Gas or Electric

[DJM3]

Hi Guys, I've done a fair few extract kit brews over the years and have now progressed into all grain brewing (BIAB). I've done a couple of brews now using an electric Peco boiler. It seems to take a long time to reach a boil and a lot of YouTube videos use a metal boiler over a gas flame.

I was just wondering what are people's preferences and why? Cheers.

 

[Sansnom]

Hi Guys, I've done a fair few extract kit brews over the years and have now progressed into all grain brewing (BIAB). I've done a couple of brews now using an electric Peco boiler. It seems to take a long time to reach a boil and a lot of YouTube videos use a metal boiler over a gas flame.

I was just wondering what are people's preferences and why? Cheers.

I have a large propane burner to do big batches, I have no other way of doing it currently. In the US and Canada, households have mostly 120v outlets. Exculding outlets for dryers/ranges. I have no 220v outlets in my house, I have a natural gas dryer and range. This is the case for a lot of people in the US and Canada.

I would love to have an electric burner large enough to do 5+ gallon batches. It goes down to -23c (-10f) where I live during the winter, so outdoor brewing sucks massively during the winter. I use propane because that's what I currently have available to me. It was the cheapest option.

 

[RM-MN]

Hi Guys, I've done a fair few extract kit brews over the years and have now progressed into all grain brewing (BIAB). I've done a couple of brews now using an electric Peco boiler. It seems to take a long time to reach a boil and a lot of YouTube videos use a metal boiler over a gas flame.

I was just wondering what are people's preferences and why? Cheers.

The amount of heat that your electric heater can give off is limited by the size of the wires in the wall. You can add more heat by using a "heat stick" that can be immersed in the liquid to get it to boil quicker but it would need to be plugged into a socket that is on a different circuit.

 

[kh54s10]

For most, it really comes down to cost. To go electric, you are either limited in size - Grainfather and others that work on 110v - or quite expensive systems that require 240v. The system that I would like would be about $3000 if I did mostly DIY.

My Propane rig was probably close to $1000 but all the parts and pieces were bought over a couple of years. With electric you need to get almost all of the equipment before you start your first batch.

 

[Dcpcooks]

I have brewed 1/2 bbl batches on propane burners for the past five years.

We just moved and I'm setting up an electric brewery in the basement.

The cost is pretty high to go electric.

I needed to upgrade electric service and add 100 amps to the house.

I need 50 amps to run the 5000w coil and the 3500 watt rims set up

Needed a control panel, the elements and supporting gear. Need to install a hood, fan exhaust line and make up air return.

It's cost me roughly 3200 in equipment plus labor.

Looks like it will be a great system but it's more expensive

 

[marjen]

I would love to have a nice indoor electric setup. That said, like others have mentioned there is a high cost to get there. Proper voltage, exhaust, etc really add up quickly but if you have the space and the money, I think it would be ideal. My plan when I build my next house in a few years is to incorporate an indoor brewing room and have an all eletric setup.

 

[Timberline]

I've been brewing on the stovetop and it takes about an hour just to get it to come to a boil. Even then it's a slow rolling boil not a vigorous boil. This past weekend I brewed for the first time with my fleamarket propane turkey fryer and it brought my wort to boil in about 15 minutes with a very active boil. I wouldn't mind going 240v electric later, but for now as a noob this is a notable improvement for me.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

For most, it really comes down to cost. To go electric, you are either limited in size - Grainfather and others that work on 110v - or quite expensive systems that require 240v.

That's not true. You can spend a ton of money if you want or not spend a ton of money and make the same beer. I'm into my setup for around $600 for 10 gallon batches using 240v....plus a chair
It doesn't have to be expensive.

This is me brewing now
And my latest brew

 

[Toejam792]

If you can diy electric and gas are about the same price I think. If you have access to 220v it should be a no brainier. I built my 3 vessel set up for around a grand

 

[thekraken]

One thing I like so much more about electric brewing is the NOISE! Electric brewing is oh so quiet and that much more pleasant for me, I don't have to crank the stereo all the way up to hear it over the propane burner.

A 5500 w heating element inside a kettle gets me up to temp in no time too.

 

[Staticsouls]

I use two heatsticks permanently attached to my bk and hlt/hex for my heat source. I did have to find two completely separate circuits to run them though. I don't use any heat control it is simply on or off. I connected my chugger pump to an inkbird 308, and made the worlds most ghetto herms. It works way better than my propane days though, and the costs were minimal.

 

[kh54s10]

That's not true. You can spend a ton of money if you want or not spend a ton of money and make the same beer. I'm into my setup for around $600 for 10 gallon batches using 240v....plus a chair
It doesn't have to be expensive.

This is me brewing now
And my latest brew

That is nice, but for me I would not pull out my range or washer every time I wanted to brew and those aren't GFCI, so I would have to get an electrician to run another line. That would probably cost close to what you have in your rig.

I would also not boil a 10 gallon batch in the middle of my kitchen due to the moisture, but if that doesn't concern you....

Maybe you can do it for less $$ but you are making compromises that I would not want to do.

 

[KIDD69]

I just finished my 34th batch on my Brew Boss 15gal setup. This is my first brewing system and other than a homemade exhaust hood and adding a 240v receptacle, creating a dedicated indoor brew space was relatively easy. I sometimes feel like I've never "paid my dues", having not brewed all extract on the stove or outdoors dealing with the Canadian winters.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

That is nice, but for me I would not pull out my range or washer every time I wanted to brew and those aren't GFCI, so I would have to get an electrician to run another line. That would probably cost close to what you have in your rig.

I would also not boil a 10 gallon batch in the middle of my kitchen due to the moisture, but if that doesn't concern you....

Maybe you can do it for less $$ but you are making compromises that I would not want to do.

I unplug my dryer and plug in my GFCI spa panel connected to a 30 amp extension cord that I run to my kitchen where I brew (the yellow cord in the pic) Then roll it up when I'm done brewing.I wouldn't call that a compromise. Its actually quit functional and remarkably easy. The steam can be an issue on cold winter days. Trying to figure something out for that. I could just brew in my unfinished basement with the same setup to avoid steam in my kitchen but its no fun down there. The system itself runs like a fine tuned machine for not a lot of money.
Every house is set up different...this works for me

 

[BugEyedValiant]

I do the electric in my basement. 5500w element, built my control with a cheap mypin, and welded a TC connector in my 10gal brew pot. My basement is reminiscent of The Munsters. It is very damp to begin with, before I moved my brewing to the basement there was 90% humidity. I have a dehumidifier down there now and it usually stays 65% unless it's brew day and it's back down to normal within a day. I'd say I have $300 in converting to electric. I wired mine directly into my breaker panel.