sillyburt
Well-Known Member
Ok well after 3 seasons (fall/winter) of brewing full boil AG batches on the stove I finally took the plunge to get a larger system. This is propane right now but future plans are to make it electric, but before that I want to get into the system with propane and get used to it & get a system down with it before electric. I upgraded to save some time on batches and I usually make the same 5-7 recipes over and over.
I’m hoping with the above this is a good place to put my thread but if mods want to move it plz feel free to do so. There’s not a real good place where a lot of discussion goes on about regular rigs and plenty here about elec rigs so I thought I’d get more visibility here as well as the fact that I intend to go elec eventually.
Here’s a link to pics of the rig, they aren’t mine. I just recently bought this off CL and I got some kegs and a heap of other stuff along with it. The guy was getting out of the hobby.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13343533@N00/2462005267/in/set-72157604867921937
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13343533@N00/2462005267/in/set-72157604867921937
I don’t have the $$ for a pump yet but that will be the first thing on my list, pry a chugger pump.
1.)the rig came with hi temp lines but it wasn’t the clear(er) type I’ve seen here. The valves on the kegs have “barbed” fittings on them. Can I use a pump with just barbed fitting or do I need more secure connectors that won’t blow off with the pressure of a pump?
For starters…. to get going on the rig I’d appreciate some feedback from others with a 2-tier and no pump. I’m going to try to double batch sparge like I have before (on the stove with 5 gallon MLT cooler) but with this rig. Since I have only two burners on the waist level shelf and no burner on the upper shelf, it looks like I only have two options to run this rig (I’m simply doubling what I usually use for water on stove for purposes of explaining the two processes);
A.) [HLT on upper shelf, MLT & BK at waist]
Heat water (~8 gall) at waist level and drop into bucket (2-3X) then transfer to HLT on upper shelf for dough in (MLT at waist level).
Add heat as needed to maintain MLT temps. Wait for hot water in HLT to drop to appropriate temp then dough in using gravity.
Heat water at wasit level with BK (~8 gall) for sparge.
Transfer hot water to HLT on upper shelf.
Drop BK to ground and let initial (1 hr mash) runnings go into BK.
Sparge and then again into BK. BK should be ~70# (8 gall wort +keggle weight), lift BK to waist level.
Sparge to MLT ~74# (wet grain+keggle+~4 gall water), lift to upper shelf.
Grav drain to BK, boil, drain to carboys on floor.
B.) [MLT on upper shelf HLT & BK at waist]
Place MLT on upper shelf.
Heat water (~8 gall) in HLT on waist shelf, transfer to bucket to MLT for dough in (2-3X & hope to God I can get the right temps in MLT).
Possible add boiling water to MLT if temps fall too far down.
Heat sparge water (~8 gall) in HLT, transfer via bucket (2-3X) for double sparge.
Grav drain to BK, boil, drain to carboys on floor.
So B is the safest but doesn’t give me much temp control, A is the hardest in terms of lifting any single one weight and possibly the unsafest but offers the best temp control.
I’ll be chilling with 5/8 OD 50’ immersion chiller. Eventually I’ll add an elec element to the HLT, possibly a 220 element but run it on 110 till I get a control panel going. In the end I expect to run 50 amps to garage spa panel then to control panel (HD plastic panel) with PID & PWM in it. Pry go with 5500W elements since I can’t see myself making TWO 10 gallon batches in one day. Really, does anyone do this, I mean 4 carboys !!!? I don't have a ferm chamber large enough for two carboys (I have one small drig that I've been using, fits a single carboy perfectly) so doing two batches in one day seems out of reach for now.
The pump is also much needed. Other upgrades I’d like to do is sight glasses on HLT & BK and another port in keggle to do whirl pooling when chilling via the pump.
2.) does anyone think I’ll have issues with batch spraging based on the bazooka / torpedo screens I have in the kettle?
I’m hoping with the above this is a good place to put my thread but if mods want to move it plz feel free to do so. There’s not a real good place where a lot of discussion goes on about regular rigs and plenty here about elec rigs so I thought I’d get more visibility here as well as the fact that I intend to go elec eventually.
Here’s a link to pics of the rig, they aren’t mine. I just recently bought this off CL and I got some kegs and a heap of other stuff along with it. The guy was getting out of the hobby.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13343533@N00/2462005267/in/set-72157604867921937
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13343533@N00/2462005267/in/set-72157604867921937
I don’t have the $$ for a pump yet but that will be the first thing on my list, pry a chugger pump.
1.)the rig came with hi temp lines but it wasn’t the clear(er) type I’ve seen here. The valves on the kegs have “barbed” fittings on them. Can I use a pump with just barbed fitting or do I need more secure connectors that won’t blow off with the pressure of a pump?
For starters…. to get going on the rig I’d appreciate some feedback from others with a 2-tier and no pump. I’m going to try to double batch sparge like I have before (on the stove with 5 gallon MLT cooler) but with this rig. Since I have only two burners on the waist level shelf and no burner on the upper shelf, it looks like I only have two options to run this rig (I’m simply doubling what I usually use for water on stove for purposes of explaining the two processes);
A.) [HLT on upper shelf, MLT & BK at waist]
Heat water (~8 gall) at waist level and drop into bucket (2-3X) then transfer to HLT on upper shelf for dough in (MLT at waist level).
Add heat as needed to maintain MLT temps. Wait for hot water in HLT to drop to appropriate temp then dough in using gravity.
Heat water at wasit level with BK (~8 gall) for sparge.
Transfer hot water to HLT on upper shelf.
Drop BK to ground and let initial (1 hr mash) runnings go into BK.
Sparge and then again into BK. BK should be ~70# (8 gall wort +keggle weight), lift BK to waist level.
Sparge to MLT ~74# (wet grain+keggle+~4 gall water), lift to upper shelf.
Grav drain to BK, boil, drain to carboys on floor.
B.) [MLT on upper shelf HLT & BK at waist]
Place MLT on upper shelf.
Heat water (~8 gall) in HLT on waist shelf, transfer to bucket to MLT for dough in (2-3X & hope to God I can get the right temps in MLT).
Possible add boiling water to MLT if temps fall too far down.
Heat sparge water (~8 gall) in HLT, transfer via bucket (2-3X) for double sparge.
Grav drain to BK, boil, drain to carboys on floor.
So B is the safest but doesn’t give me much temp control, A is the hardest in terms of lifting any single one weight and possibly the unsafest but offers the best temp control.
I’ll be chilling with 5/8 OD 50’ immersion chiller. Eventually I’ll add an elec element to the HLT, possibly a 220 element but run it on 110 till I get a control panel going. In the end I expect to run 50 amps to garage spa panel then to control panel (HD plastic panel) with PID & PWM in it. Pry go with 5500W elements since I can’t see myself making TWO 10 gallon batches in one day. Really, does anyone do this, I mean 4 carboys !!!? I don't have a ferm chamber large enough for two carboys (I have one small drig that I've been using, fits a single carboy perfectly) so doing two batches in one day seems out of reach for now.
The pump is also much needed. Other upgrades I’d like to do is sight glasses on HLT & BK and another port in keggle to do whirl pooling when chilling via the pump.
2.) does anyone think I’ll have issues with batch spraging based on the bazooka / torpedo screens I have in the kettle?