Going to 60 Gallons... Crazy!!!

Check out the new toys! They are both stainless.

The front one is 75 gallons and on wheels- it will be insulated for my mash tun. The keg looking one is 70 gallons and has a drop down propeller mixer. It will be fitted with a 160,000 btu burner under it.

Found them both at a local scrap yard.

It will be some work, but I'm pretty excited!

Oh, wow!

Looking at those humungous vessels, I suggest you immediately record you current body weight for posterity, because it's the last time you'll weigh that much...

Cheers

Yeah, for $400.00 each, the wife wasn't too happy, but I couldn't pass them up. The mash tun is (no joke) 7mm thick on the walls and bottom. The boil kettle is 3.5mm

I'm all for deals, and those look pretty nice, but do you have any idea as to what they were used for previously? I would be a little worried about stuff from the scrap yard as those look like they may have been used in a industrial setting.

They were in a bakery. They mixed dough and manufactured frozen pies. Mrs. Smith's, I think was the brand. The plant in Spartanburg shut down.

Why not use the propeller-mixer one as your mash tun?!

cool, i'll be following this.

iijakii said:

Why not use the propeller-mixer one as your mash tun?!

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It has a flat bottom, the 75 gallon has about a 15 degree full draining cone, so it will be more difficult to boil in. The propeller can be moved fairly easily though.

If anyone is somewhat local, he had a few more tanks like these in all different sizes.

lastsecondapex said:

They were in a bakery. They mixed dough and manufactured frozen pies. Mrs. Smith's, I think was the brand. The plant in Spartanburg shut down.

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Good deal! Glad to hear it. Nice find.

As for what the last guy said, I'm torn as to whether I would rather use the propeller for stiring the mash or for stiring the boiled wort to facilitate cooling. I guess it depends on how you plan to cool the wort and how you plan to utilize the mash tun (direct fire, RIMS, HERMS, etc). I have a 1bbl system and I've found that recirculating the mash does a better job of stabilizing the temperature than stirring. Of course I have to do it by hand, so that prop might do an awesome job. Good luck with the build and prepare yourself....2bbl is going to be one hell of a brew day.

BBL_Brewer said:

Good deal! Glad to hear it. Nice find.

As for what the last guy said, I'm torn as to whether I would rather use the propeller for stiring the mash or for stiring the boiled wort to facilitate cooling. I guess it depends on how you plan to cool the wort and how you plan to utilize the mash tun (direct fire, RIMS, HERMS, etc). I have a 1bbl system and I've found that recirculating the mash does a better job of stabilizing the temperature than stirring. Of course I have to do it by hand, so that prop might do an awesome job. Good luck with the build and prepare yourself....2bbl is going to be one hell of a brew day.

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Thank you!


Does anyone have any experience with these burners? http://www.ebay.com/itm/250938764074?redirect=mobile

lastsecondapex said:

Thank you!


Does anyone have any experience with these burners? Wok Jet Burner, 32 Tip Natural Gas | eBay

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Actually, those are the burners I use. I have two of them. One for the BK and one for the HLT. They work great. Put off a ton of heat. The most water I've boiled at one time from tap to boil was 20 gallons. Went from 45F to boil in about half an hour. One thing to consider though, since they run on low pressure, you can't run multiple burners full bore at the same time. Honestly though, I never have a need to. Also, if you're going to use them indoors you may need some ventillation. I brew in the basement and in the winter I can get away with just opening a couple windows. In the summer it's unbearable and I have to resort to 5 gallon batches if I run out of beer.

Here's a cheaper place to buy them by the way.

32 Tip Round Nozzle Jet Burner (natural gas) - CHINESE WOK RANGES - RANGES - COOKING EQUIPMENT - EQUIPMENT

Should hook up a 50 amp e panel and install two 4500 watt elements

You planning to start a nano brewery?

I am oh so very jealous of you I hope to one day produce on that level! very nice toys you have there my friend, put 'em to good use!!!

Best,
Saintdog

milldoggy said:

Should hook up a 50 amp e panel and install two 4500 watt elements

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What this guy said.

Ramitt said:

You planning to start a nano brewery?

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Eventually, but I need to further refine my recipes and technique first. It will be a long way off- SC professional brewing laws are pretty difficult to weed through if you aren't independently wealthy.

milldoggy said:

Should hook up a 50 amp e panel and install two 4500 watt elements

Click to expand...

Any inexpensive place to get them?

Ramitt said:

You planning to start a nano brewery?

Click to expand...

lastsecondapex said:

Eventually, but I need to further refine my recipes and technique first. It will be a long way off- SC professional brewing laws are pretty difficult to weed through if you aren't independently wealthy.

Click to expand...

So you'll get to legally practice less than 4 times / year? Or you'll refine your recipes on a smaller scale?

IrregularPulse said:

So you'll get to legally practice less than 4 times / year? Or you'll refine your recipes on a smaller scale?

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Haha, technically after the trub of my unfiltered dipa's and RIS's, I'll hope to yield 35-40gal of finished product, and I'll probably not be able to start my first batch in this until August or September. So, yeah, I'll be working mostly on my 10 gal setup.

lastsecondapex said:

Any inexpensive place to get them?

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Elements are cheap, building the panel can cost some money. Kals www.theelectricbrewery.com has a thread on a 50 amp panel.

Would I really need the panel though?

I would think that if I had the heating elements 3x4500w or 2x6000w wired in a circuit via a 220v outlet with a timer and switch, wouldn't I just be able to lauter and submerge the chiller manually as normal?

What are the benefits to the panel?

lastsecondapex said:

Would I really need the panel though?

I would think that if I had the heating elements 3x4500w or 2x6000w wired in a circuit via a 220v outlet with a timer and switch, wouldn't I just be able to lauter and submerge the chiller manually as normal?

What are the benefits to the panel?

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Submerge the chiller? That's going to be one big chiller!:rockin:

whitehause said:

Submerge the chiller? That's going to be one big chiller!:rockin:

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Agreed. Might be better to recirculate via a counter flow or plate chiller. I have a 100' 1/2" copper chiller and that's as big as I'd like to man handle.

BBL_Brewer said:

Agreed. Might be better to recirculate via a counter flow or plate chiller. I have a 100' 1/2" copper chiller and that's as big as I'd like to man handle.

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I thought about that... I just hate cleaning and sanitizing more parts than absolutely necessary. hmm...

I just run boiling wort through my CFC for 3-4 mins at the end of the boil, then when finished run clean water through for a couple of mins.. I bet it's easier to clean than an Immersion Chiller

joeybeer said:

I just run boiling wort through my CFC for 3-4 mins at the end of the boil, then when finished run clean water through for a couple of mins.. I bet it's easier to clean than an Immersion Chiller

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I'll look a bit more extensively into it then. I don't want this to get overly complicated compared to my current setup. I am stoked and a bit overwhelmed at the idea of all this right now.

I'll have to admit, the planning stages of a larger system can be a little overwhelming. Honestly I had planned to use a 40 plate chiller and recirculate instead of using an immersion. I ordered one off ebay that was advertised as 316 SS and when it arrived it had rust in it. I quickly sent it back and got a refund. With my budget limitations I ended up ordering a 100' coil of 1/2" copper since I couldn't afford a plate chiller made domestically. It works great, but it is a little akward to work with and is a bitc% to clean/get all the water out of.

I did DIY with a copper coil inside a hose.. If you could find a hose slightly larger than the OD of the copper, it isn't hard to do..

I ordered 3 5,500 Watt Camco elements:

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-02963-14-Inch-Ripple-Element/dp/B000BPG4LI


Now, I have to install a sub-panel off of my main breaker box for 3 240v breakers with dedicated 220 outlets.

I have 200amp service to my main box and I am going to install a 100amp sub-panel. At best, I'll be able to draw 33amps to each element (they only require 24), which should bring 60 gallons of 170* water to a boil in around 25 minutes--not bad. The only draw back is temperature control. I haven't yet decided if I am going with a electric thermostat or old fashioned stove dials.

With 16500 watts and 60 gallons, I calculate about 80 minutes to reach the boil from 70F. Still not bad though...

I make 35 gallon batches and my boil kettle has two 4500 watt elements. At the start of brewday, I heat 50 gallons of water (strike plus sparge) from 50F to 160F and in my system it takes about 110 minutes. During the sparge, I turn on the elements as soon as they are covered with wort. By the time the sparge is completed, I am nearly at a boil.

Not crazy, VERY NICE!!

lastsecondapex said:

I have 200amp service to my main box and I am going to install a 100amp sub-panel. At best, I'll be able to draw 33amps to each element (they only require 24), which should bring 60 gallons of 170* water to a boil in around 25 minutes--not bad. The only draw back is temperature control. I haven't yet decided if I am going with a electric thermostat or old fashioned stove dials.

Click to expand...

stevehaun said:

With 16500 watts and 60 gallons, I calculate about 80 minutes to reach the boil from 70F. Still not bad though...

I make 35 gallon batches and my boil kettle has two 4500 watt elements. At the start of brewday, I heat 50 gallons of water (strike plus sparge) from 50F to 160F and in my system it takes about 110 minutes. During the sparge, I turn on the elements as soon as they are covered with wort. By the time the sparge is completed, I am nearly at a boil.

Click to expand...

Correct, edited to the intended 170F. My gas water heater is 100gallons and set at 170F as well (intentionally, to make brewing easier) so I usually just run my strike water through the faucet. I do sometimes scald myself when washing my hands though...

SpottedDogBrewing said:

Not crazy, VERY NICE!!

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Thank you! My first batch is going to be my Scotch Ale. I have 6 of these 55gal tanks for primary:




And I picked up 5 Jim Beam 55gal Bourbon Whiskey Barrels.

Black Food-grade barrels were only $15 each :rockin: (housed gherkin pickles, craigslist)

New bourbon barrels were only $80 each from a guy that buys them from Jim Beam.

No pickle smell?

No, these gherkins are shipped in a vinegar-free brine and repackaged into a vinegar solution here.

lastsecondapex said:

Eventually, but I need to further refine my recipes and technique first. It will be a long way off- SC professional brewing laws are pretty difficult to weed through if you aren't independently wealthy.

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Any more info on the SC laws that you've researched? I'm curious as to what it would take and what the best way to go would be in SC.

joenads said:

Any more info on the SC laws that you've researched? I'm curious as to what it would take and what the best way to go would be in SC.

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I'll have more information coming up online within the next few months- working into the winter.

Check up on www.extremeales.com and I will lay out all I know in the upcoming months.