Whats the best way of boiling?

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Budgie

Budgie

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Evening all,

Thanks to this forum, I'm now totally addicted to the idea of AG. I started out with a couple of kits, then an extract and after reading Clibits simple AG post I had a bash. Then I did it again. Then I bought more grains today to do it again. Etc etc. (Clibit if you're reading this you're totally getting the blame) :-P

Having done a couple of small batches in a 15L stock pot, I want to do a bigger batch. Obviously this isn't going to happen on my electric hob. And I've been banned from making beer inside anyway. Apparently it makes the house 'smell like a bloody brewery'. ;-)

So my question for you all grainers is what's the best way boiling a full 23L batch? I've been looking at a couple of electric boilers, but I've read lots about them cutting out during a boil. Maybe gas is a better way to go?

Thankyouplease in advance.
 
Matter of opinion. I bought a gas burner about a month ago but yet to use it. So I've only used my hob so far. But you'll get different opinions. Electric and gas both do the job!

I accept the blame but I'm happy to claim another victim. :p
 
clibit said:
Matter of opinion. I bought a gas burner about a month ago but yet to use it. So I've only used my hob so far. But you'll get different opinions. Electric and gas both do the job!

I accept the blame but I'm happy to claim another victim. :p
Click to expand...

I always thought you'd prefer electricity :razz:

lightning-emperor-palpatine.jpg


I think it mostly comes down to what works and is more convinient and better suited to the individual.

I think all things being equal I would probably tip the scales towards burner and pot but I will not find that an easy setup so I will be going for electric
 
HebridesRob said:
Copper pot with a flame under it would be traditional, the copper has an effect on the wort. Might be a tad pricey though.
Click to expand...

I have read, but correct me if I'm wrong, that using a copper pot leaves copper ions in the wort.
A brewery that uses and crops their own strain of yeast for generation after generation find that their yeast adapts to the copper ions to the point of needing an amount of copper present to be able to survive.
 
I was thinking about a DIY electric one but I'm not sure I trust putting hot liquid and electricity inside something I've made myself! Is it easy enough to keep a rolling boil this way?

Turns out my dad has a gas burner for work. It's capable of boiling 10 litres of tar in a few minutes so that might be just be the job. One of those big shiny pans with a ball tap, thermometer and hop strainer is looking appealing. Did I mention they're also shiny? :)
 
I have a diy 33L electric boiler with 2 £5 kettle elements and just 1 element easily holds a good rolling boil the other just speeds up getting there.
 
Cheers Simon. That actually looks like a very cost effective way of doing it. I could even make 2 and use one as a a HLT.

Out of interest, how long would it take to bring a 23 litre batch to a boil?
 
I have never timed it but I think about 15-20 mins definitely not longer than 20. I only fill the boiler to about 20L until I see how vigorous it is as it can get close to boiling over. Also no idea what temp its coming from in the boiler, I batch sparge with 3 steps, the first 2 go into a bucket whic hgets poured back into the boiler and the last stays in the mash tun and gets added to the boil slowly in the first half hour of the boil.
 
Dads_Ale said:
If you fancy a bit of DIY then you can make a good boiler out of a 30 litre FV. Just need to add an element, tap and hop filter.

In fact you can make your entire 3 vessel system out of the same...

DSCF4757.jpg
Click to expand...

hi dads ale,

what was the largest you were able to boil on your hotpoint cooker? I assume it's gas as it looks the same as mine a GW74 slot in.
 
Hi Dad of Jon

It's an electric hop as we don't have gas out in the sticks.

That said I do not use the hob is just there. The HLT on it has an electric element in it. In fact it is my original electrim boiler. Over time the thermostat has had its day and it is now in the loft.
Can't see the point if a thermostat on a boiler anyway, it's either boiling or not.
I have put a fixed thermometer in the new HLT and this works a treat.
Since the photo I have upgraded to a 50l s/s double element boiler, no more boil over...
 
Dads_Ale said:
Hi Dad of Jon

It's an electric hop as we don't have gas out in the sticks.

That said I do not use the hob is just there. The HLT on it has an electric element in it. In fact it is my original electrim boiler. Over time the thermostat has had its day and it is now in the loft.
Can't see the point if a thermostat on a boiler anyway, it's either boiling or not.
I have put a fixed thermometer in the new HLT and this works a treat.
Since the photo I have upgraded to a 50l s/s double element boiler, no more boil over...
Click to expand...

No worries, I've done 12ltrs on mine and was wondering if anyone with the same cooker managed more, in which case I would have been tempted to get a larger pot, still 12ltrs is better than 4.5.

Still, your setup looks impressive. I see that you have an Lg washing machine with the direct drive motor, it's a brilliant piece of kit. don't tell me you have under the counter hoover fridge freezers or that will be too spooky :eek:

I may try.... see there's someone with the same stuff in the kitchen as we have and he manages ok with all his brewing stuff, so....

what do you think?
 
Reading this just reminded me of when I was wondering if you could put a bag of grain in the washing machine if there was a cycle that could do a mash and collect the wort from the waste water pipe. I wonder if any ones ever tried it or even been mad enough to think of it.
 
dad_of_jon said:
No worries, I've done 12ltrs on mine and was wondering if anyone with the same cooker managed more, in which case I would have been tempted to get a larger pot, still 12ltrs is better than 4.5.

Still, your setup looks impressive. I see that you have an Lg washing machine with the direct drive motor, it's a brilliant piece of kit. don't tell me you have under the counter hoover fridge freezers or that will be too spooky :eek:

I may try.... see there's someone with the same stuff in the kitchen as we have and he manages ok with all his brewing stuff, so....

what do you think?
Click to expand...

Worth a try. I even got away with spraying the ceiling with fermenting cider a couple of years ago.

Just remember to point out you will protect the work surfaces, I use the mat things you get for gym floors, and leave room to get to the kettle and toaster :-D
 

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