Let's Gather Data: BTU and time to reach Boil

dvfsu123 2013-02-01 03:12:22 UTC #1

There does not seem to be good information out there for burner BTU in correlation with burner model and time to reach boiling etc. It would be interesting to see some data to help close this situation out rather than using BTU formulas and guestimating at 50% efficencies.

If you would like to participate: Please reply with the following-

Burner brand and model
BTU Rating
Regulator PSI (I know, BTU is BTU, but not likely if you changed your regulator).
Brew Kettle Type and Size (aluminum or steel, thickness of kettle bottom would be a bonus)
Gallons of Water at Start
Temperature of Water at start of flame
Air Temperature (indicating if windy would be a bonus)
Time to reach boil (noting your boil temp based on elevation would be a bonus).

Please cover your kettle with a lid so we have comparable data.

Hope to get some participants.

ipa 2013-02-01 21:35:03 UTC #2

Sounds like a great idea. I don't plan on boiling any water any time soon though. I guess extract brewers would be able to participate easily, but for all grain brewers time to get to strike temp would make more sense.

ickyfoot 2013-02-01 21:47:37 UTC #3

I actually mash inside in the winter and just use my stove to hit strike and mashout temps...takes maybe 20 minutes if I start with the tap water as hot as it can go (maybe 115?).

shadetree 2013-02-01 22:13:01 UTC #4

You might want to include questions about inside/outside/garage brewing, ambient temp on the day in question, windy?, use of wind-screen, and use of recirculation.

dvfsu123 2013-02-02 01:23:33 UTC #5

Really, time to reach strike temperature and/or time for wort to reach boiling would be good information to have along with all the other details mentioned.

dvfsu123 2013-02-02 23:28:32 UTC #6

I rest my case:

http://www.blichmannengineering.com/bre ... dular.html

Good data here.

rustic_brew 2013-02-05 01:23:35 UTC #7

We just did a boil off with a Blichmann burner. Took 55 minutes to bring 12 gallon of 55 degree water to a boil. Took 20 minutes from 155 to boil. Inside temp at 65 degrees. Had the burners turned down so the flame did not crawl up the side of the kettle which was a Bayou Classic. Boiled off 2.5 gallon in 1 hour. Kettle was 16 gallon capacity. Did have lid on.

bstein 2013-02-05 02:07:25 UTC #8

dvfsu123:

There does not seem to be good information out there for burner BTU in correlation with burner model and time to reach boiling etc. It would be interesting to see some data to help close this situation out rather than using BTU formulas and guestimating at 50% efficencies.

If you would like to participate: Please reply with the following-

Burner brand and model
BTU Rating
Regulator PSI (I know, BTU is BTU, but not likely if you changed your regulator).
Brew Kettle Type and Size (aluminum or steel, thickness of kettle bottom would be a bonus)
Gallons of Water at Start
Temperature of Water at start of flame
Air Temperature (indicating if windy would be a bonus)
Time to reach boil (noting your boil temp based on elevation would be a bonus).

Please cover your kettle with a lid so we have comparable data.

Hope to get some participants.

My burner is 210,000 BTUs and takes about 15 minutes to bring 6 gal to a rolling boil. I have a banjo burner. and an aluminum pot. I live in SoCal so it's always sunny 70 with water temps about 60.