DIY Grainfather/BIAC style build

I'll be building a system in the same vein as the Grainfather/BIAC over the next few weeks and will use this thread to track it. I wanted something I could use indoors, had a small footprint and was electric/automated and I could tuck away when not in use. Really liked the idea of those all-in-one style homebrewing systems but am too stubborn to fork out the cash for one. So building my own, that's what homebrewings about right...? I wasn't going to attempt to use the vessel to ferment like the BIAC because carboys are cheap and that's too long to wait between brews.

I'll be using...

• 
  11g Bayou Classic with strainer (cheap, I know, but trying to keep cost down, $86 on Amazon is hard to beat)

• PID/SSR setup

• SS center inlet Chugger

• 35' Counterflow w/ 15' Pre Chiller
• 3750w BoilCoil
• TC fittings
• Little stand thing to raise it to a comfortable height (always thought the Grainfather was too short on the ground and way too high on a counter...)

• Inline oxygenation

This week I've received the kettle and started in on the stand. I had planned to weld the legs to the kettle but upon receiving it realized it was a really really thing 20g (claimed) that likely would warp way to much to be welded too. Think I'll end up using one of the solder flanges from BrewHardware instead of welding to it. The stand will hold the pump and house the CF inside the legs, just got to wind it a bit tighter to fit in. I've got some SS spring toggle latches coming in that will secure the kettle to the stand.

Next will be the pump and coil. I used a 120v 2000w on my last setup and it really struggled with 6 gallons so I'm hoping the 240v 3750w BC wil remedy that. The pump will do a continuous sparge and to recirculation chill and then clean/sanitize the system once done.

16g 1.5" 304SS for the legs.


Fit up


Tacks




Welds


Welds


More welds...


Tapped plates for the wheels




Vinyl tubing, 100ft $10

Looking good, will be watching for the progress.

Subbed...This looks impressive, good job!

Shell done for the panel.

I love your welding table. I wish I had such an awesome table. What were your tig settings?

Looking great so far. Keep up the good work!

sandyeggoxj said:

I love your welding table. I wish I had such an awesome table. What were your tig settings?

Looking great so far. Keep up the good work!

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Thanks, running 32 for the autogenous welds and 40 for the ones with 308 filler, 20CFH, 1/16th Tungsten.

Looks great, nice skills on the welder. Are you going to put a fan in your control panel?

ChocolateMaltyBalls said:

Looks great, nice skills on the welder. Are you going to put a fan in your control panel?

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Thanks! Yeah, it'll be vented and have a fan on the bottom.

Parts came in! Super fast shipping from Brewers Hardware. SS Chugger and various TC fittings. I'll be doing the build in two phases. The first being minimal but functional. No fancy hard plumbing, silicone tubing mostly, no sight gauge or inline oxygen.

I decided to go with 2 120v elements. I just wanted to be able to brew where ever I end up and also I've got two 120v GFCI outlets on separate breakers right in my kitchen whereas the 240v is not. The rest of the stuff will be in from Brew Hardware on Saturday.

Making a thermowell out of that probe tubing and a TC cap which will feed through the tee which is attached to the pump. It'll sit about 4" inside the kettle which should be plenty. I've been a trub-in-fermentor-brewer, but should I ever want to whirlpool I can add an inlet at that point and put the thermowell elsewhere.

Sub'd! I'm also heading down this road, but am at a little bit of a slow start. Some goodies came in the mail this week, so I'll try to post up some pics on my thread soon.

Good Luck and keep us posted!

Cheers,
AlfA01
Dan

More parts in from BrewHardware. Additional 2000w element, radius solder flange and other parts


Also bottled 3 brews today. A Bavarian hefe, a gose and a white IPA (chainbreaker clone)



Oops



Bent elements as not too hit eachother in the kettle and spread the heat a bit more. For all you wondering, these elements (BH's 2000w 120v) bend and function when bent just fine.



Thermowell ready for welding



Solder flange, my soldering skills are meh. You can't even see it with the clamp on it though.





Fit up







Test run, made quick enclosures from Lowes electrical stuff. Wanted to see how the elements handled different volumes. Boiled 10g with ease. The difference in shape between this kettle and the keg I was using has a huge difference on ability to boil. Much quicker to boil and much more aggressive a boil with the smaller diameter of the pot.



9g boil

Test brew today. Belgian wheat, split the batch between two fermentors and pitched Forbidden Fruit and Weihenstephan to do a comparison. Brew day went smoothly on the new system. Having the CF down near the legs is kind of a pain with having to switch the silicon tube around. Also doesn't drain its contents being below. Probably will just throw it in the sink during chilling and call it a day.



Brew day and the race, perfect!



That continuous sparge makes some mighty clear wort.



Quite an aggressive boil from these two elements. Had to be on spray bottle duty the entire boil.

Small update, SS toggle latches came in to secure the kettle to the stand.

Looking good! I recommend fermcapS for that hot break

I love it. Two questions. How much all in for parts? And when are you making one for me?

Andyoesq said:

I love it. Two questions. How much all in for parts? And when are you making one for me?

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Ha, as soon as I'm done! At about $450 now, likely ~$700 when it's all done

Hello!

A slight change in direction for this build. Lots of work done. After a few test batches on the 11g and the realization that I wanted more beer from a brew day I decided to build essentially the same thing, only using my old keggle. 13g really works perfectly with the dual 2000W elements, the boil is aggressive without spilling over. This way I can ferment 12 gallons from a single batch. same amount of work, more beer!


Progress since the change in direction:

New stand, mounted pump, mounted spring toggle latches. Having a quick release system for the vessel is one of the best features of the system. Just one TC clamp and two latches and I can lift the vessel of it's stand, spray it out in the sink and put it back on in only a few minutes.

Ordered tons of TC fittings, mainly a solid route from the pump up to the top of the vessel for continuos sparge (had a little incident where the hose slipped out of the clip and sprayed wort all over the kitchen ). Also a TC port and whirlpool arm will be fabricated and welded onto the vessel. Debating between a direct tangential one and a face flange at the top with 90º arm dipping inside.

Got the thermowell welded to a TC flange inline with the pump flow, reads ~0.7º from true which I'm pleased with.

Things to do:

I've got to bore out the top of the keg to fit the old kettle inside. I'll actually be using the kettle itself as my bag strainer as the strainer the Bayou came with tops out at ~25lbs of grain. I'm thinking this will get me near 30lbs. It'll just need a boatload of holes in the bottom.

Fabricate something to hold the basket above the water for draining.

Changing the enclosure for the control panel. I'll only be using the panel to control one element for maintaining mash temps and just plugging the other one in for heat up and full boil. Got a nice extruded aluminum box (typically used to house computer hardware) for the enclosure. I plan to pop off the front and back and throw them on the CNC to mill out shapes for the PID, outlets etc as fit up wasn't very good on my last attempt doing with with a punch and a dremel.

It's been super helpful brewing on this system as the build progresses, I've gotten a clearer picture of what I want this system to be minimally capable of and where I can cut out fluff that over complicates it and my brewday.

Got the enclosure in for the control panel. Modeled it to make sure everything fits. It'll only be controlling the one heating element and pump. I'll just mill out the holes on the cnc and then wire it. Hopefully have it ready for the next brewday.

Machined the control panel tonight. Fit up worked out great. all the switches/outlets fit snug. I'll wire it tomorrow night.

Machining the back plate.



Finished



Front plate



Front plate engraving



Done!

Quick test run of the control panel. Running good. Quick question for other PID+K type thermocouple users. Likely due to how a K-type works, I noticed it the wire bumps my kettle or anything else, the temp shoots down drastically. ANy one else experience this? Remedies? Insulating the wire maybe?

Beautiful work. You've got solid skills or good connections. Awesome build

Hello!

Got the rest of the TC fittings in. Quick test boil to make sure everything works. Beginning fabrication on the sparge arm, whirlpool inlet and put the wheels on this weekend.

Do you not regulate the flow out of the pump?

Sweet setup.

DurtyChemist said:

Do you not regulate the flow out of the pump?

Sweet setup.

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There's a ball valve on the outlet side - just way up top where it transitions to silicone. Ergonomics!

probably one of the nicest compact single vessel systems I've seen yet. Love the hard tubing everywhere.

You should sell these...

OneManBrewery said:

You should sell these...

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I agree

Wow! It's amazing!

Hello!

Finished the recirculation setup today. The shop doesn't have a die for 0.5" tube so bent it in the slip roll which worked surprisingly well, but is limited to ~4"+ radius bends. Welded pipe to TC flanges. Spray is nice and dispersed from the spray ball.

Next up! whirlpool inlet and wheels...and tons of other stuff.

Very nice work.

Going to test brew on the new system this weekend. Bavarian Hefe with WLP300

Nice build. It's like the Chippendales version of the Grainfather.

Last post the pics didn't work, any more updates? Very interesting build.

Brew day with the new features! Sparge system worked out really well. A Bavarian Wheat using WLP300, first time using White Labs. Had a hard time getting Wyeast 3068 where I wanted it (big esters, big banana flavor) so giving this one a try, supposedly very similar yeasts.

DarkStormBrewing said:

Last post the pics didn't work, any more updates? Very interesting build.

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Updated, think they should work now.

what a great system.
can you tell us what the inner basket holding your bag is??

Bellybuster said:

what a great system.
can you tell us what the inner basket holding your bag is??

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Thanks!

It's a Bayou steamer basket from their 44qt kit. Pretty solid for BIAB setups. Tops out at ~25Lbs grain.

Thanks! This build is inspiring. I'm surprised that the homebrew market hasn't adopted tri clamps as the standard. I'm fed up with threads and 3 piece ball valves. I'm on a conquest to change all of my threaded to tri clamp, for ease of cleaning. It's not just bling for me.

DarkStormBrewing said:

Thanks! This build is inspiring. I'm surprised that the homebrew market hasn't adopted tri clamps as the standard. I'm fed up with threads and 3 piece ball valves. I'm on a conquest to change all of my threaded to tri clamp, for ease of cleaning. It's not just bling for me.

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I am too. Threaded fittings stick around likely because they can be fit to kettles without welding. I'd love to see one of the pump manufacturers put out a TC pump head though.

Compacto said:

I am too. Threaded fittings stick around likely because they can be fit to kettles without welding. I'd love to see one of the pump manufacturers put out a TC pump head though.

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There was one place that I remember seeing a March 5 series with TC connections on it, but it looks like your welding skills are good enough to do what I had done and just tack a few on yourself.