How Many Brews Do You Get From One Bottle Of Gas?

[RobB]

It's time for me to move off the stove top and boil something larger than 10 litres. I'm tossing up between a 2400W over the side element and a three ring burner. I'll probably have 25 litres at the start of the boil, aiming for 20 litres in the fermenter so I think either of these heating options should suffice.

I'm leaning towards electric at the moment, because gas is just one more thing to run out of. Is my concern misplaced? Using the same burner for mash, batch sparge and then boil, how many brews could I expect to get out of a standard 9kg bottle with a LP regulator?

Cheers,

Rob

 

[Steve]

It's time for me to move off the stove top and boil something larger than 10 litres. I'm tossing up between a 2400W over the side element and a three ring burner. I'll probably have 25 litres at the start of the boil, aiming for 20 litres in the fermenter so I think either of these heating options should suffice.

I'm leaning towards electric at the moment, because gas is just one more thing to run out of. Is my concern misplaced? Using the same burner for mash, batch sparge and then boil, how many brews could I expect to get out of a standard 9kg bottle with a LP regulator?

Cheers,

Rob

get both :beerbang:

 

[Fents]

hmmm never really done the calcs...always always have a spare new bottle just sitting there waiting. I've run out once mid boil and wont do it again.

I'd say you would get maybe 5-7 60min boils out of a bottle..

 

[ohitsbrad]

The 3 ring burner advertised at grain and grape says it will boil 23 litres. That is 30,000 BTUs which is 8.8 kWh as explained here. On that basis it would take a long while to boil your 25 litres with the 2.4kW element.

I just bought a 4 ring burner (around 40 or 50,000 BTUs) for $50 from BCF and plan like you to boil about 25 litres.

Not quite sure on number of brews per bottle of gas. Around 5?

 

[jimmy01]

I use a 3 ring burner with LP regulator and boil for 75-90 minutes. When I was also heating my mash water with the same burner I'd get just three and a half 23litre batches out of a 9kg bottle.

I have recently invested in a over the side immersion heater. I use this for my mash water and also to help get the boil going quickly . Now getting about 5 brews per bottle.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I have a four ring burner and have a normal brew length of 40 liter finish.I boil between 60-90 minutes depending on style.I do have a electric HLT so this saves some gas at mash in and first temp raise to mid 60c.I generally get 4 brews but always carry a spare 9 kg bottle.I find once you have got it up to a rolling boiol I only use the forth ring when it dies back down off the roll.

 

[yardy]

I'm using this for both HLT and 75min Boils, getting 5 to a bottle.

Cheers

 

[fixa]

I'm using this for both HLT and 75min Boils, getting 5 to a bottle.

jesus... 5 to a bottle with the F111? I'm lucky to get 4 x 90 min boils out of a bottle with the NASA..........

 

[PostModern]

The 3 ring burner advertised at grain and grape says it will boil 23 litres. That is 30,000 BTUs which is 8.8 kWh as explained here. On that basis it would take a long while to boil your 25 litres with the 2.4kW element.

I just bought a 4 ring burner (around 40 or 50,000 BTUs) for $50 from BCF and plan like you to boil about 25 litres.

Not quite sure on number of brews per bottle of gas. Around 5?

I think on both counts they're underestimating. With a standard reg, my bog standard 3-ring brings 30 litres to the boil without too much trouble. Sorry, I've never run a stopwatch to see how long.

I also get a mad rolling boil going pretty quickly with a 2400W immersion element. The water in the kettle doesn't start off cold.

Anyway, Malty Cultural, I agree with Steve: get both.

 

[bugwan]

I get about 6/7 brews to a 9kg bottle - running a Nasa. Once the wort has reached the boil, it runs on a very low setting, even to maintain a vigorous boil over 90 mins...

 

[RobB]

Thanks for all the quick replies.

I found some ads for three ring burners which quoted around 0.9kg per hour consumption. That seems to fit with all your estimates.

I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up with both. I seem to be developing the urge to try everything and collect lots of gear......a common brewing affliction.

I seem to remember someone (domonsura?) doing some side by side tests on heating rates for different burners. It would be interesting to include immersion elements in the comparison. Could make a good wiki?

Cheers,

Rob

 

[mika]

I've got a 2400W element in the HLT and a HP Reg Nasa boiling a 25L batch for 90mins. Took some measurements when I first started, haven't bothered since, used ~1.1-1.2kg (memory, I've since lost the notes(also summertime)) of gas per boil, so I reckon Bugwan's figures of brews per bottle are close. Double brewdays are great fun, but the electricity bill has taken a steep climb for having the HLT running 4-5hrs on a brewday. If someone told you to plug the kettle in and boil it for 5hrs you'd go off the idea pretty quickly :blink:
I like the Electric HLT though, you can add a temp controller and hit consistent dough in temps, the HLT can be insulated to reduce heat loss and increase heating efficiency, harder to do if gas fired.

 

[user 1153]

are great fun, but the electricity bill has taken a steep climb for having the HLT running 4-5hrs on a brewday. If someone told you to plug the kettle in and boil it for 5hrs you'd go off the idea pretty quickly :blink:

A friend of mine who is a certified tight arse did the maths on using electricity and you'd be suprised how cheap it is. He worked it out to about $2 of electricity per brew from memory. Hardly a "steep climb".

Electricity is the much cheaper option to overpriced LPG, plus you get to disguise the cost in with your electricity bill and avoid the wrath of SWMBO

 

[rough60]

I just wack about 25L on the electric stove top, 2 elements on high, it takes about 45mins to get up to boil.
And I've only killed 1 stove in the last year! The weight bent the element down and shorted it all out, it was an old stove.

 

[yardy]

jesus... 5 to a bottle with the F111? I'm lucky to get 4 x 90 min boils out of a bottle with the NASA..........

obviously the old F111 still has something to give

but seriously folks, it brings 37lt to boil very quickly and then a minimal flame to keep it rolling, maybe i can get a lower flame than you can get with the NASA.

 

[Sammus]

Note that with electric element you can insulate your kettle and/or HLT, making the energy transfer much more efficient - with gas you have flames licking up the side (Speccy if you use a 4ring) and stuff, the whole area around the kettle gets super warm. I use electric HLT (dunno the wattage of the element, based on my measurements, 50L of water heats from 65 to 75 in about 15min, that comes out a hair under 2400W) and my burner gets a 40L pot of just sparged sweet liquor (about 70C I guess) to the boil in about 7 or 8 minutes (I use a rambo that mashmaster sells running at about 200kPa till it boils) Ive been doing 90-120min boils lately and get about 5-6 out of one 9kg gas bottle. That burner has a fairly concentrated and nicely adjustable flame though and not much licks up the side.
Pic 1, Pic 2.

 

[crells]

I have one of those high pressure turkey burners and get about 10-12 90min boils from it.

 

[BoilerBoy]

I have one of those high pressure turkey burners and get about 10-12 90min boils from it.

How big is your gas cylinder?

I get about 3.5 90 min boils from a 9kg cylinder if I'm lucky.

Fortunately the gas fitter is coming around to install a natural gas outlet for my BBQ and burner on friday.

Had them leave a few metres of pipe under the verandah when we had all the pipes replaced a few years back.

BB

 

[RobB]

A friend of mine who is a certified tight arse did the maths on using electricity and you'd be suprised how cheap it is. He worked it out to about $2 of electricity per brew from memory. Hardly a "steep climb".

Electricity is the much cheaper option to overpriced LPG, plus you get to disguise the cost in with your electricity bill and avoid the wrath of SWMBO

If I'm reading my electricity bill correctly, I pay about 13 cents per kWh.

So, 2.4kW x 4 hours x 13c = $1.25.

Can that be right? If so, it seems much cheaper than gas.

 

[ohitsbrad]

Yes that's right.

If I'm reading my electricity bill correctly, I pay about 13 cents per kWh.

So, 2.4kW x 4 hours x 13c = $1.25.

Can that be right? If so, it seems much cheaper than gas.