new to Electric bewing.

[it99]

I am an extract brewer and want to jump into all grain. I don't want to buy equipment that I don't really need for long term plans for a small electric brewing system. Here are my main objectives:
1) brew small batches of 2.5 or 5 gals tops.
2) I would like to use a 120v eletric system for all grain.
3) Long term I'd like to be able to control it with automation software.

I have an 8 gal brew pot, not sure if its stainless or not.

What other equipment would I need.
Do I really need 3 brewpots?? like I see on the electric brewing website.
That's going to get pricey.
I know about needign ball valve, heating element,etc.
Is there an example of something similar I could try to emulate.
Thank you very much for any help

 

[EvilDeadAsh]

I'll assume since you are posting in this particular forum you intend to build this yourself. Check out these 2 threads:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/110v-recirculating-ebiab-2-5-gallon-batches-341219/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/how-build-5-gal-110v-ebiab-kettle-304914/

These are both 120V systems, the former being for smaller 2.5G batches, which your 8G pot will be fine for. The latter being for larger batches but uses 2x 120V heating elements.

I have an 8 gal brew pot, not sure if its stainless or not.

Easy test: see if a magnet sticks to it. If not then it is probably aluminum.

 

[kosmokramer]

test: see if a magnet sticks to it. If not then it is probably aluminum.[/QUOTE]

Use a rare earth magnet if you have one.. a regular magnet prolly wont stick if its stainless either

 

[it99]

Thank you so much those systems seem close to what I need.
Sorry for a stupid question now but since I haven't all grained yet its not obvious to me. There is one kettle they are showing in that system. What parts of the brewing process can it be used for, mashing, sparging,boil kettle for wort??

 

[EvilDeadAsh]

what parts of the brewing process can it be used for, mashing, sparging,boil kettle for wort??

Yes.

It's used for everything. Those threads are about creating a single vessel all-grain brewing system called "brew in a bag" - otherwise noted as simply BIAB, or eBIAB in this case because they are electric systems.

If you are already familiar with a traditional 3-vessel all-grain setup, then review this thread for an overview of how BIAB works:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/biab-brewing-pics-233289/

If you are not familiar with a more traditional 3-vessel system, my recommendation would be to read up on that first, then BIAB will make much more sense.

 

[Sinandgrin]

I have been looking to do the very same build or at least had similar goals, at first. I brewed my first 2 all grain brews this year and don't want to go back to partial mash, or extract now, however when I brewed my first 2 all grain beers this year I had to lower the batch size so that my stove top could handle the volume of wort from my usually 5 gal batches to 3 gal. I was upset then with the result of such a small size batch because when I went to bottle I was amazed to see that I lost over a gallon to trub and other materials in the process, I decided that it was not worth my time to yield such a small quantity but I didn't want to give up all grain brewing. So my solution is to build a 120V RIMS system with a pump and continue to do BIAB on the stove top, with the RIMS helping to handle the larger 5 gallon batches.
For your needs though, and to help keep costs low, I would look at making a "heat stick", just search around here for that. This is what I originally thought of doing. Basically you could use your stove top to as you normally would but could also add this heat stick to the pot to help raise your strike temp, or wort temp quicker with both the stove top heating element and the heat stick going at the same time. Then you would just follow a simple BIAB method, and your result would be a simple, cost effective way to brew 2.5 - 5 gallon batches of all grain.

 

[it99]

If I do make a kettle with heating element and do a BIAB method, can use this in the future if I decide to go to a 3 kettle system someday? I would think you could use it for the boil kettle, correct? and then I would just have to get mash tun and lauter tun correct? I just want to make sure I can be flexible if ever want to try those other brew methods.

Thanks!!