Reply With QuoteMy vote would be gas. It's more cost effective than electric. As long as you can vent, it should be good. Then you can save room in your panel for other electrical like glycol compressors, cold room, etc.
Registered User
We'd have to run 1 or 2 240 lines to the setup, but other than that, electric should be good to go. We also have access to natural gas lines (they're pretty beefy - the building we're looking at was a restaurant), and it has a sizeable ventilation hood directly above. So electric or gas for a 3bbl system?
Registered User
My vote would be gas. It's more cost effective than electric. As long as you can vent, it should be good. Then you can save room in your panel for other electrical like glycol compressors, cold room, etc.
Registered User
We are having the exact same debate right now (literally 3 bbl setup, have a gas line due to former restaurant, with a hood, etc).
My big concern was carmalized wort using the burner. I've read on these forums about folks having problems with wort carmalizing in the boil kettle's main drain line if it runs under the kettle. I'd link the thread if I could find it again...
Registered User
I'm also facing the same questions and would love more input on this topic. Anyone have anything else to say?
Registered User
Go with gas.
Heating elements are more expensive, tough to clean and burn out. Plus, they'll take up a lot of amperage.
Our kettle has a slanted bottom and the wort is collected at the bottom front of the tank, so nothing is sitting in the pipes exposed to the flames.
Chris Enegren
www.enegrenbrewing.com
Registered User
You may wish to check with your local health department to make sure that the BTUs of your gas burners doesn't exceed what they allow for the existing exhaust hood.
Posting Permissions