Ruy Lopez
Well-Known Member
I'm putting together my plans to build a "brewing staircase" for a keg brewpot system. Anyone have measurements and/or pics of their working systems?
Specs for Keg Brewpot "Brewing Staircase"
- Thread starter Ruy Lopez
- Start date
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Ruy Lopez said:
Here's a pic of my setup that I posted in another thread:
Erector Brew System
If it fits what you're thinking of, let me know. I'll pass the specs on to you.
Ruy Lopez
Well-Known Member
Nice setup.
All that time you spent as a child playing with your Erector set has payed off I see.
Post away.
All that time you spent as a child playing with your Erector set has payed off I see.
Post away.
Janx
Well-Known Member
Uncle Fat's system looks really nice. Mine is much more simple. We basically built a staircase with 4x4 posts and dadoed 2x4 cross members. 3/4 in. plywood decks on the steps. Each step rises the height of one keg.
In retrospect, we have thought we could have just made 2 steps and put the lower burner and kettle on the ground. Our system is nowhere near as contained as Uncle Fat's. That thing looks like the setup.
In retrospect, we have thought we could have just made 2 steps and put the lower burner and kettle on the ground. Our system is nowhere near as contained as Uncle Fat's. That thing looks like the setup.
Ruy Lopez
Well-Known Member
Uncle Fat said:
Take your time. I'm not going to start for a least a week.
What size is that pot you have there?
Roughly how much did you spend on the whole setup?
Ruy Lopez
Well-Known Member
Janx said:
Do you have a picture? I'd love to see it. I may have to go with wood if costs run too high on the metal.
rightwingnut
Well-Known Member
Ruy...click the link on Uncle Fat's post.
Janx
Well-Known Member
Look up at post #2 for a link to Uncle Fat's setup.
Wood isn't necessarily a bad material. It's the compactness of Uncle Fat's system that's cool to me.
Hey Uncle Fat. How do you go into your chiller and then to your fermentor from the kettle? That's the only step in our process that requires a lift. We lift the kettle up to the second step (the mash tun step) after the boil, and let it flow via gravity through the chiller into the fermenter which is on ground level.
For that reason and recirculating my wort, I'm thinking about adding a pump to my setup. I'm interested to hear what you do.
Wood isn't necessarily a bad material. It's the compactness of Uncle Fat's system that's cool to me.
Hey Uncle Fat. How do you go into your chiller and then to your fermentor from the kettle? That's the only step in our process that requires a lift. We lift the kettle up to the second step (the mash tun step) after the boil, and let it flow via gravity through the chiller into the fermenter which is on ground level.
For that reason and recirculating my wort, I'm thinking about adding a pump to my setup. I'm interested to hear what you do.
Ruy Lopez
Well-Known Member
I saw the link. I was talking about a pic of YOUR system.
You been drinking too much of that Janx Spirit with Zaphod, Janx?
You been drinking too much of that Janx Spirit with Zaphod, Janx?
Janx said:
I use a 50' immersion chiller. With stirring, I've got it down to about 15 minutes for 10 gallons. There's already plenty of room for a bucket or carboy under the kettle. I may eventually go to a therminator. You can see a few extra inches of angle iron above the HLT platform. So if, and when I go therminator, I can raise up the kettle and HLT platforms by about 4 more inches (I'd have to extend the mash tun platform, but no real problem there). That's about all the extra height needed (therminator is pretty small).
Ruy Lopez said:
It's a 14 gal kettle. It's a bit of a pain for 10 gal batches when we boil 12.5 gallons (boilovers do occasionally happen). Last brew, we put the last 2 gallons of run off into a 3 gal pot on the top burner until after the foam boiled off and settled down a bit. By then, the extra 2 gallons was also boiling, so adding it into the pot didn't slow down the boil at all. I think that's going to become SOP from now on.
Oh, and I think total cost was around $400. I bought it all in bits and pieces, so I may be a little off one way or the other.
Janx
Well-Known Member
Ruy Lopez said:I saw the link. I was talking about a pic of YOUR system.
You been drinking too much of that Janx Spirit with Zaphod, Janx?
Yeah, well, my psychic abilities do feel a bit dulled.
I'll take a picture of Barney (our 3-tier) tomorrow during the daylight and post it. It's basically a big, burly staircase
Janx
Well-Known Member
Uncle Fat said:
Immersion...far out...I can't believe you get it chilled so fast. Ours definitely takes longer gravity-feeding through a counterflow chiller.
What is a therminator?
Janx said:
It's a homebrew version of a plate chiller. Very fast, very efficient, and very small (oh, and uh.... very expensive):
http://pivo.northernbrewer.com/nbstore/action/search-do?searchTerm=therminator&x=0&y=0
I'll have to save the pennies for a while, but it'll be worth it!
JEM Australia
Well-Known Member
If you want some plans, there is a book called "Brew Ware" by Karl Lutzen and Mark Stevens (Storey Books - Vermont). It has all sorts of plans and materials lists for making home brew equipment (including gravity flow towers). They also do some equipment surveys, discuss growing hops, culturing yeast etc etc.
Janx
Well-Known Member
Uncle Fat said:
That's a tight little unit! And, like you say, pricey. Thanks for the link
friscobeerguy
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- Jan 21, 2005
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wish I knew how all this cool stuff worked. Been brewing since Jan 1st and have been hooked. Next step is all grain.. which i'm sure gets me into these goodies. I've got to wait a while though cause the lady says i'm spending too much too quickly.
So far:
Five 5 gallon batches of ale
Keg system
5 kegs
4 spigots for the garage fridge
.. and I feel i'm just getting started.
So far:
Five 5 gallon batches of ale
Keg system
5 kegs
4 spigots for the garage fridge
.. and I feel i'm just getting started.
