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Hoppo did you have any boiling issues or temp probe issues with the system? I got mine hooked up and I am having an issue where I can't get about 209° and my probes are about 2 ° off low.
 
And speaking of boiling, how much does it affect the ambient temps during a brew session? I'm considering going electric, but this is one of my concerns, the heat and humidity generated in my basement, along with installing a vent that I can seal near airtight when I'm not brewing.

TD


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
 
Sorry guys, it has been a while since I have been on HBT. To answer a few questions:

Captrichc: No, I have had no problems with my probes being off with any phase of the brewing process. Everything came well calibrated, which was confirmed during my first few brewing sessions on it. I was double checking temps during all phases of the processes with my standard thermometer and everything was pretty damn spot on.

TrickyDick: No problems with ambient temperatures or excessive humidity. I installed a large hood over the brewing table with a either a 450 or 500 cfm vortex exhaust fan (can't recall). When I'm boiling, the steam is pulled directly up into the vent, so with the exception of a little condensation forming on the inside of the vent, I have had no problems with moisture issues. I build a drip edge into the hood to catch any excessive condensation, but it probably wasn't even necessary.

GRBC: Nada, it's still raw cement. We installed an inground pool late last summer, so all of my spare time this summer has been devoted to hardscaping, landscaping, etc. around the pool. Between working, trying to tackle this monster pool project on my own, mowing 2+ acres every 5 days, a couple of vacations, and kids sporting activities, there just aren't enough hours in the day to work on the brewery. Once things calm down with my schedule, I'll pull everything out of the brewery and tackle that project. It's either going to be the acid staining or vinyl planking, as tiling just isn't on my radar anymore.

Hell, come to think of it, I haven't brewed all summer either. I have 8 hop vines loaded with cones that are actually in need of harvesting in the next couple of weeks. I simply do not have time to harvest, dry, and package them this season, so I am going to do a couple of different wet hopped IPA's and used them ALL in a couple of batches. I'm even going to try a hop back method by filling the MLT with wet hop cones and transferring the hot wort after boiling over to the MLT for a 15 minute soak before running it through the chiller and into the fermenters. I just need to recruit a couple of buddies to help me, because those brew sessions are going to be a chore!
 
Sounds like a fun brew you've got planned! I'm slowly moving forward, with planning the ventilation system being step one, followed by installing a sub panel for electrical needs. Then onto the more sexy hardware.

TD


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
 
Go acid strain with the urethane top coat. It'll look way more unique than vinyl. Ok, I've said my piece before... I'm just excited to see what it looks like!
 
It has been forever since I was last on HBT. Sadly, my floor is still not finished in the brewery and I have been so busy that I haven't brewed in over 6 months. I do have a quick update on a little project that I'm going to tackle in the brewery. Off of the west end of my brewery I have a storage area that I want to block off, so that the cluttered mess is hidden from the brewery. I was toying with the idea of building saloon style swinging doors out of cedar and knotty pine boards or just simply having my mother in law sew me some rustic looking burlap curtains to block off the storage galley. However, while searching for an century old hand hewn barn beam to use for our upstairs fireplace mantle, I ended up finding a guy selling pieces of his 130 year old barn. I came across this gnarly old barn door in the back of his barn that he was willing to part with. She's a little rough and filthy, but has a ton of history and character. Not to mention that it is nearly a perfect size for my application and he had the original hinges to go with it. After a bit of cleaning up and maybe just a touch of light sanding, I'm simply going to rub it with linseed oil to bring out the natural color of the wood. I'll frame a rough opening, split the door down the middle and go for a saloon style installation. Here is a pic of the cluttered storage area and the old door that I absolutely fell in love with. Wish me luck.

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With a door that old, and that worn

You should start making Lambic's

Use that door for inoculating your brews !


;)

Steve
 
Thanks. I ripped the door down the middle, reinforced it on the back side with some other barn wood that I picked up, and cleaned the hell out of it. Then I did some light sanding. I'm going to do several coats of poly this weekend and get the RO framed in. Before and after pics follow.

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I've had a busy day today. My son helped me frame the rough opening for the door this a.m. Then I finished cleaning up the door (now doors) and got the first coat of Sikkens Cetol BL wood sealer on, which is looking pretty awesome. We also got the new hardware (hinges, bolt lock, and fasteners) soaking in vinegar to remove the zinc plating, so that we can begin the aging process and get everything to a rusted up tomorrow. I'll use a hydrogen peroxide, salt, and vinegar solution to start the oxidation process. I am also going to fasten the original hinges on the front just for asthetics, so I got them cut apart and pounded back out straight. Second coat of poly later, then I do the back sides and hopefully get them hung tomorrow.

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That looks amazing. Another win! I think you should put faux hinges on the other side as well. You can tell the door is split, needs some symmetry.
 
Thanks KPSquared.....I have the other half of the hinges and had strongly considered adding them to right side as well, but I sort of wanted to keep with how the door was originally configured. Trust me, I'm very OCD about symmetry, but the push panel on the right side interferes with the middle hinge placement and since the door(s) will be closed 95% of the time, I want it to look as close to original as possible. There was nothing I could do besides split the door, because I don't have room for a slide system and would lose too much storage space behind the door to allow for the in swing for a 5 ft. wide door. I'm currently looking for another barn door to block off the storage area under my basement steps, which is visible upon entering the brewery and is a cluttered mess as well. Doubt if I'll ever find one quite as cool as this one though. I have 2 patients that know folks that tore down their old barns last summer due to snow load collapses last winter. Hopefully something pans out.
 
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