Kettle Element In Keg For Biab

[Scotty]

After a few years from my last AG brew using a 3 tier system I have decided to go back to AG but utilize the BIAB method. So far I have converted a 50L keg, with a hole in the top, sight gauge and tap.

My question is will 1x kettle element (taken from a normal household kettle) be sufficient for single batches? I understand I will need to bring 30+L up to around 70 degrees for mash in and it will take some time (time is not a problem) But after mash out will the 1 element be capable of keeping 25+L on a rolling boil?

 

[Scotty]

I have done a quick check the household kettles are 2400w. Is this enough????

 

[raven19]

I think one 2400W element would be ok - it may take a while to get up to the boil though - however in saying that doing BIAB means your water is already around 60 - 70 degrees.

Including some insulation around your keg will help too.

I have been doing large-ish single batches (preboil around 30 - 35L) with my kettle using 2 x 2400W elements to get a fast boil, and usually leave them both on for a vigourous rolling boil. With good insulation, I reckon 2400W would be ok for a circa 25L batch.

 

[raven19]

I have done a quick check the household kettles are 2400w. Is this enough????

Keep in mind any more than 2400W on the one element will mean needing more than 10Amps at the socket. You could go higher but will need to sources of standard house power.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

An element from the cheap coles/safeway kettles will do the job nicely. Your heat up will be on the slow side, but you will be able to maintain a sufficient boil no problem.

With an electric vessel, you will be able to add insulation and keep it there for the whole brew. So you can probably add something more robust and effective than the stock standard sleeping bag or camping mat wrapped around temporarily. This will speed things up considerably and also increase the vigor of the boil. You will have no trouble at all.

However - I recommend you go with an over the side immersion element instead. I think they are:

• More versatile.
• Can be used as a "hot" mash paddle.
• Allow you to add direct heat to bring the brew up to sparge/mashout temps without having to worry about shielding the element or lifting the bag.
• Can be pulled out and plonked into a bucket etc to give you more hot water should you decide to try one of the sparging/infusion BIAB options.
• Can be shoved into a small container of pbw for easy cleaning.
• Are a professionally made solution that doesn't require any "home brewed" electrical work, so you are just slightly less likely to fry yourself.
• Don't necessitate cutting another hole in your kettle, which is less work and allows you to revert back to a gas fired option should you decide you want to.

More expensive (approx $100) but IMO a more versatile and useful option altogether. You just have to remember not to pull the thing out of the mashtun while its still on. Mind you, you have to remember not to drain your kettle with a fixed element too... so its the same thing really.

A cheap kettle element will indeed work perfectly well if your budget doesn't run to an immersion element though.

Cheers

Thirsty

 

[matho]

my hlt is a 25l vessel with a 2200w kettle element it takes about 30 min to get to 72 deg and you can get it to boil so they do an ok job.

cheer's matho

 

[QldKev]

After a few years from my last AG brew using a 3 tier system I have decided to go back to AG but utilize the BIAB method. So far I have converted a 50L keg, with a hole in the top, sight gauge and tap.

My question is will 1x kettle element (taken from a normal household kettle) be sufficient for single batches? I understand I will need to bring 30+L up to around 70 degrees for mash in and it will take some time (time is not a problem) But after mash out will the 1 element be capable of keeping 25+L on a rolling boil?

Yes it will be ok, many BIAG guys are using an urn, which is also limited to a 2400w element.


QldKev