Brewing on a glass cooktop?

[thisgoestoeleven]

I was planning on brewing outside today, using the burner from my propane grill. Unfortunately, it's raining pretty hard out and I've got friends coming over to help out. The stove I'm working with is a flat glass cooktop, and my pot is wider than the surface of the burner. Can this potentially damage the cooktop? I doubt it, but I wanted to get some input first.

 

[hoppymonkey]

It won't damage it. i used mine for 25+ batches before getting a burner. It is pretty slow to get a good boil on a full batch though.

 

[thisgoestoeleven]

Awesome, thanks. I'm doing a 3 gallon boil, so it should be fine.

 

[unionrdr]

I was wondering if the new smooth tops were any better than the old Corning ones Amana used to sell that we had.?...wife is looking at one. I'm trying to convince her to get the gas with convection oven...

 

[thisgoestoeleven]

I was wondering if the new smooth tops were any better than the old Corning ones Amana used to sell that we had.?...wife is looking at one. I'm trying to convince her to get the gas with convection oven...

I miss the gas stove from my old apartment. The glass ranges are mostly induction at this point, so they heat up really quickly.

 

[brandonhagen1]

i brew on a glass cook top right now and works fine just takes a while to get a good boil

 

[bluemoose]

My glass top heats really quickly and will bring 3 gallons to a boil in about 20 min. Don't fear using it, just mind the boilover. Sugar is a bear to get back off the glass. Get some on there and SWMBO might be bent until you can get it off. It typically takes a lot of elbow grease. Since my arms are like wet noodles, it takes a few days!

 

[thataintchicken]

My condo cooktop is similar to yours. You should have no problem getting a 3 gallon boil going.
Here is what I do If I'm doing an extract batch or BIAB indoors.

1. Clean the cooktop thoroughly before you start. That way nothing gets accidentally scorched in the process.
2. Split your DME and LME to smaller containers before use. Organize everything -- hops additions, whirlfloc etc.
3. move your pot to another surface when adding extract. I place a towel on the countertop and make that my extract addition area.
4. Move pot back to burner after adding extract.
5. Never cover the pot.
6. Pay attention to your boil. Add hops as per recipe ( everything is laid out right )
7. Clean up quickly afterwards. I use Barkeepers Friend on the stovetop.

I would love to have a gas stove with a convection oven here, but the cost for a gas line is prohibitive. maybe in my next home.

Good Luck!

 

[DoubleAught]

I use a glass cook top, and my pot is bigger than the burner as well. No problems so far with only one boil over. I boil 3 gallons normally. Takes about 20 mins to get to boil, set on medium heat and it stays there nicely.

 

[chemist308]

They work good. That's what I learned to brew on. Not so much for a full boil, but for partial mash and extract brews, they work. It did take quite a while to get the 4 gallons to go though. I've gone as high as four gallon boils on mine, and had an additional 2 gallons on pots on other burners. Never hurt it a bit.

 

[32Brew]

I have a GE glass stove top that I do 6gal boils on (5gal batches.) It takes a while to heat up, but it will boil good enough. I do the stove top AG, so I start the boil in my BK while using my sparge pot, so when the 1st runnings and sparge runnings are combined, it will boil a bit quicker.
+1 on making sure you don't boil over. SWMBO fury will ensue.

 

[shelly_belly]

I was heating up some sugary brine for a turkey on mine and walked away from it. It boiled over and got under the pot. Pitted the surface permanently. Mine is Schott Ceran. Wife likes to remind me about it every now and then.