First Recipe to Brew on a New Electric Rig?

So, as the title states, what do you think would be the best recipe to brew first on a new electric rig? Working out the bugs is important before you jump straight into barleywine!

My build is HERE. It's an all electric single vessel build where I wanted to prove that you could do in one vessel what most rigs do with three. The central concept is using a big screened basket to work as a mashtun and also filter hops during the boil.

I would do a SMaSH or a simple amber on the first run. Something without a lot of additions in case your running around like a mad man

Just added a poll.

A badass system demands a badass recipe.

10gal simple batch, something without a lot of hop additions that will keep you busy throughout the boil. You'll have your hands full using all that new shiny stainless for the first time.

I would do something bigger. I mean, you aren't going to have inherent off-flavors with this system IMO. The question is how well the basket etc. will work. Test that sucker out. IPA all the way.

Go cheap and easy man. I'm going to make a SNPA clone for my first run with my electric system.

Do a big beer with a large grain bill and lots of hops. max the system out. I agree with BK, I wouldn't worry about off flavors from the system itself if you're confident with brewing in general.

My only concern about off flavors was from the JB weld in the basket....everything else is stainless. I've boiled a few times in it, so I'm hoping that got rid of any plasticky flavors. Also scrubbed everything with BKF and ran an oxiclean recirc.

If you are worried about construction effecting flavor, do a hot water soak for a day and taste the resulting water. Maybe add some lemon juice to drop the acidity a bit.

The only reason why I think it's an issue is because I can smell the epoxy when I open the lid after it's been covered for a few days. It has that "new car smell"....but not the good kind. The basket has had PLENTY of time to cure...am I being paranoid?

Big grain bill, big hop additions, big batch size. Max that sucker out, I have a feeling it may surprise you with just how capable it is.

Besides, what are you worried about, you don't even have to open the valves by hand.



Beer, IPA, cold.

ScubaSteve said:

The only reason why I think it's an issue is because I can smell the epoxy when I open the lid after it's been covered for a few days. It has that "new car smell"....but not the good kind. The basket has had PLENTY of time to cure...am I being paranoid?

Click to expand...

Kryptonite - Superman
JBWeld - Wort Contact

All in my opinion of course, but the only weakness to your most excellent brew structure is the JB Weld. I'd be surprised if you stick with it beyond 1 brew as it is going to wear you down. I had the same issue with Silicone on a fermenter and eventually tore it all out and went another way.

I already scraped most of it out with a chisel....cut out and replaced the whole bottom of the basket with beautiful perforated SS. The only remaining JB weld is a few spots keeping the screen adhered to the basket. It's pretty inert once it's cured (as is silicone) so I'm sure I'll be fine. If I decide to rip it all out and start from scratch, I'll go with something like 15 mesh and just bolt the screen in vs. gluing it. A $30 fix. Adapt and overcome, baby!

Back to recipe....thinking of doing a Modus Hoperandi Clone. It is an AWESOME IPA....we're talking close to 2 lbs. of hops when you figure in the dry hopping.

Okay, so here's what I went with....lots of grain, and LOTS of hops....almost 2 lbs.; ALL PELLET:

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: MODUS HOPERANDI CLONE
Brewer: ScubaSteve
Asst Brewer:
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Boil Size: 12.33 gal
Estimated OG: 1.076 SG
Estimated Color: 14.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 105.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
22.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 86.54 %
1.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6.73 %
1.75 lb Wheat, Red (6.0 SRM) Grain 6.73 %
2.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (90 min) Hops 41.0 IBU
2.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (30 min) Hops 23.6 IBU
4.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 25.9 IBU
2.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 4.2 IBU
2.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (5 min) Hops 10.7 IBU
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (0 min) (ArHops -
4.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-SteepHops -
5.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
5.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 Hops -
2.00 items FERMCAP (Boil 90.0 min) Misc
2.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
14.00 gal Chicago, IL Water
2 Pkgs British Ale (Wyeast Labs #1098) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 26.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 8.06 gal of water at 166.6 F 152.0 F
20 min Basket Sparge Sprinkle hot water over suspended basket until boil volume is reached.

Notes:
------
Inaugural brew on the Unibrew 5500. Lots of grain, almost 2 lbs of HOPS!

I may throw some kind of extra mesh over my perforated SS bottom....it's pretty much suicide to throw that much slime through a rig the first day out.:cross:

Knock it out the park Scuba!!!!!! Us single vessel all electric guys got to step up to the plate!

That recipe looks awesome. Have fun, buddy.

I'm glad to hear that you are going with a big one.

So much for op-testing this thing gradually.....it's going to be in a COLD garage, no insulation, more pellet hops than I've ever used, and using a plate chiller for the first time. I've already leak tested everything and the unit is more than capable of heating everything....now my main concern is clogging...but I'm triple/quadruple filtering the wort before it gets to the chiller (basket, kettle, plus 2 filters in the hopback), so it should be okay.

Hopefully this thing will be the Glock of brew rigs. I will be videotaping the process and we shall see!

AND HERE IT IS!!!!! This was an incredible amount of hops!!!! It needs a bit of fine tuning; mainly in sealing the gaps at the bottom of the basket (much less hop matter would have made it into the system if there were a better seal). All in all, this sucker handled everything I threw at it.

I am thoroughly impressed Steve. You have possibly the highest capability to size of rig ratio on the board, good work.

klyph said:

I am thoroughly impressed Steve. You have possibly the highest capability to size of rig ratio on the board, good work.

Click to expand...

That is a huge compliment; thank you! That's saying a lot when you see some of these other rigs. I'm going to do a few more tweaks in regards to the screen, And I think it's going to get even better! :rockin:

samc said:

Kryptonite - Superman
JBWeld - Wort Contact

All in my opinion of course, but the only weakness to your most excellent brew structure is the JB Weld. I'd be surprised if you stick with it beyond 1 brew as it is going to wear you down. I had the same issue with Silicone on a fermenter and eventually tore it all out and went another way.

Click to expand...

Guilty as charged Check out my thread for how I'm going to adapt and overcome!

EDIT: And I just yanked the screen out and scraped every last square inch of the basket with a chisel. Silicone gaskets, here we come!

Glad to hear you had success! Got my 5th batch in on my single vessel electric BIAB this weekend this single vessel brewing ROCKS!.