Kill-A-Watt Brewery Build Compilation

The Pol said:

Couple more posted to show the "plumbing controls" very clean... this is the ONLY plumbing/wiring you will see. This work top will probably sit atop something refined looking and cherry wood in color. Not industrial

SEE FIRST PAGE NEAR SSRs

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Temp controlled ferm cabinet / humidor underneath? Then a furniture grade "cover" for the top so you can hide it in plain sight?

beerocd said:

Temp controlled ferm cabinet / humidor underneath? Then a furniture grade "cover" for the top so you can hide it in plain sight?

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Warm...

This is a very compact build, no room for a ferm cabinet etc. 48W x 20D x 40H

Few more photos posted of the work top that will be mounted to the enclosed furniture grade stand. See page one.

Classy. I think my other half would allow that in the kitchen. Well done, sir. Looking forward to the finished product. I assume the control panel will be of similar style?
I'd hate to spill beer on that.

I really like the plumbing panel idea. I think that is a great design feature.

bendavanza said:

Classy. I think my other half would allow that in the kitchen. Well done, sir. Looking forward to the finished product. I assume the control panel will be of similar style?
I'd hate to spill beer on that.

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Panel is a BCS, it will be 100% virtual. No physical switches. What you see there, is all you see.

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

I really like the plumbing panel idea. I think that is a great design feature.

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I have another of those SS plates, heat shields from Blichman, it may end up being etched with the brewery name and used as a name plate.

Pol - Couple of pump questions:

Are you using tri clovers on the pumps? I see only the barb on the output - can't tell on the input.

No ball valve on the pump output?

I will also be using the same pumps - did you just use a regular step down from 3/4" to 1/2" for the pump inlet?

thanks in advance!

usurpers26 said:

Pol - Couple of pump questions:

Are you using tri clovers on the pumps? I see only the barb on the output - can't tell on the input.

You need to look at the pics I posted on the first page. It shows the pump oultets coming out of the plumbing panel with (3) piece ball valves. All of the pumps, RIMS heater, electronics are hidden. What you see in those photos is all you see, that is all there is.

No ball valve on the pump output?

See above response

I will also be using the same pumps - did you just use a regular step down from 3/4" to 1/2" for the pump inlet?

3/4" x 1/2" SS reducing coupler (MPT x MPT)

thanks in advance!

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There ya goooo

On the BK, all the handles seem to point to the back?

Hermit said:

On the BK, all the handles seem to point to the back?

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In the OFF position, yes...

In the picture it looks like it would be a tight fit for the hand once the plumbing is in place, of course the pic's aren't actual size......

Hermit said:

In the picture it looks like it would be a tight fit for the hand once the plumbing is in place, of course the pic's aren't actual size......

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There is plenty of room in real life. I cannot rotate them 90 degrees, because then the handles interfere with the TriClamp connections and plumbing.

Little work done today...

Top of the kettles is at 41" tall...

To the LOWEST ball valve is 27"

It will be easy to mash in and see what is going on in the vessels, yet I wont have to stoop.

Looking good. I like the dark colors to contrast with all that stainless. Almost too pretty to use in a garage. I would have to build a room in my house just for the rig.

I am a huge fan of keeping things clean and hidden when possible. This should turn out real nice.

Brewmoor said:

Looking good. I like the dark colors to contrast with all that stainless. Almost too pretty to use in a garage. I would have to build a room in my house just for the rig.

I am a huge fan of keeping things clean and hidden when possible. This should turn out real nice.

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Thanks Brewmoor...

This was the plan from the start. Make it nice enough to exhibit in the home, keep it clean enough to do so as well. BUT, make it serious enough to brew beer and do it quickly (lots O BTUs)

Brewmoor said:

Looking good. I like the dark colors to contrast with all that stainless. Almost too pretty to use in a garage. I would have to build a room in my house just for the rig.

I am a huge fan of keeping things clean and hidden when possible. This should turn out real nice.

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HRMMMMMM.....

well, I just got the tracking number for my 10 gal blichmann. It will be here Friday I will be breaking in all of my new brewing equipment the Saturday before the super bowl. I cant wait

The Pol said:

Thanks Brewmoor...

This was the plan from the start. Make it nice enough to exhibit in the home, keep it clean enough to do so as well. BUT, make it serious enough to brew beer and do it quickly (lots O BTUs)

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that sounds really awesome

Pop the hood, let's see it's innards!
That's really nice - is there a spot in the kitchen for it, or where else do you got monster electric hookups? Too nice for the garage.

The electronics are not fully installed, waiting on the BCS. When that is done, I will pop it open for you.

It will brew in the garage... but I am in negotiations now for a place in the house. It is F'ing beautiful... SWMBO agrees

I see a persian rug, chaise lounge and a swag lamp in your brew corner of the garage.

His brewery has many leather bound books, and smells of rich mahogany.

Pol,

Absolutely beautiful.
Do you plan to insulate the BK & MT while in use? Have you found something to insulate them with?

Ed

Ohio-Ed said:

Pol,

Absolutely beautiful.
Do you plan to insulate the BK & MT while in use? Have you found something to insulate them with?

Ed

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Dont know... playing it by ear now until I can get some testing completed

The Pol said:

Dont know... playing it by ear now until I can get some testing completed

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Insulating them can only detract from the aesthetic appeal.

Hermit said:

Insulating them can only detract from the aesthetic appeal.

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+1 if you do end up insulating at least make it insulation that is easily removed so its all blingy when not in use.

With all those watts available I doubt he'll need insulation.

Yeah, I mean it is questionable. I mean, I have 9000W at my disposal to boil... and my keggle was never insulated and it boiled fine with 3700W going to the kettle.

The RIMS constant recirc should keep the MLT temp pretty stable.

Insulation is more eff. of course, but I dont know that it will be needed. Then again, I have always brewed in coolers.

You won't need insulation. I have never used any insulation and don't care. An extra two cents in electrical cost won't kill you.

The Pol said:

Yeah, I mean it is questionable. I mean, I have 9000W at my disposal to boil... and my keggle was never insulated and it boiled fine with 3700W going to the kettle.

The RIMS constant recirc should keep the MLT temp pretty stable.

Insulation is more eff. of course, but I dont know that it will be needed. Then again, I have always brewed in coolers.

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For your MLT it is almost a requirement for stable temps to have a lid. Boiling is easy to maintain with out a lid because you can put all the extra Watts you can manage into the thing. With the lid off the top of the mash cools very quickly.

I'm sure you can find a nice glass lid for it. You know, for the swank factor.

I don't know about the pot insulation, it may maintain enough heat to keep it from cooling too much. You'll know for sure on your first mash. If you have to bump the HEX set point real high to maintain a mash temp means you're going to have some stratification with super hot mash coming in from the top. Cross that bridge when you get there I suppose

About your SST pipe fitting "U" construction with the little heater element in it:

I understand the heater in the U construction is to facilitate more close control over the temperature in the fluid current in the RIMS' wort recirculation between the two pots. (correct me if this is wrong 'cause it's a central assumption to my question)

When that little sucker fires off, will it create heat in its immediate vicinity of such an amount (at least 170F) that will cook off the enzymes in its immediate vicinity~? Additionally, if this is a possibility, might it also be possible that it'll fire with sufficient frequency to have an overall impact on the quantum of enzymes possibly reducing them below some necessary threshold~?

Well the pots have lids... I dont know that I need a glass one

Cliff897 said:

About your SST pipe fitting "U" construction with the little heater element in it:

I understand the heater in the U construction is to facilitate more close control over the temperature in the fluid current in the RIMS' wort recirculation between the two pots. (correct me if this is wrong 'cause it's a central assumption to my question)

When that little sucker fires off, will it create heat in its immediate vicinity of such an amount (at least 170F) that will cook off the enzymes in its immediate vicinity~? Additionally, if this is a possibility, might it also be possible that it'll fire with sufficient frequency to have an overall impact on the quantum of enzymes possibly reducing them below some necessary threshold~?

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Does it do that in a normal RIMS heater? I dunno

The argument I have heard says that the instant that a single enzyme is at a high temperature is too short to denature it. A prolonged high temperature will denature enzymes, but in a RIMS, the heat impact is evened out so quickly it does not effect the enzyme activity.

I haven't tested it myself, but I am sure RIMS would not be so popular if people were having conversion issues.

Pol, I didn't mean to say you needed glass ones. I figured it would at one more contrasting but clean element to the build It's up to you if it is something you MUST have

Regarding elements and enzyme denaturing.
I mashed a pretty damn dry beer using a 4500W element in my RIMS and with a stuck mash it kept overheating in the chamber (1.5"diameter x 14" tube). Got plenty of conversion. Pretty much worse case scenario. Pol your only using 4500W for RIMs right? the 9kW is for heat on demand sparging correct?

The flow rate has a lot to do with it as well. If you can move a volume of water across the element faster than the water can become saturated with heat it isn't an issue.

Suffice to say, in my experience I don't believe it is even an issue worth considering. I'm saying that to be honest, not making a dig by any means.

CodeRage said:

Pol, I didn't mean to say you needed glass ones. I figured it would at one more contrasting but clean element to the build It's up to you if it is something you MUST have

Regarding elements and enzyme denaturing.
I mashed a pretty damn dry beer using a 4500W element in my RIMS and with a stuck mash it kept overheating in the chamber (1.5"diameter x 14" tube). Got plenty of conversion. Pretty much worse case scenario. Pol your only using 4500W for RIMs right? the 9kW is for heat on demand sparging correct?

The flow rate has a lot to do with it as well. If you can move a volume of water across the element faster than the water can become saturated with heat it isn't an issue.

Suffice to say, in my experience I don't believe it is even an issue worth considering. I'm saying that to be honest, not making a dig by any means.

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9000W to heat water for any means necessary, 4500W for RIMS recirc. yes

I think I can actually get away with a 1.25" dia tube in the future, if I have a future... which would create more velocity across the elements.

The Pol said:

I think I can actually get away with a 1.25" dia tube in the future, if I have a future... which would create more velocity across the elements.

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I wouldn't bother, it will work roughly the same. The only benefit would be less surface area of the HEX to shed heat. It's all about volumetric flow, not just velocity. Regardless of size, if you push one gallon in over a minute, one gallon is going to come out the other side in that same minute. Big tube, little tube, doesnt matter. To get the same temperature rise for 1 gallon in 1 minute in a smaller tube means you will have to move the fluid at a slower velocity (fps).

Velocity may increase a little but your overall volume will decrease. You wouldn't be able to maintain the same volume at the higher pressure because the March pump head will start to slip. Something other than a centrifugal pump would be needed. Unless.... If you really want to impress me... Put a 1/4 HP direct drive 3 phase centrifugal pump with a VFD drive in there.

The most realistic way to increase velocity & volume would be to remove restriction, straight in and out with tapered adapters.

Well, the distribution block, last heating element, 10 SSRs and the stand have all come in this week. Still waiting on the BCS and temp. probes. Nearly everything is in house, I just need assembly time.

The Pol said:

Does it do that in a normal RIMS heater? I dunno

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Short answer, no. Long answer, not that I've ever seen.