Brew table concept

This is getting way ahead of myself, since my first brew is only 46hrs into primary fermentation, but that has never stopped me before. Anyhow, I ultimately want to be able to do all-grain brews. There's nothing that would keep me from doing extract brews in an all-grain setup, I'd just use less of the equipment on the bench. Sounds like a deal to me.

After reading countless threads here, I came up with an idea or three for my own setup. Gravity is cheapest to construct, since no pumps are involved. Probably easier to sanitize too. The problem I see is vertical height. I'd like to be able to do everything without a ladder, or having several gallons of very hot water above my head. A single tier system looks awesome, but requires a few pumps and valves. These are not cheap, and present some hurdles in the sanitizing realm. I'm sure sanitizing is not all that difficult, since a ton of people brew a ton of beer in their very own single tier systems, so I am not too concerned about introducing a pump, or valves, to my setup. Money is the big issue here.

What I've come up with is a two tier system, with the HLT (hot liquor tank) and MLT (Mash/Lauter Tun) on the upper tier, and the brew kettle on the lower tier. I plan to use one pump, with a manifold on the intake and output to let me switch between input/output destinations. One input will pump from the HLT and output to the MLT. I'll valve the HLT input shut, and open the MLT input to circulate until sparging time. Gravity will feed the post-sparge sweet wort into the brew kettle, which will input into the pump again for a trip through a crossflow cooler and into a carboy for the yeast pitch and primary fermentation.

I've not yet made enough progress in Google Sketchup, a few of its features are driving me batty, to show all the components just yet. What I do have, is below.





Any feedback from folks that have done this before is definitely welcome. I spent a long time surrounded by the good-idea fairy (field-grade officers), so don't worry about discouraging me. I can take it.

You know, I've been contemplating my future rig as well and like the idea of a modified single-tier with only one-pump. However, I'm seriously thinking of having the BK on a platform with a set of fold-able legs (so it would sit below the MLT like in your set-up to allow gravity feed into it) which you could raise up (not sure on logistics of this yet) while an IC is cooling the wort to allow gravity drain into a carboy. Again, this is a future idea and the whole thing is still forming in the ol' gray matter.

Yeah, I have about 15 sheets of paper all sketched up with variations of this. My grandfather helped us land on the moon (avionics design/programming on the Lunar Module) and has forgotten more about heat transfer and fluid dynamics than most of the world will ever know. Naturally, he's interested in my new project from a heat-exchange and fluid-mechanics standpoint. My Dad is also a mechanical engineer. Younger brother is an electrical engineer. The probability this brewing rig ends up entirely over-engineered is super high.

If I'm lucky, I may sit on the concept until I actually have to do a design project for school (Mechanical Engineering major). Then I get credit in class, AND good beer.

Here is some feedback for you. If you will be using some sort of gas, Propane or Natural to heat your HLT you will get a lot of heat trapped in the back because it is closed. If you planned to make it out of wood it is definately a fire hazard. If you planned to make it out of metal it will be a fairly expensive stand to make as you will need access to a hefty bend and brake and shear and the sheet metal will also be much more expensive than simple steel tubing.

No, it'll be propane fired. Just haven't got that far in Sketchup. I downloaded it yesterday, haven't figured out the workflow just yet. Some things are *way* easier than AutoCAD, some things seem like ProE or Solidworks would have been easier. I'll figure it out though.

Here is my two tier, it was originally three before I added the 4qt rubbermaid "manual pump" plastic pitcher pictured on the lower shelf. It is really not that hard to fill the pitcher a few times to move sparge water, likely just about as hard as moving hose and turning on a pump...hah, have fun and happy brewing.

Sawdustguy said:

Here is some feedback for you. If you will be using some sort of gas, Propane or Natural to heat your HLT you will get a lot of heat trapped in the back because it is closed. If you planned to make it out of wood it is definately a fire hazard. If you planned to make it out of metal it will be a fairly expensive stand to make as you will need access to a hefty bend and brake and shear and the sheet metal will also be much more expensive than simple steel tubing.

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Right, that's what the old man (both of 'em) just said. Likely going with a steel frame, and flat surfaces/grates where needed. Keep the suggestions coming, I'm trying to get the layout hashed out in rev1, and then actually hash out materials and any other farkles (cabinets, etc) in rev2.

I will have an all grain setup before this time next year. What it looks like, and how it runs, is up in the air - but I figure this is the place to get input on what works and what doesn't from those that have done this before.

ajmartinez said:

No, it'll be propane fired. Just haven't got that far in Sketchup. I downloaded it yesterday, haven't figured out the workflow just yet. Some things are *way* easier than AutoCAD, some things seem like ProE or Solidworks would have been easier. I'll figure it out though.

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AutoCad is very easy to learn with just a little effort.

I've got no right to offer suggestions as I'm only into my 3rd batch, but I can muse. My work experience is in manufacturing. I was tossing around the idea of incorporating one of those portable staircases you see in warehouse operations. I would extend the base out one side and then mount the tables up the side of the staircase, possibly cutting into the actual treads somewhat in order to minimize the width of the contraption.

Sawdustguy said:

AutoCad is very easy to learn with just a little effort.

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Oh I know, I used to do CAD for a local engineering firm. Then I joined the Army. Can't afford AutoCAD, and haven't used anything since 2k3. Sketchup will work for what I'm doing, and it's $Free.99

scratchypants said:

I've got no right to offer suggestions as I'm only into my 3rd batch, but I can muse. My work experience is in manufacturing. I was tossing around the idea of incorporating one of those portable staircases you see in warehouse operations. I would extend the base out one side and then mount the tables up the side of the staircase, possibly cutting into the actual treads somewhat in order to minimize the width of the contraption.

Click to expand...

Repurposing stuff is always good. I've not thought too much about where the materials will come from, or what they will be. That's certainly an option though.