10 Gallon to 1 Barrel Upgrade

I am going to try to do a decent job of documenting this here. Maybe more for my own benefit. I have not touched the old system yet. I will post some pics and specs on that before I tear into it.

The plan so far: 55g BK (9kW), 40g MLT (stout tank thanks to my brew buddy), 30g HLT (dual Sanke 11kW)/HERMS.

Here is the new BK fresh from the post office. I actually had to pick it up. It is significantly larger than the old sanke BK in the background which is scaring me a bit



I am very happy with http://bubbasbarrels.com/. I asked them to send me a nice barrel because "I may be interested in a few more". I don't know if that request helped but I sure got a nice barrel. I may have to buy another to upgrade my smoker now. For the same price as any 45 gallon kettle I priced, it is much more robust.

Plus they threw in a goodie bag. Pen, carpenters pencil, stickers and MATCHES in the order of potential fun.



Any advice along the way will be much appreciated.

Don't be scared, just throw more power into it Are you planning an oversized tippy dump for the MLT? Running off a 50 amp panel or are you going to get some 3 phase and play with the big boys?

Bensiff said:

Don't be scared, just throw more power into it Are you planning an oversized tippy dump for the MLT? Running off a 50 amp panel or are you going to get some 3 phase and play with the big boys?

Click to expand...

We will start by scooping out spent grains I guess. No plans for dump action yet. MLT is going to be bottom drain for CIP. I may put a bottom drain on the BK just for cleaning with a standard dip tube also.

No three phase I have 50A to the current HLT. I will have to upsize or pull another circuit for the boil but that's in conduit so it won't be too big of a job. 100A service to the shop and I will be using most of it at times. 83A with all elements running.

lschiavo said:

We will start by scooping out spent grains I guess. No plans for dump action yet. MLT is going to be bottom drain for CIP. I may put a bottom drain on the BK just for cleaning with a standard dip tube also.

No three phase I have 50A to the current HLT. I will have to upsize or pull another circuit for the boil but that's in conduit so it won't be too big of a job. 100A service to the shop and I will be using most of it at times.

Click to expand...

I love the photos! I'm eager to see the inaugural brew (as well as drink it).


What kind of false bottom do you have for the MLT? As you know, I'm a big fan of bottom draining MLTs- until they plug up. Then they suck.

Yooper said:

I love the photos! I'm eager to see the inaugural brew (as well as drink it).


What kind of false bottom do you have for the MLT? As you know, I'm a big fan of bottom draining MLTs- until they plug up. Then they suck.

Click to expand...

I showed the boys the new kettle when we got home. First thing Liam says, "can I get in it?" It fits two kids comfortably. The third didn't want to try it out but he would have fit

The MLT will be plug and play from stout tanks. I have only seen photos of their false bottoms. I am expecting it to be very nice...

lschiavo said:

I showed the boys the new kettle when we got home. First thing Liam says, "can I get in it?" It fits two kids comfortably. The third didn't want to try it out but he would have fit The MLT will be plug and play from stout tanks. I have only seen photos of their false bottoms. I am expecting it to be very nice...

Click to expand...

Their false bottoms live up to their name, stout.

Prior to any modificatons:


Control central: The grog swillin' pirate will stay.


Boil/Pump control panel. I will need to get another 30A circuit in here, another fuse and a second SSR for the second boil element. Should be fairly easy modifications...


The HLT and current plumbing. I may start on this tonight. Take it down and do some stand modifications. That will be the next step anyway. I will use my sanke MLT for the second HLT vessel.




Here are the plumbing plans for a dual sanke HLT. I think it will work. This is just a cheap way to get more capacity with things I have. It will possibly be a future upgrade: Three valves and a little copper and sweating fit the budget for now.

Spent a few hours tonight. There will be no brewing now...at least until I get the HLT set up. I tore it all down and narrowed the stand a bit (just moved the right uprights over a few inches) to make room for the boil kettle and a 60" future chest freezer (strut is awesome for modificatons!):




I added a few cross members to support the dual vessle HLT. There will be some additional support pieces for the front rail before I am finished:


Here is a test fit of the HLT and BK. The MLT will go under the HLT to the left of the BK. I am planning to build a strut platform to elevate the BK and MLT about a foot. Next step is a good cleaning and I think I will add some more of that white board behind the BK. Hopefully my FIL can bend me up a nice hood on his brake (he is a HVAC guy). I have plenty of old exhaust fans to rig something up from there. This is starting to get fun

Wow- I finally "see" it! That BK still looks HUGE in there, though!

I love the photos, so keep them coming!

Yooper said:

Wow- I finally "see" it! That BK still looks HUGE in there, though!

I love the photos, so keep them coming!

Click to expand...

That BK is huge. Thanks for noticing. It wont look so out of place with the MLT in place. I wish I had a nicer keg for my HLT tank. I guess cleaning it up will make it look better...

How many elements to run the BK? What type of element are they. I'm ready to convert my current NG to electric.

Dog House Brew said:

How many elements to run the BK? What type of element are they. I'm ready to convert my current NG to electric.

Click to expand...

I am going to start with (2) 4500W ULWD Camco's. One of those gives me a great boil in 10 gallon batches so I know we'll be okay at least for 20 gallon batches. I got them from Amazon.

edit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YUDSI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 these are the ones I got.

lschiavo said:

That BK is huge. Thanks for noticing. It wont look so out of place with the MLT in place. I wish I had a nicer keg for my HLT tank. I guess cleaning it up will make it look better...

Click to expand...

You made me laugh!

Can I take a very quick look tomorrow? Bob and I should be at your house around 8:30 or so, and I'd love to see what you've got so far!

Yooper said:

You made me laugh!

Can I take a very quick look tomorrow? Bob and I should be at your house around 8:30 or so, and I'd love to see what you've got so far!

Click to expand...

Of course you can have a look. Not much to see yet. I have you guys on my calendar so I am expecting you.

I never felt the need for an exhaust hood for the boil kettle before. I am thinking that it may be a good idea now. These are old roof-top exhaust fans we took from some job for scrap. They should make awesome hoods I'm thinking. One measures about 30" diameter and the other about 36. They have two piece rain caps of aluminum that should be easy to join to make a hood.

Is a fan absolutely necessary? I see a lot of folks using inline fans. Has anyone just tried a hood piped to outdoors utilizing natural convection?



If anyone is interested in the one I don't use, send me a PM.

I would say yes at least in the winter if you want to brew with everything closed up, with 2 5500w elements in my BK it would fill the garage (3 car)with steam really fast to the point you couldn't see and when we would open the garage doors it looked like the place was on fire

Is a fan absolutely necessary? I see a lot of folks using inline fans. Has anyone just tried a hood piped to outdoors utilizing natural convection?

It has been a few weeks waiting for parts and such. I really haven't done anything much yet. I did get my HLT "tank" in today. It is just a 25 gallon kettle but is the perfect height to match the height of the Sanke HLT. It should give me somewhere between 35-40 gallon HLT capacity. My next step will be to solder a few fittings onto the new kettle and plumb it to the original HLT. It fits nicely I think:

The MLT is here and I soldered the bottom drain half coupling onto the HLT tank. I hope to have the inlet, float and sight glass done on the tank tonight.

Looks good, where are the pumps?

Chuckster said:

Looks good, where are the pumps?

Click to expand...

Thanks. The first pic in post #7 shows the two pumps. The one under the HLT is the stir pump. I will use the Little Giant for HERMS, transfer MLT to BK and chilling/transfer to fermenter. I already have the LG all set up with a new SS valve and camlocks.

Here is the LG pump set up with a stainless valve and camlocks.

.

All of the fitting are soldered in on the HLT "tank". Bottom drain, stir return and float. Also a BobbyM weldless sight glass.

How did you make that dimple for the top two fittings?

I use a greenlee hydraulic punch. I pulled the flat side of a 3/4 die into the concave side of a 1-1/4 die. The ratchet punch sets would work as well.

Looks great! I can't wait to stop by and see it in action.


I forget- are you upgrading to larger fermenters? I can't remember if you said you were.

Yooper said:

Looks great! I can't wait to stop by and see it in action.


I forget- are you upgrading to larger fermenters? I can't remember if you said you were.

Click to expand...

Yes. Troy actually just ordered a 40 gallon conical from stout tanks. It should be here in about a month.

lschiavo said:

Yes. Troy actually just ordered a 40 gallon conical from stout tanks. It should be here in about a month.

Click to expand...

Very cool. I can't wait to see it, and touch it, and brew vicariously through you.

I still just have a few buckets.

Yooper said:

Very cool. I can't wait to see it, and touch it, and brew vicariously through you.

I still just have a few buckets.

Click to expand...

You are definitely invited to the inaugural brew. I am lucky that Troy is a single guy with money burning holes in his pockets or I would keep on with the buckets as well.

Well, scratch the two vessel HLT. I started a bit of plumbing and some thinking and drinking and came up with a few bad scenerios that I do not want to deal with. So, I ordered another 55 gallon drum from Bubba. That will be the new HLT. The two vessel would work but it is just too complicated. I like simple, works everytime kind of stuff. That is what my old HLT was and my new one will be. Watch for me in the classifieds soon

Well, I wasn't very productive this winter. For some reason, I felt motivited today. I modified my stand, soldered in the bottom drain, put it in place and filled it to leak test. No leaks (I did solder in the first half coupling upside down...doh!). Here she is full on the stand. 400+ pounds plus I hung my 190 off the rim. Solid I think:



One of my better solder joints even working around the lettering:



Ready to go on the stand. It's hard enough to lift that monster up there empty...

Bubba's are awesome. They are right around the corner from me, just learned that a few months ago. There is a couple of guys in the home brewing club here that have a RIMS system using their barrels.

This is looking great, and wow what are you going to do with all of that beer? If you need to ship some I'll give you my address

rmoody said:

Bubba's are awesome. They are right around the corner from me, just learned that a few months ago. There is a couple of guys in the home brewing club here that have a RIMS system using their barrels.

Click to expand...

I could not believe how nice they are. Barely a dent even. They are so much more heavy duty than any kettle out there too. Highly recommended!

jflongo said:

This is looking great, and wow what are you going to do with all of that beer? If you need to ship some I'll give you my address

Click to expand...

Thank you. I do split with a buddy. Only getting 5gal per brew day was not so productive. Plus we were having a hard time getting together to brew. Now we can brew a big batch every month or two and hopefully keep the supply up.