40 Paces Brewery, Single Vessel e-BIAB

Just about to finish my rig and I thought I would post some photos ...

I decided on a low-cost, PID temperature controlled, single vessel, electric BIAB. As shown it is in it's Partial Mash configuration and I am getting my pump in the next day or 2 to allow for all grain.

... I will update with my 1st PM brew and 1st All Grain brew photos over the next couple weeks.

Basic design is a 5500W ULD water heater element controlled by a CD-100 PID with a K-type thermocouple. The element is at the bottom of an aluminum 60ish qt tamale pot using the steamer tray as a false bottom. The valve allows for draining or for circulating during mash with a March 809 and the PVC dripper seen the the photo.



The control box is a HD 8x8 plastic electrical box. As an EE, I have an unhealthy lack of fear of electricity. It is ultra simple in design, with several unrecommended short-cuts added in for arguement sake. Basic elements.. dryer plug to dryer outlet, PID/SSR/heatsink/thermocouple controlled 240V to dryer plug outlet, switched 120V power plug for pumps, switched 120V power to PID, LED indicating main 240V plugged in.



The heater element is a 5500W ULD element and brings the water to mash temp in about 10 min.



Other photos





Thanks!

Looks nice! My first thought was, "damn, he really fit a sh*tload of stuff into that enclosure."

So you just dangle your thermocouple into the wort?

Palefire said:

So you just dangle your thermocouple into the wort?

Click to expand...

Yup... I may eventually thru wall it, but by dropping it in I have one less thing that I have to disconnect if I want to wash the pot in the house.

Nice job -very similar to mine. Looks like the same wire cart as well. I clean my kettle in place, with Oxiclean water and a simple scrub brush/pump for recirculating. It is a very easy cleaning job compared to my older 3 keggle system.

Very cool, I used the next size smaller box from home depot for my build and decided to mount the heat sink outside the box instead of a fan. Nice job!

Auber now sells a quick disconnect RTD probe that allows you to disconnect it right at the pot which I just received in yesterday. Looks nice so far, but it didnt have a mounting nut with it.

Looking good, buddy! You have a great minimalist approach to homebrewing. I do suggest you mount the TC.

Cool set-up! I'm debating on going with a full-blown eHERMS rig or just going for the minimalist eBIAB approach.

Question - How do you keep the weight of the bag off the element? I'm assuming you don't just drop it in and leave it, do ya?

staab016 said:

Cool set-up! I'm debating on going with a full-blown eHERMS rig or just going for the minimalist eBIAB approach.

Question - How do you keep the weight of the bag off the element? I'm assuming you don't just drop it in and leave it, do ya?

Click to expand...

I think he has a false bottom type cover to separate the two from touching. Where did you get that pot? It looks sweet.

I am using a very cheap aluminum tamale pot. $40ish at Fiesta. It has the steamer false bottom that keeps everything safely above the element.

If you look at the 1st photo you can see the indent that the false bottom sits on.

If you look at the 3rd photo you can see the steamer insert (false bottom)

Argh I want that pot!

You've inspired me. In spite of the fact that I just upgraded my "brewery", I desperately want one of these in my laundry room for winter brewing. Just might make it happen, if I can find a decently priced 60 qt pot of some type or another...no fiesta's around here!

shortyjacobs said:

Argh I want that pot!

You've inspired me. In spite of the fact that I just upgraded my "brewery", I desperately want one of these in my laundry room for winter brewing. Just might make it happen, if I can find a decently priced 60 qt pot of some type or another...no fiesta's around here!

Click to expand...

I dunno about Minnesota, but tamale pots like that are pretty easy to find around here. Usually they are more like 30-40qt size, though. I used to brew in one on my kitchen stovetop in my old apartment.

I did a search on these and it looks like the IMUSA 32 qt. tamale pot is available at Target stores for about $20-$30 after shipping and the 50 qt. pot is here for $53 http://www.homevillage.us/50qtcoalstpo.html

2nd eBIAB PM batch..... Newcastle Brown clone. All grain next week.

Nice! How'd you come up with the name, "40 Paces?"

A few photos on my final debug for all grain....

Here is the complete system.



The open project box is temporary. In the photo I have an analog clock wired to the ssr enable line to measure element on time (elapsed on time x 5500w = my power per batch). Turns out I need about 9 kWh or about $0.91 for a 5 gallon full boil batch with a 60 minute boil.

Here is my sparge setup. I was pretty pleased with it's pattern.





Here is the boil setup, pump removed and running at 98C. (normally the bag would be removed)




Picked up my supplies from AHS today. 1st all grain will be a Amarillo/Centenial IPA, probably on Friday night.

Will post some photos then.

A few numbers.... for 6 gallon starting water.

tap to 155F = 15 minutes
155 to boil = 20 minutes

... could be faster, but pid slows as it approaches each temp.

Ran my 1st all grain batch last night....

Recipe is a simple Amarillo/Centenial IPA.
9 lbs 2Row
2 lbs Munich
1 lb Crystal 60
60 min Amarillo 1oz
30 min Amarillo 1oz
dry hop with Amarillo 1oz and Centenial 1oz

I requested / got a med-fine crush from AHS.



System setup and on its way to temp.



A few minutes after mash in and the color is starting to come thru pretty well.



Approaching the end of the mash.



I started 6gallon, lost 0.5 or so to the grain, and then rinsed with 1.0 to get my pre-boil to around 6.5.



A few minutes later, full boil....




In the end, with the med-fine crush, 6 gallon mash, 60 minutes @ 155, 10 minutes @ 170, 1 gallon rinse, it appears that I have about 67% efficiency.

Setup was very easy and the PID did a great "set it and forget it" job of getting my water to 155 while I ate supper. Change over to boil, was very good as well. 1 hose clamp and no loss.

Pretty happy with the results. Taste test in 4 weeks.

Nice build!

I am going to build something very similar. Can you list the parts you used please.

More specifically PID, controller, SSR and probe. And maybe a wiring diagram?

Cheers

Purchased:

March 809-PL-HS INLINE W/Base & 6ft cord w/plug (300563131104)
ebay (chugbrew) $123
Camco Mfg 5500W 240V Ripp Element 2963
amazon( Ron's Home and Hardware). $19
KEG weldless bulkhead kit
web(bargainfittings.com) $16
PID Temperature Control Heater K Probe Relay SSR 40A Item# 120705522696
ebay (dinicoinc) $48
"Seville Classics SHE18304 18x34x33-1/2 Industrial Cart, Chrome"
amazon $64
XL Aluminum Tamale Steamer w lid/steamer insert
fiesta $39
Jumbo Coarse Nylon Bag
austinhomebrewsupply $6
10’ ½” hose
austinhomebrewsupply $10
Cantex 8 in. Junction Box
homedepot $23
15’ of 4 conductor #10
homedepot $15
4 prong appliance plug male
homedepot $10
4 prong appliance plug female
homedepot $10
2 110AC light switches
homedepot $2
2 110AC plug
homedepot $2
pvc (5pcs 90, 1pc T, 1 hose adapter, 5’ tubing)
homedepot $20
4’ 4 prong dryer plug kit
fry’s $13
power distribution block
fry’s $5

Other: (bits n pieces laying around)

Assorted small guage wire
Assorted hose clamps
PC fan
110-12V wall-wort adapter

ShakerD said:

And maybe a wiring diagram?

Click to expand...

Sorry. As I mention in my 1st post, this electrical design is not recommended to anyone for the following reasons.

1. No fuse protection.
2. No chassis grounding.
3. Inappropriate/unsafe use/connection of wall - wort.

There are lots of great 1PID/1Thermocouple designs in this forum. I recommend one of them.

Thanks!

howabouttheiris said:

Recipe is a simple Amarillo/Centenial IPA.
9 lbs 2Row
2 lbs Munich
1 lb Crystal 60
60 min Amarillo 1oz
30 min Amarillo 1oz
dry hop with Amarillo 1oz and Centenial 1oz

Click to expand...

Realized I never did post the results of this brew.

It turned out really nice. The malt-bitterness is where my palate likes it. The only thing that I can say is that I would do differently is use 1/2 as much Munich or sub it with something else all together next time (It is faint, but I dislike the level of biscuit I am getting from the Munich).

I copied this setup almost exactly (including the EE overconfidence in electricity control box setup). I did find that the Fiesta Mart pots are fairly flimsy and I've had some issues with bumping my weldless fitting ball valve, bending the pot slightly, and causing a slow leak. I'm moving everything over to a keggle this weekend though so it's not really an issue.

Do you use a hop bag / spider of any sort or just throw the leaves / pellets directly into the boil? If you toss em right in, do you do anything special to strain them out when transferring to your fermenter?

I have had no issues with the pot so far.... I suspect that at some point I will upgrade.

I am a bit cramped on a 10 gallon IPA, so maybe a move to a 80 or 100qt aluminum pot will happen.... but somehow I suspect then I will be complaining about my 15 gallon batch not fitting....

I toss the hops (whatever I can get, but usually pellets) directly into the boil. I do not do anything to strain them out.... with leaf hops the steamer false bottom will actually catch most of the leaves and only a few make it into the fermenter.

howabouttheiris said:

I have had no issues with the pot so far....

Click to expand...

If you are using this pot, be sure to add standoffs to the bottom of the pot, such that the weight of the grains is not entirely on the edge of the pot. My pot eventually self destructed. It is an ultra low cost option, and nothing better than that.

see https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/warning-tamale-pots-all-grain-biab-276854/ for details.


LUCKILY.... Austin Homebrew Supply had their 88qt stainless on sale for $79.00 last week and I picked one up.

It was converted with my element and ballvalve last Friday and I put two 10g batches thru it last Saturday.

Have you had any problems with the PID? I purchased the same one and the instructions are less than helpful

The only issue that I had with the PID, was that out of the box it would not power on. A quick ebay email and they told me that sometimes the board inside comes unseated in travel. With a replug I was underway.....

What problems are you seeing?

This is all I had for a manual.

http://mightyohm.com/wiki/_media/resources:cd-101-instruction-manul-including-pv-adjustment.pdf

Great writeup! Does anyone know if the 5500W ULDs can directly touch a fully loaded voile bag without burning through?

Hi howabouttheiris,

I noticed you have a pump and recirc the wort. To improve clarity if you recirced the water through the bag after you had pulled it out, while it was dangling, do you think the pulled out bag would filter the wort? I was thinking that it might since it is already pulled out and wont be jossled and leak all the fine filtered material.

ODI3 said:

To improve clarity if you recirced the water through the bag after you had pulled it out, while it was dangling, do you think the pulled out bag would filter the wort?

Click to expand...

It probably would help anything in suspension. For me, it was not worth the manipulation of hot hoses.

I actually find that by the end of cooling, the fine particles for the most part settle to the bottom under the pickup. By the time the wort drains down to the pickup there is maybe 1-2 quarts that I need to be careful with. I usually just dump the best of it off and take a small sub-quart loss. It will just settle out in fermentation.

As a BIAB, no-chill guy, I just started dumping everything from the kettle into the fermentor, trub and all (more precisely, not worrying about how much of it made it into the fermentor). It all settles out in time and yields clear beer. Cold crashing and gelatin can accelerate the process.

As a point of interested for the elec box, a vent would make the fan more effective? just a thought.