I give you THE BEAST

So here is what my wife now refers to as the other woman after a lot of time invested from design to fabrication. I could not have done this without this forum and hope some of my ideas can be useful for you.

Lessons learned:

• 
  Stainless tubing has to be bent and flared with higher end tools. Not the junk you buy from an auto parts supplier. They are worth buying if you like to fabricate too.

• 
  I used 3/8" tubing and wish I used 1/2" tubing. 3/8" moves fluid too slow and eats up a lot of time when transferring fluids. Cost would not be much more either.

• 
  All my tube steel was free but weighs a bunch when assembled. I would use thinner wall and smaller tube next time.

• 
  I would start out with the largest burner system I could reasonably use for both the HLT and boil kettle. I originally had the little jet engine sounding noise makers on there before and they did not provide enough BTU's.

Other than that, the system runs awesome!

Here are a few more pics

and even more

Freaking Fantastic!!!
Just curious what made you decide to go with hard lines vs hoses with quick disconnects (other than the awsome factor)? How much time has this system cut down on your brewdays?

That is a very sweet setup, nicely done.

Deuce said:

Freaking Fantastic!!!
Just curious what made you decide to go with hard lines vs hoses with quick disconnects (other than the awsome factor)? How much time has this system cut down on your brewdays?

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There is just something about hoses that worries me. To many places for bad critters to hide and ruin your brew. The stainless heats up with boiling water cleaning out the crud and cavity creeps every time.

After a bit of trial and error, brew day is going faster and faster. The combination of everything being there at a valve turn makes life easier cutting a bunch of wasted time.

Man thats lookin good, nice other woman! My wife is happy that I am home "messing with that brewery stuff" rather than off getting into trouble with my friends! I am thinking of building my rig from spare chromoly tube that was used to build a fuel cell cage in a track car, that should lighten it up a little.

holy lord that is awesome.

I have to say nice job, but I'm a little confused. If I understnd your system correctly you have 2 thermometers in the MT, why?
In the BK I recognize a pickup tube, fill tube and a recirc tube, what do you use the other 1 for? if its a drain tube wouldn't it have been easier to consolidate to just a recirc/fill and drain/pickup tube? Nothing wrong with your design, just trying to wrap my head around it.

outstanding

looks sweet, nice work!

Holy Hop Strainers Batman!!!

That is one awesome setup. But seriously, who really uses a wort chiller anymore?

Extremely professional. I know you've just finished putting a ton of work into it...but you've GOTTA polish the stainless and the copper now.

One question - why is the dip tube for your boil kettle's outlet valve drawing from the center of the kettle? I notice you've got your inlet oriented to whirlpool; wouldn't you want to draw out the chilled wort from the side if you're whirlpooling? I thought the idea was to herd all the sediment into a pile in the middle and then draw the wort off in such a way as to leave that pile mostly behind. (I don't whirlpool yet, myself, so I might have this totally wrong.)

That's downright sexy!

She's a beauty. Your wife has reason to be jealous.

Nice job. Lot of Brain Power there.

beerthirty said:

I have to say nice job, but I'm a little confused. If I understnd your system correctly you have 2 thermometers in the MT, why?
In the BK I recognize a pickup tube, fill tube and a recirc tube, what do you use the other 1 for? if its a drain tube wouldn't it have been easier to consolidate to just a recirc/fill and drain/pickup tube? Nothing wrong with your design, just trying to wrap my head around it.

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That is probably the end of the thermometer. It protrudes about two/three inches in.

ReeseAllen said:

Extremely professional. I know you've just finished putting a ton of work into it...but you've GOTTA polish the stainless and the copper now.

One question - why is the dip tube for your boil kettle's outlet valve drawing from the center of the kettle? I notice you've got your inlet oriented to whirlpool; wouldn't you want to draw out the chilled wort from the side if you're whirlpooling? I thought the idea was to herd all the sediment into a pile in the middle and then draw the wort off in such a way as to leave that pile mostly behind. (I don't whirlpool yet, myself, so I might have this totally wrong.)

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To be honest, I ran out of 3/8" tubing to make one to draw off the side. I was waiting for a better excuse to buy another 100' roll. So far I have not noticed a huge difference with it drawing from the side. I'll pull as much trub and junk out as a I can with a strainer anyway after cooling.

azredneck, I'm refering to these two pics. MT with two thermometers, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachments/f51/14182d1263080243-i-give-you-beast-dsc_5525-2-.jpg
Abd BK with four fluid paths https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachments/f51/14197d1263080599-i-give-you-beast-dsc_5845.jpg

beerthirty said:

azredneck, I'm refering to these two pics. MT with two thermometers, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachments/f51/14182d1263080243-i-give-you-beast-dsc_5525-2-.jpg
Abd BK with four fluid paths https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachments/f51/14197d1263080599-i-give-you-beast-dsc_5845.jpg

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Gotcha! The top drain tube is for sparging off the MT. I wanted to see the color of the wort coming out so I can decide when to shut it down. If I drained it through the recirc line then the output would eventually get covered up. I was taught by a buddy that owns Brewers Connection out here not to sparge too much because it starts to release stuff you don't want out of the mash.

Also the two thermometers are so I can see the temperature stratification in the grain bed. Before I installed the second one, I wondered how much temp difference might exist. The second guage shows it can be substantial making the HERMS appreciated more as it really evens out the temperature throughout the mash.

Nice job, azredneck.

I would suggest a good soak with a phosphoric acid/nitric acid blend to remove the beer stone from your vessels. The stainless should be as clean and shiny inside and out.

Wayne1 said:

Nice job, azredneck.

I would suggest a good soak with a phosphoric acid/nitric acid blend to remove the beer stone from your vessels. The stainless should be as clean and shiny inside and out.

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I hear you. Any ideas where I could find it? It is soaking in Oxyclean as I type.

Oxyclean or any alkaline cleaner is very good for organic soils. For inorganic, like beer stone, you need to use an acid.

Five Star makes a product called ACID 5 that is a blend of phosphoric and nitric acid. This is what I used to use when I brewed professionally and what I still use as a home brewer.

This is available to be ordered by any homebrew shop. It should also be available from Five Star direct.

You could use straight phosphoric, but in a higher concentration.

If you do have problems getting some, PM me and I'll see if I might be able to find some for you.

Perfect. I am sure I can track some down with that info. Thanks!

A work of art!

VERY nice. +1 to the polish, ya GOTTA do it

Do you think you could've pulled this off without bending the tubing? I.e., maybe used a few more swagelok elbows, etc.? What wall thickness did you go for on the tube?

Great looking build. Congrats!

looks pretty sanitary.

azredneck said:

To be honest, I ran out of 3/8" tubing to make one to draw off the side. I was waiting for a better excuse to buy another 100' roll. So far I have not noticed a huge difference with it drawing from the side. I'll pull as much trub and junk out as a I can with a strainer anyway after cooling.

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I'm not sure I understand what you're saying... It would take less tubing to make a dip tube that draws from the side, than it would take to make one that draws from the center like your current arrangement. It seems to me that you could simply cut a couple of inches off the current dip tube and add one more bend and it'd be right in the corner of the kettle, perfect for reducing the amount of sediment you siphon out.

azredneck said:

and even more

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Wow, what a beautiful rig. Can you offer some design detail on the sight glass assemblies as well as material used for hop strainer.

Thanks!

Very many nice touches. I can tell you spent lots of time & put some thought behind it.

It looks quite useful & durable. Well done.

That hop strainer is the best I have seen. I must make one!!!

:rockin:

Excellent job! It really is a thing a of beauty! You must be VERY proud (sounds like I am talking about a newborn haha!).

Looks Great! What is the hop strainer made of? I've been using 5 gal. paint strainer bags.

Kbrew said:

Looks Great! What is the hop strainer made of? I've been using 5 gal. paint strainer bags.

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The strainer is made of good ol' aluminum window screen, a couple screws, wood bracket, hose clamp, PVC reducer, and sewing thread.

The window screen needs to be bent over a few times on three sides to develop an edge that will not unravel, keep it's shape, and hold together with the thread. I can put together a quick "how to" page if interested.

azredneck said:

The strainer is made of good ol' aluminum window screen, a couple screws, wood bracket, hose clamp, PVC reducer, and sewing thread.

The window screen needs to be bent over a few times on three sides to develop an edge that will not unravel, keep it's shape, and hold together with the thread. I can put together a quick "how to" page if interested.

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I'm really interested in your sight glass design. Can you elaborate on that?

Very nice indeed!

OK, I have to ask. What is the purpose of the grey tubs? Just storage of odds and ends? coolant for the chiller? Part of your plan to take over the world(zot!)?

camiller said:

OK, I have to ask. What is the purpose of the grey tubs? Just storage of odds and ends? coolant for the chiller? Part of your plan to take over the world(zot!)?

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Just good old storage. Seemed like such a waste of space to leave it empty and I am glad I added them. Everything I need, at least almost, is right there and stays clean.

I think I hear a choir singing and harps playing. ;-)

+1 on the how to hop strainer! thanks in advance and great setup