So I've started building a semi Brutus 10. To start going a little less automated, but otherwise basic idea from the original plans, looked in the forum at what others have done etc, and am modifying it a little to my needs and ascetics. The one thing I saw a couple people do was make the burner height adjustable. I am hoping someone can tell me the possible advantage to doing this? Tomorrow I was going to start installing tabs for the burners to sit in, was just going to leave the so they were stationary, but figured I would ask if there was something I was missing by not having the height adjustable.
Brutus 10 question
- Thread starter Emc
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
EMC,
You can make them stationary but will have to adjust the height of the flame depending on what you are doing. My banjos are 4.5 inches from the bottom of my kegs. They are fixed but sit on an adjustable support beam. That is fine but sometimes I think that that the boil kettle burner needs to be raised an inch or so to about 3.5 inches. Adjusting the flame intensity/height with the gas ball valve is what I find myself settling into. Example: 1-1/2 big flame to raise the temp of the strike water before dough-in. Then lower the flame to 1/2 for dough-in and continuous recirc. Boil kettle full 1.5 inch flame once 3 gallons or so are in the kettle. To answer your question. You'll be fine if you fix them. A good distance is 4-4.5 inches below the kettle for banjos. Make the tabs adjustable will give you the flexibility to find the sweet spot for your system.Just my 2 cents.
snake10
You can make them stationary but will have to adjust the height of the flame depending on what you are doing. My banjos are 4.5 inches from the bottom of my kegs. They are fixed but sit on an adjustable support beam. That is fine but sometimes I think that that the boil kettle burner needs to be raised an inch or so to about 3.5 inches. Adjusting the flame intensity/height with the gas ball valve is what I find myself settling into. Example: 1-1/2 big flame to raise the temp of the strike water before dough-in. Then lower the flame to 1/2 for dough-in and continuous recirc. Boil kettle full 1.5 inch flame once 3 gallons or so are in the kettle. To answer your question. You'll be fine if you fix them. A good distance is 4-4.5 inches below the kettle for banjos. Make the tabs adjustable will give you the flexibility to find the sweet spot for your system.Just my 2 cents.
snake10
It really comes down to what burners and kettles you're using. A keggle might use a burner at a slightly different height than say a flat bottom kettle. You will likely need to do some tests at different heights to figure out your optimum position. If you do the tests and find your optimum height, then you could put in fixed tabs to mount the burners without needing an adjustable mount.
At the moment I'm using out if the bog banjos, so they have the stand built in. Was thinking I would just cut the rods that act as legs/burner rest off but keep the heat shield. My hlt and tun are a keggle, but boil kettle is a flat bottom. Have another keg that I'm was going to convert over was the stand is done. I was going to base my distance on the current banjo spacing which is 4.5". I am assuming from what you are both saying, if I use that as my farthest distance with an 1.5 travel on the tabs I'll be in the range to find the sweet spots?
That sounds like a good plan to me. Go for it. And post pics of your build as you go.
JonW: how far from your keggles are your burners? Are all of your flames the same height/intensity with the BCS?
Snake10
JonW: how far from your keggles are your burners? Are all of your flames the same height/intensity with the BCS?
Snake10
I use wok/jet burners that are 4" from the kettle. I usually have my HLT & BK at about 80-90% and my MLT at the same, only when heating the strike. Once I mash in, I turn the MLT flame down to about 50%, otherwise it will spike the mash temp when it cycles on.
I am going to be swapping my BK burner for a borrowed banjo burner and doing some head-to-head tests to compare it to the wok/jet burners.
