I like the fact it has extendable legs so the height will be more comfortable with my kettle is 17 inches tall. Any thoughts on this one or ideas for others? I will be doing extract full boils to start.
I second the concern about adjustable legs/leg extensions. On my fixed leg turkey fryer, I cross my fingers every time I put 7 gallons of wort down on it. 40-50 pounds of hot liquid is a genuine thing to be concerned with.
I’ve got a turkey fryer that I’m going to start using too. I’m getting ready to do 5gal batches. I figure if it’ll hold enough oil to cook a turkey and the turkey it’ll hold enough water weight for a good brew.
I thought about that as well. I would hate to lose a whole batch because of a failed leg. I understand it probably was designed to hold that much weight. May just go with a fixed leg one. Any thoughts on the dark starter that’s on Northern Brewery?
Me did buy a real nice one at a chinees store. It has legs as well the chinees do use them in their restaurants. It creates lots of heat. But it does has. Head adjusment knop as well. Did pay here. 150 dollars
I do five gallon BIAB. I’ve used the dark star burner for about three years now and have no problems. It was cheap (free through a special deal from NB) but I’ve had no issues. I brew on the back porch shielded from wind.
What kind of burner does it have. I have a Bayou Classic Banjo burner that puts out 210,000 btu. I see the one you’re looking at only does 60,000 btu. That’s something to think about when you have to boil 5 plus gallons. . I think I paid 99 bucks for mine and I’m very happy with it.
60,000 btu burner is about the minimum for getting 5 gallon boil going relatively fast. I use one for 5 gallons or less all the time. I do have a jet burner that kicks out more but only use it for 12+ gallon boils because it is loud. Most of the time you have it throttled way back anyway and if you do all grain you are only heating from about 160 deg and your heating less than 5 gallon s for sparge a strike water.
I was hoping one of those burner would be good for when I try BIAB eventually. Good to know I will be able to use it for that as well. No wind guard in the sq14 but I like the 4 legs. Looks very sturdy.
I have that burner you first posted, the camp chef. It was plenty sturdy for my 5gal batches and pumped out plenty of heat. In fact it melted a ball valve handle once. The legs don’t adjust. The wing nut is only there to make sure they don’t fall out when you move it. If I remember correctly it would support 20gal brews.
I use the SP10 (3 legs) and it is very sturdy. I have no issues getting 6.5- 7 gallons boiling in 20+ minutes from cold tap water. The wind shield works well, although it does get a little loud at full blast. The first time or two it gets used, the paint burns off and you might get a little on the bottom of your brew pot. The 3 leg version might be a little more sturdy than the 4 leg version on an uneven surface.
I have heard it is loud. Do you usually have it full blast when you get the wort to a rolling boil? I don’t mind being loud to start off but might get annoying the whole time.
What were the circumstances when it melted the handle? Did you have it too hot? I really like that one and I have a gift card for field and stream right now.
@digitalman87 You don’t have to run it at full blast ever if you don’t want. But I get a little impatient so I crank it probably 80-90% to get it boiling then back it off to 30-40% to keep it boiling. It’s not loud after I back it down.
You hope to have a way to adjust how far the flame is from the bottom of the kettle, too close and your scorching your wort, too far, well… kinda like watching paint dry. I would suspect Loopie had it cranking’ and the heat was very intense, and possibly a smaller kettle. You not only heat up your wort, but the world around it! Sneezles61
I did have it cranked. Pot was an 8gal. It just produced plenty of heat. I think I read somewhere once that companies who make these burners can rate their BTU very liberally.
