How do you speed up your boil?

[h22lude]

I wasn't clear. Propane inside is completely unsafe. Propane on a balcony is often against fire code, at least in urban areas.

Plus usually against HOA policy. Most condos and apartment complexes won't even let people have grills on a balcony unless it is on the first floor.

Using a burner on wood is safe. Using it on a balcony is safe, as long as the burner isn't close to a wall. You do have to worry about boil over which is more a concern for someone sitting underneath your balcony. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want boiling wort to drip on their head. The burner could tip over which is another thing you would need to worry about. They are pretty stable but that one fluke accident can cause a huge problem. You trip stepping out the door and your leg knocks the propane line and knocks over the burner which is on. I don't believe they have a tip over shut off. Obviously something like this rarely happens (if at all) but it is a possibility. Weird accidents happen all the time.

 

[Owly055]

I wasn't clear. Propane inside is completely unsafe. Propane on a balcony is often against fire code, at least in urban areas.

First off, I'd like to express my sympathy for those who live in anthills. It's a lifestyle so alien to me that I have difficulty relating to it. Presumably it is a lifestyle that provides for all your needs....... Or at least most of them....... the office cubicle expanded slightly into a living space. A place to sleep, ****, shower, and shave, cook meals, watch TV, and procreate the next generation, even further removed from real life and more dependent on this perverse system that enslaves Americans. Each man or woman having their own niche and specialty, and paying others to do everything outside that niche.
I grew up among ranchers and farmers, with the "can do" mindset.... Like them, I can build a house, fix a car or tractor, grow a crop, operate a drilling rig to drill my own well (I've owned two of them), drive a truck or a tractor, or run a combine or swather, run wiring, flood irrigate, fix a center pivot or wheel line, drop in a septic tank and run a drain field, fix a furnace, design, weld and fabricate tools and equipment, deliver a lamb or a calf, or probably a human baby, treat an injury, get a pickup or truck running, build a computer from pieces, and countless other things.
I knew homesteaders in my early years, lived where refrigeration was the spring house, and a cistern and pitcher pump provided water to the sink, and the Monarch stove was the hot water heater, the pot belly stove the home heating system, and the oil lamp was the light. Where we ran outside barefoot in the snow to the outhouse, and bathed once a week in a galvanized wash tub. Where the crank telephone was the latest technology, and the tube radio was connected to a wire strung through the trees. I listened to Ma Perkins and Gunsmoke on the radio. We carried water bags on the grill guard of our car, tools and baling wire in the trunk, and few roads were paved...TV existed in the city and was new and exciting if you could see through the snow. The lone Ranger and Tonto, Sky King, etc...... In an era when no tresspassing signs didn't exist, and you could hunt and fish virtually anywhere

Pardon me for "waxing poetic"........ My contempt for the modern lifestyle knows no bounds...... But I enjoy many of the amenities it offers..........you adapt and change, or you shrivel up and die. I've owned computers since well before DOS, not to mention Windows. I still fix my own vehicles, and am currently rebuilding a 2010 Subaru Outback (major engine overhaul). I know what a MAP is and TBI and MAF.....etc.

Then let me point out that I've lived with propane indoors for most of my life........I had no idea that it was "completely unsafe"...........But I also deal with 480 AC and water all the time, handle explosives as well as having about a dozen loaded guns in my home. I still fly an ultralight, and do white water kayaking, and cross country ski into the mountains alone in winter, and drive and hike into some of the most remote areas in the lower 48 in summer..... alone. I have all the airbag systems on my vehicles disabled, and often don't even bother with a seat belt.....The sholder strap irritates my neck. I drive Montana highways on ice at 70 mph in winter without flinching, but driving miles ahead of myself...... I've NEVER had any kind of accident.

My middle name is "unsafe"............

H. (unsafe) W.

 

[Michigan_Wolfman]

One of these bad boy's would definitely speed up your boil, but I'm sure somebody would freak out and call the law........

 

[toolboxales]

I use a wood fire to reach strike temp and to boil. It takes ~30 minutes to boil but stays there easily. And chopping wood and feeding the fire is great!!

 

[MattyIce]

On second thought, I would not bother with a propane burner if you are going to stick with 1-2 gallon batches. Countertop induction plate as h22lude suggested or maybe a heat stick to pair with your range.

First off, I'd like to express...

:smack:

 

[Qhrumphf]

First off, I'd like to express my sympathy for those who live in anthills. It's a lifestyle so alien to me that I have difficulty relating to it. Presumably it is a lifestyle that provides for all your needs....... Or at least most of them....... the office cubicle expanded slightly into a living space. A place to sleep, ****, shower, and shave, cook meals, watch TV, and procreate the next generation, even further removed from real life and more dependent on this perverse system that enslaves Americans. Each man or woman having their own niche and specialty, and paying others to do everything outside that niche.
I grew up among ranchers and farmers, with the "can do" mindset.... Like them, I can build a house, fix a car or tractor, grow a crop, operate a drilling rig to drill my own well (I've owned two of them), drive a truck or a tractor, or run a combine or swather, run wiring, flood irrigate, fix a center pivot or wheel line, drop in a septic tank and run a drain field, fix a furnace, design, weld and fabricate tools and equipment, deliver a lamb or a calf, or probably a human baby, treat an injury, get a pickup or truck running, build a computer from pieces, and countless other things.
I knew homesteaders in my early years, lived where refrigeration was the spring house, and a cistern and pitcher pump provided water to the sink, and the Monarch stove was the hot water heater, the pot belly stove the home heating system, and the oil lamp was the light. Where we ran outside barefoot in the snow to the outhouse, and bathed once a week in a galvanized wash tub. Where the crank telephone was the latest technology, and the tube radio was connected to a wire strung through the trees. I listened to Ma Perkins and Gunsmoke on the radio. We carried water bags on the grill guard of our car, tools and baling wire in the trunk, and few roads were paved...TV existed in the city and was new and exciting if you could see through the snow. The lone Ranger and Tonto, Sky King, etc...... In an era when no tresspassing signs didn't exist, and you could hunt and fish virtually anywhere

Pardon me for "waxing poetic"........ My contempt for the modern lifestyle knows no bounds...... But I enjoy many of the amenities it offers..........you adapt and change, or you shrivel up and die. I've owned computers since well before DOS, not to mention Windows. I still fix my own vehicles, and am currently rebuilding a 2010 Subaru Outback (major engine overhaul). I know what a MAP is and TBI and MAF.....etc.

Then let me point out that I've lived with propane indoors for most of my life........I had no idea that it was "completely unsafe"...........But I also deal with 480 AC and water all the time, handle explosives as well as having about a dozen loaded guns in my home. I still fly an ultralight, and do white water kayaking, and cross country ski into the mountains alone in winter, and drive and hike into some of the most remote areas in the lower 48 in summer..... alone. I have all the airbag systems on my vehicles disabled, and often don't even bother with a seat belt.....The sholder strap irritates my neck. I drive Montana highways on ice at 70 mph in winter without flinching, but driving miles ahead of myself...... I've NEVER had any kind of accident.

My middle name is "unsafe"............

H. (unsafe) W.

Well that's all well and good, but I can order delivery from at least 10 different places at 3am.

Game, set, match.



In all seriousness, if you've got the means to vent the exhaust (and the detector to know that you're venting enough), then do as you please. And if you don't, and want to take the risk, I won't stop you. But there's plenty of folks around here who die every year from CO poisoning while they sleep, and I don't think they're running a turkey fryer burner in their living room.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I use a heat stick in addition to a open coil elecyrix atovetop burner (2500w). Time to boil was reduced to 85 minutes to 25. They're a great investment. Once I move I plan on going full electric.

 

[Bosh]

I thought this was a novel response. Has anyone tried this with great success or is it one step removed from wrapping your head in aluminum foil? (Remember, shiny side out to deflect psychotronic mind control radiation)
http://zapatopi.net/afdb/build.html

Pretty simple physics. The more insulation you have the less heat leaks out, the same idea as wearing a coat. Really helps with the thin-walled but huge dumpling steamer pot I use for BIAB. More layers of foil mo better.

 

[madman960]

I haven't done a boil yet, but will be starting in the next 30 minutes. However, I used my NUWAVE PIC Titanium cooktops for the mash. Awesome. 3.5 gallons for mash heated in under 20 minutes. I did 2 mashes in under an hour. Both for 5 gallon batches. Will let you know how long it takes to boil 6.5 gallons of wort.

Bill

 

[madman960]

Sorry for the late reply. Took 48 minutes to bring to a rolling boil.

Bill

 

[slym2none]

I summon my dragon. Sometimes I get a clutch of wyverns, but they work almost as well.

 

[normonster]

the easiest way ive found to get a great boil going is to go do something, anything, else briefly. This will allow the pot ample time to go from flat liquid to boil over!

OK, LOL that this is the trifecta: funny as hell, stupid as hell, and true.

I'd split it in half and boil on two sides of the stove if I were in your situation.

 

[Xhul]

Look on craigslist for a propane turkey fryer. I got mine for $25. I also bought a propane tank with a grill for $40 and now I have both.

This is exactly what I did too. Revolutionized my brew day and kicked up the quality of my beer a notch too.

 

[AlfA01]

OK, LOL that this is the trifecta: funny as hell, stupid as hell, and true.

I'd split it in half and boil on two sides of the stove if I were in your situation.

Right on! Put the lid on, turn the heat up and see what kind of craziness will go on quicker than you think!

I previously had a low BTU LPG burner which was nearly impossible to get to full boil in a reasonable amount of time. I found myself at nearly 2AM trying to finish a boil. In order to speed up the process I used my handheld torch (outdoors) to heat the sides of my kettle. Did it work? Yes! And, during my learning to brew stages, it worked quite well.

Before the torch, I used to put two gallons of wort on the stove and use the small burner to boil the rest. I would cycle the wort to ensure a consistent boil.

Its all about ingenuity, so downsize your brew and experiment to find what works for you and your equipment.

Cheers,
Dan