So as the title says, I'm interested in doing my brewing on the back deck (level with the main floor), and fermenting in the basement. I don't want to have to carry the wort downstairs. There's a small basement window about 10 feet south of the brew kettle (kettle has drain valve), and the fermenter would probably stand about 6 feet from the window, so with the vertical drop, could I just get a 25' length of tubing, stick it through the window, sanitize it, and have one heck of a gravity feed? Or would it make sense to drill holes in the walls and install copper tubing with valves at either end? Any suggestions?
Brew on back deck, ferment in basement... how to move wort?
- Thread starter jajabee
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I think a long hose would be stellar. It would also aid in cooling but yes sanitation would be an issue how much of a vertical drop bs how much distance will it need to travel will create an issue of flow and a pump may be needed. I could figure out the math but then I'm just too lazy. As long As the vertical drop is far greater than the horizontal travel you'd be in good standing but it would also need momentum to get there...
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
I think the tube would work but I'd first try it with water to make sure, otherwise a pump will be in order. Or a "Brew-Buddy" to carry the wort downstairs.
If theyou don't get enough flow though a tube the same size as you spigot out of the kettle just adapt it up to 1 or 2 sizes bigger tube. Most of the pressure drop will be due to the tube and not the valve - bigger tube = more flow.
Thanks guys. I really can't carry it down the stairs, I'm pregnant and weak-armed. 
Otherwise, the basement is the perfect spot for fermenting.
I'll try a hose with water, see what happens. I'm also thinking about adding a plate chiller to the setup, wonder if that would kill the flow? I haven't gone and measured it yet, but I'm guessing it's about a 7 foot drop over about 15 feet horizontal. Wish I'd taken physics in high school.
Otherwise, the basement is the perfect spot for fermenting. I'll try a hose with water, see what happens. I'm also thinking about adding a plate chiller to the setup, wonder if that would kill the flow? I haven't gone and measured it yet, but I'm guessing it's about a 7 foot drop over about 15 feet horizontal. Wish I'd taken physics in high school.
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
I think that a roll of vinyl or silicone might be the best way to go, when she's done it could be rolled up and easily stored. Just flush with hot PBW before the brew day and then push some StarSan through it before the transfer.
Thanks guys. I really can't carry it down the stairs, I'm pregnant and weak-armed.
I'll try a hose with water, see what happens. I'm also thinking about adding a plate chiller to the setup, wonder if that would kill the flow? I haven't gone and measured it yet, but I'm guessing it's about a 7 foot drop over about 15 feet horizontal. Wish I'd taken physics in high school.
A plate chiller would work just fine (kegcowboy.com or dudadiesel.com) but I'd put it toward the middle of the run of tubing. This way there is a lot more pressure to push/pull it through the chiller. I often gravity feed my plate chiller with no issues, but I use nylon paint strainer bags to contain my hops.
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
You'll not find a CFC or Plate Chiller on the homebrew scale that you can disassemble and clean, just flush & backflush with Oxiclean/PBW and water to clean it.
P.S. What happened to the Pumpkin Ale? Didn't ferment in a pumpkin did you?
dogtailale
Well-Known Member
5 sterile milk jugs
mlyday
Well-Known Member
someone on the boards here did something like this before, but I cant seem to find it. Anyone else remember who it was.
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
OK, I know this isn't practical but just try to follow me here. One big @$$ long, straight, copper CFC that runs from the deck to the basement.
Haha, a huge CFC would be cool, but I don't know where I'd drain the hot water in the basement. And yeah, I'd need a second person downstairs monitoring the fermenter, to make sure the wort didn't end up all over the place accidentally.
The pumpkin ale was a victim of bad bottling plastics, I'm afraid. I've since dumped them all and had a perfectly good batch. Looking to use more SS in my process.
And yeah, I'd need a second person downstairs monitoring the fermenter, to make sure the wort didn't end up all over the place accidentally. The pumpkin ale was a victim of bad bottling plastics, I'm afraid. I've since dumped them all and had a perfectly good batch. Looking to use more SS in my process.
lehr
Well-Known Member
When I had my fermenter in the basement I put a short piece of pvc thru the lowest part of the wall so could run my silicon hose thru it to my fermenter, when not in use I had caps on it to the great outdoors outdoors.
Pat
Pat
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
Stinks to lose a beer like that. You could always make what OHIOSTEVE made for his bottling bucket but with Stainless parts. Maybe even take it a step further and have a coupler welded in to a 1/4bbl Sanke keg for bottling.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/hey-revvy-works-197622/
Go and buy 25 feet of tubing...though it's plastic it's foot grade (if you but it from a brewshop) drill a hole if you wish or just run through the window as long as you don't loose too much vertical drop. With the extra length you can cut it if it's too long but mire importantly if towards the end if the journey it's still pumping pretty fast you have a couple exrtra feet to coil level to the ground so that it will loose IRS momentum and at like 10 cents/25 cents a foot it would be cheaper than a garden hose and far more sanitary
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