Electric kettle

Guide to electric brew kettle

Gas or Electric brew kettle ?

To heat the wort during the mashing and boiling stages, the brewer has several options: heat the stainless steel kettle on a gas stove, or use a thermo-regulated electric brew kettle. Each solution has its advantages and disadvantages. Gas heating gives you the freedom to brew anywhere, even in places where energy is not available (garden, outdoors). However, it is preferable not to stir with gas indoors. Conversely, electric tanks allow you to stir indoors, and are more precise when it comes to controlling heating, especially during mashing. Generally equipped with a thermostat, these tanks enable you to brew with precision and maintain temperatures for several minutes, a highly appreciable comfort.

What interests us most in this category are electric brew kettles.

Electric brew kettle

Electric brew kettles can be divided into two categories. On the one hand, there's the classic stainless steel electric brew kettle, and on the other, the automatic brew kettle.

Your choice will be guided by the way you want to brew, and by your budget.

Standard electric brew kettle 

This type of electric brewing vessel is ideal for beginners. Affordably priced, they can hold around 30 liters (very practical for 20L brews) and are all thermostatically controlled. All you need is a fermentation bucket, some small equipment, a brewing bag, and you're ready to brew! A stainless steel electric brewing tank is ideal for experimenting with the brew-in-a-bag technique, which is great for making any type of beer. 

The two main models we can point you towards if you're a beginner will be :

1. Brewferm Stainless brew kettle 27l  
2. Brewferm electric brew kettle Brewer 30L (you can see it just below) : 

Another advantage of the standard electric brew kettle is that, should you decide to upgrade to an automatic brew kettle at a later date, you can use it as a rinse water heater. So it'll be with you for a good part of your home-brewing "career"!

Automatic brewing system

The big advantage of an electric mash tun is that it has a pump, ensuring optimum temperature maintenance throughout the entire volume of water and grain. The result is a high percentage of sugar extraction efficiency. 

What's more, the heating system of this type of brewing vessel is super-efficient, enabling it to reach its empatage levels more quickly and to reach the boiling point more quickly, which represents a substantial time-saving. 

The masters of the game here are Brewmonk and Grainfather. The two models recommended for starting out with an automatic brewing tank are :

1. Brewmonk 30L 
2. Grainfather connect

Another advantage with these tanks is that we are in direct contact with their manufacturers. Both brands are known for their responsiveness, which means that should a problem arise, we'll be able to provide extremely rapid warranty support for up to 3 years.