Why aren't more of us using this?

[EagleDude]

Are you doing 5 or 10 gallon batches with this burner? I'll call them and see if it is the same one on the Triple cooker.

I am brewing 10 gallon batches. The 6.5 gallon mash water usually reaches 170 about the same time the 13 gallon HLT reaches 150.

I'll be brewing another batch this Sunday, so I'll track the times it takes to heat the HLT and mash water, as well as how long it takes to boil after sparging. Since I am weighing and grinding the grain while the HLT and mash water is heating, I haven't paid much attention to the heating time (I get done with the grinding, about the same time the water has reached temp). Same issue with the boil, I usually am cleaning out the mash tun and finish just before the boils starts. After the brew session, I'll post the times.

[EagleDude]

I tracked the times on those burners ... but I was brewing my first lager and was advised to just brew a 5 gallon batch given the amount of yeast I was using.

My HLT (14 gallons) went from 65 to 160 at full blast in 35 minutes.
The mash with 4.5 gallons took 20 minutes to hit 176.
With 7 gallons of wort at 130, I was boiling in 20 minutes at full heat.
Once the wort was boiling, I had to turn the burner way down to keep from having an uncontrolable boil.

IMO ... these burners work great, just enough time to get the next step ready during heating.

In my experience, there is not a great increase in time with a 10 gallon batch, maybe add 10-15 minutes on the times.

[bcmaui]

where's the best place to buy steel?

Best? Dunno about that. I bought mine at a local steel yard. I looked online, but shipping killed that. The nice thing about the place I used is they also sold "used," which wasn't really used but just not pristine. This really made some of my pieces much cheaper.

And you can ask for offcuts as well - if you can relieve them of several short pieces vs. a standard (typically 10', 12', 20' depending on the shape) length piece you can purchase new at a discount as well.

[mookie1010]

I bought the 2 burner version of this stand on Sunday and will be test driving it on Saturday. 12 Gal Avery IPA clone. Can't wait.

[Dubba_Brew]

Just ordered this (King Kooker) a few days ago as an early Xmas gift to myself (SWMBO gave the go ahead ) Thought it would do the trick for kettle and HLT. I'll have to do the table thing for the Mash Tun and probably do all gravity fed, but it will get me out of the kitchen!!

Now I just have to get some bigger pots to start doing 10 gallon batches, now that I'll be able to. Found a nice 60qt stock pot at the local Restaurant Depot for under $70. Anyone have any luck doing your own weldless valves?

[EagleDude]

Anyone have any luck doing your own weldless valves?

No problems at all. Just get yourself a "step" drill bit and go at it. I've set up three converted kegs and mounted thermometers and valves in each without any problems. If you are mounting a valve in a mash tun, just make sure you have your false bottom so you can set the valve at the right height.

[Waylit]

Regarding this burner stand....
http://bayouclassicdepot.com/tb650_triple_propane_burner.htm

Can I swap out the stock burners with hurricane burners, and connect to natural gas? I like the stand, but want to run natural gas instead of propane. I'd use the NG conversion piece from Williams Brewing.