What do you think of this proposed setup?

[NTexBrewer]

So I've been brewing for 3 years. All indoor stovetop BIAB. I use a 7.5 aluminum brew pot for most of my batches but sometimes use a 4 gallon pot for small batches. I usually brew 3 gallon batches but can easily brew 5 gallon batches and can get 6.5 gallons of wort boiling with my stove. I chill the beer in an ice bath and an immersion chiller using an aquarium pump to circulate the water from the ice bath through the chiller.

So the aluminum pot needs to be retired and this got me thinking of trying to rethink my brewing setup to make things easier for me.

So without talking about price what do you think of this setup.

1. 8 gallon Mega-Pot with valve (this pot is about the same diameter as my 7.5 aluminum pot so I'm thinking the boil rate will be about the same)

2. Chugger SS inline pump.
Can use for recirculating mash with whirlpool wand
Recirculate wort to whirlpool trub and then through counter flow chiller

3. Counter flow chiller.

4. Quick pump connection kit from northern brewer to make connect and disconnect easier.

I have the whirlpool wand. I have an immersion chiller that I plan to use to prechill water before it goes through the counter flow chiller. The plan is to have a bucket of ice water that I'll run through the chiller with a submersible pump.

So do you think this will work?

 

[oujens]

For a 5 gallon batch, I think you will find there is not enough room for a full volume mash, so you would probably need to research what it would take to sparge. I imagine you could use a spare pot for this. The boil volume might be tight so risk of a boil over will increase. I would recommend 10G minimum if doing 5 gallons, but I can see why you are trying to keep the kettle smaller.

If recirculating mash, you might need a way to regulate the temp. I think EBIAB setups that recirculate have a setup for this. Not sure how that works on a stovetop. Also, if recirculating mash, I think you want the wort to re-enter on top of the grain, but maybe someone with more experience can answer that for you.

For your whirlpool, I think you will want to chill the wort as you whirlpool. Otherwise, you might add some bitterness as your wort stays hot post-boil. I think your prechiller idea should work for transfer. I'm curious if a plate chiller might work better for you.

You might check out brewhardware for a whirlpool connection kit.

Edit: For the price of that mega pot kettle, you could get a SS brewtech 10 gallon for the same price (has 10.7 gallon capacity) which also has pre-drilled holes for a whirlpool. Just something to think about.

 

[TexasWine]

2. Chugger SS inline pump.
Can use for recirculating mash with whirlpool wand

This is the only problem I see. If you don't have a way to regulate the heat input during the mash, I wouldn't recirculate. Also, you'd need to add a false bottom to your setup.

Personally, I would go with a 120v electric system before going down the path you've outlined, especially given your desired batch size. If you'd like more details on electric options I'll be happy to chime in.

Also, I'd save some coin and go with a MK-II pump or a little tan 24v pump.

 

[NTexBrewer]

For a 5 gallon batch, I think you will find there is not enough room for a full volume mash, so you would probably need to research what it would take to sparge. I imagine you could use a spare pot for this. The boil volume might be tight so risk of a boil over will increase. I would recommend 10G minimum if doing 5 gallons, but I can see why you are trying to keep the kettle smaller.

If recirculating mash, you might need a way to regulate the temp. I think EBIAB setups that recirculate have a setup for this. Not sure how that works on a stovetop. Also, if recirculating mash, I think you want the wort to re-enter on top of the grain, but maybe someone with more experience can answer that for you.

For your whirlpool, I think you will want to chill the wort as you whirlpool. Otherwise, you might add some bitterness as your wort stays hot post-boil. I think your prechiller idea should work for transfer. I'm curious if a plate chiller might work better for you.

You might check out brewhardware for a whirlpool connection kit.

Edit: For the price of that mega pot kettle, you could get a SS brewtech 10 gallon for the same price (has 10.7 gallon capacity) which also has pre-drilled holes for a whirlpool. Just something to think about.

Great things to think about. With my current 7.5 gallon pot I have to do a dunk sparge. I'm guessing this will be inevitable when I do 5 gallon batches. Hoping to be able to do full volume with smaller batches.

My gas stove burner is 14,000 BTU so that makes me nervous going to a 10 gallon pot. I'm guessing I need a pot with a maximum diameter of 12.5 to 13 inches. I would guess that a triclad pot would help with the boil. I have a 6 gallon ss pot that is not triclad and has an inside diameter of 13.25 and I get a boil but it is not rolling like I get in my old 7.5 gallon aluminum pot.

I have an anovo sous vide cooker that I have used for mashing. I will definitely test to see if this can hold a steady mash temp. I brew a lot of Belgian beers that I use a step mash so I figure at a minimum, I can recirculate while using the burner to step up the mash.

With BIAB I get a lot of material in my fermenter. I figured a counter flow chiller would be less likely to clog compared to a plate chiller. I would recirculate while chilling.

I'll check out the SS brewtech pot.

Thanks!

 

[NTexBrewer]

This is the only problem I see. If you don't have a way to regulate the heat input during the mash, I wouldn't recirculate. Also, you'd need to add a false bottom to your setup.

Personally, I would go with a 120v electric system before going down the path you've outlined, especially given your desired batch size. If you'd like more details on electric options I'll be happy to chime in.

Also, I'd save some coin and go with a MK-II pump or a little tan 24v pump.

Texas Wine,

I've read through a lot of your post on your electric system. I have not completely ruled out Ebiab.

Thanks for the tips on the pumps. Will check those out.

 

[TexasWine]

Texas Wine,

I've read through a lot of your post on your electric system. I have not completely ruled out Ebiab.

Thanks for the tips on the pumps. Will check those out.

Just keep in mind you don't even have to get a pump and controller to go eBIAB. A simple element, a way to turn it on and off, and you're set (until the equipment bug bites).

 

[RM-MN]

1. What happened to your aluminum pot that you need to replace it with one that is nearly the same size?
2. What do you expect to gain by recirculating?
3. Will a counterflow chill be greatly superior to what you now use?
4. Will a quick connect and pump be worth the price?
5. What do you expect to gain by whirlpooling the trub?

If your conversion efficiency is so low that recirculating may help, since you are BIAB a mill that will do a better job might be a better investment. Milling fine will speed up conversion (not really, what it does is speed up the gelatinization of the starches so they can convert, the conversion takes less than 2 minutes) and once conversion is complete, maintaining the temperature isn't critical as what is left is steeping out the color and flavor.

To preserve the flavor and aroma of the hops requires quick chilling so they don't turn into more bittering hops instead but bittering stops when the wort is below 170 and that doesn't take long with your current setup I'll bet. I doubt that it takes excessive time to get to where the aroma is driven off either. Once you get that cool it won't matter to the wort if it takes longer to cool. You'll have to decide if you have the time to wait for it.

If you plan to use the whirlpool to keep the trub out so you can harvest the yeast that will help but very slightly. It is much better to overbuild a starter and harvest the yeast from that. Otherwise the trub is important to the yeast health and you'd be better off dumping it all into the fermenter for that and the extra beer that you would otherwise lose to the whirlpool.

 

[NTexBrewer]

1. What happened to your aluminum pot that you need to replace it with one that is nearly the same size?
2. What do you expect to gain by recirculating?
3. Will a counterflow chill be greatly superior to what you now use?
4. Will a quick connect and pump be worth the price?
5. What do you expect to gain by whirlpooling the trub?

1. The aluminum pot is thinning on the bottom. It is warping some to get slight indentations of the burner grate.

2. I would think recirculation would help with the mash. I routinely get 70% brewhouse effiency which I'm happy with.

3. I think a counter flow chiller would definitely be more efficient then my current immersion chiller.

4. If I'm going to get a pump then I definitely will get quick connects. I did not state in the beginning that part of the reason to upgrade is to help out my back. With a pump and counter flow chiller, I can chill and transfer to the fermenter without any lifting.

5. The whirlpool would just help eliminate some trub going through the counter flow chiller.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Your 7.5 gallon aluminum pot produces an acceptable boil on the stove, but your 6 gallon SS does not. An 8 gallon SS tri clad bottom pot will likely boil less than the 6 gal SS pot. I would guess a tri clad pot requires more energy to boil than alum or a SS pot.

Thinking an alum 8 gallon, or your current pot may be best if you want to stay stove top.

 

[RM-MN]

1. The aluminum pot is thinning on the bottom. It is warping some to get slight indentations of the burner grate.

2. I would think recirculation would help with the mash. I routinely get 70% brewhouse effiency which I'm happy with.

3. I think a counter flow chiller would definitely be more efficient then my current immersion chiller.

4. If I'm going to get a pump then I definitely will get quick connects. I did not state in the beginning that part of the reason to upgrade is to help out my back. With a pump and counter flow chiller, I can chill and transfer to the fermenter without any lifting.

5. The whirlpool would just help eliminate some trub going through the counter flow chiller.

1. No arguement on that except to say that your pot probably isn't thinning, just warping.

2. I routinely go well over 80% efficiency due to the cheap Corona style mill I have.

3. I'm not sure about this one. I don't think it is necessary but I'm not spending your money.

4. With a bad back myself I understand this one. I went to 2 1/2 gallon batches and streamlined my system so I can get them done quickly. Your situation may dictate the pump.

5. Maybe a good idea, maybe not. Trub is mostly proteins and hop debris suspended in wort. It might go through the counterflow just fine (except leaf hops)

 

[NTexBrewer]

Your 7.5 gallon aluminum pot produces an acceptable boil on the stove, but your 6 gallon SS does not. An 8 gallon SS tri clad bottom pot will likely boil less than the 6 gal SS pot. I would guess a tri clad pot requires more energy to boil than alum or a SS pot.

Thinking an alum 8 gallon, or your current pot may be best if you want to stay stove top.

This is my biggest concern. May have to check with some people in my brew club and borrow a pot to test out.

I was hoping that a triclad pot would heat uniform and retain heat for a better boil.

 

[NTexBrewer]

So I was able to borrow a Bayou Classic 8 gallon pot.

I filled it with 7 gallons of water and the boil was not as aggressive compared to my aluminum pot.

The boil off rate for the Bayou Classic was 0.5 gallons for one hour. I get 0.75 gallons with my aluminum pot.

 

[TexasWine]

So I was able to borrow a Bayou Classic 8 gallon pot.

I filled it with 7 gallons of water and the boil was not as aggressive compared to my aluminum pot.

The boil off rate for the Bayou Classic was 0.5 gallons for one hour. I get 0.75 gallons with my aluminum pot.

0.5 gallons per hour for 7 gallons starting volume sounds perfect. You should shoot to boil off 6-10% of your initial volume.

 

[NTexBrewer]

0.5 gallons per hour for 7 gallons starting volume sounds perfect. You should shoot to boil off 6-10% of your initial volume.

That's good to hear. With the lower boil off rate, I'm using a little less water in the kettle.

My plan is to brew a batch with just the pot to make sure I have no problems and then start my process of looking at buying a pump and counter flow chiller, etc.

 

[NTexBrewer]

Personally, I would go with a 120v electric system before going down the path you've outlined, especially given your desired batch size. If you'd like more details on electric options I'll be happy to chime in.

Also, I'd save some coin and go with a MK-II pump or a little tan 24v pump.

TexasWine,

I've been doing a lot of reading and watching YouTube videos from BrauSupply and Brew Hardware. I'm pretty certain that I'm going to go eBIAB. I would really like to do a system with the 8 gallon tall kettle similar to what I did a test boil on. I've looked at my recipes and did some calculations and I think the tall (12" diameter) pot gives me good volume height for small batches and allows me to still do my larger batches full volume. I think I just had one recipe that would not fit.

I have an email in to both Steven at BrauSupply and Bobby at Brew Hardware. Looks like Steven is about to release an upgraded version with 2000watt elements. Asked Bobby to look at the possibility of putting together something with 1650watt elements.

In my kitchen, I have two separate 20amp GFCI circuits and also under the sink is a 20amp plug that is just for the garbage disposal and dish washer. I could easier install a GFCI outlet there.

I'm just waiting now to get their replies and go from there.