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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34 thoughts on “Brewing With Gas | Thoughts on Homebrew Burner Options”
whats the connection fitting you used to convert these to natural gas?
The only place I can find them is at WilliamsBrewing.com, HERE’S THE LINK (also in the NG conversion post).
That’s a valve with a LPG orifice, you probably intended to link to the item Q86 for natural gas.
You’re right. Fixed!
Cool article man. How do the KAB4s do on volume level? I brew outdoors, early mornings, so noise is an issue with neighbors. Also- what is the height on your custom workbench? Can you still see into the top of the kettle?
I just got a KAB6 and going from the SP10 i could barely tell it’s on, to the point that it’s disconcerting. I have a 35 ft driveway and at the end i cant even tell it’s on.
They’re super quiet. I often kick mine on between 4AM to 5AM, my neighbors have never complained.
My SP-10 is pretty noisy…I will probably upgrade it to something like the banjos Marshall is using, but my neighbors aren’t going to mind either way, as I’m not quite insane enough for the 4 a.m. brew times 🙂
Who you callin’ insane?! No, I get it, 4AM is too early for most things, but I do it 4 days/week for work anyway. Cheers!
I used two propane Blichman burners with stands INSIDE my brewery, but felt I had to have a lot of ventilation – which is problemsome brewing when it is cold outside. Thus, I decided to go electric. How do you vent your brewery, or do you brew outside?
I keep the garage door to the right of my kettles, the side door to the left of my kettles, and the window above my kettles open while brewing. I’ve been brewing in this manner for 4+ years and I’m still alive, which I guess says something 😉
necessary with natural gas?
I have yet to use one, but people in the various popular forums like homebrewtalk rave about these http://www.homebrewstuff.com/32-tip-natural-gas-jet-burner.html
Apparently they can even melt your pot if you’re not careful.
I have a buddy who owns a brewery and uses those for his commercial (nano) batches. I think that’s just a bit overkill for most 5-10 gallon brewers.
i’m officially inspired and going to do the same thing. only difference is i’m just using a stock metal brew table. thanks for the idea.
Nice write up, i think my turkey fryer us 35,000btu’s, books 6 gals just fine, but i think I’m gonna send 14-20 bucks and upgrade the burner it self
So they say the more blue the flame, the cleaner the burn and the less carbon dioxide produced. Your pic looks like a very blue flame. Did you modify the burners in any way – regulators?
Nope, just the cheap adapter.
I have a generic “cup” styled burner (like the last picture) in a stand, that I bought at the local propane supply house. I use it for brewing, canning and boiling maple sap. Works great. At one point, it started getting weak so I took it apart (all 3 parts…) took it to work and sandblasted it. Worked like new afterward.
I’m in the process of building a Brutus and bought three of these: AMAZON LINK I was hopimg you had some feedback that said they weren’t going to suck…
I have a friend who uses those for 1.5 bbl batches in his nanobrewery, they are very powerful, I’ve heard rumors they’ve actually melted kettles (this seems unlikely to me). I’ve never used a jet burner myself, so I’m very interested in your experience!
I have a KAB-6 and do like it. It burns through gas quickly on the stock stand. I found I use maybe 1/3 the amount of propane after I took some flashing and wrapped it around the round stand part and extending it up to the bottom of the bar that supports your pot. For some reason they build them with the wind shield so low and as a result cause a lot of heat loss.
If you buy a KAB burner, build a heat shield collar extension. You will not regret it.
I actually have some leftover flashing from another project that I’ve been meaning to use for this purpose, perhaps I’ll play with it before brewing this weekend.
I noticed reduced boil times by simply wrapping aluminum foil around my base. This is using a cheap turkey frier I got 2 years ago after thanksgiving. Post some pics if you make additions to the windscreen as I’ve been looking for inspirations on how to make my current setup more permanent.
I have the same problem with my KAB4. Heat just escapes around the sides and heats up the garage. Super inefficient. On propane, it would waste my gas. Now on NG and still hardly does it’s job. I noticed the newer ones have the shroud raised higher.
Jon – I am confused how your made your shield. In the link above for the KAB-6, the picture looks like the surrounding shield goes up to (almost) the bottom of the bars supporting the kettle. Looks to be about half and inch gap. Is this half inch gap where you added the shield? or is the link picture a new model of KAB-6 that has since been upgraded? Thanks.
I am not exactly sure if they changed their design, I hope they did though. I basically modified mine similarly to the picture here.
http://www.thebeerjournals.com/KAB6-1.jpg
As you can see there are a couple inches of clearance between the shield and the support bars. Same seems to apply in the above action pic. I will be happy to admit that if they have fixed the shielding than this advice only applies to the older version.
Thank you for your reply Jon! It does in fact appear that the one you uploaded has a lot larger gap between the shield and support bars versus the one in the link. Looks like they have extended the shield up almost to the support bars.
I have a Bayou Classic SS10 – the stainless version of the SP10. My friend has a non-stainless Bayou Classic burner, and even after multiple brews we can still smell the paint burning off that thing. I’m not sure what’s in the paint, but I can’t imagine it’s good.
The SS10 works decently for five gallon batches, but I can’t help feeling it’s a little underpowered. This is probably because I use the BIAB method, which involved larger quantities of water.
The burner does have some not-insignificant quality control problems. The burner is not centered in the stand – it is several inches closer to one side than the other. It also doesn’t point straight up, it points off to the side it’s closer to. When you combine these two issues, in order to get the flame hitting the center of your kettle, you need to have the kettle pretty far off-center on the stand. I’d say 3-4 inches off center. I thought I had received a dud, so I sent the first one back, but the replacement I received was exactly the same. I think this is just how they make them, which is a bummer. The Blichman and Edelmetal units look pretty nice, but seem overpriced. If only there was some middle ground.
Have you considered Anvil?
http://www.morebeer.com/products/anvil-burner.html?a_aid=brulosophy
Nope, but that thing looks great! Wish I had found it before I bought the Bayou.
Did you ever try a Jet Burner ? They look like hell’s fire in your garage…
Yes, I used one for about a month until my neighbors started filing complaints with the local National Guard about the jets that were flying so close overhead.
I’m new to home brewing and am enjoying digesting your site. Thanks! I want to make the leap into full grain brewing and want to spend less than $300 to do so. My original thought was to buy the KAB4 (currently I’m on my electric range in the kitchen) and make a mash tun out of an old cooler I have. But then I saw a Brewer’s Edge Mash and Boil system on sale at my supply shop for $240 and have been debating the potential of that instead. I read your review for the SS Electric Brew system today (as I continue to work my way through your website), so I see that you now have some familiarity with the electric setup too. Obviously, the SS system is far more than I want to spend right now. But, that said, I’m curious what you would do at this point, if you were me: KAB4 and cooler mash tun or the Brewer’s Edge setup?
I’ve heard mixed reviews of the Mash & Boil, some seem to like it and others have had nothing but problems. I’ve never used it myself, so I can’t really offer an informed opinion, but I can tell you that the KAB4 is a monster, and while I made great beer using a cooler MLT, I’d be inclined to stick with traditional BIAB these days.