dmfa200

Recipes 

I'm in the process of building a HERMS and am curious as to how long it took you guys.
I would also like to know how much you spent, ball-park figure, not counting your vessels.
Just wanting to know so that I can tell if I'm going overboard or being cheap.

Suthrncomfrt1884

Recipes 

It took me around 4 months, give or take a few weeks. There's a lot of unknowns that go into it unless you're following someones plans to the "T".

Ball-park estimate of cost - $800 not including the vessels. It helps when you weld or know a welder, and you only use one pump.

__________________
He who drinks beer sleeps well. He who sleeps well cannot sin. He who does not sin goes to heaven.

Another HERMS rig...

Cpt_Kirks

Recipes 

It depends on what you want.

If you want a all SS, fully automated system, it's going to cost more and take a lot of time.

If you just put a copper coil into your HLT and control it all manually, it will be fairly cheap and quick.

FireBrew63

Recipes 

Actual work hours to build the frame and system....about 20. Cost: frame... $25. +pump....$110 + HERMS coil....$72 +valves, QD's, assorted fittings, silicon hose....$400 So, about $630 over a 3 month period. I bought old bed frames from a thrift store for the frame and used self drilling screws to assemble.

dmfa200

Recipes 

Just so happens I know one...Me!
Yeah that has kept my brewing costs way down. I'd probably be brewing on the stove if I wasn't a welder.

CoalCracker

Recipes 

Started in May 2010 and still critiqueing it little by little. It's never perfect for me. I'm always improving. Probably about 750 spent.

Suthrncomfrt1884

Recipes 

I didn't figure the valves and fittings into my previous estimate either. I spend close to $300 on quick connects, valves, sight gauges, thermometers, etc. Plus, another $100 to have my couplings welded since my uncle that welds doesn't have the equipment to do stainless.

I think the kettles is where it really starts to add up. The stand and control panel are nothing compared to what I spent on my kegs.

__________________
He who drinks beer sleeps well. He who sleeps well cannot sin. He who does not sin goes to heaven.

Another HERMS rig...

Tiber_Brew

Recipes 

Including the electric control panel, actual construction time was about 2 months. I used every available weekend and evening I had. Also welded and CNC'ed my own stuff, so no waiting in some shop's queue.

Cost: about $1500 or so. Still gotta put together a final parts list, then I'll have a better idea.

TB

__________________
On tap:
1. Hop Burst IPA 2. Move Overon 3. Bock 4. Pils 5.[Nitrogen] Stout
Primary:
1. IPA 2. IPA 3. Quad 4. Quad 5. None
Secondary:
1. Sour Brown 2. Lambic 3. Lambic 4. None
Bottled:
About 66 gallons of beer & 8 gallons of mead
Kegged & waiting to be tapped
IPA, Stout, Move Overon, Pils

"Give a man a beer, and he'll waste an hour. Teach him how to brew, and he'll be wasted for a lifetime."

My 1/2 BBL electric HERMS build

kernal74

Recipes 

Started a year ago, never satisfied! One day it will be done.

LakewoodBrew

Recipes 

Done is a relative term for most of us I think.... It's pretty much brew a batch or two then tweak the rig, then brew some more.

I wouldn't be able to to put a number on my rig cost at this point but I know there are several (maybe 5) hundred dollars the have been put into it in recent history.

My recommendation - design it out in detail before you buy, cut or weld anything. Electrical schematics, hydraulic and gas connection diagrams and physical assembly layout are all critical. But most of all, have fun and keep brewing.