How much gas do you use for brew days

[sbond10]

just wondering how much gas you use per brewday as in size of burner and kilo s of gas you use ?

Cheers in advance

[windrider]

I have a 6kg propane cannister and a 7.5kW burner and can easily get 4 brews out of it. Depends on the outside temp as it does effect gas if its colder.

[Rick_UK]

I used to have a 6kg but recently swapped it for a 13kg tank. I estimate around 1kg per brew using my 5kw burner. This is an average which accounts for seasonal variations.

I'd be keen to hear any ideas for accurately monitoring usage and remaining propane.

Rick

[sbond10]

What do you manage to boil with 5kw ?

[hebbstar]

The last time I kept a record of how many brews I'd done with a canister was by doing a 5 bar gate in chalk on the canister.

Got up to 18 but it didn't account for brew length or anything like that so a bit cr#p really.

I asked at my gas supplier who said the markings on the disk around the canister valve us weight in pounds when empty. So you could weigh it a. At the start and at the end of a brew to get brew usage and b. More importantly to see how much you have left before returning.

I was unsure about how much gas was left and was going to swap it before it was empty. I weighed it and managed to get two more brews out of it before empty.

Saved a few quid and a few unsure brew days doing this.

I've now got a spare as I swapped a patio gas for a 19kg bottle but I can't swap it back as Calor Gas have changed the rules about swapping.

Hope this helps

Cheers

[Rick_UK]

What do you manage to boil with 5kw ?

It gets a decent rolling boil with 45l of wort but takes a while to get there. I usually do 25l brews starting the boil with about 30l and its fine.

[Rhodesy]

I have been using gas since January using a 7.5kw burner and 13kg Propane tank. I bought a small stick on tank level monitor from Amazon for a fiver which I am expecting this week ahead of my planned brew day on Saturday. So far had 4 brews out of it. All been 32l boils for 60 mins

I took delivery of a Blichmann burner I plan to use so quite excited to see how this performs.

[windrider]

If you pour some warm water on to the side of a gas canister and feel it, areas with propane will absorb the heat from the water and feel cold to the touch and areas without propane will feel warm.

[chris_bobuk]

I used to have a 6kg but recently swapped it for a 13kg tank. I estimate around 1kg per brew using my 5kw burner. This is an average which accounts for seasonal variations.

I'd be keen to hear any ideas for accurately monitoring usage and remaining propane.

Rick

Set of scales is the best way to monitor gas usage, you'll have the gross and tare weights on the side. Obviously it's 6kg plus the bottle weight as the starting weight then as you use the gas you weigh after each brew that way you know you'll have enough left for the next brew. That's the way I do it on smaller bottles but at present I'm finishing off a 47kg bottle and have a spare 6kg as backup when it's finished and needs changing.

[Rick_UK]

If you pour some warm water on to the side of a gas canister and feel it, areas with propane will absorb the heat from the water and feel cold to the touch and areas without propane will feel warm.

This sounds great pal, Thanks for sharing. I've tried the weighing approach but gave up as my scales aren't very accurate and the variation in usage depends on so many factors.

I do have my old bucket boiler with an immersion element which would be fine if I run out mid brew but I'd rather aviod this scenario!

Rick

[Rhodesy]

I brewed up today using the Blichmann burner. It was very impressive, I boiled off 6L on a 60 minute boil and that wasn't even at full power. Now 5 brews into my 13K tank and going strong.

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I think I use about 1kg per brew day. A 19kg cylinder lasts approx 20 brews using a 7.5kw burner under my 70 litre boiler. I don't really keep track, I always have a full cylinder ready if one runs out mid brew.

[sbond10]

Anyone know which is better butane or propane. Flo gas want 31 quid for a 19kg propane tank but a 30 quid deposit or 27 quid for 13kg of butane but only 6 quid deposit anone work out why this is ?

[woblylegs]

if you go to your local recycling point/ tip you will probably be able to pick an empty bottle up for buttons. i know my local one has them in regularly. save you paying a deposit on a bottle then just exchange for a full one.

[sbond10]

Cheers ill go hunting lol