Burner: Bayou SP10, KAB4, or KAB6???

[Rockape66]

I brew in my garage, which faces into the prevailing wind. I rig a windbreak with a sheet of plywood and some sandbags. This works great for the boil. I also use a coleman camping stove. Heat strike water on the turkey fryer, and sparge water on the coleman in a 21qt canning kettle. Still fine tuning my process, but I'm happy.

 

[asterix404]

Yea, I went with blichmann and I did it for a few reasons, the wind shield is awesome and the propane usage is small. I got about 8g to boil in about 10min from 160. I can get a rolling boil of 14lb of grain for decoctions on low... it was so hot that I missed the rest temp.

The second reason is, you do not want to go cheap with a burner. This is some serious heat that is being pumped out... you want the flame shielded, it to lift off the ground, for it to hold the weight of your pot plus 10G of water... Blichmann was a solid piece of equipment and I love it.

 

[Golddiggie]

Ordered my new Blichmann to replace the KAB4 burner today. Looking forward to using it.

 

[gcdowd]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I am in the market for a new burner. I was looking at the Bayous or possibly a Blichmann. I do 5 gallon batches but boil 7 gallons. I needs something that will heat evenly (my current burner is a little crooked and scorches the bottom of my SS pot). I also want something that does not burn a ton of propane. Also, I have a really large kettle (diameter-wise) so it's got to be able to fit on there. Not quite sure what the diameter is (I can measure when I get home). Which one would you all suggest?

 

[Golddiggie]

Blichmann burner, hands down.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I also want something that does not burn a ton of propane.

Be sure to turn down the flame once you get to a boil and you will save a lot of propane. Ask me how I know.

 

[gcdowd]

Oh boy, go through a whole tank? I usually get 4 brew days off a tank, that is heating strike and sparge water and 60 min boil. Would the blichmann give similar results?

 

[Golddiggie]

Oh boy, go through a whole tank? I usually get 4 brew days off a tank, that is heating strike and sparge water and 60 min boil. Would the blichmann give similar results?

Depending on how big your batches are, you should get at least 4 brews form a tank with the Blichmann burner. Provided, of course, you're not wasting propane (running it too hot).

 

[gcdowd]

5 gallon batches, boiling 7 gallons. I only heat it enough to get a good rolling boil

 

[DrunkleJon]

Yeah, I went through a little over half a tank by burning it too high. It also formed a good 1/4 inch of snow at the propane line and froze up the regulator so the flame died down to very low and I lost my boil with about 30 minutes remaining. I will not do that again I will tell you. Of course I was using a KAB6 with a 30 psi reg so I was able to get it going pretty quick.

 

[Golddiggie]

5 gallon batches, boiling 7 gallons. I only heat it enough to get a good rolling boil

IMO/IME, you should easily get 4 batches per tank that way (with the Blichmann). Especially if you're not fighting wind and such. I'm moving my rig into the basement (will have proper ventilation) so I'll no longer need to worry about losing light, wind, snow, rain, heat, bugs, etc... :rockin: Plus, since I ferment in the basement, it will make things that much easier.

 

[gcdowd]

I'm looking at the blichmann floor burner and people are saying to go for the leg extensions. Worth it?

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm looking at the blichmann floor burner and people are saying to go for the leg extensions. Worth it?

I got them for one of mine. They're not 'extensions' but replacements that are longer (about 2' I believe). IF you want to gravity feed into fermenter, or have the ball valve higher off the ground than you can get otherwise, then they are very much worth it. I use that burner for my mash tun and boil keggle. Means I can gravity feed the mash into the BK without issue. I use gravity for the sparge water, but that burner is on a table, sitting on blocks.

 

[gcdowd]

Ok good to know. I probably won't need them because I just dump the wort into the fermenter (kettle has no valve)

 

[Corey_James]

I have the KAB4 and had to modify two be able pull from 2 tanks. The 30 PSI regulator is actually too much for a 20lb propane tank. Using 2 tanks I now can brew without the tanks freezing up. I have a friend who has a blichman and loves it.

 

[FATC1TY]

My SP-10 is MORE than enough for my, I 12g pot. I do 5g batches.

I have to literally run it on the lowest end of the valve, almost closing it off once I reach a boil, or I will end up boiling over. At the lowest, I keep a vicious raging boil. Anything more, I'd have trouble.

Gas consumption is great. I get roughly... 4 brews off a regular tank of propane. Maybe more I think.. I have a couple of tanks and I never grab the same one I know..

 

[Golddiggie]

I use two tanks as well. That way I can have my mash tun burner connected to one and the HLT burner on another. Then, I can start the sparge water heating before I start the mash heating up to sparge temps. I often get them mixed up too, since the levels are damned close most of the time.

 

[FATC1TY]

I use two tanks as well. That way I can have my mash tun burner connected to one and the HLT burner on another. Then, I can start the sparge water heating before I start the mash heating up to sparge temps. I often get them mixed up too, since the levels are damned close most of the time.

I did that a few times, until I realized I can heat 5 gallons of sparge water from room temp to 185* in under 20 minutes, and I have to watch it, as I'll boil it if I don't pay attention.

I'll go out and stir the mash 15 or 20 minutes out from being done, and I'll fire up the sparge water. It's generally heated enough that I will put it in the HLT and be done. Saves dragging the other burner out!

 

[Golddiggie]

I did that a few times, until I realized I can heat 5 gallons of sparge water from room temp to 185* in under 20 minutes, and I have to watch it, as I'll boil it if I don't pay attention.

I'll go out and stir the mash 15 or 20 minutes out from being done, and I'll fire up the sparge water. It's generally heated enough that I will put it in the HLT and be done. Saves dragging the other burner out!

Well, since I'm not living just north of HELL (FL) my water doesn't come out of the tap at 85F (or above). I've not made a 5 gallon batch in I don't know how long. Over a year at least. So, I'm dealing with more liquid volumes here. Besides, I'd rather not have to swap the tanks between burners. Easy enough to have them connected up.

I really do like the composite/semi-clear tank I picked up. Holds 27# of propane and is lighter than a 20# steel tank (when both are full). Waiting for them to be available again so I can order another. That way, when my tanks are out of date, and the places won't fill them (not always the same time frames), I'll be all set still. Being able to SEE the level inside takes all the guesswork out of figuring out how much propane you have left, and how much you're using. :rockin:

 

[DrunkleJon]

I really do like the composite/semi-clear tank I picked up. Holds 27# of propane and is lighter than a 20# steel tank (when both are full). Waiting for them to be available again so I can order another. That way, when my tanks are out of date, and the places won't fill them (not always the same time frames), I'll be all set still. Being able to SEE the level inside takes all the guesswork out of figuring out how much propane you have left, and how much you're using. :rockin:

Never even heard of these before now. Looks like you can still find them somewhere i found them for just shy of $100 here. Its a shame that it isnt so easy to find places that re-fill them nowadays.

 

[discooby]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I am in the market for a new burner. I was looking at the Bayous or possibly a Blichmann. I do 5 gallon batches but boil 7 gallons. I needs something that will heat evenly (my current burner is a little crooked and scorches the bottom of my SS pot). I also want something that does not burn a ton of propane. Also, I have a really large kettle (diameter-wise) so it's got to be able to fit on there. Not quite sure what the diameter is (I can measure when I get home). Which one would you all suggest?

Not clear on where (in garage / outside) you are brewing but my experience is that if I use a wind screen (even in “no”-wind) I can get close to three 10 gal batches on one standard propane tank (I’m using the kab4). W/out a wind screen (on a slight/null breezy day) I'll blow through 2/3 of a tank easily on 1 batch.

Take into account the temp you are brewing in and when do you start your boil in relation to sparge time (1/3 kettle fill and I start the kab4 up on extra low… it’s boiling (20min) by the time I’m done with the sparge).

The kab4 is a monster on heat but a lot of that heat is wasted going up and around the bk (hence wind screen even on “no” breezy days...but, don’t melt your ball valve). I’ve brewed in 118*F temp and 50*F temp without the tank freezing on me. If it does, hose it w/water or submerse the tank in warm water.

In short: you’ll want to move up to 10gal down the road and doing 10gal will only require 1/3 (or less) more propane. This is where it becomes economical on moving up in batch size. Also, I cannot stress enough how a wind screen improves btu/heat efficiency. Hope this helps (htp), cheers