3-in-1 "Boil Kettle, Jacketed Chiller, Conical Fermenter" by Brewha

[limulus]

If you have it you might as well use it. May be plumb it into your chiller for those days where you have to do both (heat/cool).
I think Nathan is going to offer a DSPR1 in the future,looks like the Ranco plugs into it.
Have you cold crashed with your chiller yet?

If that last question is for me, the answer is no. I'm still waiting for my stuff to arrive. I believe the BIAC ships next week.

 

[Jimmy82]

Just stumbled across this oxygenating "wand". Could run it through a rubber stopper and stick the stopper in one of the triclovers ports on the lid.

http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Stainless_Steel_Oxygenation_Wand_p/oxygenation-wand-w-stone.htm

 

[limulus]

Well Lads, my medium BIAC system has given up its Canadian citizenship and crossed the border to become an Amurcan. I expect it probably next week. Also, I just don't think anyone can provide the level of service I have received from Nathan. As he grows, I hope he can continue to provide that level of service through his employees.

Nobody else has ever offered an all in one system at this level. I think we as a group should probably do some kind of mass review and/or video. Blichmann sure has their share of them.

 

[cuda6pak]

100% agree. Nathan has the best customer service by far.

 

[jeffcosgrove]

Nathan's customer service has been outstanding to say the least. I have bombarded him with emails both before and after my purchase and he always responds very quickly and answers all of my questions thoroughly. Mine is scheduled to ship on Tuesday and once I get the system going I would be more than happy to join in on a group review.

 

[limulus]

Hello Lads, the CSA tracking info says the ETA for my delivery is tomorrow. The CSA site also says my crate weighs 260lbs. Is there anything special I'll need to have in place or will their guy(s) take care of unloading it. I have not received a call from them yet and I assume they call to schedule the delivery. I just hope they transfer it to a smaller truck.

The other thing I did not verify was the type of plug. I think it has a standard clothes dryer plug, correct? I have a spa panel on my deck and no spa. The nice thing about that is the main breaker panels are all in the basement. All I have to do is remove the wire from the spa panel on the deck and pull it back through the conduit and into the basement. From there, I just run it through a wall and it is in the garage! I just need to know if I need to take that spa panel as well. It has a breaker and the main breaker in my basement that runs it is a 60amp. I found an electrician who can come next week to move it and I'm more than willing to just pay him. But in the meantime, I could go to Home Depot and buy the needed outlet and box.

 

[cuda6pak]

For the medium BIAC, it came in two separate crates. I carried each with the truck driver from the truck to my garage, no big deal. They gave the driver my phone number and he updated me when he thought he could be there, and then when he was on his way a few minutes out.

I didn't give any special instructions for my BIAC and it came with the standard NEMA 14-30 plug for your standard NA dryer plug.

 

[limulus]

Mine arrived this morning. My guy told me he was only authorized to drop it in my driveway! But it only took $10 to get him to put it in my garage using his pallet jack. I think that was maybe 90 seconds of extra moving for him, so all is good. I have been on conference calls all day and have not had a chance to open it yet. But, it is one impressive package and 0 visible damage.

BTW, the tall crate is exactly 48" tall and the small one was 26.5" and that does not include the pallet.

 

[riverme]

Been following this thread closely.I hope the results will pan out as im near the verge or purchasing as well.

 

[limulus]

I can't be more pleased with the crate and the equipment inside. I still need to go through it all to be sure all my parts and the options are there. But, I have a few more photos to share. You'll need a screwdriver or drill with screwdriver bits to get in. The smaller crate requires a lift out or you can use a rubber mallet as I did to easily tap a side off. The large crate opens from the side. There are probably hundreds of small commercial breweries across the US that don't have stuff this nice. If there is anyone sensitive or underage, this stuff is XXX Rated Hard Core Porn, so beware.

First is the view inside the smaller crate, this is the mash colander portion and second is a photo of the packing inside along with the hop basket and volume gauge. I ordered the keg filler, lifting cables and the dual ETC options. That is probably all inside the colander. I'll have to unpack the rest tomorrow.

Third photo is the main 3-in-1 unit inside the crate and finally, a peek under her skirt

On a side note: it is very annoying to me to see all those brown stains on my garage floor. I built a Glen-L boat three years ago and there is a combination of marine epoxy and varnish dripped on my floor now.

 

[Jimmy82]

Do you have any problem with suckback when crash cooling something that large? I'd be afraid half the starsan would end up in the fermentor.

I stopped using co2 to prevent the vacuum of cold crashing from sucking starsan back into the conical. I've instead switched to this fitting, attached to the lid, to keep dirt out, but allow air to be pulled in (I only use this while chilling the wort or cold crashing. Once it's at the desired temp, I re-install the blowoff assembly). It's just an oxygenation stone installed inside a triclover fitting.

 

[limulus]

Good information. I'm sure I'll figure out what you are talking about when I use mine for the first time. I do know a little about vacuums and collapsed tanks from the Brewery Immersion Course I took in CO.

What is the smallest volume you guys have brewed with the medium? The info on the site says 6-15g so I assume that is fermented volume and not pre-boil. I have a combination of 6ea 5gal and 4ea 2.5 gal kegs, so I can work out the volume. Adventures in Homebrewing has their brand new 5 gal kegs on sale right now for $75, so I may just buy two more.

BTW, did you guys passivate your systems? I plan to do that but I don't recall seeing anything written in the previous 28 pages. It may be covered in the instructions, but I have just not had time to unpack that stuff.

Jimmy, what kind of guitar is that and do I see a tube amp? That photo is blurred and I may just be imagining the amp.

 

[limulus]

How did you guys handle the power for these? I have a spa panel on my deck that is connected to a 60amp breaker in my basement. We no longer have spa so I want to just run that line to my garage. I think I need a GFCI on the line. What did you guys do?

 

[cuda6pak]

Had an electrician run a 240v to my garage and install the 30amp breaker. I also bought an inline GFCI from Amazon.

 

[limulus]

thanks, which GFCI did you buy?

 

[cuda6pak]

I stopped using co2 to prevent the vacuum of cold crashing from sucking starsan back into the conical. I've instead switched to this fitting, attached to the lid, to keep dirt out, but allow air to be pulled in (I only use this while chilling the wort or cold crashing. Once it's at the desired temp, I re-install the blowoff assembly). It's just an oxygenation stone installed inside a triclover fitting.

I was considering doing the same thing. I think I will just loosely set my threaded triclover piece in place of the blowoff with no gasket while chilling, and then re-install. Did you lose a tank of cO2 due to a small leak?


Had my second brew last Saturday, made a mistake I was sure I wouldn't. Ended up pumping too hard on recirculation and flooded the mash tun, I had checked it the first 20min with no issues, but after messing with the valve a tiny bit I walked away thinking I was ok. Luckily I had the heating element on 20% and caught it very quickly. I think I will need to loosen up my grain mill as I had an extremely slow drain. What is everyone using? I think I will loosen mine up to .045 and see how that does.

I did see 72% mash efficiency despite the problem, but was expecting mid-high 70's.

 

[cuda6pak]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZY2Y4C/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[limulus]

I was considering doing the same thing. I think I will just loosely set my threaded triclover piece in place of the blowoff with no gasket while chilling, and then re-install. Did you lose a tank of cO2 due to a small leak?


Had my second brew last Saturday, made a mistake I was sure I wouldn't. Ended up pumping too hard on recirculation and flooded the mash tun, I had checked it the first 20min with no issues, but after messing with the valve a tiny bit I walked away thinking I was ok. Luckily I had the heating element on 20% and caught it very quickly. I think I will need to loosen up my grain mill as I had an extremely slow drain. What is everyone using? I think I will loosen mine up to .045 and see how that does.

I did see 72% mash efficiency despite the problem, but was expecting mid-high 70's.

My diy brewery that I built a couple of years ago uses a 15gal kettle with a 10gal MT that sits inside very much like the BIAC. I had part of the bottom cut out of the MT and then placed a perforated false bottom in the bottom. I used an electric hoist on the ceiling (same one I will use for the BIAC) to lift the inner MT. That also controlled the drainage when I wanted to sparge. I was frequently getting very slow drainage from it and that was due to my grains clogging the perforated false bottom. My solution was a large grain bag. The wort then flowed through it like a faucet and I never had a slow or stuck runoff again.

BTW, thanks for the GFCI link.

 

[cuda6pak]

Based on a bit of research I'm going to open up my roller mill quite a bit and see how it does next batch.

https://www.brewmagic.com/blog/follow-me-to-higher-efficiencies/

If that ends up giving me issues still I may try the bag. It seems bags allow you to crush very fine with no worry of sticking the sparge. However, it's just one more thing that I'd have to clean and deal with, which is counterintuitive to why I bought the BIAC in the first place.

 

[limulus]

However, it's just one more thing that I'd have to clean and deal with, which is counterintuitive to why I bought the BIAC in the first place.

I agree. Getting all the grain out of the bag is a big PITA!

 

[nackedei]

Based on a bit of research I'm going to open up my roller mill quite a bit and see how it does next batch.

https://www.brewmagic.com/blog/follow-me-to-higher-efficiencies/

If that ends up giving me issues still I may try the bag. It seems bags allow you to crush very fine with no worry of sticking the sparge. However, it's just one more thing that I'd have to clean and deal with, which is counterintuitive to why I bought the BIAC in the first place.

Three times, twice with the 0.038 recommended for my Monster Mill and once at 0.035. Never any problems with a stuck sparge. I recirculate the entire time during the mash, with a ball valve open at maybe 10% at the mash colander. Never any problem with too much being pumped up as is being drained. I did have the valve open maybe 50% and saw this, but there's no need for that much recirculation. With a bit recirculating the entire time, even with a good healthy stir every ten minutes that disturbs the grain bed entirely, I've got very clear wort running by the time I'm ready to "sparge" and vorlauf.

Raise the colander, let it run out. I've tested and done some recirculation then, but haven't seen any difference with regards to clarity. I'll write up a real "impressions" post after another batch or two. Want to know what's my stupidity/problems first, and what might be an issue with the design, before I do so.

 

[Tankleys]

Hello. . I've been filling this thread with great interest and am considering the large BIAC (190l). Does anyone have one here?

If so, I am after the height required in our unit for this version, given the need for a pully system and lifting the mash tun out?

Thanks
Martin

 

[Tankleys]

*following.

 

[limulus]

Hello. . I've been filling this thread with great interest and am considering the large BIAC (190l). Does anyone have one here?

If so, I am after the height required in our unit for this version, given the need for a pully system and lifting the mash tun out?

Thanks
Martin

I have the medium in my garage, but may buy 4 of the large size for a potential project. According to Nathan at Brewha, you need 10ft of ceiling clearance to raise the mash colander.

 

[limulus]

I guess all the starving residential electricians must have died during the recession. Finding someone to install a subpanel and an outlet in my garage has been exasperating. The wire is already there from a spa tub on our deck. It just needs to go through one wall. I am pretty sure I can do it myself but getting more than the equivalent of drive-by assistance at Home Depot is damn near impossible.

 

[cuda6pak]

I had great luck on thumbtack.com finding my electrician.

 

[Fuzzy-felt]

I expect to get my BIAC pretty soon, and I've been thinking a bit about temperature control during fermentation (I might need to heat or cool during the day depending on conditions). Here's what I'm thinking of doing:
- buying one of those mini counter-top fridges (should be able to get one for about £20)
- put in it a container with a certain quantity of water, and in this put a submersible pump and heater
- put holes in the side for flow and return pipework to the fermenter jacket (plus power cables to heater and pump)
- use the dual stage ETC to either cool or heat the constantly circulating water
- chuck in some ice or hot water to speed things up a bit if necessary

I wondered if anyone might have anything to say on whether this seems like a good idea or not please.

Regards,
Mark.

 

[limulus]

Would you include some sort of external controller such as an SCT-1000? It seems to me that the heater would be fighting the fridge all time and eventually burn out the fridge unless you used an external controller. I think you could possibly insert the temp probe into your water and then your fridge would plug into the cold side of the STC1000 and the immersible heater would plug into the hot side. I know they make the STC1000 in your voltage and not just the 110v we use in N America. For only £20 it may be worth a try. I would be careful about drilling holes in the side. Some of them have coils. Generally, if you don't know where the cooling coils are located, drilling through the door is the best option.

 

[Fuzzy-felt]

Would you include some sort of external controller such as an SCT-1000? It seems to me that the heater would be fighting the fridge all time and eventually burn out the fridge unless you used an external controller. I think you could possibly insert the temp probe into your water and then your fridge would plug into the cold side of the STC1000 and the immersible heater would plug into the hot side. I know they make the STC1000 in your voltage and not just the 110v we use in N America. For only £20 it may be worth a try. I would be careful about drilling holes in the side. Some of them have coils. Generally, if you don't know where the cooling coils are located, drilling through the door is the best option.

I would be using a 240v Ranco dual stage controller (I got this from Nathan as an extra) taking the temperature from the fermentor which will either power the fridge to cool the water down, or power the heater within the fridge. It will be a similar concept to sticking your fermentor in a fridge that has a heater in it for heating or cooling (it would need a very large fridge to fit this fermentor in). I'm sure there will be ups and downs in the temperature whilst it finds an equilibrium (which I expect to be able to take account of after a bit of experimentation in the ETC settings), but I don't envisage much fighting between heating and cooling. They certainly won't be on at the same time. I'm not quite sure about how much water to put in the reservoir, though. There are quite a few variables to take account of, so a bit of trial and error is going to come into it I suspect.
I take your point about being careful with drilling holes. The door would almost certainly be a safe bet, but that would be too awkward. I'll probably get a mini Huskey beer fridge and ask the manufacturer where it's possible to drill through.

 

[limulus]

I completely forgot about the Ranco! I also got the dual Ranco from Nathan to control my cooling and heating. In any event, I hope you are successful.