New to Electric

[j3r3my]

So, one of my biggest limitations in brewing has always been lack of a proper heat source. I live in a condo on the third floor so going outdoors with a propane burner is not really an option.

Now that electric brewing is a thing (I’ve been out of brewing for a bit), I have questions.

First: I want to use the two coolers for mashing and hot liquor tank, biab is not what I want I am interested in.

Second: Do I need one of these big controllers, or just a simple control to dial down the power of the element.

Third: Is there a better on the pocket book option than the g2 pot and the boil coil? Between the pot, the coil and the coil controller its getting high in cost. I don't mind spending money, I just want to make sure it is spent wisely.

Forth: Can I use the same pot to create the mash and sparge water to do my boil?

I have an all-electric house so power is not an issue. I can unplug my range or my dryer for a power source.

 

[BeardedBrews]

1. Ok
2. That depends on how much you want to have to pay attention. A simple control will work just as well as your stove top would. You MUST have GFCI.
3. For sure there are cheaper options, including adding electric to whatever pot you currently use.
4. You can, yes. If you're using a 2-cooler system, then it will work exactly like a gas 3-tier 2-cooler rig.


My signature has a pretty basic electric setup pieced together with a keg as the boiler.

If I were building again I would spend a little extra for a removable element so I could clean it:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/elementkit_tcrip_wl.htm

And Auber has a very nice controller:
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=560

If you tell us a little more about your batch size we could give you options on the absolute cheapest vs nicest.

 

[j3r3my]

Number one got reformatted and I forgot to add a question, so second is first.

As I am without a pot currently, do you have recommendations? I like the ones with a thermometer and valve.

I agree, a removable element would be great, ill look into that.

 

[pretzelb]

If you change your mind on BIAB the stuff at Unibrau looks cool. Higher Gravity might have the parts you want to build your own.

 

[BeardedBrews]

Number one got reformatted and I forgot to add a question, so second is first.

As I am without a pot currently, do you have recommendations? I like the ones with a thermometer and valve.

I agree, a removable element would be great, ill look into that.

What size pot are you thinking?

The 62 quart Bayou kettle is pretty popular at $80:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXD94A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Add a bulkhead for $20:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/truebulkhead90.htm

And a thermometer for $25:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/thermot24.htm
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/mwl14lock.htm

And a ball valve + cam lock fitting for $15:
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=128
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=133

 

[BeardedBrews]

The cheapest route for the controller is a combination of:

$12
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...ble-Pole-Switch-White-R62-03032-2WS/100356941

With $14
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008MPLIJM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


Using whatever you prefer for the GFCI

 

[BeardedBrews]

I don't mind spending money, I just want to make sure it is spent wisely.

The last bit of advice I'll give you is that you should plan out what your "ideal" system is before you start buying things. Buying once is always the cheapest long-term solution.

If you love the way a Blichmann pot looks, then buy it now. You will end up buying it later anyway.

If you love the idea of a nice pretty control panel, invest in it now too.

Personally I see the merit in buying an off-the-shelf like this:
http://brausupply.com/collections/electric-controllers/products/unibrau-controller-240v

Which would plug directly into the brew hardware element or your boil-coil cord.

 

[Vesteroid]

Not suggesting you do what I did, but in your space, I suggest a biab set up will be infinitely easier and productive. Transferring hot liquid between all those vessels inside is going to be a messy chore. Not to mention dealing with heat loss and the management of all that.

If you think you're going to make much better beer in a 3 vessel vs a biab, I would question that for the average person. We trade beers in my club and lots of the guys biab and I always like the beer fine.

One of the pre made electric biab setups is clean efficient and a long term solution.

 

[pretzelb]

Not suggesting you do what I did, but in your space, I suggest a biab set up will be infinitely easier and productive. Transferring hot liquid between all those vessels inside is going to be a messy chore. Not to mention dealing with heat loss and the management of all that.

If you think you're going to make much better beer in a 3 vessel vs a biab, I would question that for the average person. We trade beers in my club and lots of the guys biab and I always like the beer fine.

One of the pre made electric biab setups is clean efficient and a long term solution.

I would agree with this also. To get back to your original question, if you just had a single electric pot you could do something like:

1. Heat water in kettle for mash
2. Transfer mash water to cooler #1 with grains to mash
3. Add sparge water to kettle and heat while mashing
4. Move sparge water from kettle to cooler #2
5. Arrange sparge cooler up high, then mash cooler, then kettle at lowest point
6. Vorlauf and then begin lauter / sparge filling the kettle at the bottom
7. When kettle volume hit stop sparge and begin boil

As long as you don't under estimate the sparge water it should work fine. I assume this will be a gravity fed system so you'll need the space to make it all work. The cooler used to hold sparge water won't need to be cleaned but you will have to clean the mash tun cooler. Another benefit of BIAB is if you get a bag the clean up is so easy I think it could be done indoors. Just let the grains cool in a sink and then put them in a big garbage bag and pull out the BIAB bag. Done.

 

[j3r3my]

I would agree with this also. To get back to your original question, if you just had a single electric pot you could do something like:

1. Heat water in kettle for mash
2. Transfer mash water to cooler #1 with grains to mash
3. Add sparge water to kettle and heat while mashing
4. Move sparge water from kettle to cooler #2
5. Arrange sparge cooler up high, then mash cooler, then kettle at lowest point
6. Vorlauf and then begin lauter / sparge filling the kettle at the bottom
7. When kettle volume hit stop sparge and begin boil

As long as you don't under estimate the sparge water it should work fine. I assume this will be a gravity fed system so you'll need the space to make it all work. The cooler used to hold sparge water won't need to be cleaned but you will have to clean the mash tun cooler. Another benefit of BIAB is if you get a bag the clean up is so easy I think it could be done indoors. Just let the grains cool in a sink and then put them in a big garbage bag and pull out the BIAB bag. Done.

That's pretty much the plan. Maybe I need to look into biab more.

As for an idea setup, I don't really know. The three kettle on a brew stand would be great once I buy a bigger house but for now I am limited to my small condo. I don't want batches larger then five gallons so I can have variety.

Appreciate all the help!

 

[jrcrilly]

The three kettle on a brew stand would be great once I buy a bigger house but for now I am limited to my small condo. I don't want batches larger then five gallons so I can have variety.

Appreciate all the help!

I grabbed a Grainfather for indoor 5 gallon brews when it is inconvenient to run the three vessel gas-fired rig. Might be a good fit for you until you relocate. Unlike a homebrewed setup, it should retain a substantial portion of its value when it is time to move it on to its next owner.

 

[pretzelb]

How about this idea. Find an ideal 3 vessel setup for when you move. Then try and find a way to make one of the vessels work for BIAB? You can brew now and then after you move you can expand to your ideal configuration without wasting there first investment.

 

[j3r3my]

How about this idea. Find an ideal 3 vessel setup for when you move. Then try and find a way to make one of the vessels work for BIAB? You can brew now and then after you move you can expand to your ideal configuration without wasting there first investment.

Not a terrible idea...

 

[iijakii]

Not a terrible idea...

15gal pot with ball valve and a 2" TC port welded on for removable element. I got mine from Colorado brewing but you might want to look at Spike etc for price comparisons. Plenty big enough for any 5gal BIAB and even most 10gals. You can reuse this as your boil kettle if/when you move to a 3v setup. If you are positive you never want to brew larger batches then a 10gal pot might be the way to go -- not sure how much volume a big 5gal RIS requires... too lazy to open up a can you mash it calc. Could always reserve a gallon of water for a pour sparge.

 

[jeffmeh]

15gal pot with ball valve and a 2" TC port welded on for removable element. I got mine from Colorado brewing but you might want to look at Spike etc for price comparisons. Plenty big enough for any 5gal BIAB and even most 10gals. You can reuse this as your boil kettle if/when you move to a 3v setup. If you are positive you never want to brew larger batches then a 10gal pot might be the way to go -- not sure how much volume a big 5gal RIS requires... too lazy to open up a can you mash it calc. Could always reserve a gallon of water for a pour sparge.

I have done a 6 gal BIAB batch of a very big RIS in a 15 gal kettle. Mash went right up to the top of the kettle. Worked great.