Survey: Lets hear why you prefer Propane over Electric Brewing

[Hwk-I-St8]

Propane heats faster and is more portable then electric, if neither of those are what you’re after than go electric

I don't necessarily think that's true. I was using a 200,000 BTU Bayou Classic SAB4 ( a very high output burner) and switched to a 240 induction burner. I heat up faster to strike and from mash temp to boil with the induction burner.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Wow...you can tell who lives in a region with perpetually nice weather. All the comments about brewing outside. I brewed a batch in my garage (propane) during the Polar Vortex. It was -30F outside and, due to the propane and CO risk, I was forced to keep the garage door partially open. That was brutal and really drove me to electric. Without electric, brewing in Dec-Feb is an adventure where I live. We Iowans are a hardy bunch, but it takes a lot to sit in sub zero temps waiting for strike water to heat or the boil to commence.

Also, I had no idea portability was a thing. I have never hauled my gear somewhere else to brew and really don't ever see myself doing that. I am in a brew club and I've never heard of any of them taking their brewing rigs on the road. Apparently some people do it though.

I will say this. I've read a lot about different brewing rigs here and if I've heard anyone say they would like to go back to propane after trying electric, I don't remember it. Those people would be a massive minority.

 

[LittleRiver]

... I had no idea portability was a thing...

I brew at my shop, where I've set up three different areas for brewing.

One is on the loading dock with a great view across the valley to the mountain. The second is just inside the loading dock door, I use this one in cold or "iffy" weather. The third is underneath a shed roof on the side of the building, for rainy days.

Propane gives me a lot of flexibility.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I brew at my shop, where I've set up three different areas for brewing.

One is on the loading dock with a great view across the valley to the mountain. The second is just inside the loading dock door, I use this one in cold or "iffy" weather. The third is underneath a shed roof on the side of the building, for rainy days.

Propane gives me a lot of flexibility.

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Nice view. After years of hauling my gear up from storage to the garage to brew, I finally have my own dedicated brewing area. I have zero interest in hauling my gear to different places to brew. That being said, I still have my Bayou Classic SAB4 burner and propane tanks if I needed to for some reason, but I'm guessing they'll never get used again (unless my electric rig fails).

 

[shoengine]

So how do you brew outside in Seattle? I lived in Tacoma for three years and all I remember are the cold rainy season, the warm rainy season and the four weeks of summer. absolutely LOVED the summer, it's Just not long enough.

Easy. Temps are between 80-40 for the majority of the year. We have one week of snow every few years and maybe a week above 90 a year. Rain? That's nothing.

 

[LuckyBeagleBrewing]

I do 10 to 20 gallon batches and I live in a deregulated state where the electricity rate is through the roof. I only use electric for the rims system. For the big boils I still get the most out of my propane.

Maybe if I could ever afford to cover the whole house with solar panels I might consider electric.

 

[VTX1300]

Actually, wind is a bigger problem than rain. I don't mind a little rain. I can always run back in the garage.

I was living in Tacoma and working in Bremerton. I do remember many white knuckle trips across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge due to high wind. Did a lot of those trips on a motorcycle, Dam scary ride!

 

[Lalo_uy]

Not easy to run electric over 2500W here in Uruguay.
Most houses have 3600W input limit.
Going over that is expensive.
There are many people with BIAB system, but no more than 30L.
Propane in the other hand es cheap and ubiquitous. A 13Kg balloon give me 3 run on my 50L 3 vessels .

 

[wilserbrewer]

Ok you are either going w a 25 gallon pot propane fired, or an electric 7.5 gallon Mash and Boil system.

your two choices couldn’t be further apart lol.

you do realize how huge a 25 gallon pot is?
I would find a 20-25 gallon pot inconveniently large for 5 gallon batches.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

No preference for propane at all, but I would like to point out that electric brewing need not include all of the bells and whistles most often presented in the forum here.

I would prefer a stupid simple 2000w element on a 20 amp gfi 8-10 gal kettle manually controlling temps as everyone does on a propane system, over brewing with propane.

Cost is very low, just an element mounted in a pot or a heat stick and a cord, and get fancy with a basic switch to turn on and off. With a low wattage set up, there is really no need to turn it down....inexpensive and easy. A little patience required.

Propane is simple, a tank and a burner is all that's needed. A lot more to think about with electric.

My electric setup allows indoor and outdoor brewing and is very simple - a 15 gal SS Kettle sitting on a 3500W induction plate.

Bear in mind in the EU electricity is way cheaper than gas and 240V/15A is a standard power outlet.