Propane used during recent #Homebrew Session

@platypotamus asked how much propane and propane accessories (ok, sans the accessories) are used for brewing a batch of #Homebrew outdoors. I replied $1 to $2 which was based on the current price of propane where I live ($.4975/pound) and a gut-feel for how long a 20 pound tank lasted this winter.

Thinking about it some more, and how lacking in data or context my response, I decided to take some simple measurements during my last brew session on Saturday.

The methodology I used here, was to heat the entire volume of water (strike and sparge) to strike temperature, then drain off the amount needed for mashing. The sparge water remained in the HLT and then was heated to sparge temperature about 15 minutes before the end of mashing. The flame was adjusted to what I would call medium-high--not rocket strength mind you, but not simmering either. (I suppose I should have timed how long it took to raise the temperature at the various points to give an idea of how high the flame was.)

Burner	Blichmann Toptier Floor Standing
Weather	Temperature: 42 degrees Winds: light
Starting Propane Weight	37.25 pounds (including cylinder)
Starting Water Volume	8.5 gallons
Strike Water Temperature Profile (starting/ending)	52/164 degrees Fahrenheit
Sparge Water Volume	4.25 gallons
Sparge Water Temperature Profile	140/185 degrees Fahrenheit
Wort Volume	6.85 gallons
Boil Water Temperature Profile	140/212 degrees Fahrenheit
Boil	60 minutes
Ending Propane Weight	33 pounds (including cylinder)
Propane Used	4.25 pounds
Cost	$2.11

N.B. I overshot my strike water temperature target by two degrees, wasting some energy. The starting temperature for the boil may be off a little from stated 140.

I think the cost can be decreased easily by continuing to heat the strike water through to sparge temperature, then shutting off the burner and storing the water in an insulated HLT. Another easy area for improvement would be to keep the initial water at indoor temperatures for as long as possible before moving outside for heating.

Still, two bucks is not much!

Any other easy improvements?

Nugget Nectar (#homebrew)

After our visit to Troegs yesterday, and a check of my brewing inventory today, I see I have all the ingredients to brew a clone of this beer.

Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich
Hops: Nugget, Warrior, Tomahawk, Simcoe®, Palisade
Hopback Hops: Whole Leaf Nugget
Dry Hop: Nugget, Warrior

ABV: 7.5%
IBU: 93ish
Color: Straw/Orange

So much to brew, so little time.

Converting SS Vats to Boil/Mash/HLTs (#homebrew)

Sittin' here sippin' another Espresso Stout (Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!) and considerin' whether or not the 40 gallon SS vats D and I obtained for a song (99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall) need thicker bottoms. (These are destined for our 1 BBL brew system.)

These vats are being re-purposed from who-knows-what to Boil/Mash/HLTs. Bottoms seem a might thin to me. Definitely not as thick as say, the steel used in constructing a half beer barrel (keg).

Consider: TIG welding another plate of SS to the bottom lip and optionally sandwiching a couple sheets of copper in between. Or, cut out the bottom and TIG weld in a new replacement bottom. Will need to talk to a welder to get their input on this--maybe this week.

Sides seem to be heavier gauge than the bottom. (!)

Also, need to install nipples for well thermometers and drain valves.

Don't have lids but they are available commercially and need not be fabricated.

These vats are dandy (very minimal investment so far) and even with some fabrication cost, would still be less than buying new.

Hmm....

Best part of every day.™

Rainwater Wort Cooling (#homebrew)

Sittin' here nursin' an Espresso Stout and considering the viability of collecting rainwater into underground storage tanks for the purpose of cooling wort.

Imagine the brew-house structure's rain downspouts directing rainwater into a large storage tank or tanks, with overflow optionally to a second tank or tanks. Another or other tanks are always empty, but need not be.

On brew day, to cool the wort, pump rain water from a source tank containing cold water, through the heat exchanger (chilling the wort) and into a destination tank which is initially empty or nearly so and slowly fills with the now warm water.

After a suitable time when the warm water has had a chance to cool, use that tank as the source for the cold cooling water for the next batch, pumping it through the heat exchanger to a destination empty tank. Repeat, swapping tanks.

Switching source and destination tanks could be a manual operation using valves.

There is no harm in filling all available tanks with rainwater and simply directing the downstream warm water into a pond or using it to irrigate, say, the hop yard. It could also be used for animal drinking water.

Of course, tank sizing is important and depends on the temperature of the stored cold water and the batch sizes.

Underground tanks should be buried based on the local climate, to ensure cool water for summertime brewing, although storing the water higher than the brew-house and using gravity to feed the heat exchanger should be investigated.

Underground tanks in freezing climates must be buried under the frost line to ensure liquidity.

Fiberglass or plastic tanks would be preferable so that they last a long time. The tanks don't store potable water but simply cooling water--hence clean-outs would be nice but not absolutely necessary.

There is a brewery in Georgia, 5 Seasons Brewing Company, that has a rainwater catchment system.

It would be beneficial to investigate their system for other ideas.

Best part of every day.™