Bayou turkey fryer I bought on amazon worked amazing - until I moved into an apartment where they dont allow propane tanks in fear of explosions... whatever that means
If you only need the burner, check out the bayou classics. There are several models and sizes to choose from. Bayou Classics tend to be what is recommended here, but there are many different ways to go. The great thing about bayou classics is they have sets that come with pot/lid and other stuff.
Warning!!! Upgrading your burner so you can do full wort boils will lead to equipment envy and the high possibility of better beer.
I did the turkey fryer thing twice. Then I got the Blichman. I'd never go back to a TF. It's A LOT quieter and uses less gas. I had all kinds of issues with both turkey deals, leaks and finicky about damper settings. Blichman for me is set and forget.
I use low pressure banjo style burners for the HLT and BK, and a simple high pressure burner under the mash tun (rarely needed). I have a main regulator for the tank and minis for each burner.
If you're handy with an Erector Set project, I strongly recommend this: http://www.cpapc.com/23-Tip-Round-Nozzle-Jet-Burner-natural-gas-P469C244.aspx or, if natural gas is not an option for you: http://www.cpapc.com/23-Tip-Round-Nozzle-Jet-Burner-propane-P4727C244.aspx Parts for a stand can be found at your local Home Depot clone. FYI, Natural Gas is waaaaaaaay cheaper than propane - about 85% cheaper in my part of the country (the NG equivalent of a 20# tank of propane costs me about $1.50-$2.00, give or take). Unless you have a need for portability, propane really makes no sense, IMO.
I agree with Teal. The Blichmann burner is the way to go. Spend the money one time and you will be thankful.
Fork over the cash for the Blichmann. Its an awesome, sturdy piece of equipment, and will save you lots of time bringing your wort up to boil.
I use a homemade natural gas burner. It took a little welding, but it was very inexpensive and works great. If you are interested and this is an option, let me know. I'll be glad to share my design.
While I won't disagree that Blichmann builds some fine products and that you will be more than happy with the performance, if you're looking to save a few bucks for something that performs just as well but may not be quite as pretty, there are much less expensive options. $150 for a 72k Blichmann floor burner versus $50 for a 100k wok burner with a homemade stand, for example (and you'll be more than happy with the performance). Kind of the same reason so many of us build our own immersion chillers instead of buying a nice, shiny, new one for, maybe, 3 times the price. (one might go so far as to suggest that you can pay 2-3 times the price of homebrew for an excellent commercial brew. Where would you draw the line?)
Get the SP-10 from Bayou. It's a powerful burner, easy to get, easy to set, and all this talk about tinkering is out of the window. It's about $50 in most places, and works fantastic. I literally put the tank on it, and roll. Brings full boils up pretty quickly.
For the record, I find it impossible to believe my 32 jet burner is only the advertised 160,000 BTUs. It boils 15 gallons in under 15 minutes and keeps it at a crazy boil... I need to flow meter it some time.
King kooker with a 7.5 gallon kettle off craigslist for 40$. That left me about 500$ to drop on other things because I didn't buy the blichman set up.
My 23 jet burner is advertised as 100K but, like you, I suspect this may be a conservative rating. I can raise 12.5 gallons from sparge temp to boil in about 5 minutes. It's hard to control boilovers without closing the valve completely. Unfortunately, reducing the flow of gas also reduces the air being drawn in, which results in a yellow, dirty flame. I will likely lower the burner to put more space between it and the kettle if I ever get around to it. (in the meantime, I'll just brew on breezy days )
I went with this and love it. Not sure if it is only in my mind but I wish the burner could be a tad closer to the kettle though. http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/kab4_banjo_burner.htm
I got the bayou Sq14 for $45. It works well for 5 gallon batches. The cost, good reviews and sturdy base were the reasons I choose it over other models.
