{"id":2570,"date":"2021-04-14T02:09:37","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T07:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brewtogether.com\/?p=2570"},"modified":"2022-03-11T11:52:18","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T16:52:18","slug":"the-8-best-propane-burners-under-150-for-homebrewing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brewtogether.com\/2021\/04\/14\/the-8-best-propane-burners-under-150-for-homebrewing\/","title":{"rendered":"The 8 Best Propane Burners Under $150 for Homebrewing [2022]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Throughout the course of your homebrewing career, you may find that you pass through several phases of brewing process, complexity, and equipment. Homebrewers generally begin with small 1-2 gallon batches brewed with malt extract in a stock pot on a kitchen stove. After a few brews, it is common to begin increasing batch sizes to 5 gallons, or to switch to all-grain brewing. As batch sizes and brewing process complexity increases, brewers need to purchase additional equipment. As that happens, it can become increasingly difficult to use a kitchen stove to achieve a boil, and the equipment needed can be difficult to use indoors. When it\u2019s time to move your brewing operation outdoors, one of the first things you will need to procure is a heat source.  Here’s how to choose a propane burner and our recommendations for the 8 best propane burners under $150 for homebrewing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Propane vs. Electric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before choosing a burner, you should decide if a propane system is right for you. There are some amazing all-electric setups<\/a> (here are some of our favorites<\/a>), but they require a substantial upfront investment. If you\u2019re committed to investing in an electric system<\/a> in the future, you should consider doing so now. Otherwise, there are a lot of reasons why propane systems are a great solution for most homebrewers. They allow you to brew outside (or anywhere you can bring your gear!), boil much faster than a kitchen stove, and allow you to increase your batch size. Most of all, propane is a great solution because it is inexpensive to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still not sure whether you should choose a propane or electric system? Here’s a full comparison of the pros and cons of each!<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARNING: Always<\/strong> place your propane tank upwind<\/strong> of your burner to prevent accidental ignition of the tank!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Choose a Propane Burner for Homebrewing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before choosing a burner, you should determine what your needs are. The primary considerations you have while choosing a propane burner are the size of the burner and the British Thermal Units (BTUs). The size of the burner will dictate the size of the kettle you\u2019ll be able to use with it, which determines the batch sizes you will be able to brew. The BTUs dictate the heat output of the burner, which will determine how fast you can heat water or bring your wort to a boil, which in turn dictates the maximum batch size you can brew. To determine your BTU needs, we\u2019ll need to do a little bit of math. First we\u2019ll calculate the BTUs needed for a batch size if we assume that the heat transfer is 100% efficient (it\u2019s not!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calculating BTU Requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

BTUs to Boil Water in One Hour = (8.3 * Number of Gallons) * (212 – Starting Temperature in Fahrenheit)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, for example, let\u2019s assume we\u2019re brewing a 5 gallon batch of beer on an 80 degree day. We\u2019re going to boil 6.5 gallons of wort to achieve a five-gallon batch, so our calculation is :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(8.3 * 6.5) * (212-80) = 7,121.4 BTUs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming we get 100% efficiency, we can achieve a boil in one hour with 7,121.4 BTUs. Because we don\u2019t get anywhere near 100% efficiency, and because we don\u2019t want to wait an hour to boil, we\u2019re going to make some adjustments. Let\u2019s assume we get about 50% heat transfer and we want to get to a boil in 20 minutes. Based on that, we\u2019ll double the BTUs needed based on the efficiency, then triple it to get us down to 20 minutes. Our new BTU requirement is 42,728. As you can see, it\u2019s difficult to know exactly what we need. To make matters worse, you can\u2019t completely trust the BTU ratings provided by manufacturers because they are calculated inconsistently and are based on ideal conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In general, I recommend a burner between 55,000 and 100,000 BTUs for brewing five-gallon batches, and one over 100,000 BTUs for brewing ten gallon batches. If you\u2019re brewing batches larger than 10 gallons, you may want to consider an electric system. If you\u2019re committed to propane for your larger batch, You\u2019ll need at least 150,000 BTUs, but the more the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 8 Best Propane Burners Under $150.00<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Under $75.00<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Darkstar 2.0<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Darkstar 2.0<\/a> is an awesome entry-level burner. At only $65.99, this burner fits most budgets and provides a lot of value for a low price. It provides 65,000 BTUs and supports 125lbs, so it is ideal for brewing five-gallon batches, and can support up to ten gallon batches, although it will take a little longer to achieve a boil. The Darkstar 2.0<\/a> has a 17\u201d diameter and a 3.5\u201d built-in windscreen, and comes with an adjustable regulator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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