Electric water heater

[Windy One]

Hi all

Just moving onto Part Grain Brews and wondered if anyone could recommend an 18-20 litre electric water heater, with a concealed element, able to

a) maintain mash temperature at 66c degs, and
b) maintain a rolling boil.

A timer is not essential. Neither is a tap/faucet as I'll pour the boiled wort (approx 12 litres) into a separate FV bucket, top up with 11 litres of cold water, use a wort cooler and once below 25c, pitch the yeast and put in a converted fridge/fermentation unit (stc1000).

I'm not an electrician so looking for something that is ready to go without doing any adaptations.

Budget say £100, ideally less.

Cheers

 

[Cheshire Cat]

30 litres Burco

 

[Windy One]

Hi Cheshire Cat

Many thanks for quick reply. I guess this is what you use? You wouldn't happen to have the model number would you. I've looked on Amazon and unfortunately the product info on the Burco water heaters/tea urns don't provide info about a rolling boil or ability to maintain temp at say 66c degs. My concern is that once 66c or 100c degs is reached it would turn off. Does it have a dial for graduated temps?

Cheers

 

[Windy One]

Many thanks for quick reply, Cheshire Cat

Just looking on Amazon and do you mean the Burco Cygnet MFCT1030?

Is this what you use? Reviews on Amazon seem reasonable. Any tips on using?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Yes I've got two. About £90.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Dead simple to use,boils on level 5' leave the lid off when boiling. Change the tap for a ball valve.

 

[Windy One]

Yeah, £89.10 on Amazon at the moment. Any tips that you could share based on your experience? Eg Did you replace the tap? If so was it a straight unscrew one and screw in the replacement (ball valve I guess)? Does it hold at a constant 66c degs? That sort of stuff? Ta.

 

[Windy One]

Sorry, our messages just crossed. Yours came through just after I posted mine.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Changed the tap with a ball valve just one nut. Bought it from Powell brewing. Holds a constant temperature but I've a separate mash tun so I use it as a water heating then a boiler. There is no exposed element so ok I guess for boil n a bag.

 

[Windy One]

BIAG, is what I want to try, That's great. Many thanks for your help.

 

[Wynne]

I also use a Burco Cygnet 30L with a ball valve to heat mash-in water for a separate, insulated mash tun and as a wort kettle. I have had it a few years and think it is well-made. I use an Inkbird temperature controller as this gives finer adjustment than the the built-in thermostatic control. As the element heats the base of the vessel. when using it as a mash tun, I am not sure how you would maintain a constant temperature throughout the mash bed without regular stirring or pumped wort circulation. There may also be a risk of scorching the grains near the base as the element cycles on and off.

 

[Windy One]

I also use a Burco Cygnet 30L with a ball valve to heat mash-in water for a separate, insulated mash tun and as a wort kettle. I have had it a few years and think it is well-made. I use an Inkbird temperature controller as this gives finer adjustment than the the built-in thermostatic control. As the element heats the base of the vessel. when using it as a mash tun, I am not sure how you would maintain a constant temperature throughout the mash bed without regular stirring or pumped wort circulation. There may also be a risk of scorching the grains near the base as the element cycles on and off.

Hi Wynne
Thanks for the advice. I'll probably only be doing part grain recipes with say 10 litres of water for 30 mins at 66c and not a lot of grains. It'll be BIAB and thinking about your comment re scorching the grains on the heating element (the element is concealed on the Burco Cygnet) I'll try an upturned aluminium colander in the bottom of the unit. Once the temperature is reached I'll turn the heat off and wrap the unit in a blanket. If the temperature drops I'll turn the unit back on again until it's back up to 66c. That said it looks like knob setting 3 maintains a temperature of 68c. Also might just give it a stir and a couple of prods half way through. Cheers.

 

[Wynne]

Yes the element is concealed so any fouling on the base (e.g. after the boil)is easy to clean off. I assembled one of @foxbat’s digital power regulators to control heating insentity during the boil. With only 10 litres in the Cygnet your boil will be pretty intense. For a 10L batch it might be worth considering using an appropriately sized pot on an induction hop as these give good control over the heat input. I use one when doing small-scale trial batches. Good luck!