Help: Brewha BIAC or "traditional Electric Brewery build"

[iphonedylan]

Brewers,

I need some assistance on a big decision. I've been mostly dormant the forums and only lurking since my "first brew night" in 2012. Needless to say, the first one turned out less than great trying a full 5 gallon extract boil on builder grade electric range. Never again.

A quick update: I'm finishing up my last deployment and moving to all grain this fall. I brewed ~10 extract kits this past fall in between deployments 3 and 4, and I have to say that they all turned out awesome. I've been on nice outdoor burner ever since brew number 2 and it's been working great. I built out a pretty nice 3 tap keezer that I don't have pics of at the moment, so still kegging. I'm wanting to go straight to 10 gallon all grain brews and I've been intrigued by www.TheElectricBrewery.com.

I'm separating from the military in 10 months and my wife and I recently had to buy a new home. I was disappointed that we weren't able to find a new place with natural gas like the old one, that was until I found Kal's site. I've been given the "unofficial O.K." to use our 3rd bedroom/bathroom as my "man room to do with what I wish." The room is small, next to the garage in a 3 bed/3.5 bath 3 story townhouse (to give a visual). There is room along the back wall for something similar to Kal's first electric brewery - sink, 5-6' brew table with 3 x 20 gallon kettles. On the other side of one corner wall is the sink in the bathroom, perfect for piggybacking a SS wash sink off of.

My big debate right now is a more "traditional HERMS system" like Kal's, OR, ordering a Brewha BIAC all-in-one conical. It has been recently discussed on the forum here. That thread starts as a discussion about the 3-in-1 kettle/conical fermenter, but a couple have ordered the Brew-In-A-Conical (BIAC) variety, including Jimmy82 who references it later in the thread.

A few points:

Price - the BIAC is expensive at ~$3700 shipped to the door but an Electric Brewery clone, for which I would definitely order Kal's panel kit, is well North of $5k, probably closer to $6k. I figure for < $4500, I could have a wicked BIAC set up including sink, work table, complete room, etc, and obviously the perks of a conical.

"Stuck with 10 gallons every 2 weeks" - I don't see this as an issue. Realistically, I can't forecast brewing every weekend when I'm home full time. Even if I wanted to go back to back or 2 weekends in a row, I'd merely have to forecast that ahead of time and go straight to fermenting into the carboys I already own after the boil, so 20 gallons in the same weekend is possible in a pinch (that'd be a hell of a pinch).

The pro's of the BIAC - I'm sure as anyone still reading will/does realize, there are virtually no con's to the BIAC as far as 10 gallons of all grain brewed electrically; it only has "pro's" in my opinion.

I'd really like all and any input from you more experienced brewers. The thought of building out something similar to Kal's electric brewery and "making it my own" is exciting and the BIAC is very tempting as a more "fiscally responsible" and probably better brewing set-up.

Help me!

from Afghanistan. Back in the States next month!

 

[Ragtop232]

iPhonedylan, glad you're still brewing and now looking at these systems. I went through the same planning stages and had many questions and completed many hours of research. I spec'ed and built a system, 10 gal of finished brew, that is something of a Brew-In-A-Kettle. I'll post a link to the thread below. The thread has been inactive for many months, but will give you an idea of my experiences. I also own a 20L Braumeister. I like them both, to be honest, and I'm getting north of 80% efficiency on "Dorthy" (the 10 gal brewery) and about 75 to 77% efficiency on the Braumeister 20L.

All that being said, if I were in the market today, it would definitely be the BIAC I would purchase. So many great things going for it. Sanitation never an issue, minimal cleanup, easy brew day, etc etc etc. I would also look at the Braumeister 50L. These are awesome machines and just a pleasure to work with.

That's my advice and it's a great time to be a brewer. I will always look for an easy way to achieve complicated results, and both of these solutions do just that. I would say as far as cosmetics and hooking everything up, the Braumeister can't be beat. However, the jacketed cooling system and conical of the BIAC is awesome.

Again, my pick: BIAC

My BIA-Kettle thread

Good luck and keep us posted as to what you choose.

Jim

 

[KIAKillerXJ]

BIAC no question for me, as long as you don't mind the vessel being tied up during fermentation. Its a beautiful, JACKETED, conical. Temp control for mash and fermentation. Sanitation done. Just noticed yesterday they switched to new heating elements that visually are much better than the ones they had been using (in outdoor rated electrical boxes.) I want one. Real bad. Just finances and having an actual place to brew. My current apt doesn't even have 220. All gas.
For the price, and options, I really don't know how it can be beat-- if you want a single vessel system, which I do.

 

[Jimmy82]

I love my BIAC. I've only brewed on it once, but it was an enjoyable experience! You can't beat the service, the product is well made, and it's an ingenious design.

The best part of all is not having to do any work during brew day. You literally fire this thing up and when the boil is finished you cut the power, walk away, and let the water chill the wort. You don't have to clean, you don't have to babysit it while chilling the wort..you come back later and it's at pitching temp and you pitch the yeast.

 

[iphonedylan]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I keep thinking more and more that the Brewha equipment is the way forward; I'm just debating between the BIAC kit or buying the conical and mash colander separately and building the rest of the components myself. I've been brainstorming the idea of making a panel myself. It'd be a pretty simple panel with basically 2 halves: 1 - mash, boil, cool. 2 - fermentation control. There would be 2 PID controllers, one on each half. I went into the weeds on dual element RTD probes, splitting the signal etc before I reeled myself back in and thought that I can just switch the probe from one half of the panel to the other.

The PID controller for fermentation would control a low pressure, closed loop system that would be either heated or cooled, depending on the beer and temp in that room. For cooling, I'm planning on putting a small reservoir in my keezer and maybe an extra ~10' of hose coiled up inside. For heating, a small cooler as a reservoir with a submersible aquarium heating element (~$25). I'd use the same submersible sump pump for both. The fermentation PID would activate the water control solenoid and sump pump.

I ball parked the cost of the panel at ~$700. I added all the major components I could think of, including an enclosure and got up to $550, adding $150 for incidentals that I can't think of right now. Long story short, if I piece together things like the heating element, water control solenoid and chugger pump with hosing on my own, I think I can make up for the cost of the panel.

Anybody want to weigh in on any of this rambling? I may put together a elementary drawing of the panel so you guys get an idea of what I'm thinking.

 

[iphonedylan]

Here is the rough draft of my panel idea. The only alibi is that the buzzer/indicator light on the far right would be physically wired into the left half of the panel.

 

[KIAKillerXJ]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I keep thinking more and more that the Brewha equipment is the way forward; I'm just debating between the BIAC kit or buying the conical and mash colander separately and building the rest of the components myself. I've been brainstorming the idea of making a panel myself. It'd be a pretty simple panel with basically 2 halves: 1 - mash, boil, cool. 2 - fermentation control. There would be 2 PID controllers, one on each half. I went into the weeds on dual element RTD probes, splitting the signal etc before I reeled myself back in and thought that I can just switch the probe from one half of the panel to the other.

The PID controller for fermentation would control a low pressure, closed loop system that would be either heated or cooled, depending on the beer and temp in that room. For cooling, I'm planning on putting a small reservoir in my keezer and maybe an extra ~10' of hose coiled up inside. For heating, a small cooler as a reservoir with a submersible aquarium heating element (~$25). I'd use the same submersible sump pump for both. The fermentation PID would activate the water control solenoid and sump pump.

I ball parked the cost of the panel at ~$700. I added all the major components I could think of, including an enclosure and got up to $550, adding $150 for incidentals that I can't think of right now. Long story short, if I piece together things like the heating element, water control solenoid and chugger pump with hosing on my own, I think I can make up for the cost of the panel.

Anybody want to weigh in on any of this rambling? I may put together a elementary drawing of the panel so you guys get an idea of what I'm thinking.

I had totally thought of doing the same thing. Then my lazy side kinda kicked in and thought how easy it would be just to order the package. But either way absolutely works, your way might save you some money and get a little nicer control side of things, but obviously has a lot more leg work on your end.

 

[KIAKillerXJ]

kinda the ultimate for me would be to add the http://www.brew-boss.com/ system to the BIAC

 

[cerevisiae33]

I went through the same decision process as you and ended up ordering just the 3-in-1 and colander and plan on building/supplying everything else. I already have all necessary equipment except for the control panel from my BIAB keggle setup. I like your design for the control panel, I think I might try doing something similar. When I ordered my stuff from Brewha they said the next batch of equipment will ship out in August sometime.

 

[ron8]

Please note: After posting this earlier today, I decided this should be better placed in its own thread. You may find the same post in a new thread in the Electric Brewing Forum. Sorry for any confusion. You of course are asked to post either here, or on the new thread, "All in One Electric Brewing System: Batch Size Questions".

Hi all you fans of brewing in a single vessel,

When it comes to the BIAC I am very impressed by the ease of operation, cleanup, sanitation, small foot-print offered by the BIAC (in either the small or medium).

What are your thoughts on the Small vs. the Medium BIAC? Would any of you folks care to help me with your personal experiences and preferences concerning some issues I am wrestling with:

1. Is it important for you to be able to brew 3 to 5 gallon batches, as can be done with Small BIAC, but not larger.
(For reference, the Small BIAC Dimensions: 7 gallons in the cylinder (plus the volume of the cone). Cylinder is 12 in. dia x 12 in. high, per Nathan at BREWHA.

2. Or, would you rather be able to brew 6 to 15 gallon batches as with Medium BIAC, and give up ability to brew 3 gallon batches.
(Medium BIAC Dimensions: 24 gallons in the cylinder portion (plus the volume of the cone). Cylinder is 18 in. dia x 18 in. high.)

3. Small BIAC seems limited in its ability to brew high gravity beer at least in 5 gallon batches, due to its limited vessel size. I think the Small BIAC could probably brew 3 gallon high gravity beers.

4. Are there any brewing styles you think the Small BIAC could not be used for, given its small vessel size.

5. What other considerations am I missing that would require the larger, Medium BIAC?

6. Bottom line ... what's more important from where you stand as experienced, accomplished homebrewers:
A. 3 to 5 gallons batch size, with limited production rate scale-up vs.
B. 6 to 15 gallon batch size, and no ability to do 3 gallon batch size.

I drink 9 or 10 bottles (12 oz) a week. 5 gallon batches would suffice nicely to give me a reasonable frequency of brew days, i.e. could have the fun of brewing more often than making 10 gallons at a time. But, don't want to miss out on flexibility of brewing in a larger system if it makes sense.

I whole-heartedly believe stainless steel, and electric equipment is the way to go.


I appreciate your reading this and any guidance you experienced brewers are willing to share. I recently attended a local home brew club meeting, and asked these kinds of questions of several brewers that night. Many different replies, and still no clear path forward. But it's fun to learn what you have to share.

More about me:
This will be my first step into home brewing. I am an old hand at drinking finer beers. Now I am ready to engage my process engineer self into making and drinking finer beers. I am curious and excited to brew exceptional beers. On a mission to drink all styles and have recently broken from my pale ale and IPA rut to try some belgian blond, saison, sour, imperial IPA and stouts. I will probably begin brewing stouts for awhile.

I have thought of whether or not I will stick with the hobby for more than a year, and know that this is a major investment in a hobby that I have no direct experience in. As of now, I am COMMITTED, or maybe I SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO A HOME for even thinking of doing this. But, I have tasted some home-brews that are OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD. And I want to be a part of that. I've been reading Homebrewtalk, and Biabrewer.com. I've learned a lot from the Beersmith podcast videos.

...Ron8

 

[kgar2121]

About to take the plunge and purchase equipment to start homebrewing. I've done everything I can to research to make sure I get what I can "easily" get my feet wet with all grain. I think I am settling in on the Brewha BIAC... But with my free time being short and far between (you know how the restaurant life is), whenever I get time to brew on a weekend, I may want to do more than one batch. If I were to get the mid-sized BIAC, and I WANTED to do another run on the following day or a few days later, and if I planned accordingly, could I transfer the first batch into other fermenters, such as the fast fermenters?

 

[Jimmy82]

Yes, you can transfer to the other fermenter as soon as you finish chilling in the conical.

 

[kgar2121]

Awesome! Thanks! Almost finished with my shopping... about to pull the trigger!

Yes, you can transfer to the other fermenter as soon as you finish chilling in the conical.