Alternate heat sourcees

[Beermaker]

I currently use propane to heat my brew. Is there a good fast electrical alternative? I was wondering about steam also, but cant find a good info site. Does anyone else have info to help out? I would like to change up a few things. I currently have a 3-tier HERMS system.Check out my site for pics.

 

[El Pistolero]

Brewing Techniques has this article on direct steam injection for mashes. You could do it to heat water too I guess, but you still have to heat the water in the pressure cooker with something.

 

[david_42]

100,000 BTU (which is a large propane burner) is about 29KW. This is a huge amount of electrical power. My house is all-electric and I only have a 25KVA transformer.

 

[Cheesefood]

Get off the grid! Use a method we're all sure to enjoy.

Use beer for fuel

 

[tnlandsailor]

Electricity has pros and cons. First, for a submersible element, it's 100% efficient. The bad news is, to get any real appreciable power, you need to go to 220 VAC which limits where you brew and increases the consequences of an "oops".

I can understand the infatuation with steam, but still wonder why people persue it. It increases the complexity of your system by quite a bit and, like electricity, increases the risk factor of an "oops". Plus, as mentioned earlier, you still have to heat your steam source with something. If you're into equipment and tinkering, have at it, it might be fun, but, I don't think it's any better, efficient, or cheaper than good 'ole propane.

If you are looking for something to help out your HERMS, have you considered a stand alone heat exchanger? If you ditch the HLT as your heat source, you can submerse your HERMS coil in a small vessel, say 1 gallon, and use standard heating elements at standard household voltages. This is what I use. It will give you much more control and allow the use of a temperature controller which will hold temps more consistently. Just a thought....

Heat Exchanger Design

Details on my heat exchanger

Prosit!

 

[david_42]

Nice approach. The coil-in-can means the temperature can't go over 212F, so the wort can't carmelize. That's been the biggest problem people talk about.

 

[Beermaker]

tnlandsailor...is that your site? **** I been reading your stuff for a while. I actually fashioned my Herms after that exchanger, just a bigger version. I love the idea of a small, efficient exchanger, but dont think it will help me with the boil kettle. I see the benefits for HERMS in my mash tun, but I mainly am looking for a new method for the boil kettle.

 

[tnlandsailor]

tnlandsailor...is that your site? **** I been reading your stuff for a while. I actually fashioned my Herms after that exchanger, just a bigger version. I love the idea of a small, efficient exchanger, but dont think it will help me with the boil kettle. I see the benefits for HERMS in my mash tun, but I mainly am looking for a new method for the boil kettle.

It's really hard to beat propane on the boil kettle. Minimal to no scorching, quick heating, safe, and portable. I've seen people use electricity, but the same cons apply as I've mentioned before. Also, since the element itself gets scorchingly hot, the wort in contact with the element can scorch as well, or at least darken a bit. Convection currents in the wort help to keep the wort moving, so it isn't all bad, but some scorching can't be avoided. I just think propane is a whole lot easier and faster. Plus, the current draw on electric elements large enough to boil 6 gallons of wort scare me. But then again, I'm a big wuss when it comes to anything over 110 VAC.

 

[Cheesefood]

Has anyone ever tried brewing on a charcoal grill? Some point in the future, when I'm bored enough, I'm going to try brewing on the Weber. The smoke might find it's way into the wort to make for interesting character.

 

[Beermaker]

Well, whoa is me......Guess I will have to keep the propane burners. I was hoping to find something cool to set me apart from the others......Beside my damn good looks anyway......

 

[El Pistolero]

Has anyone ever tried brewing on a charcoal grill? Some point in the future, when I'm bored enough, I'm going to try brewing on the Weber. The smoke might find it's way into the wort to make for interesting character.

I'm betting your weber will melt or catch on fire before you get that kettle boiling.

 

[rcgert]

I currently use propane to heat my brew. Is there a good fast electrical alternative? I was wondering about steam also, but cant find a good info site. Does anyone else have info to help out? I would like to change up a few things. I currently have a 3-tier HERMS system.Check out my site for pics.

I noticed your post and thought I would reply. I have been using steam injection for over a year now and have found it to be an excellent method for mashing and heating hot liquor tank. I took a pressure cooker and drilled a hole in the top of it and anchored a ball valve system with two valves to the lid so that I can regulate steam from it. I have flared fittings with teflon tubing that is housed in braided stainless steel. I connect the flexible tubing with flared fittings to an elbow then on to copper tubing that has a straight piece that goes straight down into the mash tun and hot liquor tank. which connect to a "t" that is also a flared fitting that connects to a hoop made out of copper tubing with small holes drilled into the hoop every inch or so. I can actually touch the stainless steel teflon tubing which means there is efficiency of transferring heat. I need to upload some pics for you to see, but this system is an upgrade from a friend of mine who has won three gold medals at nationals. Especially has worked to hit specific temps and not scortch wort. Have a gooder.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

One of these days just for fun I'm gonna do it the old fashioned way- set my brew kettle on the fire pit, kinda like a Polish Luau.:rockin:









Edit-I probably won't- just posting stuff cuz I've been drinkin all night and am having weird ideas......