Help me decide!

[GrantH]

I'm looking to move into a 10 gallon/keggle build but I cannot for the life of me decide which route to go for heat. I am hoping to buy a house within the year, but at the least I am moving to a new rental. I don't know electric setups and I don't know if NG will be available, so the only surefire option is propane.

Sure I can run that, but how long does your basic grill tank last on a single tier 3 keggle setup for a 10 gallon batch?? I can't imagine it taking too long to run through a tank.

I'll be buying an older house (circa 40's) but will have been updated if plan goes as...well...planned. It could be all electric or split, so I can't say for sure. I can see the benefits of electric and it fancies my fiddly tendencies wanting to mess with things as well as wanting everything dialed in spot on. I know gas can do the same, but I don't have and don't know if I will have a NG connection.

Would you build for gas and use NG if you have it available and propane if not? They ARE 2 different pressures though, right? I feel like I've read enough to get myself in trouble, but don't know which way to continue reading.

 

[GrantH]

My other option would be to go 5 gallon e-brew with 120 volt elements and really learn and perfect my brews than I have in the past. Would it be more beneficial to perfect my 5 gallon work or go ahead and move up and work towards making a system that can be automated over time?

 

[Homercidal]

Honestly, if you have a 220V outlet in the house, you can manage to rig up a good electric system. if you do not, or unsure, then Propane might make a good intermediate solution. A turkey fryer and a 10 gallon kettle work pretty good. Maybe hold off on actually building a system until you buy a house? Electric has plenty of benefits that make it worth waiting for IMO. A turkey fryer burner is a small portion of the cost of an automated system, and can be resold later for a good portion of the initial investment.

 

[woknblues]

Propane is your initially cheapest cost of admission. I get around 4 batches of beer per tank.

 

[GrantH]

I do propane already for 5 gallon batches. I can do all grain and extract but want to be able to control more. I don't know what a house will give me but I'd imagine I could have it installed fairly easily by a contractor friend of mine. But again...that's future. I guess my real question is, should I build for 5 or 10 gallons? If I build for 5, I can easily do an electric setup but 10 gallons opens up the issues.

Woknblues, are you using a multiple burner setup?

 

[woknblues]

Sorry, I didn't read your post carefully.

No sir, I am BIAB single vessel. I would go for a 10 gallon set up. Your work into a 10 gallon set up will be more, but then you are "future proofed" (haha, at least for a while).

 

[GrantH]

All good Wok. I just can't decide which route to run haha. It's an odd situation to be in.

 

[63belair]

I would hold off on upgrading until you know your situation at the new house, if you're really that close to buying. Put aside $ every month so that when you do move you can get the perfect setup.