Winter Makes Me Hate Propane! Convert Equipment or Go GRAINFATHER??

[G-Ro]

So I have your standard 17 Gallon Coleman cooler, 15 Gallon Spike and SS Brewtech kettles and double burner stand...but the cold has me reading up on you fellow brewers' electric systems. I don't know of any method to make my kettles heat with an element. Is the Grainfather a good option? My only concern with that product is the how it will use water to chill and efficiency concerns I've read about.

 

[aamcle]

I sparge my GF with cold water, it would be inconvenient to heat it, and the last two brews gave me 78% Mash Efficiency. That's good enough for me, there are a number of very workable knock offs of the GF selling your old gear might well buy one.


Atb. Aamcle

 

[jrgtr42]

I've recently switched to an induction burner. We had some electrical work done a ways back and I had them install a 220v outlet in my brewing area in anticipation. I got the IC3500 from Avantco this summer, and it's worked great so far. still dialing in boil off and so forth, but it'll get water from tap to strike temp in 20 minutes, get it from mash out to boiling in less. I do 5 gallon batches, so this is plenty powerful, if you were doing 10 gallons it might stretch.
There's a smaller, 110v version available if you do 2 or 3 gallon batches (I've heard of people doing 5 gallons on the 1800 watt one, but it takes a long time to get to temps and you need to use all kinds of insulation.

 

[Rev2010]

What size batches do you make 10G? Do your kettles fit on your stovetop? I'm currently doing 5G batches with a HotRod heatstick combined with gas on stovetop and together I get a rolling boil that can outdo when I boiled outside on a Blichmann burner. I have to run the gas on the stovetop no more than half-maximum or it gets too volcanic. Not sure how it would do with 10G batches but if you're doing 8 gallons or under I'm pretty sure you'd be totally fine.

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotrodrtu.htm


Rev.

 

[NewJersey]

PLENTY of people brew with 120v electric systems, but if you want similar or faster heating times you REALLY want to go 240v

 

[Brew_Dude41]

I got a grainfather last year and it works great.
The only drawback is that it takes an hour to get to boiling after sparge.
My biggest reason that I went electric was in an attempt to shorten my brew day, but it seemed to lengthen it. Sparging is a challenge as well.
That being said I found a 220 system for sale and jumped at it. Can't wait to get it set up and compare how they run.

 

[Goowa]

What size batches do you make 10G? Do your kettles fit on your stovetop? I'm currently doing 5G batches with a HotRod heatstick combined with gas on stovetop and together I get a rolling boil that can outdo when I boiled outside on a Blichmann burner. I have to run the gas on the stovetop no more than half-maximum or it gets too volcanic. Not sure how it would do with 10G batches but if you're doing 8 gallons or under I'm pretty sure you'd be totally fine.

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotrodrtu.htm


Rev.

This. You dont have to modify your kettle at all, just drop it in and go. Of course youll need to identify a source of 220V power, and protect yourself with GFCI in front of that, and get some means to control the heat output... All these things are solved simply, you just need time and money.

 

[Rev2010]

Of course youll need to identify a source of 220V power, and protect yourself with GFCI in front of that, and get some means to control the heat output... All these things are solved simply, you just need time and money.

I have the 120v HotRod with 1650w ULD and GFCI built into the plug. No 220v outlet or controller needed at all, just plug it into the wall and let it go. I control the boil aggressiveness with the stovetop gas knob. When boil is over simply unplug and leave in place while chilling with my wort chiller.


Rev.

 

[eric19312]

Is natural gas an option for you? You can get a new burner orifice and move inside with your current gear.

 

[G-Ro]

Was brewing late at night and started losing propane with 10 minutes left in the boil. Kept the temp around 208F but I think SG took a hit. So my attention turns to electric. I have yet to explore 220V options

I've been reading a lot of reviews on the Grainfather and more than a few people have commented on low efficiency and poor boil intensity, so that is preventing me from going in on that (and the lack of a current coupon). I'm just used to the plate chiller and batch sparging, lots to learn about chilling and sparging indoors via new methods.

Will the Graincoat or any additional heat rods etc. work to increase to boil?

I do 5 Gallon batches at the moment.

I appreciate everyone's advice on this site, you all have been truly helpful to me as my homebrew store is 30 minutes away and I'm the only one I know that makes beer!

 

[SoCal-Doug]

I have a friend that owns a GF and have witnessed him struggling through many batches. He spends more time on forums learning how to modify it, cut it, weld on it, add things too it, and basically turning it into a full 3 vessel system, I have no clue why he bought the little percolator in the first place. For what he's spent so far, he probably could have built 3 full electric HERMS or RIMS rigs.

 

[NewJersey]

head over to the biab section of the forums and look at people's electric biab setups.
you won't consider a grainfather or convoluted 3V system anymore.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

I own a grainfather and i love it. I have a 120 unit so i did supliment the heating with a hotrod from brewing hardware. Indo 5 or 6 gallon batches and consistently get better than 80% out of it. My brew days have never been easier either. No baby sitting the system. I can get other stuff done around the house. The cfc works great for me. And the pump screen work fine with all my hops going right into the kettle. Im sure you can build a great BIAB system for less money, but as someone with about 30 batches on my GF i have zero regret about the purchase

 

[TechFanMD]

Is natural gas an option for you? You can get a new burner orifice and move inside with your current gear.

This is dangerous advice. A turkey fryer/brew burner, even with a natural gas orifice, is not rated for indoor use. The amount of CO this could produce in an enclosed area could be enormous - you're running it for hours inside your home.

And yes- natural gas ranges do raise the CO level in the home, but are tuned to make it minimal. Even well tuned, they generate some CO and should be used carefully. The BTU output of regular stove use is generally lower than the output of a brewing burner and is specifically made for this type of indoor use.

Aside from that, the burner (hose, regulator, etc) are not rated for indoor use......if you have a fire outside, no big deal. Something goes wrong inside, it will escalate quickly and the insurance company is not going to be impressed.

 

[JimRausch]

G-Ro: You didn't really ask for a method to improve your propane and you got plenty of good recommendations on going electric or getting a Grainfather. But....a simple short-term fix for propane flow problems when it's cold is to keep the tank warm. The night before I move my tank(s) inside, and if I notice the flow slowing, I dump some hot water on the tank, or even set it in a water bath.

 

[Dland]

Understand your problem, I brewed with propane out in winter for a while. I have since switched over to tri clamp mounted 240V elements added to my kettles by attaching tri clamp ferules, and Auber Cube brew control.

Risking getting flamed for this, haha; What I used to do is place my propane tanks close enough to flame to keep them warm. If you do this, please use some common sense and do not put tanks too close to flame, they should not be in the flame, just somewhat close, how close does depend on how cold out it is. Coldest I've ever tried this was mid teens F.

Hot water bath might be better idea, but if it is below 20F or so, that will cool down quickly and need to be replenished frequently.

 

[eric19312]

This is dangerous advice. A turkey fryer/brew burner, even with a natural gas orifice, is not rated for indoor use. The amount of CO this could produce in an enclosed area could be enormous - you're running it for hours inside your home.

And yes- natural gas ranges do raise the CO level in the home, but are tuned to make it minimal. Even well tuned, they generate some CO and should be used carefully. The BTU output of regular stove use is generally lower than the output of a brewing burner and is specifically made for this type of indoor use.

Aside from that, the burner (hose, regulator, etc) are not rated for indoor use......if you have a fire outside, no big deal. Something goes wrong inside, it will escalate quickly and the insurance company is not going to be impressed.

Thanks for this insight. I've brew in my garage on NG and do have CO monitor near brew stand. Will make sure to check it's battery before next brew day.

 

[Jayjay1976]

PLENTY of people brew with 120v electric systems, but if you want similar or faster heating times you REALLY want to go 240v

I only have access to 120v but I wanted to be able to boil 10 gallons so I built a dual 120v controller that plugs into two outlets (on separate circuits!!) and has dual electric elements. It gives me 220v speed and boiling performance that works almost anywhere. Check out the threads below.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/2x-120v-2000w-elements-on-one-controller.601237/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...th-automated-step-mashing-and-boiling.628573/

 

[NewJersey]

I only have access to 120v but I wanted to be able to boil 10 gallons so I built a dual 120v controller that plugs into two outlets (on separate circuits!!) and has dual electric elements. It gives me 220v speed and boiling performance that works almost anywhere. Check out the threads below.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/2x-120v-2000w-elements-on-one-controller.601237/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...th-automated-step-mashing-and-boiling.628573/

i thought about doing the same, but decided having 240v put it was easier and worth the money. your setup looks good tho!

 

[Jayjay1976]

i thought about doing the same, but decided having 240v put it was easier and worth the money. your setup looks good tho!

Oh yeah, I would have done the same if I weren't in a rental. We move around too much to buy a house but someday soon we will settle down, then I'll get started building a proper electric brew room. Until then portability, flexibility and compatibility are key.

 

[Jag75]

I have a GF . It does take a little bit to get to boil , but as soon as u lift the basket I go to boiling temp . So as I'm sparging which takes about 20 min the wort is working it's way to a boil. dont wait till the sparge is done to turn up the heat . I do 5 gallon brews. When it's a big grain bill (17lbs) that's where I seen a miss on my #'s. I think it was a combination of crush as well. As of cutting , welding and modifying the Gf never heard of it . Pump is really good and if your wanting to get temp up faster then stick a heat rod in . It's nice to set a timer for water to kick on and brew in my kitchen and drink coffee when it's cold and stormy outside.

 

[Jayjay1976]

It's nice to set a timer for water to kick on and brew in my kitchen and drink coffee when it's cold and stormy outside.

I brewed outside once. It was terrible. Indoor brewing is awesome, I brewed every other Sunday like clockwork through all of 2018.

 

[TechFanMD]

So I have your standard 17 Gallon Coleman cooler, 15 Gallon Spike and SS Brewtech kettles and double burner stand...but the cold has me reading up on you fellow brewers' electric systems. I don't know of any method to make my kettles heat with an element. Is the Grainfather a good option? My only concern with that product is the how it will use water to chill and efficiency concerns I've read about.

One more thing to add - do you live alone? How does your spouse (or whoever else who lives with you) feel about you brewing indoors? I ask because - to a lot of people - the smell is terrible and lingering. I must say, as much as I love beer, brewing, and hops, it can be a bit overpowering indoors during and for a while after the boil (a day or two sometimes), especially on hoppy IPAs.

Something to talk about before dropping $$$ on a Grainfather or other equipment.

 

[Jag75]

One more thing to add - do you live alone? How does your spouse (or whoever else who lives with you) feel about you brewing indoors? I ask because - to a lot of people - the smell is terrible and lingering. I must say, as much as I love beer, brewing, and hops, it can be a bit overpowering indoors during and for a while after the boil (a day or two sometimes), especially on hoppy IPAs.

Something to talk about before dropping $$$ on a Grainfather or other equipment.

It's better to ask forgiveness then permission lol. I brew around 10 to 15 times a year. Most of them she doesnt care for the smell. Some she doesnt mind. I tell her if that's the hardest part of your day then you got it made haha

 

[NewJersey]

It's better to ask forgiveness then permission lol. I brew around 10 to 15 times a year. Most of them she doesnt care for the smell. Some she doesnt mind. I tell her if that's the hardest part of your day then you got it made haha

#respect
most of the cowards on here fear their wives instead of having mutual respect and compromise.

 

[augiedoggy]

#respect
most of the cowards on here fear their wives instead of having mutual respect and compromise.

A lot of guys are just playing around here too... groups of women do the same when gaggling about thier husbands.

I also love brewing indoors, used to do most of my homebrewing in the winter, too much going on in the summer, now that im opening a brewpub I havent had time to homebrew in a long time.

 

[Soulshine2]

A lot of guys are just playing around here too... groups of women do the same when gaggling about thier husbands.

I also love brewing indoors, used to do most of my homebrewing in the winter, too much going on in the summer, now that im opening a brewpub I havent had time to homebrew in a long time.

My ex-wife would always slam me behind my back to her friends.
My wife now, has my back all the time.
Words of advice- Never say anything about your spouse behind their back that you wouldn't say with them sitting next to you. Its called respect.
Having said that , my wife asks me quite often when and what I'm brewing next and once its brewed and fermenting asks how soon before we can drink it.

 

[eric19312]

One more thing to add - do you live alone? How does your spouse (or whoever else who lives with you) feel about you brewing indoors? I ask because - to a lot of people - the smell is terrible and lingering. I must say, as much as I love beer, brewing, and hops, it can be a bit overpowering indoors during and for a while after the boil (a day or two sometimes), especially on hoppy IPAs.

Something to talk about before dropping $$$ on a Grainfather or other equipment.

I think you do need a plan for the steam and smells. I brew in garage and we have apartment over the garage. My wife's office is in the apartment more or less directly over where I brew. The smell once the hops hit the boil is pretty intense right through the floor. But it used to be worse. I was boiling 10 gallon batches in 15 gallon pot and with starting volumes up around 13 gallons. Boil over, just a little, most brews, and that sugar hit the brew stand and set off the hardwired fire alarms. Got a 23 gallon spike kettle and some fermcap S and no issues since. Make sure she understands connection between the new kettle and the improved living situation for the double win

A serious consideration for indoor brewing is ventilation. I've seen recently these boil kettle condenser ideas -- not sure how well that works, but think you do need a plan for the steam. At least with electric you are only dealing with steam from the brew and not steam+combustion products but I know when I brew in the garage in the winter with the garage door 90% closed I condense heavy on every surface in there. Would not want to expose inside of house to that moisture assault without a solid ventilation plan.

 

[eric19312]

My ex-wife would always slam me behind my back to her friends.

Having said that , my wife asks me quite often when and what I'm brewing next and once its brewed and fermenting asks how soon before we can drink it.

My wife asks for assurance I'm brewing IPA again to make sure that tap doesn't run out.

 

[Jayjay1976]

One more thing to add - do you live alone? How does your spouse (or whoever else who lives with you) feel about you brewing indoors? I ask because - to a lot of people - the smell is terrible and lingering. I must say, as much as I love beer, brewing, and hops, it can be a bit overpowering indoors during and for a while after the boil (a day or two sometimes), especially on hoppy IPAs.

Something to talk about before dropping $$$ on a Grainfather or other equipment.

We both love beer and enjoy the malt-o-meal smell of brewing. Sometimes she even brews with me, especially if its one of her favorite recipes. Last Saturday she made homemade ice cream with a stout we brewed. Marriage is a lot more pleasant when you have a lot in common and are good friends. We don't tell eachother what to do, neither of us are wired like that.