LeeVanCleef
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Fermenting Room
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tektonjp
Well-Known Member
240 gallons? This is home brewing forum, baby. If you want a straight answer, this is probably not the place to ask. You had better ask that question over at probrewer.com
My two cents? No way will the a/c keep up. But what do I know. I do 5 gallon batches!
My two cents? No way will the a/c keep up. But what do I know. I do 5 gallon batches!
Brewskii
Well-Known Member
tektonjp said:
He didn't say he was doing 240 gal BATCHES.... Just a 240 gal FERMENTER.
I think it'll work.. If your doing 10 gal batches. You could cut a hole in the side and mount a window unit right to it! : )
( it'd be a ***** to get samples tho..)
Brewskii
Well-Known Member
Seriously though; no way.
To protect an investment like that you had better do your homework. Thermal mass calculations should be fairly easy to get at the local library ( or interwebs).
Consult Pros if you can $
To protect an investment like that you had better do your homework. Thermal mass calculations should be fairly easy to get at the local library ( or interwebs).
Consult Pros if you can $
Brewskii
Well-Known Member
tom_gamer said:
The heat generated in a healthy primary fermentation and the time it would take for the air to cool the liquid are miles apart. Primary would be over and done by the time ANY cooling would have and effect with that volume.
Brewskii
Well-Known Member
tom_gamer said:
Usually chilled glycol jacketed SS fermenters with temp and flow control. Some big brewers use ammonia directly ( in jacketed vessels).
As to the OP : Before I hear the "your wrong", I could see rigging an AC unit to cool a secondary media (water/glycol) and use a direct contact heat exchanger of some sort but if your doinkin around with doin that I can only say that I don't know how you would do it.
tektonjp
Well-Known Member
Brewskii said:
How do you think you get 240 gallons in a fermenter? You gotta brew it first, no? So if it makes you happy, 480 five gallon batches into a 240 gallon fermenter.
TarheelBrew13
Well-Known Member
I think when we get to systems this big we start referring to them in barrels (ie. the op has a 7 barrel system). And I'm jealous.
I agree with the air to solid to liquid heat exchange being too slow. I think I saw some pictures of a guy that used an a/c unit with the coils in a glycol pool. He used a pump to circulate the glycol through copper pipes that were submerged in the fermenter. It lookedcliffs like an extreme immersion chiller.
I agree with the air to solid to liquid heat exchange being too slow. I think I saw some pictures of a guy that used an a/c unit with the coils in a glycol pool. He used a pump to circulate the glycol through copper pipes that were submerged in the fermenter. It lookedcliffs like an extreme immersion chiller.
tektonjp
Well-Known Member
tom_gamer said:
Haha. I are a math guy. You got me. Would you believe 48 batches, or has my already tarnished image been tossed out with the trub?
tektonjp said:
Simple mistake. It's alright. Either way even 48 is a lot, better buy a bigger boiler. I did on a sticky about storing wort for a while before fermenting. That's how I would approach it. Also what would you do with so much beer? Unless you sell it, you may need to go to a meeting lol.
TheBreweryUnderground
Well-Known Member
Dude I would find an old chest freezer and get a glycol tank and pump, basically make yourself a wort chiller and stick it in the Fermentor. That will actually be able to cool it down, although I saw a small brew pub in Argentina doing 3bbl batches with just ambient cooling and the beer tasted fine.
LeeVanCleef
Member
I'm toying with the idea of wrapping a large, thin-walled hose around the container, circulating cold water through it, and keeping it in my small enclosed garage with an ac unit. It will be interesting, like a big game of mousetrap, only with a ton of beer!
erikhild59
Well-Known Member
Id be inclined to think that an a/c unit won't keep up with 240 gallons of fermenting wort. Air just doesn't have the thermal absorption needed. You need a pumped liquid coolant. The hose idea seems ok , assuming you have a means to cool the water in it. Immersed copper would work better , IMHO. Keep us updated please.
Logzor
Well-Known Member
I would invest in a high horsepower aquarium drop-in chiller. Basically you drop in the coil, which is hooked to a temp controller.
tektonjp
Well-Known Member
LeeVanCleef said:
Are you actually going to homebrew 200 + gallons? What is the rest of your set up like? A home sized 7 bbl rig? And, where will this go after fermenting? I'm very curious. Send pics.
LeeVanCleef
Member
I don't even know if I'm "allowed" to brew this much, last thing I need is my local law man calling in an agency that likes to use a tactical approach. I'm just playing around with the idea, it will cost a few bucks to do it right. I'll look into it, and believe me, if I ever get it up and running, I'll be a proud papa showing pictures to everybody! Thanks for the input.
Lee Van Cleef
Lee Van Cleef
LeeVanCleef
Member
Speaking of tactical approaches, why is there a glock banner on top of the forum page of a homebrew website?
Marlowefire
Well-Known Member
LeeVanCleef said:
$$$
I would also be curious as to what you would do for your water supply. I usually end up just buying some gallons of spring water, but that doesn't seem like an option with this. The reason why I ask is I am also participating in a thread about how bad a water hose is for brewing.
LeeVanCleef
Member
Yeah, I wouldn't want to drink beer that was made from water out of a garden hose either, stuff builds up in there. We have really good tap water in this part of the state, its the reason our bread and rolls are so good too. The difference between a philly cheesesteak or hoagie and everything else is not the meat, the grill, or the cheese, its the roll you eat it on.
