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

[ron8]

Hello, just to clarify, are you controlling fermentation temp using the heating element at 5% power.? Thanks.

 

[limulus]

Guys, I just read through a few pages of the Blichmann Breweasy thread and Blichmann recommends only stirring the top 3" of your mash to avoid a stuck sparge. Maybe a less aggressive stir will make a difference.

 

[jamiller]

Interesting. I will give that a shot for sure. I was definitely stirring aggressively. Also yes. The 5% off the temp control box. I have been holding between 64.5-65.5 like a champ that way.

 

[snackson]

It's official, I am going to be selling my eHERMS setup when I return from deployment and buying a 3-in-1. I want to buy the BIAC, but it is just too much money! I will build a simple 1 PID controller, use my current center inlet chugger pump and use a Bayou Classic basket along with a BIAB. I am moving to Japan later this year and with their rules on homebrewing along with the size restrictions, this seems the best way to go.

 

[jamiller]

You only live once bro. Make it happen lol

 

[Cmason]

Nathan is working on a chiller unit that will handle lagering if need by and hopes to have it for around $500. He is also getting ready to release an aeration option, no details on that yet.

Has anyone gotten the neoprene jacket that he now has for the medium?

Nathan is also working to be at the National Homebrewers convention this June. If I am lucky I will have my medium by then and will be able to pester him at the convention. I have the better halfs permission to go, and have been given a slot, definitely looking forward to it.

Assuming Nathan is there I would be happy to pass along any comment or questions, but he seems to be very responsive to e-mail. Not sure if he follows this thread.

I am modifying the garage to support the medium. Hoist has delivered, need to install it in the attic, installed attic stairs, decked the attic, and moved all the garage stuff up. Last items will be to install a SS sink with drain board and the water filter system. Thing of going with a resin bed DI system that I hace found online with sediment and carbon pre filter and carbon post filter.

I have rambled enough.

 

[jamiller]

Sounds like a great set up and location for the BIAC. Nice. Just an FYI www.beveragefactory.com. Has some great glycol units for a good price. I bought the 7 gallon.system for around 1150-1250 if I remember correctly. It runs great and the shipping and packaging was excellent. They had great customer service too. Just another option if you have 1200 lying around.

 

[limulus]

$500 is a good price, but I can't imagine that being more that 1/6HP and with shipping from BC, it could get expensive. If you live someplace that does not get too hot, it won't take much to keep a medium BIAC chilled. But I live in GA and my garage gets into the 80s in summer. I may get a neoprene jacket though because I envision a lot of condensation running off mine. In addition to the beverage factory, there is also Rapids Wholesale. I believe both offer free shipping.

 

[Jimmy82]

$500 is a good price, but I can't imagine that being more that 1/6HP and with shipping from BC, it could get expensive. If you live someplace that does not get too hot, it won't take much to keep a medium BIAC chilled. But I live in GA and my garage gets into the 80s in summer. I may get a neoprene jacket though because I envision a lot of condensation running off mine. In addition to the beverage factory, there is also Rapids Wholesale. I believe both offer free shipping.

I'll be getting a neoprene jacket. I crashed cooled my medium BIAC last summer and it would sweat like mad. Added benefit is that it will drop the number of cycles on the glycol chiller.

 

[jamiller]

Hey all i have a concern and want to see if you all have experienced this. I just transferred by beer into kegs and when cleaning, I noticed that the top part of the conical where it looks like the jacket seem is, there appears to be some warping and buckling on the inside. When I run my hands down the inside it isn't smooth. It also looks like a ring of warping all around where that seem is. Have any of yours done this? I am hoping that is just natural once pressure has been pushed through, but still concerned. I put the ball valvue in the input of the jacket and the output is wide open so I can't imagine there is that much pressure build up from my tap water or my glycol chiller but i guess it could be too much? I have emailed Nathan to get his feedback. Please put my heart at ease. My hope is some of you that have had it a lot longer have experienced this an it is just part of the unit getting broken in. Thanks all Cheers.

 

[limulus]

I'll be getting a neoprene jacket. I crashed cooled my medium BIAC last summer and it would sweat like mad. Added benefit is that it will drop the number of cycles on the glycol chiller.

Good to know. I'll definitely get the neoprene jacket after hearing that. I am looking forward to having a real glycol system running. I decided to keep my fermentation cabinet which uses a 5000BTU AC unit and a STC1000. Just in case I want to brew twice in one week, I'm keeping my SS Brewtech Brew Buckets and my 40-plate chiller.

 

[limulus]

Hey all i have a concern and want to see if you all have experienced this. I just transferred by beer into kegs and when cleaning, I noticed that the top part of the conical where it looks like the jacket seem is, there appears to be some warping and buckling on the inside. When I run my hands down the inside it isn't smooth. It also looks like a ring of warping all around where that seem is. Have any of yours done this? I am hoping that is just natural once pressure has been pushed through, but still concerned. I put the ball valvue in the input of the jacket and the output is wide open so I can't imagine there is that much pressure build up from my tap water or my glycol chiller but i guess it could be too much? I have emailed Nathan to get his feedback. Please put my heart at ease. My hope is some of you that have had it a lot longer have experienced this an it is just part of the unit getting broken in. Thanks all Cheers.

I haven't had mine under pressure.

 

[NHBrews]

Great thread lots of great information here; helped convince me to put in an order for a Medium Conical and Colander (just submitted). Going to do a custom build for the mash temperature/pump controls using a PID. Debating between a small AC/space heater fermentation room vs glycol unit. Will post pics/updates as I build out

 

[cuda6pak]

Limulus - Have you been able to brew with yours yet? Curious how your Glacier sparge arm worked out. Considering purchasing one myself to help prevent some channeling that I have seen with letting the recirc wort splash down the sides of the collander. Either that or some sort of stainless float to keep the silicon hose floating on top of the mash rather than sinking in.

 

[limulus]

Limulus - Have you been able to brew with yours yet? Curious how your Glacier sparge arm worked out. Considering purchasing one myself to help prevent some channeling that I have seen with letting the recirc wort splash down the sides of the collander. Either that or some sort of stainless float to keep the silicon hose floating on top of the mash rather than sinking in.

I have been and still am away. But, I absolutely plan to try it next week.

 

[brianpedersen]

Edit: Sorry for hijacking, moved to a separate thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/diy-clone-biac-520314

 

[JB_Brewing2]

Nathan's now offering a wort aeration stone and a water pressure regulator for the BIAC. I'm thinking both might be a nice addition.

 

[limulus]

I'm glad he addressed the aeration issue. I have a stainless stone and regulator I bought for something like $50 a couple of years ago. The O2 is available at Home Depot in the tool/welding equipment area. I may try to use it with a sanitary fitting like Nathan has.

 

[limulus]

Limulus - Have you been able to brew with yours yet? Curious how your Glacier sparge arm worked out. Considering purchasing one myself to help prevent some channeling that I have seen with letting the recirc wort splash down the sides of the collander. Either that or some sort of stainless float to keep the silicon hose floating on top of the mash rather than sinking in.

I am running a passivation cycle on everything not a brew. But you can see how the sparge arm sprays.

 

[brianpedersen]

I am running a passivation cycle on everything not a brew. But you can see how the sparge arm sprays.

Will you only be sparging with it, or are you also planning on using it for mashing?

I believe I read somewhere that aeration of hot wort is a bad thing, and that splashing of hot wort should be avoided.

But then again, there are so many theories, many of which fails in a triangle taste test

 

[limulus]

I'll use it to sparge for those beers I decide to sparge. For other beers, I'll probably just recirc with the hose. There is some science to support HSA, but I think on the homebrew scale, it is not such a problem. I took a brewing course at a brewery in Colorado. They had a 7bbl system that used a grain auger and a hydrator that sprayed hot water into the grain as it left the auger above the mash tun. Their mash tun also sprayed water over the grain bed during the sparge. They have a couple of GABF gold medals to support their method.

Here is a thread I read some time ago on HBT
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/why-doesnt-fly-sparging-cause-hot-side-aeration-134741/

 

[brianpedersen]

I'm sure your'e right, some things you just hear and adapt, without questioning.

I have heard many a brew myth being busted on the Basic Brewing podcasts, and HSA may well be one such myth.

Thanks for the link.

 

[JB_Brewing2]

Just received my medium BIAC today. Crating is outstanding; no issues with shipment at all. Saved a few bucks by picking it up at the local shipping dock. Nathan's communication has been excellent. I'm really happy with my decision to get this so far. Plumber's coming Friday to install the water supply and drain in the workshop.

 

[limulus]

Congratulations! I agree 100% about the packing. Even the ziplock bags have his company name printed on them. I'm interested to hear how everyone with the new control and power box like them. The big crate is still in my garage. I disassembled the small one and got rid of it, but I keep thinking I may have a use for the large one.

 

[limulus]

I ran a temperature check and set the controller (Ranco version) to 150%. My Thermapen showed 151F. So, I'll set my temps .5-1F lower than my target from now on.

 

[limulus]

Has anyone had any luck downloading and saving the profiles to Beer Smith? I have had Beer Smith2 for probably a year, but never used it. It is on a laptop running XP not Win7. It downloads and and automatically opens beer smith and it appears in Beer Smith. However, it does not save and when I reopen BS, it is all gone.

 

[brianpedersen]

There may be a better way to do it, but I opened the BIAC equipment profiles file, right clicked on the two medium size profiles and selected "copy", I then went to profiles/equipment and selected paste. Did the same thing with the mash profile.

After this I was able to select them when creating a new recipe.

 

[limulus]

There may be a better way to do it, but I opened the BIAC equipment profiles file, right clicked on the two medium size profiles and selected "copy", I then went to profiles/equipment and selected paste. Did the same thing with the mash profile.

After this I was able to select them when creating a new recipe.

That worked for the equipment profiles. The mash profiles saved w/o doing anything.

 

[brianpedersen]

What a great day I just ordered a medium 3-in-1 with colander, heating element, insulation jacket, racking hose and wort aeration stone.

I have a pair of butterfly valves and a racking arm on the way, the pump will be a locally sourced chugger pump, and the controller will be based on BrewPI Spark.

I too must credit Nathan for his excellent customer service. I have been bombarding him with questions, and he always answers fast and thoroughly, going a long way to help in any way he can, fulfilling whatever special needs I have.

Next step will be rewiring my house and building a power box.

 

[limulus]

What a great day I just ordered a medium 3-in-1 with colander, heating element, insulation jacket, racking hose and wort aeration stone.

I have a pair of butterfly valves and a racking arm on the way, the pump will be a locally sourced chugger pump, and the controller will be based on BrewPI Spark.

I too must credit Nathan for his excellent customer service. I have been bombarding him with questions, and he always answers fast and thoroughly, going a long way to help in any way he can, fulfilling whatever special needs I have.

Next step will be rewiring my house and building a power box.

Very nice. You will be very pleased.