Which Burner Should I Buy?

[under]

Or just hook your italian spiral burner and med pressure reg up directly to a 45kg LPG where NG is not available. Lasts me a year+.

Thats what I want to do but I cant seem to source a 45kg bottle.

 

[jakester]

After weeks of sifting through these posts i have finally made up my mind to buy the Italian Spiral with the medium reg. I (we) are going to brew double batches and have a 90l pot which is massive. I like the idea of the Italian having a larger flame spread, a good base to sit the pot on and is a little bit quieter than the others. Those are my reasons anyway.
Actually thinking of getting on Beerbelly later and placing my order. This is my last piece of equipment needed so will be doing my first BIAB very soon, cant wait.
Oh and i posted a message to Auscrown about their Rambos as suggested on here, even gave them a call but couldnt get through, got no email in reply so i crossed them off the list! :angry:

 

[WarmBeer]

I've been chucked out of brewing in the kitchen, due to the smell, the noise, and the late night swearing.

Is it feasible (as in "safe") to brew in a garage using LPG and either a nasa or spiral burner?

I'm thinking I will put the burner on a couple of big paving slabs to avoid super-heating the concrete, but would prefer not to die for my hobby.

Opinions and/or experiences welcomed

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I've been chucked out of brewing in the kitchen, due to the smell, the noise, and the late night swearing.

Is it feasible (as in "safe") to brew in a garage using LPG and either a nasa or spiral burner?

I'm thinking I will put the burner on a couple of big paving slabs to avoid super-heating the concrete, but would prefer not to die for my hobby.

Opinions and/or experiences welcomed

Not one reason why with the precautions you listed above why you couldn't use a burner in your garage. Hundreds of other brewers do it that way. However as Cortez mentioned early in this thread, if you haven't yet got a burner, contemplate an immersion heater. We both use the same style of electric immersion heaters and I find it ideal and of course, quiet. I use one stick for my 50l keg boiler. Would not contemplate a burner unless you are planning a bigger boiler.

 

[Supra-Jim]

I've been chucked out of brewing in the kitchen, due to the smell, the noise, and the late night swearing.

Is it feasible (as in "safe") to brew in a garage using LPG and either a nasa or spiral burner?

I'm thinking I will put the burner on a couple of big paving slabs to avoid super-heating the concrete, but would prefer not to die for my hobby.

Opinions and/or experiences welcomed

Hi Warmbeer,

I've got my italian style burner sitting on a large concrete paver on my brew rig in the garage. i run a medium pressure adjsutable reg and haven't managed to kill myself yet!!

Dimensions of the paver are approx 500x500x50mm. This sits on a peice of mdf on my converted workbench/brew rig and works a treat.

Cheers SJ

 

[QldKev]

I've been chucked out of brewing in the kitchen, due to the smell, the noise, and the late night swearing.

Is it feasible (as in "safe") to brew in a garage using LPG and either a nasa or spiral burner?

I'm thinking I will put the burner on a couple of big paving slabs to avoid super-heating the concrete, but would prefer not to die for my hobby.

Opinions and/or experiences welcomed

It is ok to brew in the garage, as long as you have the roller door open / good ventalation. A window open 5cm is not good venting. We have had my modified 3 ring burner, and my Mongolian, and also a Nasa running in the garage at one time; no issues. Once again good ventalation is the key. It does get warm in there thou.

Also never heat directly on the concrete. Ensure what ever you use as the heat sheild that it is porous so moisture cannot get traped and cause it to explode.

QldKev

 

[WarmBeer]

Not one reason why with the precautions you listed above why you couldn't use a burner in your garage. Hundreds of other brewers do it that way. However as Cortez mentioned early in this thread, if you haven't yet got a burner, contemplate an immersion heater. We both use the same style of electric immersion heaters and I find it ideal and of course, quiet. I use one stick for my 50l keg boiler. Would not contemplate a burner unless you are planning a bigger boiler.

I hadn't contemplated the immersion heater, but only because I've never seen one used to bring a batch up to full boil. Does the "over-the-side" nature of them mean you get full convection going?

I am currently only brewing 17 - 23 lt batches, so no problems on the ability to bring volume up to boil.

Not sure whether I feel safer with the burner/gas combo or the dodgy extension cord threaded through my garage.

 

[HoppingMad]

I brew in my garage using two Italian Spirals without any issue (one on HLT and one on Boiler), often with the door closed - but my shed is weatherboard and not insulated so air naturally gets in and out a bit. As long as you have some form of ventilation you're fine. The yanks brew in basements and get fans and rangehoods and the like, but as long as you have a door open even a foot you will be fine.

I have found that how you screw your reg/hose into your gas bottle can make a difference to how much gas seems to hover in the air in the shed. If you get a good thread screwing it in, and it goes in snug, then you tend to get less fumes emitted in the shed.

To be honest I've heard about the heat and concrete thing but never had any issues myself. Should I not be putting an Italian Spiral on a concrete slab floor? Mine has a steel stand that raises it 15cm above the ground. Is there a risk the slab could go pop do you think? :huh: Should I get a paver underneath it maybe?

Hopper.

 

[Fourstar]

I hadn't contemplated the immersion heater, but only because I've never seen one used to bring a batch up to full boil. Does the "over-the-side" nature of them mean you get full convection going?
I am currently only brewing 17 - 23 lt batches, so no problems on the ability to bring volume up to boil.
Not sure whether I feel safer with the burner/gas combo or the dodgy extension cord threaded through my garage.

Hey bud,

I just picked up a med pressure Rambo burner as my 3 ring can struggle at times in the open air due to wind disturbance and im sick of the inconsistency as i brew outside 9/10 times.

When i was living at my folks place, i woudl use it in their garage with the door adjar and window open for air circulation. It would get to a rolling boil and hold just fine and could be kept at a rolling boil in winter with the inner ring turned off. In summer it usually requires all three rings on at once. Im assuming due to the condensing of air in winter it fires better. Either way, if you want to use a burner 'indoors', a 3 ring cast iron job is fine.

$50 bucks and its yours. Burner+Reg.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I hadn't contemplated the immersion heater, but only because I've never seen one used to bring a batch up to full boil. Does the "over-the-side" nature of them mean you get full convection going?

I am currently only brewing 17 - 23 lt batches, so no problems on the ability to bring volume up to boil.

Not sure whether I feel safer with the burner/gas combo or the dodgy extension cord threaded through my garage.

If the element wasn't giving me a proper rolling boil I (and hundreds of brewers) wouldn't be using them. As always, safety is smart - make sure you leads are correct. It's a personal thing - I feel happier with an electrical brewery than I did with a gas fired one. One advantage of an electric element is that you can use (appropriate) plastic containers to host the boiling wort as well as use (appropriately) to heat a mashtun's contents quickly.

 

[Fourstar]

Hey bud,
I just picked up a med pressure Rambo burner as my 3 ring can struggle at times in the open air due to wind disturbance and im sick of the inconsistency as i brew outside 9/10 times.
When i was living at my folks place, i woudl use it in their garage with the door adjar and window open for air circulation. It would get to a rolling boil and hold just fine and could be kept at a rolling boil in winter with the inner ring turned off. In summer it usually requires all three rings on at once. Im assuming due to the condensing of air in winter it fires better. Either way, if you want to use a burner 'indoors', a 3 ring cast iron job is fine.
$50 bucks and its yours. Burner+Reg.

SOLD!

 

[Carboy]

Hi,

Can someone please tell me if a normal keg will balance on an Italian Spiral burner? or will I have to make some sort of modified stand.

Thanks in advance

Cheers
Carboy

 

[beerDingo]

To be honest I've heard about the heat and concrete thing but never had any issues myself. Should I not be putting an Italian Spiral on a concrete slab floor? Mine has a steel stand that raises it 15cm above the ground. Is there a risk the slab could go pop do you think? :huh: Should I get a paver underneath it maybe?
Hopper.

I've also heard about this, and I think domonsura showed this here.
However, I have not really thought too long about it. I use a Rambo burner to get a 100 litre pot to the boil. The Rambo sits directly on the concrete slab out the back. Should I really be thinking of changing this? What do others use? I haven't had any issues, but then again, I don't want concrete exploding near me! I do plan on making a brew stand, but that will probably take a while.

 

[Lilo]

NASA + HP adjustable Reg from Grain and Grape with a stand.

Screwy

All fun and games till the bastard blows up in ya face..

 

[komodo]

^^
WTF?
care to elaborate?

For me I just ordered an italian spiral and med pressure reg from beer belly with some other brewing get.
I have been using the stove inside - but I've only been using 20L BigW pots - I dont think my just ordered 70L will go on the inside stove

 

[Fents]

Hi,

Can someone please tell me if a normal keg will balance on an Italian Spiral burner? or will I have to make some sort of modified stand.

Thanks in advance

Cheers
Carboy

it should balance fine, the italian spirals have one of the best frames i've seen. works even better with a flat bottom pot but a keg will be fine.

 

[Fents]

I've also heard about this, and I think domonsura showed this here.
However, I have not really thought too long about it. I use a Rambo burner to get a 100 litre pot to the boil. The Rambo sits directly on the concrete slab out the back. Should I really be thinking of changing this? What do others use? I haven't had any issues, but then again, I don't want concrete exploding near me! I do plan on making a brew stand, but that will probably take a while.

bad bad bad imo.

you've seen my italian spiral nearly make my decking catch on fire? well your concrete wont catch on fire it will blow up and take eyes out and heads off. dave has his rambo up off the floor...

 

[beerDingo]

you've seen my italian spiral nearly make my decking catch on fire? well your concrete wont catch on fire it will blow up and take eyes out and heads off. dave has his rambo up off the floor...

I've seen your old 4 ring almost light the decking! I imagine the spiral will be even worse with that.
Until I make a STURDY frame to hold the pot and burner, I will think about putting some of that concrete sheeting or whatever that grey stuff is. But I assumed that that would have similar problems(ie, if it gets wet)? Or is that stuff made for the job? And will it actually stop(or at least do a better job)? Or will it help to trap the heat and possibly cause an explosion faster?

Just thinking of what to do to help minimize the chances of concrete exploding.

 

[Fents]

just hit jimmy up and ask if hes got any spare cement sheet, or head to bunnings and get a paver or some cement sheet.

 

[Carboy]

Hi Guys,

After applying Chappo's logic, and a quick chat with Ross (Craftbrewer) the final decision was...... RAMBO... and he arrived today :super:
Thanks to everyone for your advice, much appreciated.

Cheers
Carboy :icon_cheers: