Author: Marshall Schott

One of the first changes many obsessed homebrewers make, often before fermentation temp control and making yeast starters, is moving the operation from the kitchen to the garage or porch. In order to do this, one must first acquire a gas burner, of which there are myriad options. In this article, I’ll discuss some of the similarities and differences between a few of the more popular burners used for making beer at home, most of which I’ve owned at one point or another.

The first burner I purchased was the Bayou Classic SP1 Jet Cooker, a fitting name since at anything above medium power it seriously sounds like a Harrier jet is taking-off in your backyard. At less than $35, the price is certainly right, and it was a huge upgrade from the shitty electric stove in my kitchen. Plus, it moved me outside, which my wife didn’t complain about. The 185,000 BTU this burner purports to put out worked pretty damn well for partial boil extract batches, bringing about 3.5 gallons to a roaring boil within 20 minutes. The biggest issues I had with the SP1 is that the noise made conversing with my beer-mooching neighbors difficult and it consumed propane like most homebrewers consume beer. When cranked, it emitted quite a bit of heat from the sides, which made brewing with my kids around a bit nerve-racking. Still, for a first burner, it fit the bill. Once I moved to 5 gallon all-grain batches, the efficiency took a nosedive and it was time to seek a different solution.

After very little poking around in popular homebrew forums, I learned many all-grain brewers swore by the Bayou Classic SQ14 Burner, which is outfitted with a 4″ banjo burner and a sturdy base capable of comfortably holding larger kettles. This burner certainly did the trick for my 5 gallon batches of beer, heating 4.5 gallons of brewing liquor to strike temp in just under 20 minutes, about the same amount of time it took to bring 6.5 gallons of sweet wort to a boil. I used this burner multiple times per month for nearly a year and suggested it to many other homebrewers, all who really seemed to like it. It used less gas than the SP1 and was much quieter. This is a great burner for 5 gallon full volume boils, I have no problem recommending it to people who don’t have plans to increase their batch sizes. It also comes in a slightly higher priced stainless steel model.

Another burner with similar performance as the SQ14 is the Bayou Classic SP10, the most noticeable difference being the type of burner used. I’ve used a SP10 a few times with friends and it works quite well, though I might be more inclined to recommend the SQ14 over this option due only to the fact the SP10 seems slightly less sturdy when holding a larger kettle. Adventures In Homebrewing is currently selling a burner similar to the SP10 with what appears to be a sturdier base. Ultimately, they are all fantastic burners for typical 5 gallon batch sizes. It wasn’t until I started regularly making 10+ gallon batches of beer that I realized it might be time to try something with a bit more oomph.

About 3 years ago, I purchased my first Bayou Classic KAB4 burner, a 10″ banjo burner wrapped with plenty of steel, making it very stable. When it arrived, I excitedly attached it to my propane tank, lit the burner, then gradually cranked the regulator up to test the power. Holy shit, was this thing powerful! After only a few seconds of holding my arm 5′ above the burner I was forced to pull away, the smell of burnt arm hair wafting through my garage. I knew this beast would do the trick. I’ve since purchased another KAB4 and converted my brewery to natural gas, allowing me to brew two batches at the same time.

I couldn’t be happier with this setup. I regularly heat 9 gallons of strike water to temp in roughly 15 minutes and bring 12.5 gallons of wort to a boil in a similar amount of time. For my 5 gallon batch sparge brew days, I have to keep a close eye on my kettle to avoid boiling my strike water– 4.5 gallons of 70°F water will usually reach 7°F above my target strike temp in right about 10 minutes, just enough time to pour a cup of coffee and maybe use the loo.For those brewers who use keggles, the Bayou Classic KAB6 has a larger base that more comfortably fits these types of vessels.

For my purposes, the KAB4 burners I currently own work beautifully, I can’t imagine a scenario where I’d feel the need to replace them, save the rare chance one breaks or someone decides to give me a badass gift. That being said, I understand my setup is fairly unique in that I designed my brew stand around the size of these burners, so they’re high enough off the ground that I don’t have any issues racking chilled wort to carboys. While you could certainly rig up a makeshift stand using a couple cinder blocks, Blichmann Engineering has developed a very nice floor standing burner with a similar 10″ banjo that can be modified to sit 24″ higher with the use of leg extensions. The burner in the Blichmann is similar to, if not exactly the same as, the burner in the KAB4 and KAB6, however the housing is made of stainless steel rather than cheaper mild steel, so it is incredibly durable and resistant to rust. I still don’t understand why Bayou Classic paints the steel on these burners, as it burns off within the first few minutes of first use. No big deal really, it just seems unnecessary. So, I’m cheap and don’t mind the rough look of my burners, and I’m not convinced the rust is really all that big of an issue, but if you’re in the market for the Cadillac of burners, Blichamann is the way to go.

The final option I want to discuss has to do with those planning to install burners into their own DIY brew sculpture. For some reason, the price of standalone burners is drastically lower than those purchased with a stand. If you plan to brew larger batch sizes, you can purchase a Bayou Classic BG14 10″ banjo burner for about $40, less than half the price of the KAB4 that uses the same burner. For those building a rig for batch sizes of 5 gallons or less, I might recommend purchasing the Bayou Classic BG12 4″ banjo burner, which is the same burner that comes in the previously discussed SQ14. The least expensive option for a stand-less burner may be the Bayou Classic BG10, which is what comes installed in the aforementioned SP10 cooker, it only costs about $14. Something to keep in mind with all of these is how they are going to attach to your stand, I’d strongly recommend you purchase the burners you want to use prior to completing your build so that you can make sure to secure them to your rig correctly the first time. In my experience, each burner seems to be just a little bit different in terms of mounting hole placement, even if they’re the same brand and model.

Of course there are many other great options for patio burners offered by other companies such as King Cooker, Masterbuilt, Camp Chef, and Sportsman. My hunch is they are all likely produced by the same few overseas manufacturers and thus are of similar quality. Whatever way you decide to go, consider where you plan to take this hobby then choose a burner that fits your brewing needs now as well as in the future.

If you have any experience using any of the burners mentioned in this article or some other burner I failed to discuss, please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Cheers!

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