Brutus 20e Build

**CodeRage** · 04-07-2008, 01:59 AM

I've been looking for a system to go all grain with and read about the Brutus 20 and really liked the CRDFM and 2 vessel concepts. So I want to give it a whirl with one exception, all electric.
http://www.alenuts.com/brutus20.htm for more info from the man himself

Here is the mash tun exterior

The false bottom and spargearm. I will be replacing the sparge arm with a ring eventually.

The Mash Tun heating element.

The manifold to connect the Mash tun and boil kettle.

**CodeRage** · 04-07-2008, 01:59 AM

With any luck I may be brewing with this thing at the end of the month.

67coupe390 · 04-07-2008, 07:54 AM

Nice work I like shiney stuff!!!!

Ryan_PA · 04-07-2008, 03:15 PM

All electric is a great idea for the brutus 20 build. I would think it would be a more efficient use of temp control. Good luck on the build. Are you building the stand similar to lonnie's?

**CodeRage** · 04-07-2008, 04:07 PM

I havent seen Lonnie's dedicated stand for a Brutus 20 so I am not sure.
However I am going to go old school and build my stand from 4x4s withvarious glue joints. Mostly blind mortis and tennons. AT least that is the plan, my mind is subject to frequent change.

scoates · 04-08-2008, 01:42 AM

Here's a pretty picture I made a while back that is helping me figure out how I'll build my 2-vessel system:

S

**Squeeky** · 04-08-2008, 04:09 AM

Virtuous,

Please clue me in on how you are doing this with electric? I have been planing on a Brutus 10, however if I can cut out a vessel and try something new I'm game to join ya. I currently have two PID temp controllers and SS probe thermocouples. So I'm half way there.

My main concern is are you running 2 heating elements of just 1? If so running 2 elements at 240v can be an issue with current circuit. I'm going to follow this thread closely and if I can help out by trying a few things I will.

(you smell, smell smell smell)
Thats what my wife thinks of me talking about brewing rather then spending time with her. I gotta appease her somehow and this is making her laugh! The little things I do to keep me brewing.

**CodeRage** · 04-08-2008, 04:27 AM

Hey squeeky,
Scoates diagram looks like a herms system, mine is a little simpiler.
I do have 2 heating elements, the one for the mash tun is 110v and the boil kettle is 240v. The mash tun element is in a copper heat exchanger so when the mash tun is recirculating the heat exchanger can be turned on to reach mash temps. The boil kettle has a 4500W 240v element mounted directly in the bottom of the keggle. I actually finished getting the element in the keggle this evening, Ill get some pics of it once it is cleaned up.

Side note- literally smoked my old B&D drill using a large unibit to cut the element hole. Got a new 7.8A 850rpm VSR DeWalt to replace it.

Edit: Sorry, I wasnt clear on how I was providing power. I am using 110 from the recepticle/lighting ciruit for the house and the water heater 50A 240v Circuit. going to set the Water heater up with a plug so I can unplug it and plug in the brew rig.

scoates · 04-08-2008, 04:29 AM

I'm planning on doing mine with only 1 element (the black/red (off/on) thing at the bottom of the kettle in my diagram).

Though mine will be HERMS, not RIMS.

S

**CodeRage** · 04-10-2008, 03:10 AM

Here is a picture of the return manifold plumbed in.

Ill clean up my solder joints some other time.

I am having a hard time finding some non PT 4x4s