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#4 Has already been seen too. #1: This is the direction I was leaning towards as well. Already placed beers in a warmer environment (approx 76*F) The beer is on the low end of the BJCP guidelines for Imp Stout with ABV of 8.2%. The competition theme for the category we are entering is...

I brewed an Imperial Stout with 1/3 grain bill being Honey for a local Homebrew competition under BJCP Style 31B (Alternate Fermentable). I've been kegging my beers for quite some time now, but for various reasons decided to bottle this batch instead of keg, force carb, and then bottle off...

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Yes, we have some great soft water, but our supply is Folsom Lake which at the end of this Fall reached an all time low It's filling up again quickly, but I fear this seasonal ebb and flow will seasonally change our profile. By how much it's hard to say...

Thanks for the feedback. I have designed my brewstand such that all lines leading into either pump's supply manifold (pump in) are 3/4" and all lines leading out from the return manifold (pump out) are 1/2". I have a sample valve on both return manifolds for bleeding air and for taking hydro...

I'm researching RO Systems. Questions that come to mind are: 1) 3 or 4 stage 2) What to do with "waste" water 3) which RO System brands are recommended 4) do I still need a charcoal filter to remove chlorine or chloramine Currently looking at the WATTS system available on Grainger...

Designing a new 3 Keggle + Hex brew stand. Going the sanitary route with sanitary tri-clamps, welded fittings, and sanitary butterfly or automated valves. Anyone care to offer advice or opinion on going 1/2" or 3/4". Pumps are 1/2", and any-which-way adjustable coolant hose for Sparge is...

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I plan to circulate strike volume through the HEX at strike temp pre dough-in, kill pump at dough-in, and then circulate at mash temp for duration of mash. The pre dough-in circ cycle should help pre-heat all HERMs lines which will be insulated anyway. I...

I'm designing my next brewstand. It will be a 3 vessel system with a HEX. I plan on using a BCS controller and am trying to determine the best location for the Mash Temp Probe. Options are: 1) Out of MLT (bottom draining Keggle) 2) Out of HEX 3) At return inlet to MLT To me it seems...

Ha! Exactly what I thought, but damn those are some sweet looking valves..."My Precious!" Thanks for the advice.

I've been doing some research, and have come across the Alfa Laval valves, but am hesitant to ask how much: "...If you have to ask, you probably can't afford" http://www.alfalaval.us/products/fluid-handling/valves/Double-seat-valves/unique-cp-3/?id=170380 Anyone have any experience with these...

I spoke with our Account Rep at Johnson Controls yesterday. There is interest at JC to gain more headway into the craft brewing and home brewing markets. He will present the idea of multi-piece valve bodies that can be disassembled for sanitation with a product manager. I suggested using...

JonW: Thanks for your reply and words of encouragement here and on ECC forum. Which valves are you using? Yeah, I don't really "kick back" on brew day, but like BrunDog, would like some automation to focus less mundane tasks I also thought about installing manual ball valves on the...

I'm designing a new system. I intend to use BCS462 controller. One area I am looking at is incorporating automated ball valves (both 2 way and 3 way) like the ones offered by Johnson Controls. Given the added cost, slow response, and BCS interface making throttling flows a trial and error...

Thank you for the link and info! Good stuff. Gives me something else to think about. I like the HEX and think it's something I can fabricate at my shop.

I am in the designing stages of my next brewery. I have access to kegs for keggles and am thinking of using a 1/4 keg or 6-8 Gal pot as a dedicated HERMs tun (the "1/2" in my 3-1/2 vessel set up). My rational for incorporating a dedicated HERMs tun is by using a smaller volume of water I...

Has anyone used steam for their HERMs system? Given the thermal transfer efficiency delta between fluid and steam I'm wondering how steam based HERMs performs compared to the conventional method of Herms coil in HLT. My reason for musing is as follows: I'm considering building a 3-1/2...

Actually I am thinking of designing a custom hop/trub screen and pick up tube that will lay on bottom perimeter of the keggle leaving the middle open. The Sanke fitting opening is about 2" (roughly same as carboy neck) so dumping trub and hop material out of the bottom should be easy. I'm...

I am in the designing stages of a 3 keggle electric brewery. One aspect of the electric brewing set up that has me concerned is that every element I've seen hangs in the middle of the kettle approximately where trub/hop cone would sit after whirlpool. I use a plate chiller and wish to...

dmcman73: I'm starting to design my next system. In your set up are you able to achieve a compact cone after whirlpool with the heater element in your boil kettle? I am considering going to electric, but for me whirlpools serve for hop stands and compacting the trub/hops. I plan on converting...

Great write up, Gavin. We never stop learning, especially with so many knowledgeable people on HBT dedicated to advancing our craft.