It’s becoming quickly apparent that I’m not going to enjoy my electric stovetop much longer when it comes to brewing. My biggest problem is that I’ll be moving soon and we’re (me and the special lady) trying to downsize our traveling load. Are there any recommendations out their for more conservatively sized equipment? I don’t plan on brewing more than five gallons at a time for a long while, if that helps.
If you want to continue with electric, consider a heat stick. Google it and you will find DIY projects (be careful) and commercial products. I use them to heat sparge and strike water and it has made my propane costs go way down with negligible effect on my electric bill.
That’s just one thought. :cheers:
[quote=“ynotbrusum”]I use them to heat sparge and strike water and it has made my propane costs go way down with negligible effect on my electric bill.[/quote]+1 I use a “bucket heater” on a timer to have my strike water at 180F at 7:00 AM. Last brew day, the new outside GFCI outlet had flipped off, so there was no hot water waiting for me - took about an hour and a bunch of propane to get the water ready.
You guys have any recommendations for those heat sticks? I’ve seen mixed reviews…as I think about it, the mixed reviews were more in regards to boiling with the head stick. I like the idea of setting up the heat stick overnight to prepare for the sparge. Just wondering about the mechanics of that. If I figure that out (with your help) the next issue will be keeping the munchkins out of the porch until I wake up. Thanks in advance.
I made a heat stick; it works great to assist my stove in the winter when I brew inside.
That’s a very good idea! I’ve found that my stovetop is OK for heating sparge water and doing extract boils with 3-4 gallons but I have to straddle the pot over two burners to get a full 6+ gal AG boil going and I never seem to get a vigorous boil. Do you need a 220 outlet for the heat stick or is it 110?
Another thing I did that helped decrease my propane usage was to put my burner inside an old dryer case. (I know, I know! Kinda redneck… )
I had a dryer that went bad so I replaced it. I gutted the innards from the old one and the casing is the perfect size to block the wind as well as retain a lot of heat. Just watch the handles when it’s time to move it. I brewed during a blizzard last winter and it didn’t take any longer than a summer batch.
For just sparge and strike water, I use this:
http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/03 ... 9nLN2t5mK0It works great with a standard timer.
:cheers:
That’s a very good idea! I’ve found that my stovetop is OK for heating sparge water and doing extract boils with 3-4 gallons but I have to straddle the pot over two burners to get a full 6+ gal AG boil going and I never seem to get a vigorous boil. Do you need a 220 outlet for the heat stick or is it 110? [/quote]Mine is 1500W 110V; kitchens are required to have GFCI outlets
If you have even a small area outside to brew and don’t mind using a Brew In the Bag system, a turkey frier setup sounds like an idea. Or if you’re doing extract, it gets even easier. I was in the same boat as you. Electric stove top just wasn’t cutting it. I live in a condo so space is at a premium. I got a turkey frier with 30qrt pot and now brew 5 gallon all grain batches about 2x a month. I have the frier, 2 pots (mash and sparge) and that’s about it. I can do it on my little 8’x8’ porch.
