Tenant of residential flat brewing beer on gas burner

[Wings]

I had to attend to a boiler breakdown yesterday in a ground floor residential flat, and during my attendance I was alarmed to discover that the tenant was using a portable gas propane burner to brew large quantities of beer. There were two (2) 7kgs propane cylinders, cooker ring etc. within feet of the flat's central heating boiler.

The tenant unfortunately was not in attendance and I need some advice on the best and quickest preventative measures I can take, to bring this obvious Health, Safety and Fire issue to an immediate end.

[Desiderata]

I presume you're Gas safe registered? What , if any gas regs does this break? If it breaks gas regs, make safe, label, and notify on tenant copy and landlord copy of certificate.

If it doesn't break any gas regs but you have concerns, notify the landlord of your concerns.

[elanfan]

Report to council H&S officer

[Wings]

I am the landlord, and it breaches the tenant's tenancy agreement. In another life I have witnessed what damage a small camping gas cylinder can do in a fire, let alone a 7kg propane gas bottle, which in sufficient heat will explode like a rocket.

Thanks for the advice, will talk to tenant Monday, and if need be local council's H&S department, and local Fire Brigade HQs.

[elanfan]

In that case I’d printout and take with you a letter giving a first and final warning to desist from the use of the the propane and burners with immediate effect. Point out breaches of tenancy agreement and that you will issue a notice to quit if he doesn’t.

He may not be aware of the explosive nature of propane. I believe 1 cubic centimetre of liquid propane expands something like a thousand fold and will produce one hell of a bang if ignited. Further a leak might well suffocate him before it gives bang.

Never mind the stink for the other tenants of beer brewing.

Good luck I suspect you might need it.

Try showing him this

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr15rPHEmeQ

Edited by elanfan on Sunday 8th November 00:36

[caziques]

Not sure what part of beer brewing requires a gas burner,

distilling on the other hand...

[ReverendCounter]

Wings said:

The tenant unfortunately was not in attendance

'unfortunately' not in attendance, you say - how surprising!

[eldar]

caziques said:

Not sure what part of beer brewing requires a gas burner,

distilling on the other hand...

Possibly old, traditional methods. That requires more prolonged cooking.

But distilling....

[elanfan]

caziques said:

Not sure what part of beer brewing requires a gas burner,

distilling on the other hand...

How do you reckon they get the flavour out of the hops?

[syl]

7kg bottles - you sure they were propane (red) and not butane (blue)?

Unlike propane, you should store butane indoors.

(I say this as I didn’t think propane commonly comes in 7kg bottles)

Edited by syl on Sunday 8th November 07:21

[Pit Pony]

When I've brewed beer, I used an electric heater band that goes around the plastic "bucket" that the beer ferments in.

You'd only need the level.of heat a gas burner gave off, if you were distilling.

Am I right in thinking that if you distill beer you get whisky? I've been around a couple of distilleries in Scotland and I'm sure that's right.

Not that it's illegal to produce spirits. Anyone can apply to the HMRC and get a licence. (There's a 65 page document on the HMRC website, that explains how)
Then as long as you've done an equipment risk assessment, and adhered to https://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear-back...
And https://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/atex.htm#b...
https://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/atex.htm#b...

And let your business insurer know, it's all legal.
Obviously the council needs to allow a change of use too.
But apart from that anyone is good to go.

As a landlord myself, I'd be seriously concerned. I'd have taken photos, and taken legal advise the same day. (Free with the landlords insurance)

[blueg33]

Is he malting the barley himself?

[Alucidnation]

Has he not offered you any?

[anonymous-user]

caziques said:

Not sure what part of beer brewing requires a gas burner,

distilling on the other hand...

He is doing all-grain beer brewing. I do this myself and does require the setup described (or an electric equivalent).

Simplistically, a quantity of water is heated in a brew kettle (around 30 litres for a reasonable batch) to 67deg C, then the crushed grain is added. It is then kept at this temperature for around an hour and the grain removed. The resultant wort (grain sugars dissolved in the water water) is now boiled in the brew kettle for around an hour and hops added at various points during this cycle. The wort is then quickly cooled and transferred into a fermentation chamber and yeast added to produce the beer.

His setup has absolutely nothing to do with distillation - which is a whole other thing

However, returning to the point in question - The part of the process that uses the burner should clearly be done outside. Maybe he moves it to an outdoor area to do that? It doesn't excuse the storage of a propane bottle in the flat regardless.

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 8th November 09:13

[Saleen836]

syl said:

7kg bottles - you sure they were propane (red) and not butane (blue)?

Unlike propane, you should store butane indoors.

(I say this as I didn’t think propane commonly comes in 7kg bottles)

Edited by syl on Sunday 8th November 07:21

Propane can be had in 6kg bottles, 2 of them exploding will most likely take out most of the apartment building!

[Oceanrower]

Why would they explode?

When did you last hear of a gas cylinder spontaneously combusting?

Edited by Oceanrower on Sunday 8th November 09:48

[ubbs]

Serious talk with the tenant! One of mine had her gas cut off and was subsequently using a propane gas fire, my agreements state they shouldn’t be using them not only for the fire risk but also the condensation issues they create.

[Macneil]

Why didnt you just disconnect them and remove them and tell the tenant what youd done. Then evict them.

[chrisch77]

Even if the cylinders are unlikely to explode, as the landlord I would be concerned about damp induced from gas combustion and future mould issues around the property - for that alone the tenant should be given a cease and desist notice.

[W124Bob]

Is the address Copperhead Road?