Electric Brew Pots

[bargoon1]

So I'm fairly new to home brewing - a return after a absence of an number of years.
I've watched quite a few YouTube videos but recently saw a couple of them from Europe, particularly from Britain.
I noticed they had electric heating elements installed in what looked to be plastic boilers.
Is this possible without melting the plastic containers?

 

[ancientmariner52]

Yes, as long as the element is surrounded by liquid. As to why they do it? Beats me. Dry fire it just once and you may burn your house down. I use a home made 1500 watt heat stick to stir my mash when I want to warm it up a bit, but I never let it sit still, and try to keep it away from the plastic sides of the cooler.

 

[itsnotrequired]

it depends on the plastic, whether boiling in it is a problem or not. i personally wouldn't do it but if the material is rated for the temperature, no inherent problem with it.

 

[ancientmariner52]

it depends on the plastic, whether boiling in it is a problem or not. i personally wouldn't do it but if the material is rated for the temperature, no inherent problem with it.

You are correct, of course. In the video examples I have seen, they were only heating strike water in a round cooler.

 

[itsnotrequired]

You are correct, of course. In the video examples I have seen, they were only heating strike water in a round cooler.

that's true, i jumped the gun on boiling. but even heating strike water, i still wouldn't use plastic. but that's just me...

 

[ancientmariner52]

Nor would I.

 

[Thedutchtouch]

when it's pretty cheap to get a stainless container of the same size, i see no point to boiling/heating in plastic. fermenting, on the other hand... i do all the time in plastic.

 

[ancientmariner52]

Well, bu&&er me! The Home Brew Shop UK sells Electric HLT, Mash tun, and Electric Boil Kettle, all three made from cubical Igloo plastic coolers! Not for me, lads.

 

[Sammy86]

Link to Chop and Brew episode where an Irish homebrewer talks about his plastic boiler...apparently it's temp rated, food grade and is common for Euro Brewers.