SpentBrains
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- Joined
- Jan 4, 2016
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So this past week I completed my junkyard sourced, 3 keggle eHerms system. I brewed yesterday and I'm looking to refine the process. Have you got a better way or suggestion? Here's how I brewed a simple ale yesterday.
1) First off, I filled the HLT that contains the heat exchange coil
2) While it was heating, 12 gallons of Primo water went into in the MT. Once the temperature differential was high enough, I started pumping the MT contents through the coil. I now realize that I should have waited longer before dough in. I was reading the temp returning to the MT from the HLT, which does not mean the entire temp of the contents of the MT is that high. (note to self, give it some more time for the entire system to stabilize and absorb enough mass thermal energy for everything to be hot.
3) Grains went in the MT and initial temp dropped down to 142 or so, but recovered to my 152 target, within about 15 mins. Let the recirculation continued for one entire hour at temp. and slowly stepped it up to 158 for the last 10 mins.
4) At the one hour point, with confirmed conversion and 13.5 Brix on the refractometer, I started pumping to the boil kettle (which I still haven't installed a sight glass in yet), only to find I was much shorter of my target volume than I'd thought I'd be.
5) Stopped the pumping and added more water to the MT, to bring up to volume. but overshot. Next time with volume measuring capability, that won't happen. and I'll calculate how much water to add to the already wet grains, thereby coming much closer to my pre boil target volume.
6) Set the new temp to 75C (167F) and started recirculating for the second runnings batch.
7) Reached the target temp in about 15 mins and recirculated via hose until I saw clear runnings again. Reconfigured hoses and topped off the boil kettle.
Efficiency was fantastic, just used too much water so I was right in the target range for the recipe's OG, just over volume by about 16%.
Boil was very straight forward with 3 hop additions like you'd normally progress. The 4500 watt boil element was too powerful at full 240v, so switched to propane once I blew right through the hot break. I plan to buy a manual control capable PID this week.
My system uses tow of the cheapest Rex controllers I could find. Either or circuit protection runs either element, 5500w HLT and 4500w Boil. With both pumps I never saw more than 25 amps and averaged about 21Kw. I already posted a link to a quick vid of the system on another thread, but here it is again:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59SDY16ZwO0[/ame]
Thanks in advance for any pointers on how you brew with your similar system.
1) First off, I filled the HLT that contains the heat exchange coil
2) While it was heating, 12 gallons of Primo water went into in the MT. Once the temperature differential was high enough, I started pumping the MT contents through the coil. I now realize that I should have waited longer before dough in. I was reading the temp returning to the MT from the HLT, which does not mean the entire temp of the contents of the MT is that high. (note to self, give it some more time for the entire system to stabilize and absorb enough mass thermal energy for everything to be hot.
3) Grains went in the MT and initial temp dropped down to 142 or so, but recovered to my 152 target, within about 15 mins. Let the recirculation continued for one entire hour at temp. and slowly stepped it up to 158 for the last 10 mins.
4) At the one hour point, with confirmed conversion and 13.5 Brix on the refractometer, I started pumping to the boil kettle (which I still haven't installed a sight glass in yet), only to find I was much shorter of my target volume than I'd thought I'd be.
5) Stopped the pumping and added more water to the MT, to bring up to volume. but overshot. Next time with volume measuring capability, that won't happen. and I'll calculate how much water to add to the already wet grains, thereby coming much closer to my pre boil target volume.
6) Set the new temp to 75C (167F) and started recirculating for the second runnings batch.
7) Reached the target temp in about 15 mins and recirculated via hose until I saw clear runnings again. Reconfigured hoses and topped off the boil kettle.
Efficiency was fantastic, just used too much water so I was right in the target range for the recipe's OG, just over volume by about 16%.
Boil was very straight forward with 3 hop additions like you'd normally progress. The 4500 watt boil element was too powerful at full 240v, so switched to propane once I blew right through the hot break. I plan to buy a manual control capable PID this week.
My system uses tow of the cheapest Rex controllers I could find. Either or circuit protection runs either element, 5500w HLT and 4500w Boil. With both pumps I never saw more than 25 amps and averaged about 21Kw. I already posted a link to a quick vid of the system on another thread, but here it is again:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59SDY16ZwO0[/ame]
Thanks in advance for any pointers on how you brew with your similar system.
