My build

[Roadie]

Sorry you had a bad experience the first go around, but it will get better.

BTW where is your temp probe for the mash? You may have better results measuring temps in the plumbing (like Kal) if you're recirculating.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

There is a port on kettle but it's an inch too high. Gonna try 1.5qt/pound and see if that hits. If not may be forced to plumb in a fitting like Kal's and block off side port for 5 gallon batches. Think we are gonna try again today.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[augiedoggy]

There is a port on kettle but it's an inch too high. Gonna try 1.5qt/pound and see if that hits. If not may be forced to plumb in a fitting like Kal's and block off side port for 5 gallon batches. Think we are gonna try again today.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

I used a tee with probe mounted in it between the mash tun and ball valve at the base... It works well. Just something to consider.

 

[Roadie]

I used a tee with probe mounted in it between the mash tun and ball valve at the base... It works well. Just something to consider.

I've seen that on Kal's site and may need to resort to that if 1.5qt/lb doesn't get me where I need to be. Crossing fingers it will be enough.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[hunter306]

Sounds about like my first experience, but for different reasons. Did you have a brew helper on the first batch, or did you run it solo? I found chilling the wort was easier with a helper giving me feedback on where the wort temp was coming out.

On the overall volume you ended up for, i'm curious if it was simply boil-off, or if you think you lost more to the dip tube in the boil kettle?

I estimated 1.6gph boil-off for my 15gal pots, we actually sparged until the bk had just a little less than 12g for that. Also found that the pickup on my BK was super sensitive to cavitating, even at slow speeds, so I lost some there too.

Like everyone has chimed in, I think 2nd go around will go smoother. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Roadie]

Ok rebrewed today. My son helped me again like yesterday.

Everything went great until we went to chill. I have a dedicated pipe for the chiller but unfortunately it froze. Could not fricking believe it. Nothing in the house to hook a garden hose to so I was unable to chill the wort. put it into the temp controlled wort fridge and will have to oxygenate/pitch tomorrow. Totally bummed. Chill factor outside is -15 so I should have known to check it but it is what it is. Was going to sit the carboy outside but it's glass and would have probably cracked.

The growing pains of a new system I guess.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[jeffmeh]

Welcome to no-chill, lol. That's my preferred method and it works great for me. As long as your sanitation was good you should be fine. Any idea what the wort temperature was when you transferred? If hot enough, your sanitation could even be less than ideal. I transfer at 190F, but into HDPE containers that can handle it.

 

[augiedoggy]

They sell an adapter at any hardware store which screws into a faucet and has male garden hose threads.. Its what I use with my bathroom faucet. might be a good idea to get one.

Funny some people do the no chill with no issues even though many state it can contribute to DMS and corn and cabbage flavors... In Australia the no chill method is popular.

 

[Roadie]

Welcome to no-chill, lol. That's my preferred method and it works great for me. As long as your sanitation was good you should be fine. Any idea what the wort temperature was when you transferred? If hot enough, your sanitation could even be less than ideal. I transfer at 190F, but into HDPE containers that can handle it.

About 155. Everything was sanitized on the cold side so should be ok but never had to do this before.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[Roadie]

They sell an adapter at any hardware store which screws into a faucet and has male garden hose threads.. Its what I use with my bathroom faucet. might be a good idea to get one.

Funny some people do the no chill with no issues even though many state it can contribute to DMS and corn and cabbage flavors... In Australia the no chill method is popular.

My utility sink has a cartridge discharge so that's a no-go. I do have a bathroom in an adjoining room that I could maybe do that with though my chiller hoses are only 10' so that would have to change to. Hoping this damn cold weather is ending sometime soon and I won't have to worry about this.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[jeffmeh]

They sell an adapter at any hardware store which screws into a faucet and has male garden hose threads.. Its what I use with my bathroom faucet. might be a good idea to get one.

Funny some people do the no chill with no issues even though many state it can contribute to DMS and corn and cabbage flavors... In Australia the no chill method is popular.

The skepticism around no-chill was off the charts when people started doing it here in the U.S. Everything from DMS to death through botulism. It's all nonsense, as no-chill works fine and the beers are indistinguishable from those quickly chilled. I do go for longer boils with Pilsner malt and other malts presumably higher in DMS precursors, but I did that when I was chilling as well.

 

[fhhobbies]

Wow nice build, it's funny when I saw this your room and build is almost identical to the build I'm doing now, I have one or two more items I'm waiting on.... very excited! Electrician is actually wiring up my room as we speak! Good job bud looks fantastic!

 

[Roadie]

Wow nice build, it's funny when I saw this your room and build is almost identical to the build I'm doing now, I have one or two more items I'm waiting on.... very excited! Electrician is actually wiring up my room as we speak! Good job bud looks fantastic!

Thanks very much. I still have the tile to go on the wall behind the kettles but am taking a break. After this I have to figure out what my small 7' bar will look like. This room has worn me down!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[fhhobbies]

Ya its a lot of work for sure, rewards in the end will be worth it though!

 

[Roadie]

My first two brews were disappointing but maybe 3rd time will be the charm. Going to wait until it warms up a little first. Do you have a build thread going?


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[fhhobbies]

Looks like you found it here.... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/st...sement-brewery-371244/index2.html#post5956414

 

[RobJ]

Sorry to hear you've had a nightmare, third time lucky eh? Sorry for high jacking your thread with my picks, see now that it's not the way, I'll start one of my own, almost ready for a brew, gonna do a full brew but with just water to see if all my probes and PID's graft ok, think it's worth doing or you reakon just crack one on and see if it's ok, got my ingredients and recipes just need to finish the wiring and test everything, cheers



Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Roadie]

Sorry to hear you've had a nightmare, third time lucky eh? Sorry for high jacking your thread with my picks, see now that it's not the way, I'll start one of my own, almost ready for a brew, gonna do a full brew but with just water to see if all my probes and PID's graft ok, think it's worth doing or you reakon just crack one on and see if it's ok, got my ingredients and recipes just need to finish the wiring and test everything, cheers



Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

No worries. Definitely run water through everything first. I had multiple plumbing connections that needed to be tightened and glad I did that before actually brewing.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[RobJ]

Filled the HLT up and everything leaked, do I've had to gasket seal everything, will check out your next brew, hopefully you sort the chill plate problem, could you not rig it up to a mixer tap (hot and cold) then you could control the temp of the cooling water or would slowing the cold feed right down on the cooling water work? Just a thought I've never done it before but I'll be ready soon and wouldn't mind learning by your mistakes bud


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Roadie]

Filled the HLT up and everything leaked, do I've had to gasket seal everything, will check out your next brew, hopefully you sort the chill plate problem, could you not rig it up to a mixer tap (hot and cold) then you could control the temp of the cooling water or would slowing the cold feed right down on the cooling water work? Just a thought I've never done it before but I'll be ready soon and wouldn't mind learning by your mistakes bud


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Naw it will stay connected to the cold tap but either I won't brew when it's -15 F or will make sure it isn't frozen first. If it chills too much you turn down the water pressure, if it chills too little you turn down the wort pressure.

Even though the first batch was short on volume with roughly 4 gallons and the second batch I forgot the whirlfloc and then the chiller line was frozen so it's CLOUDY, it's fermenting like crazy and I've had to use a blow-off hose and vessel for 3 days now on both carboys so it's going to be beer! Working out the kinks in a brand new system is something everyone has to go through.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[RobJ]

That's it then, mines gona be a brand new system but am brand new so gona just bash one out after I've finished this weekend and do a full water run with a timed mash and boil, see how it goes, hope the beer turns out well mate


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Roadie]

That's it then, mines gona be a brand new system but am brand new so gona just bash one out after I've finished this weekend and do a full water run with a timed mash and boil, see how it goes, hope the beer turns out well mate


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Good luck!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[flytrapxx]

Looks really nice! Jealous.

 

[Roadie]

Looks really nice! Jealous.

Thanks. Room almost done. Brewed last weekend but ran into some issues. They do look sweet though!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[RobJ]

No leaks and MLT almost up to temp, yee haa, love it, will let u know how a get on, started me own thread do not to hijack yours ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Roadie]

No leaks and MLT almost up to temp, yee haa, love it, will let u know how a get on, started me own thread do not to hijack yours ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Yes I've visited your thread. Congrats on the dry run working out great.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[RobJ]

Cheers mate, inspired by you, got that good advice if u can remember, didn't have a clue (have a little bit now), so hopefully will work out ok, can't wait to get the grain in


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Roadie]

Grouting is finished!! If I had to do over again I would have just painted the wall and called it a day as the tile took a LONG time. I thought it wouldn't be bad as the tiles were 12" x 24" but it wore me out. With the lights reflecting off the lids it's hard to get a good photo but this gives you the idea. I thought the carrara marble look was the way to go with gray walls and all the stainless and I'm happy with it overall. Once I get hooks for the lids I'll try another pic that should have less reflections.

To do list: cut/stain board to mount pumps; cut/stain board to mount plate chiller; order chalkboard to list beers on (covers the electric panel in room); move 8 tap keezer into room; install a hook for hoses; fix couple of minor leaks at sink; and oh yeah, build a bar! The never-ending project!

 

[hunter306]

Looks great, congrats!

 

[fhhobbies]

Killer! That tile looks really nice.

 

[Roadie]

Looks great, congrats!

Thanks! Still working on it but the tile was a major milestone.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[Roadie]

Killer! That tile looks really nice.

Thanks!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[beachstatus]

awesome build brother! Im moving into a house soon and will be building a mini brewery in my garage, i already cant wait but now im itching like crazy after reading this! cheers!

 

[showcow]

Dude! That looks totally amazing. Congrats man.

 

[Roadie]

awesome build brother! Im moving into a house soon and will be building a mini brewery in my garage, i already cant wait but now im itching like crazy after reading this! cheers!

Thanks! The to-do list will still keep me busy for a couple weeks but since the tile is done it does feel like it's finally coming together.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[Roadie]

Dude! That looks totally amazing. Congrats man.

Thank you. Took a while to plan out and execute but it will be worth it when finished.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kal]

Roadie sent me a picture of the finished area to share on my site so I figured I'd post it here as well...

Before:

After:

Nice work Roadie! You've come a long way!

Kal

 

[Roadie]

Thanks Kal!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[RobJ]

Awesome stuff mate, looks class, you've put the graft in and it's paid off, well done


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Spinout]

To do list: cut/stain board to mount pumps; cut/stain board to mount plate chiller; order chalkboard to list beers on (covers the electric panel in room); move 8 tap keezer into room; install a hook for hoses; fix couple of minor leaks at sink; and oh yeah, build a bar! The never-ending project!

we used the chalkboard paint in the kids' rooms and in the kitchen. it really does work pretty good. not sure if that's an option in your brew room or not.

 

[ap0345]

looks great. Where did you get that large hot pad for the hlt?