MMMMMMMMMMM gas. I hate our electric flat top.

I have an electric glass top stove and I have boiled 4-4.5 gallons with no problems. I haven't tried a larger batch but I'm fairly confident I could do it if I tried. Have you given yours a shot with a big boil?

chris.

 

[jzal8]

Ok this is interesting. When I get home I need to measure the size of my pot to see what you mean. Right now I am using a 20qt pot that does cover the single burner it sits on. Prob goes an inch and a half over in all four directions. However, I am not sure I would be able to get over 4 gallons to a full boil. I mean now I do about 3.75 gallon boils, but it totally takes 15 minues (with the top on until I see foam). Not sure what my btu's are. hmmm...

 

[Soulive]

Ok this is interesting. When I get home I need to measure the size of my pot to see what you mean. Right now I am using a 20qt pot that does cover the single burner it sits on. Prob goes an inch and a half over in all four directions. However, I am not sure I would be able to get over 4 gallons to a full boil. I mean now I do about 3.75 gallon boils, but it totally takes 15 minues (with the top on until I see foam). Not sure what my btu's are. hmmm...

Yeah but the catch is, my pot fully covered the entire flame (on high). So covering the burner itself is only half the equation. If we're talking about covering just the burner, I probably go about 4" over in all directions. I used to use a 20qt pot and the flame, on high, would escape out the sides slightly. It was enough to lose valuable heat that my new pot is able to utilize. My solution was draping foil around the bottom of the pot to contain the flame. Just be careful the foil doesn't burn up...

 

[jzal8]

Yeah but the catch is, my pot fully covered the entire flame (on high). So covering the burner itself is only half the equation. If we're talking about covering just the burner, I probably go about 4" over in all directions. I used to use a 20qt pot and the flame, on high, would escape out the sides slightly. It was enough to lose valuable heat that my new pot is able to utilize. My solution was draping foil around the bottom of the pot to contain the flame. Just be careful the foil doesn't burn up...

Ok, yea I am talking more about the burner grates. Though the flame still does not escape around the sides (I don't think). However, I am still thinking I could definitely benefit from a wider bottom. Maybe tonight I should also take a look into my oven model and it's BTU's. Try to get a better idea of what it's capabilities are.

Where did you get the wider pot?

 

[Soulive]

Ok, yea I am talking more about the burner grates. Though the flame still does not escape around the sides (I don't think). However, I am still thinking I could definitely benefit from a wider bottom. Maybe tonight I should also take a look into my oven model and it's BTU's. Try to get a better idea of what it's capabilities are.

Where did you get the wider pot?

If none of the flame is creeping out from underneath, you should be good. I got my pot from Bobby_M for an excellent price. I use it for mash/sparge water when I use my keggle or I use it as my brew pot. Here it is in action...

[youtube]RENxL0HhRu4[/youtube]

 

[DeathBrewer]

I have an electric burner and i usually split my AG batches between two pots (3/4 gal.) I can get 6 gallons boiling, but i have to cover it and leave the lid at on after it heats up or i don't get a good rolling boil. i hate doing this cuz i always get at least a small boilover.

 

[FlyGuy]

I have an electric burner and i usually split my AG batches between two pots (3/4 gal.) I can get 6 gallons boiling, but i have to cover it and leave the lid at on after it heats up or i don't get a good rolling boil. i hate doing this cuz i always get at least a small boilover.

Yeah, that's exactly what I used to do, and it sux. I was so thrilled to figure out how to do everything in one big pot on one element and save all the hassle.

 

[balto charlie]

I would guess my pot is about 12" in diameter. I don't know how many BTUs I have, but I use the bigger burner on my stove. I crank it to get up to the boil and then throttle back a little to maintain the boil...

12" sounds too small. Maybe not?? I'll have to measure mine. I really want to do AG inside. Maybe just leave the lid on when you know the exact amount of heat to prevent boilover.
Also: there would be less evaporation due to leaving the lid on so you would not need as much water.

 

[jzal8]

I just did a little research on my Chefmate 20 qt stock pot. I couldnt find the exact dimensions, but Target lists its shipping dimensions as 13"x13"x11". That tells me that if the box they ship it in only has a 13" diameter, then the pot itself prob only has a 10 or 11 inch diameter. Looking at stock pots on a few homebrew supply websites I am finding 32 qt stock pots with 15" diameters.

I'm wondering if that 4-5" would make the difference for me.

 

[WBC]

So my laziness led to another discovery last night. I can do 5-5.5 gallon AG batches in the comfort of my kitchen.

This is great but it only will last until the wife says "I don't like the mess you left in the kitchen, would you please brew outside like you did before".

 

[Soulive]

This is great but it only will last until the wife says "I don't like the mess you left in the kitchen, would you please brew outside like you did before".

Actually the kitchen is left cleaner than when I started

I'm the chef and the brewer in our house and I like my work area clean...

 

[WBC]

Actually the kitchen is left cleaner than when I started

I'm the chef and the brewer in our house and I like my work area clean...

I am talking about when you are doing it and she walks in and looks at all the stuff while you are doing it. It does not matter to them that you put everything away and clean up.

 

[Soulive]

I am talking about when you are doing it and she walks in and looks at all the stuff while you are doing it. It does not matter to them that you put everything away and clean up.

Nah, the smell always distracts her. I brewed last night and she'll come in tonight and comment how it still stinks. That's well I'll reply with, "well I'm brewing again tomorrow night, maybe it'll cover it up"...