Reddit Reddit reviews Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker

We found 46 Reddit comments about Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

Grills & Outdoor Cooking
Outdoor Cooking Tools & Accessories
Patio, Lawn & Garden
Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker
16-In large cooking surface12.5-In tall Welded Steel frame10-In cast iron burner360˚ windscreen protection48-In stainless braided hose30-Psi adjustable regulatorDesigned for large pots up to 100-qt capacity, minimum of 14-in diameter
Check price on Amazon

46 Reddit comments about Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker:

u/Deranged40 · 11 pointsr/Homebrewing
u/kaidomac · 8 pointsr/grilling

TL;DR warning

Are you willing to invest in some tools? Do you like Five Guys? (skinny burgers) The fastest burger procedure that I know of is Kenji's Ultra-Smash technique, which makes a pair of thin patties in no time. Takes about a minute per burger (two patties with cheese). Details here:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/the-food-lab-maximize-flavor-by-ultra-smashin.html

You can also do a regular smash burger, which is thicker (McDonalds-thin), but takes longer (~1.5 minutes per side, about 3 minutes total per burger):

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/09/the-burger-lab-smashed-burgers-vs-smashing-burgers.html

The advantage of the ultra-smash is that it's super quick & you can toss a piece of cheese to melt between two patties, so you can pump out a ton of burgers in no time. You will need a few tools, namely:

  1. A metal cooking surface
  2. A hi-temp heat source
  3. A smashing tool
  4. A high-quality spatula
  5. A scraper (if doing ultra-smash)
  6. A cheap IR temp gun
  7. A cheap digital kitchen scale

    It's not rocket science, but getting a proper setup will let you have a workflow that makes cooking for a crowd a breeze. I have a big extended family, so I cook in bulk a lot, but I also use this for just my immediate family because it's so fast to get setup. There is an up-front investment required, but everything you'll buy will pretty much last forever, so it's worth it if you like to eat burgers!

    So the first two things you need are a metal cooking surface & a heat source that can pump out a lot of heat. I don't recommend a regular grill because they simply don't get hot enough; you need 600 to 700F to do this. You can either do a compact setup (a 2-burger surface with a single burner) or invest in a quality flat-top setup (more expensive, but lets you do more burgers at once). The ideal surface to do this on is a Baking Steel, which is very expensive. There are knockoffs for cheaper, but I like BS because they have a Griddle version with grooves to catch the grease:

    http://www.bakingsteel.com/

    You can also do it with cast iron. Lodge has a griddle for $25:

    http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LDP3-Double-Reversible-Griddle/dp/B002CMLTXG

    If I'm just doing a single regular smash burger at a time, I use a 12" cast-iron pan. $28:

    http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cast-Iron-Skillet-L10SK3ASHH41B-12-Inch/dp/B00G2XGC88/

    If you do get into cast-iron, read up on this seasoning procedure (i.e. the way to keep it smooth & slippery without Teflon). It's a bit of a pain, but it's worth learning because anything you buy in cast-iron can be handed down to your kids because it lasts forever:

    http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

    You will want a heavy smashing tool as well. I have this massive 2.5-pound cast-iron press. It fits inside the 12" pan above (but not the 10"). $13:

    http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-Heavy-Weight-Hamburger-Commercial/dp/B002LDDKZ6

    If you plan on doing ultra-smash burgers, you'll need a scraper. This is the one Kenji recommends, but you can probably find something locally: (Home Depot or Lowes)

    http://www.amazon.com/Plextool-Wall-Paper-Stripper/dp/B00AU6GQLQ/

    Anyway, getting back to the cooking part: you'll need a hi-temp burner. I like Bayou Burners, they sell them on Amazon. I have an SP10: ($50)

    http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-SP10-High-Pressure-Outdoor/dp/B000291GBQ

    I use that with my 12" cast-iron pan for when I'm just doing a few burgers for the family. 15 minutes = 5 burgers. You can also slap a flat surface like a cast-iron griddle or Baking Steel on that puppy. Also comes in a square version (not sure how the BTU's compare). I also have some KAB4 burners that I use with my Baking Steel, among other things. More expensive, but larger shell & burner: (more even heat over the cooking surface)

    http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/

    For cooking more at a time, you can get a cooktop. Blackstone has a 36" cooktop available, but it doesn't get very hot (don't get me wrong, it's an awesome tool, but I've had trouble breaking 500F on mine, which means you're not cooking 1-minute burgers on it, plus the heating is kind of uneven, so you have to work in the hot spots for faster cook times). Also comes in a slightly smaller 28" version (but it's only like $50 less, so it makes more sense to get the full-sized version because you get so much more cooking area). The nice thing with this setup is that for $299 (or a bit less if you shop around at places like Cabela's), you can cook like 20 burgers at a time, it's absolutely insane! I make epic breakfasts on it. Plus it folds up for transport, which is really handy. We use it for all of our family events & holidays:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYN0438

    A better version is from Tejas Smokers. They make camping stove carts that have burners built-in & have griddles available separately. They get super hot, downside is the cost: you can easily spend $700 on a nice setup.

    https://tejassmokers.com/Camp-Stove-Carts/23

    Oh yeah, Blackstone did just come out with a compact outdoor griddle which can run off those little one-pound green tanks if you want. They go for around $99 ($79 if you have an Ace Hardware near you). I have not tried this, but it gets good reviews. I'd be curious to see what kind of temperatures it can achieve:

    http://www.amazon.com/Blackstone-Portable-Griddle-Outdoors-Camping/dp/B0195MZHBK

    So that's a basic introduction to the cooktops: you need some kind of decently-sized metal surface, a hi-temp burner, a smashing tool, and optionally (but recommended) a scraper. You will also want to get a strong, high-quality spatula. A good one is $32:

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/equipment-the-due-buoi-wide-spatula-my-new-fa.html

    Available here:

    http://www.duebuoi.it/x/uk_usd/catalog/p/spatulas~805-16x10.html

    If you opt for cast-iron, get an infrared temperature gun (doesn't work too well on shiny metal surfaces like steel tho). $17:

    http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1080-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00DMI632G/

    A cheap digital kitchen scale is useful too, for measuring out the proper amount of meat. $14:

    http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Kitchen-Capacity-Stylish/dp/B003E7AZQA/

    This collection of tools ensures that you have the proper workflow: a metal surface to cook on, the ability to bring the surface to a high temperature (and know what that temperature is for precise control), the ability to weigh your meat so you can pre-measure out what you need, the ability to smash the burger down, and also to properly scrape it off. Again, it's not rocket science, but if you have a wussy grill or a crappy surface or weak smashing/scraping tools, you're gonna have a bad time. You just need the right setup to pump burgers out fast!

    So on to prep. For ultra-smash, you do a pair of 2-ounce ground beef balls. In the tutorial above, they use a mix of meat for 25% fat. I just grab some regular 80/20 ground plus some salt & pepper. For regular smash burgers, do a single 4-ounce ball (optionally 5 ounces...useful if you have a big cooktop for a bunch of burgers at one time & are only doing a single patty per burger). The nice thing is, there's no special prep required for the meat, so you can make all of your burger balls ahead of time. If you have 10 people & are doing ultra-smash, let's say half of them get 2 burgers, so 15 burgers total, or thirty 2oz balls. If you have 20 people & are doing regular smash, again with half getting an extra burger, that's 30 burgers total or thirty 4 or 5oz balls. So that takes care of prep...adjust as needed. If you're feeding mostly dudes, you'll want to add more seconds (and thirds) to the equation.

    There are a variety of buns you can get. Crap buns will make for a crap burger. See if you can find potato buns or brioche buns. Those are pretty soft. Buns aren't overly hard to make, but I have yet to find a decent recipe that takes under 40 minutes, so I usually only doing fancy home-baked buns for my family rather than a crowd. Buying 5 or 10 pounds of ground beef & making smash balls out of them will take you all of ten minutes, but making buns can take forever. Here's a good recipe if you want to try it out tho:

    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/07/light-brioche-burger-buns/

    Or this, if you wanna get crazy:

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/05/fresh-cemita-rolls-mexican-sandwich-burger-bun-bread-food-lab-recipe.html

    Or this one, nom nom nom:

    http://amazingribs.com/recipes/breads/brioche_hamburger_buns.html

    But eh, just hit up Sam's/Coscto/BJ's and buy some hamburger buns in bulk, problem solved. Or find a local bakery that has good rolls. There's a good shootout of buns here:

    http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/04/the-burger-lab-whats-the-best-bun-for-my-burger-taste-test.html

    (continued)
u/Its_0ver · 4 pointsr/Homebrewing

Just buy a burner if you don't care about the pot you could get a better for around the Same price.I have this guy and it's awesome


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009JXYQY/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?qid=1450578367&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Bayou+Classic

u/ShadeRonin · 4 pointsr/Homebrewing

I think the banjo burner is the best solution. I’ve used one for years in the backyard of my apartment in Brooklyn, NY.

Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JXYQY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gaYVDbQDWS0F6

The issue with jet burners (or anything that puts out a small, blowtorch-like flame) is uneven heating which could lead to scorched wort.

u/machinehead933 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

If you want cheap: Bayou Classic SP10. A li'l more expensive, the SP50 - same burner as SP10, but on stilts. I could see where this could be helpful or desired.

Next step up Bayou Classic KAB4 or the KAB6. Same physical burner, the KAB6 supposedly has better heat distribution, and it has the hose guard. Probably not worth the extra money unless you want to feel good about yourself.

All of the Bayou Classic burners are good. They will boil your wort, they will get the job done. The paint will also flake off, and if you are brewing every weekend it might crap out on you after 2 years.

If you don't want to buy a Bayou Classic for whatever reason, get a Blichmann Burner. Its $150, but you get what you pay for. It's stainless steel, and will last a lifetime.

u/NotRunning201 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

This is on sale right now, it was a homebrew find posted on November 1st. I just ordered one.

u/skitzo2000 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

My go to on this question is always the KAB-4 or KAB-6.

They are essentially the same exact burner, but with different size stands.

I can get a five gallon batch to boil in 5-10 minutes with my KAB-4. If you shop around you may be able to find a better price. Lower tier burners will work, but you will use more gas and have longer wait times while heating your strike water and wort.

Also I'll mention that lower tier burners tend to focus all of their heat in one spot on the kettle. This lack of distribution of heat is one reason they may claim to have high BTU output, but don't actually perform better in real world tests.

Also the focused heat can cause scorching when using DME or LME or any other sugars added to the kettle even with the heat off because they focus their heat in one spot super heating the kettle in that one spot.

I've owned multiple cheap burners over the years, and the KAB4 really delivers a much better overall performance IMO over the competition.

u/Nickosuave311 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

Are you thinking of buying a mash tun "kit" from some place like Northern brewer? If so, then I think those kits are overpriced for what you get. $100 bucks for just the cooler, then $30 for the valve/bulkhead assembly plus another $50 for the false bottom is awfully expensive.

I've pieced together several mash tuns before using cheaper coolers from places like Target, walmart, and amazon. The Coleman Xtreme 70 qt cooler works well, but I currently use an Igloo 52 qt cooler for my 12 gallon batches without issues. I'd be willing to bet that this cooler would do the trick just fine. It's 3 gallons larger and about 1/4 the price compared to the 10 gallon cooler. You'd still need the valve/bulkhead assembly, but instead of the false bottom you can add a bazooka screen and save $35. The downside of this route is a less-than-ideal mash tun geometry, but I hit 86% efficiency yesterday with a 12 gallon batch, plenty good for a home setup.

Are you planning on stepping up batch sizes at some point in the future? If you are, I would future-proof yourself when buying a new kettle and burner. The Bayou Classic KAB4 performs as well as the Edelmetall and Blichmann burners for significantly less cost (they all use banjo burners). This one even includes a high pressure regulator, which means your propane tank lasts longer too.

As far as kettles go, a 15 gallon kettle is great for 5-6 gallon batches and might get you by for double batches if you're careful, but I would suggest 20 gallons instead. Lots of choices on amazon here too: some with holes drilled, some with thermometers built in, and really cheap aluminium stock pots too. If you're a DIY guy like me, you can drill your own holes in a kettle using a step bit, some lube, and patience.

u/NewlySouthern · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

I bought a KAB4 burner. There are cheaper propane burners out there, but they are slower/lower BTU. The KAB4 is the same base banjo burner in a lot of the high end burners - like the edelmetal bru or the blitchmann hellfire - just with a different frame and at about half the price.

Since doing the kettle and the burner would probably hurt the budget too much, another option would just be to go with a turkey fryer setup. It'll be a smaller/crappier kettle and a worse burner, but something like this would get you going on larger batches for about $50

u/HelloSluggo · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

For that much money, I'd look for something with a better stand to support the weight.

Also, you can get something in the "banjo-style" burner range for just a few dollars more. Much better stand as well.

And the new Anvil burner, at just a very few dollars more, looks really nice. I like the idea of having the regulator on the front of the burner stand, not at the tank.

u/TheDarkHorse83 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

From what I can tell, there are four kinds of propane burner heads.
The BG-14 - aka "Banjo burner" as seen on the KAB4
The BG-12 - as seen on the SQ14
the BG-10 - as seen on the SP10
and the jet burner - as seen on the SP1

Personally, I have two of the BG-10s, from Academy Sports, and they do rather well for me on a 5-gallon batch. Though, I will admit, that this winter I was gifted a banjo burner from my grandfather, it's been in his basement for 40+ years, and he used to use it for crab steaming. I can't wait to hook it up and see how she sings!

u/bender0877 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

Depends on your definition of cheap, but the Bayou KAB4 goes on sale for ~$70-75 pretty regularly.

u/mdeckert · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

After a 5 gal boil in the house the windows and walls were wet with condensation and my wife noticed and it has been propane and outdoor brewing ever since. I would recommend not messing around and just get the following burner to start. I have a collection of cheaper ones but they all burn a little poorly, making soot. I just picked up my second one of these babies so I can heat the both mash waster and the boil in style:

Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JXYQY/

u/austin713 · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

coming from a guy that has been on the SP10 for over a year, spend the extra $30 and get the bigger Banjo style burner. it puts out way more heat and less time will be wasted waiting for strike temps and boils.

also, not sure if you are set on the keggle but having gallon markings on the inside of the kettle is amazing for BIAB, since you do everything in one vessel. it makes measuring out your strike water super easy. i have a 15 gal SS brewtech with the markings and its amazing. AIH has a 15 gal with markings for $119 and they offer the option of adding on a ballvalve for $28.

u/802bikeguy_com · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

I have that burner, it works. However, a friend has a burner with a frame shaped like this one and it seems to be more efficient at directing more heat at the bottom of the pot and letting less escape up the sides of the pot. Our burners have the same exact gas manifold (his frame is just shaped like the one below, it doesn't have that fancy manifold).

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1302578608&sr=1-5

YOU WANT A POT WITH A TRIPLE CLAD BOTTOM. The pot you linked to doesn't appear to have that. It distributes heat much better and prevents overheating at the bottom.

I use an 8.75 gallon pot for 5.5 gallon batches, cost me $60 shipped on ebay. This one is nicer than the one you linked to:

http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Commercial-Stainless-Induction-Certified/dp/B003ATSMJY/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

u/xrelaht · 3 pointsr/firewater

A couple changes I made to the standard design:
2' column instead of 500mm. Because 'murica, that's why! Similarly, the condenser jacket is 28" instead of 600mm and the inside of the condenser is 36" instead of 800mm.
Fluoroelastomer gasket for the keg-column connection. This stuff is rated for steam applications up to 400°F.
3/4" condenser with a 1" jacket.
At the suggestion of /u/sillycyco, a twisted piece of copper at the top of the condenser to slow the gas flow (I can't find copper wool ATM).
*A 45° elbow at the bottom to let the condensed stuff drop straight down into the collector. This is probably just paranoia on my part.

The burner underneath is a monster: 210000 btu! If I wasn't an idiot, I'd have gotten the one with the wider base so the keg would fit better. I'm probably going to need to build a stand, but this is working for now.

u/whatudrivin · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

8 gallon kettle. I was doing a 6 gallon boil. Should have added another 1/2 gallon and reduced my temp a bit as about 2ish gallons evaporated off during boil.

I was right outside my garage but I have seen many other people brewing outside. And yes since it is boiling I'm not too worried about contaminants.

I don't know much about burners but that one looks a bit flimsy. The ones I have weighs almost as much as a full tank of propane. Maybe 5lbs less or so. It's pretty stout. Just saw the name in my pictures. I am using a Bayou Classic burner. Found it online here: http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1398888480&sr=1-3&keywords=Bayou+Classic+burner

And here it is from my LHBS site: http://www.learntobrew.com/store/item/392ma/-_Stock_Pots_and_Burners/Bayou_Classic_Banjo_Cooker_with_Hose_Guard_Model_KAB4.html

u/McJames · 3 pointsr/Homebrewing

I used turkey fryers like the ones you linked for a while, but I got tired of the long times to get to a boil, especially when there was any wind or it was very cold outside. I switched to a banjo burner (Blichmann Top Tier), and never looked back. I LOVE that burner. It heats really fast, and seems to use less propane. Banjo burners aren't more efficient than the burner you have from a combustion standpoint, but I swear that the design ensures more of the heat gets to the kettle rather than into the surrounding air. Plus, I can easily convert it to natural gas if there is a connection nearby.

The Top Tier is a little overkill for most applications, honestly. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably get KAB4. It has the same burner as the Blichmann, and can also be converted to natural gas, if you desire. It's pricey compared to your burner, though.

u/gfink · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

I've recently bought nicer equipment to homebrew with. I now have a nice propane burner, and 16gal stockpot with weldless spigot. (For reference this is the burner: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYQY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

and this is the stock pot:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007V493PG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)

The last step for moving my brewing setup outside is a wort chiller.

My first question is do I need a wort chiller at this point if I still want to do some 5gal extract brews? I figure with a 2.5-3 gal boil volume, the burner and 16gal pot might be extreme overkill.

At some point I would like to do 5gal all grain batches or at least BIAB, which I think needs the wort chiller at a minimum to cool properly.

My second question is will a 25in premade wort chiller fit properly or do I need to make my own, assuming the chiller needs to hang above the sediment, and not lay on the bottom of the pot.

Edit: I was doing some more research, and I decided to go with this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D50LO8/ref=s9_simh_hd_b14JJvX_p79_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=0X0PBZVYQ8CGW12NKNBN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2223253542&pf_rd_i=979843011

I think it will do the job, and avoid any issues fitting or making an immersion chiller.

u/Quibert · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

I can't say enough good things about my KAB4 burner. It cranks out heat and gets the boil going way faster than my old one. link here

Also as others have said the cooler plus brew bag is a great arrangement for the mash tun. It makes cleaning a breeze, you don't have to worry about stuck sparges, and you can crush the grain finer for better efficiency.

u/Jmacadocious · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

Get a KAB4 like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009JXYQY?fp=1&pc_redir=T1 . You will not be disappointed!

u/BretBeermann · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

Something like a KAB4 burner and propane tank would be ideal:

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY

Then you can grab a 10-15.5 gallon pot, either from Amazon (Bayou or Concord), Homebrewing.org, MoreBeer, etc.

A couple paint strainer bags or specially made "Brew Bag" can act as a filter.

This should add up to about half your budget. Then you can look into other recommendations here in the thread for the rest.

u/dahlberg123 · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

You could go with something that has a banjo burner, like the Bayou KAB4 might give you better control of your heat.

u/Messiah · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

You are not doing a 7 gallon batch in a 7 gallon brew pot. I am going to guess you are doing between 5 and 5.5. While I am sure you can buy any size if you look enough, most carboys are 6.5. Any less for a 5 gallon batch and you will be losing a lot in the blow off. The 2k would go quick on some

Quadruple that would be 20 gallons. Brewtech gear doesn't really support 20 gallon batches. A 20 gallon mash tun will have you failing to brew anything with a high gravity. You could do 15 gallon batches. A 30 gallon brew pot would avoid boil overs. 18 or so gallons or wort boiling away can create 10 gallons of foam, easy. They also have 17 gallon conicals with some extra head space for fermentation. I would grab one of those as well. You will need to build a massive wort chiller if you don't go with an option that has one. Then you need temp control. All together thats 2100. Then you need a 210K BTU burner, if yours is the usual 50K or so type. http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY

Going pro is a bit different. Electrical requirements and all other things can come into play as boiling methods start to change. If you do go pro, this could at least serve as a good way to do test batches to see how your customers feel about new brews.

u/watts · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

+1 to what opiate82 said regarding plan for the future.

A brew buddy of mine uses one of these sq-14 burners for 5 gallon batches and it works quite well.
I have a Blichmann burner and love it. That being said, you could buy a KAB4 burner which is the same burner but with different housing and save a few bucks.

A word of caution on the non SS bayou classic burners, the paint will burn off 15 seconds into your first usage, and the frame will eventually rust away.

u/Wanna_fight_about_it · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

I've heard a lot of people like this one - http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413468281&sr=8-2&keywords=banjo+burner.



Personally i've been using a blichman burner for about 2 years and its still humming away. They are twice the price though and I can't say if they a worth that extra money or not. I will tell you that they are sturdy as hell and easy to clean.

u/myreality91 · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

Buy once, cry once. Do you want to buy something now that will last you a very long time, or something you might find yourself upgrading in a couple years?

Lasts a long time
or cheap

u/soupishness5 · 2 pointsr/AskCulinary

I highly recommend a KAB4 or KAB6. Either will blast the seasoning off of your cast iron, so dedicate a griddle to it and keep it oiled. The crust they put on steak is unbeatable. Use a lid to keep the flames from your steak under control, and gently flip every 10 to 15 seconds. You can stirfry a meal in ~2 minutes. Though use a wok without wooden handles, as they'll catch fire. If you ever want to brew beer, have a seafood boil, or deep fry a turkey, it works well for that too.

If it's windy, make a wind shield by wrapping a few layers of aluminum foil around the body. It will melt eventually, but it will hold up for several uses.

u/fromthedepthsofyouma · 2 pointsr/Homebrewing

You're porb a few brews away (or you're in an apartment not a house of area where you can brew outside) this is by far the best thing I bought for a five gallon brew, also you can get a better regulator for it so when you do make the change from all extract, to mini-mash, to all grain, you'll be fine...

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1509562742&sr=8-4&keywords=banjo+burner

It gets five gallons of wort boiling in under 10 mins. It's a beast...

just something to think about when you move out of the apartment, my brother-in-law has the same one and he brews on top of his apartment building in Brooklyn.

u/dingleberrymoustache · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

It looks like a KAB4
It takes about 25-30 mins for ~8 gallons. It can probably do it much quicker, but you'll rip though propane. This thing doesn't sip, it funnels...

u/REDZED24 · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0009JXYQY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479592923&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=kab4&dpPl=1&dpID=41Nd4L70Q5L&ref=plSrch
I've been eyeing this one up. Seems a lot of people have it and it works well. There is a complaint that most have about the paint burning off in the first couple uses, but I'll probably try to sand it off first.

u/holybarfly · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

If money is no object?

Kettle - I agree with you on the Ss Brewtech

Propane Burner - KAB4 which myself and many here use. Same burner as the Blichmann, but half the price.

Chiller - JaDeD Hydra. Literally unrivaled. You're looking at chilling in MINUTES. My 50' stainless chiller previously chilled 6 gallons in ~15 minutes with crazy stirring. The Hydra is worth its weight.

Fermentors - 6 gal Better Bottle I ferment in corny kegs and 6.5 gal glass carboys. The glass scares the shit out of me though, so I've been slowly moving away from them. Don't go searching up the glass carboy horror stories thread on Homebrewtalk.

u/deadwards · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

Having used both the SP10 and the KAB4, I would definitely recommend the KAB4.

u/Z-and-I · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

I would stay away from that starter kit. Not because its bad per se but its not worth 180 bucks. And I prefer plastic buckets over glass carboys. If you want you can convert a cooler to a mash tun but I would start with BIAB and you then can increase the complexity of your system as you see fit.


Here is my recommendation of equipment. I am function over form driven when selecting my gear. I find that these items serve their purpose at a reasonable price and are of good quality and unless you want to start doing 15 gallon batches they should serve you well.

Starter Kit

KAB4 Burner

44qt Pot with basket

Ball Valve for Kettle

Thermometer

Bag for BIAB

u/brulosopher · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

There are a lot of burner that will work just fine. I started with a Bayou Classic, which worked good for 5 gallon batches- took about 20-30 minutes to get 7 gallons to a boil; my brother currently uses this burner and likes it just fine.

I now use 2 Bayou KAB4 burners, which kick royal ass- I can get 13 gallons of wort to a boil in about 15 minutes, and that's using natural gas, which is slightly less efficient than propane.

I have a couple buddies who recently bought The Dark Star Burner, both speak very highly of it. I'm not sure if it'd be terribly sturdy on batch sizes larger than 5 gallons.

Hope that helps!

u/romario77 · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

Maybe look for propane burner instead.
Here is one example of what I talked about:
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY

It more of a convenience, it takes 15 minutes to boil 5 gallon batch (which ends up being 7-10 gallons with grain). It would take much longer on stove.
You also want vigorous boiling for

  • Get rid of unwanted compounds like oxidation on equipment and DMS.
  • Coagulate unwanted proteins (IMHO one of the most important reasons)
  • Extract Alpha Acids from Hops

    As for the stirrer - if you plan on making beers that require bigger starters like Lagers or high gravity beers you would either need to buy more yeast or make a starter. How it works - you boil some DME or LME with water, cool it and pitch yeast there. Then put the stirrer on to agitate it. It will be done in 24 hours or so.

    For dry yeast it's cheaper just to buy more packets and pitch more - less problems and work well.
u/MudTownBrewer · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

A lot of people, myself included, prefer the banjo style burner. I have a Blichman which I love, but Bayou makes one as well for a lot cheaper. I think they have basically the same burner, but the Blichman has a much sturdier stand.

u/MF_Mood · 1 pointr/MushroomGrowers

No problemo. Are you not able to use your stove? I've never used a hotplate but I've heard they are hit or miss, and sometimes take a while to build up pressure in your PC.

If you are able to work outside this thing is a beast!

u/EngineeredMadness · 1 pointr/Homebrewing

Budget: $40 turkey fryer special from Academy/Dicks/Walmart/wherever. You get a burner and a 7.5 gallon pot. Upgrade to a 10 gallon pot for piece of mind in re boil-overs (get the 10g SS Bayou Clasic with stamped volume markers for another $40).

I've been using my cheapo academy sports burner alongside a bigger banjo burner for the last year without problems. In this department I think many "homebrew namebrand" are over-engineered or suffering from marketing-magic markup. A 220K burner that can be load bearing is just that. A buddy of mine uses two of these KAB4s with dual 20 gallon kettles.

u/gedvondur · 1 pointr/castiron

Sadly, there were TONS of companies who made these. There were some Griswold versions out there, but this isn't one of them, at least according to the Blue Book. I like the idea that you are going to restore this. Make sure you rebuild the valves completely and put a modern safety regulator before them.

As a fellow beer brewer....Don't use this. Beyond the fact that a pot big enough to boil 5+ gallons of beer will be iffy on it, you don't know how this burner is jetted, if its for natural gas or for propane.

Also, even if it's jetted properly, it's going to have a miserably small BTU rating. It will take ages for this thing to bring your beer to a boil.

Go buy this. That 10" propane burner puts out 210,00 BTU and has a mega-sturdy stand for under a hundred bucks. It drinks propane like I drink beer, but it brings my 10 gallon batches (typically 12 gallons before boil-off) to a boil in very reasonable time. Accept no smaller burner.

Don't give up on your cool cast iron burner set, make it part of your patio kitchen, just not part of your brewery.

u/GrumpySteen · 1 pointr/Cooking

If you have a yard, you can get outdoor propane cookers that work well. This one puts out 200,000+ BTU, for example, which is more than enough for cooking in a wok (maybe a bit too much, actually, but you get the point).

u/squiggitysquashua · -1 pointsr/Homebrewing

So that was this burner before your mods?