Brewhemoth conicals?

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For those that own a brewhemoth 2.0, do the legs allow for casters? I'd love to be able to wheel 15 gallons, rather then ensuring it's location for entire fermentation.
 
For those that own a brewhemoth 2.0, do the legs allow for casters? I'd love to be able to wheel 15 gallons, rather then ensuring it's location for entire fermentation.

id not recommend it without modifying it yourself to make them work properly. you could just slap some on but it won't be very stable... im going to have a friend weld an iron trolly to widen the base, drop the legs into square tube so its more stable, and add some nice casters that could handle some rug/thin carpet action
 
Definitely agree. You would need the legs to be welded to the fermenter, not bolted. Plus they could do with support between legs given their length and weight they need to support.
 
I'll run some tests as soon as I get the pump. I usually don't crank the heat on the PBW-mix above 150F but it's a valid point. For the price of the pump, it's worth the trial. Otherwise it's a much more expensive option for a CIP that is more for fun than function.

Brew on!

I used to use a similar pump to clean my kegs until it blew a seal and ran oil thru the kegs I was cleaning. I used hot tap water and Oxi which probably started at around 125-130 degrees but may have heated up more with the heat from the pump.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/more-keg-questions-can-cleaned-214185/
 
Here is the details listed on Ebay.

Flow 3700 GPH
900 watt Motor
110V
1-1/4" & 1-1/2" DISCHARGE FITTING
Oil Free Motor
Thermal overload protection
Thermoplastic construction
Corrosion Resistant
 
So, who has the best cooling method figgerd out for these things now? I would award merit to both cold-crash and merely lager-ferment systems. I've been tearing my head off how to do things. I'd really like to be able to cold crash in the fermenter, but this isn't an absolute necessity. Method one involves using a commercial glass or solid door fridge.

Advantages:
Can ferment a 5G batch for use as a starter for a full half bbl batch
Can see the bling (if glass door)
It's done and ready from the get-go (don't need to build anything (already have controllers))

Disadvantages:
That's all it will be for
Expensive

Another method involves using water/glycol, stored in a chest freezer and pumped through a stainless immersion coil via the top port (the one they sell or otherwise).

Advantages:
Can store other stuff like elk in the freezer
Can buy a new unit (new commercial fridges are bucks, looking at used units)
Likely cheaper
Could always convert to collared dispenser


Disadvantages:

Can't do my 5G batches to get the yeast for the 15G batches first
Might not look as cool.
Have to buy/make the cooling coil
Have to make an insulated chamber (if I have a prayer of crash cooling, and/or give a damn about efficiency. Was thinking about just a 'drop-on' box with 2 or 4'' polyurethane panels for insulation.


What do you guys think?
 
Am leaning toward the chest freezer method, but still would not know how to make 5G (in a carboy) of lager first (as the yeast starter and to drink).
 
Am leaning toward the chest freezer method, but still would not know how to make 5G (in a carboy) of lager first (as the yeast starter and to drink).

I think I'm going to do a bucket of glycol in a freezer (I have an extra 5cf one sitting around) and a pond pump thru the coil insert for now. Well, once I get one of these fermenters. In time I would like to have 4 of these and then go to a chiller unit like these LINKY to run them all with some redhat valves.
 
I have mine in a standup freezer with a Ranco controller. I bought a thermowell from brewers hardware. This setup is the best thing I have done for my brewing.

I get dead on ferm temps, can cold crash with ease and can lager if I desire. Plus it is efficient only having to maintain temps in the freezer takes minimum energy. Love it!
 
I have mine in a standup freezer with a Ranco controller. I bought a thermowell from brewers hardware. This setup is the best thing I have done for my brewing.

I get dead on ferm temps, can cold crash with ease and can lager if I desire. Plus it is efficient only having to maintain temps in the freezer takes minimum energy. Love it!

got a link to the thermowell that you're using? Are you using it thru the top "blowoff" port?
 
I ordered mine today with the drop in chiller. Now I need to figure out what all I need to buy for it.

What goodies are you all using with yours?
 
FSR402 said:
I ordered mine today with the drop in chiller. Now I need to figure out what all I need to buy for it.

What goodies are you all using with yours?

For mine, first of all I bought a stand up freezer which is funny because it cost me a lot more than my fermentor did. 1" buttlerfly valve for the sample/racking port. 1.5" butterfly for a dump valve. 1" sanitary T so I can put my 20" thermowell sown into it and a 3/4" barb fitting for a blow off tube.
 
Celtic,

If using a controller on the stand up freezer, could you avoid the thermowell. I realize the heat from the yeast doing their business would generate a few degrees more, but you could avoid all the addition stainless.

The only reason I ask is because my wife is looking for our 5yr anniv gift. I am seriously considering brewhemoth with ball valves and chiller. I just completed a new ebrewery with stainless 3-pieces so I'm going to avoid tri's on dump and rack.
 
Squeeky said:
Celtic,

If using a controller on the stand up freezer, could you avoid the thermowell. I realize the heat from the yeast doing their business would generate a few degrees more, but you could avoid all the addition stainless.

The only reason I ask is because my wife is looking for our 5yr anniv gift. I am seriously considering brewhemoth with ball valves and chiller. I just completed a new ebrewery with stainless 3-pieces so I'm going to avoid tri's on dump and rack.

Sure. You can tape the probe to the side and then tape some insulation over that. I just like having the probe right in the heart of it. But for sure no problems if you do as mentioned above.
 
It's a thing of beauty. Fantastic welds. Legs are sturdier than I expected but I'll add some cross bracing to be extra sure.

Pics to follow.
:ban::ban::ban::ban::ban::ban::ban::ban:
 
Just for the record, I do not work for Five Star Chemicals but I just wanted to report that I LOOOOOVE Liquid Circulation Cleaner #1 for my CIP solution. This caustic doesn't foam and does an amazing job of cleaning up the Brewhemoth. Even the crustiest of krausens! Seek this stuff out if you are doing a CIP!
 
Just for the record, I do not work for Five Star Chemicals but I just wanted to report that I LOOOOOVE Liquid Circulation Cleaner #1 for my CIP solution. This caustic doesn't foam and does an amazing job of cleaning up the Brewhemoth. Even the crustiest of krausens! Seek this stuff out if you are doing a CIP!

Thanks for the info. I was going to need to find a good CIP cleaner that does not foam to much. I too love the 5-Star products.
 
woot! new one arrived last night without damage from UPS!!! time for a clean and get ready for a brew day tomorrow! got over $400 in triclover parts ready and waiting including some stuff for my kettle to output into the hemoth... no i need to save up for the CIP parts and the glycol pump system for the chiller
 
Guys, i am going to be ordering the triclover brewhemoth in the next few days. I am going to add a triclover ferrule to the front for a thermometer..... Is there anything else that you would recommend? Is there anything that you wish you had customized a bit?
 
jamcclureuk said:
Guys, i am going to be ordering the triclover brewhemoth in the next few days. I am going to add a triclover ferrule to the front for a thermometer..... Is there anything else that you would recommend? Is there anything that you wish you had customized a bit?

Don't get the ferrule in my opinion. Just one more weld to worry about. Get a "t" on top and put a thermowell on top.

Like this;


image-576938297.jpg
 
I'm not worried about the welds... these guys know what they're doing. The T with thermowell is a good idea, but I have grown accustomed to having the dial thermometer on the front.
 
jamcclureuk said:
I'm not worried about the welds... these guys know what they're doing. The T with thermowell is a good idea, but I have grown accustomed to having the dial thermometer on the front.

I have one, and not to dig, but I would worry about the welds.
 
I have one, and not to dig, but I would worry about the welds.

I just got mine yesterday. I got to say, the welds suck. I even have a spot on the inside weld at the top where someone took a pencil grinder to it. It looks bad. I will need to change how I do things on brew day with this. Thinking I'm going to heat sanitize it instead of starsan. Will be boiling 25 gallons of water, pumping it to the BH and let it sit until it's time to sparge. Then pump that water to my HLT for sparging. I figure if it sits full of 200+* water for 30 minutes or so that should kill anything hiding in the crappy welds.
My other complaint would be the legs. Really? 3/8 studs butt welded on and the legs have like 5/8 slots. They shipped it with some thin 3/8 washers to "take up the gap" though. LOL. Come on, if the legs have 5/8 slots why not just weld 5/8 studs on it?
I understand that for the price this is what you get and I may end up getting another one some day. But they could be so much better


EDIT: I need to explain something. When I say that the welds suck I don't mean that they are weak, pitted, spotty or blown thru. The welds look solid, they are just not polished as one would expect it to be in a fermenter. As stated the BH has room to improve but with those improvements will come longer lead times and higher price.
 
I just got mine yesterday. I got to say, the welds suck. I even have a spot on the inside weld at the top where someone took a pencil grinder to it. It looks bad. I will need to change how I do things on brew day with this. Thinking I'm going to heat sanitize it instead of starsan. Will be boiling 25 gallons of water, pumping it to the BH and let it sit until it's time to sparge. Then pump that water to my HLT for sparging. I figure if it sits full of 200+* water for 30 minutes or so that should kill anything hiding in the crappy welds.
My other complaint would be the legs. Really? 3/8 studs butt welded on and the legs have like 5/8 slots. They shipped it with some thin 3/8 washers to "take up the gap" though. LOL. Come on, if the legs have 5/8 slots why not just weld 5/8 studs on it?
I understand that for the price this is what you get and I may end up getting another one some day. But they could bo so much better

Well crap, now I am rethinking my decision. :confused:
 
jamcclureuk said:
Well crap, now I am rethinking my decision. :confused:

For the money, it's good. It may be wasteful, but I fill mine all the way up with Oxy solution and let it soak for a day or two. Then the day before brew day I do the same with Starsan solution. I just don't trust the welds. With this method however I can say I have not had a bad batch yet (fingers crossed). I just wouldn't have them weld anything extra on for you.
 
Well crap, now I am rethinking my decision. :confused:

No don't.. I did not mean to bash the BH. For the money it is well worth it.
The BH could be better then it is yes, but, then you would end up paying twice as much for it. Like I said, I will more then likely buy another one some day. I'm not unhappy with it, I was just pointing out the "short comings" I found with it.
 
FSR402 said:
No don't.. I did not mean to bash the BH. For the money it is well worth it.
The BH could be better then it is yes, but, then you would end up paying twice as much for it. Like I said, I will more then likely buy another one some day. I'm not unhappy with it, I was just pointing out the "short comings" I found with it.

I was going to build a nice CIP system for it, but with the welds I trust in a nice long soak.
 
I edited my earlier post. I was a bit harsh and it came across as bashing the BH. I did not mean it to be that way. I was just stating my observation, but did it wrong and did not explain it well.

I would not hesitate buying another one of these as stated many many times in this thread for the price there is no way to beat this fermenter.
 
I have not used mine yet... but i have no worries about the welds as long as they don't leak.

Yes the welds are visible and not polished... but really i could care less... if i wanted polished welds i would have gone with the Blingmann and paid more for a unit without triclamp fittings.

When i spoke with josh on the phone after i got the tank damaged by UPS... he told me that it had happened before to other orders too and means UPS damaged it as they pressure test each hemoth before it goes out to make sure there are no weak points or holes in the welds. this means the welds should be more than fine. The top cap weld is a little on the rough side but that is expected without much room to get in and polish it like the bottom welds.

So far the only things noticed that i would change would be to see if the leg bolts could be a size bigger for the slots in the legs. also the top bolt is a touch low and it doesn't quite rest on the top of the notch it fits through like the bottom one does.

i would also love to have a 6"-8" tri-clamp fitting on top instead of 4"... this would make it easier to get into to polish the top cap weld and allow for more access by the brewer as well while still doing everything else the same

as of right now the larger TC fitting is not an option without a decent chunk of modification when they are made...this would raise the price by 20% or so i bet.

At some point i will break out the dremel and polish the inside of the cap welds... but for now im not worried about it.

the only thing i am worried about is if i put 18-20 gallons of juice to make wine in this thing...will the bolts still hold the tank up well? has anyone had any experience with this at all?
 
I have not used mine yet... but i have no worries about the welds as long as they don't leak.

Yes the welds are visible and not polished... but really i could care less... if i wanted polished welds i would have gone with the Blingmann and paid more for a unit without triclamp fittings.

When i spoke with josh on the phone after i got the tank damaged by UPS... he told me that it had happened before to other orders too and means UPS damaged it as they pressure test each hemoth before it goes out to make sure there are no weak points or holes in the welds. this means the welds should be more than fine. The top cap weld is a little on the rough side but that is expected without much room to get in and polish it like the bottom welds.

So far the only things noticed that i would change would be to see if the leg bolts could be a size bigger for the slots in the legs. also the top bolt is a touch low and it doesn't quite rest on the top of the notch it fits through like the bottom one does.

i would also love to have a 6"-8" tri-clamp fitting on top instead of 4"... this would make it easier to get into to polish the top cap weld and allow for more access by the brewer as well while still doing everything else the same

as of right now the larger TC fitting is not an option without a decent chunk of modification when they are made...this would raise the price by 20% or so i bet.

At some point i will break out the dremel and polish the inside of the cap welds... but for now im not worried about it.

the only thing i am worried about is if i put 18-20 gallons of juice to make wine in this thing...will the bolts still hold the tank up well? has anyone had any experience with this at all?

If your asking if the legs will hold with 20 gallons, yes they will. I had a batch that was 20 gallons that I hooked up a top cropper with. No problems there.
 
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