JB_Brewing2
Well-Known Member
I've never enjoyed better or more responsive customer service than Nathan has provided...even after the sale! Really pleased with my decision to buy from Brewha.
3-in-1 "Boil Kettle, Jacketed Chiller, Conical Fermenter" by Brewha
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100% agreed
JKoravos
Well-Known Member
Wow, just saw this thread. Pretty cool concept. I had always stared at my Blichmann and wondered about doing something like this. I didn't realize someone was already doing it.
It's crazy how many options homebrewers have nowadays for full scale near-commercial quality systems. When I started brewing you were the coolest kid on the block if you had a Gott cooler! Damn, I feel old.
It's crazy how many options homebrewers have nowadays for full scale near-commercial quality systems. When I started brewing you were the coolest kid on the block if you had a Gott cooler! Damn, I feel old.
JB_Brewing2
Well-Known Member
Nathan's offering a water pressure regulator which is out of stock right now. Was wondering if anybody is aware of a water pressure regulator/reducer that would allow one to reduce the pressure down to 3 psi? I'd also like to buy from the USA since shipping is still an issue for him. I've seen some for big bucks but am hoping for a less expensive version. Any one have a suggestion?
NHBrews
Well-Known Member
I've been looking at well and found this http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-1403-watts-560-water-pressure-regulator-wgauge.aspx?utm_source=Googlebase&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Product&utm_term=PRV-560G-1/4-125&gclid=Cj0KEQjwxd6oBRCRoMrWmLOCvI4BEiQAYyZdkX-mdS5FoGabjoSy806mMo1wh-GQxTH9Z8k9VMw4OIUaAp0X8P8HAQ think this should work. Other options I looked at were for poultry watering systems, but they all looked to be lower quality.
I'm planning to buy one over the next week or two, let me know what you decide on.
brianpedersen
Member
I have been thinking, why not do it the other way round.
An alternative to limiting flow, could be to release pressure when it gets to high, using something like a spunding valve. The jacketed boilers they use in industrial kitchens typically have one.
Don't know, just a thought.
An alternative to limiting flow, could be to release pressure when it gets to high, using something like a spunding valve. The jacketed boilers they use in industrial kitchens typically have one.
Don't know, just a thought.
JB_Brewing2
Well-Known Member
Brian, Good thought! But I think with the BIAC one needs to ensure that the incoming pressure doesn't exceed 3 psi. You are absolutely correct that the outflow should not be impeded. Perhaps a pressure differential may occur from one side of the jacket to the other side, even with unimpeded outflow.
NHBrews, thank you for the reference! I'll be checking that out.
NHBrews, thank you for the reference! I'll be checking that out.
RiverCityBrewer
Well-Known Member
I'm about to purchase a medium 3in1 and mash colander, and I'm wondering how everyone is chilling and maintaining fermentation temps. I've seen some people with glycol packs, and I'm assuming they can handle the wort chilling and fermentation duties, but for everyone else, how are you doing it? I have a walk in cooler at 40F that I was thinking I could put a reservoir in with water or glycol (any tips there?) and use a pump to recirculate to hold fermentation temps. I'm not sure if the 5-7 gallon volume I am considering is enough for initial chilling though. I have municipal water available for initial chilling, but it seems like it might be a pain to have to switch back and forth, especially if I choose to use glycol for fermentation.
Any thoughts or help?
Thanks,
Joe
Any thoughts or help?
Thanks,
Joe
jeffreybandel
Well-Known Member
For those interested, I posted a thread about my terrible experience with my BIAC and the response from the company. I too thought the customer service would be excellent. Boy was I wrong.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=6806518&posted=1#post6806518
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=6806518&posted=1#post6806518
I cool with tap water, and switch to the glycol chiller once it's dropped down to about 80 or 90*F. I don't run glycol in my chiller though, I just use water that is kept at target fermentation temperature and let it constantly recirculate through the jacket.
I read through the post on the damaged BIAC. I still like the concept and plan to purchase a medium, but will take a three step process to avoid a similar situation. I am not sure if root cause was over pressurizing the jacket, or pulling a vacuum during wort cooling, but here is what I plan on doing. One - as part of set up I will inspect the jacket interior with an auto mechanics hand held video bore scope that I have in addition to flushing the jacket to make sure it is clean, two - use a pressure regulator on the in flow to the jacket (watts P60 should do the trick, it is potable water rated, where the one Nathan is selling no longer is due to new lead level regulations in the US), three - use either a vacuum breaker from Brewers hardware or an in line air filter (the same one used on the aeration system) to beak a vacuum at 1.5 psi, or allow clean air in during wort chilling. The vacuum breaker is also a pressure relief, but at 15 psi, damage would be done, no reason to leave it on. A blow off tube set up with vodka would also be used if cold crashing and I might leave the vacuum breaker in place in that case as a safety measure.
RiverCityBrewer
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info, do you need to change out the water in your chiller periodically? I would think it would get a little nasty over time, but maybe its not an issue.
It hasn't been an issue for me, but I did use RO water to fill the reservoir. I'm sure it would eventually need to be changed, but so far it's been clean.
I also use the chiller to crash cool, so maybe that helps with the near freezing temps every couple of weeks. The reservoir is also closed to light, so it would cut down on that type of thing as well.
For chilling, I kept my 40-plate chiller and cart. I know that strays from the self contained system, but I was concerned about vacuums before the incident ever happened and I really can't say that I have read anything about avoiding vacuums on the Brewha site. I took a brewing course last year at a brewery in Colorado and the brewer there told me about vacuums. I'll be using a glycol system to keep mine at fermentation temp now that it is getting warm. I have not decided how I'm going to circulate through the jacket yet. But I do still have a copper immersion chiller that can be hooked up to the glycol system and then inserted into a water reservoir...at least I think I can do that. That water would be circulated through the jacket. The other solution is to just circulate directly from the glycol system. I'm definitely ordering a pressure valve for my jacket and I'm also looking at a vacuum release valve at glacier tanks.
The following is from their site:
http://brewhaequipment.com/blogs/brewinfo/14329765-preventing-deformation-in-your-fermentor
I have a glycol chiller and I chill down using muni water till 80 and the. I switch to my glycol and recirculate it seems to work well. Only down side is when switching from water to glycol you need to have a bucket ready to clear out the 2 gallons of water so you can fill with your closed system glycol water.
I have read through some of the chiller manuals, and they call for using a glycol water mixture to also serve as a lubricant.
Have there been any issues with regards to lubrication on water only use.
I am planning on keeping the jacket clean so I would not run any glycol through it. I plan on something like a silver serpent coil in a cooler as a resivoir and then reciculate from the resivoir through the jacket.
Has anyone used this method and have you been able to crash chill for lagers?
Thanks
Have there been any issues with regards to lubrication on water only use.
I am planning on keeping the jacket clean so I would not run any glycol through it. I plan on something like a silver serpent coil in a cooler as a resivoir and then reciculate from the resivoir through the jacket.
Has anyone used this method and have you been able to crash chill for lagers?
Thanks
On your exhaust system, the 30 qt bowel, what is the diameter of the bottom? I see that the top is 22 inches, same size as the medium 3 in 1.
I like your set up and plan on doing something similar. I will use an angle ring bolted with high temp gasket caulk assembled to a duct system called gorilla duct, which will exhaust out the garage wall with a fantech exterior wall mount 8 inch duct size fan pulling just over 400 cfm. I will most likely reduce the 8 inch down to 6 prior to the bowel connection.
I will use the window for make up air as my furnace is oil fired and I do not want to backdraft the flue gas.
I like your set up and plan on doing something similar. I will use an angle ring bolted with high temp gasket caulk assembled to a duct system called gorilla duct, which will exhaust out the garage wall with a fantech exterior wall mount 8 inch duct size fan pulling just over 400 cfm. I will most likely reduce the 8 inch down to 6 prior to the bowel connection.
I will use the window for make up air as my furnace is oil fired and I do not want to backdraft the flue gas.
It is a 2.5:1 water to glycol = 3.5gal working solution.
I haven't had an issue with mine running water only. Not saying it won't be an issue at some point, but so far no sign of trouble.
I'm not using the bowl anymore - I found it just a touch too small. I'm using a temporary rigid foam hood as of right now, but will be getting one bent from metal at some point.
NHBrews
Well-Known Member
Looks great, my medium BIAC just arrived yesterday.:rockin: I'm still building my custom controller and debating whether to build a temperature chamber/room similar to yours or going the glyco route. How has fermentation temp stability been in your setup?
I use a TRUE GDM12 ($500 used) modified to work with the BrewPi. Fermentation temps stay within .2 degrees. Here is a screenshot of an iPhone app I wrote to monitor the temps. Currently I am at day 14 for a nice Belgian IPA 68 degrees.
Owly055
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One of my concerns about the Brewha is having the heating element permanently in place throughout fermentation as well as mashing and boiling. Presumably it's a stainless steel element so my concerns are probably misplaced, but I know how stuff builds up on a heating element, and don't like the idea much.
The jacketed fermenter is in itself a great leap forward for nano brewers. Whodathunkit.... That we'd see a stainless conical for a 5 gallon brewer with a water jacket?? The cost is high, but there is a lot of additional labor and parts in making a water jacketed fermenter where there are ports that must pass through the water jacket into the fermenter. Perhaps a bit more premium than is justified. It's hard to look at the SS 7 gallon conical at $395 without a jacket, and the jacketed one at $1249 and ask yourself if that extra $854 which more than triples the price is worth it for having a cooling jacket?
The answer will be yes for many people...... A conical is NOT something that is highly portable with beer in it. Your un-jacketed conical needs to be in your fermentation chamber before you transfer the wort to it.......unless it is easy to move on wheels, With this you don't even need a fermentation chamber. The sanitation issue of transferring how wort to the fermenter instead of cold wort is also a BIG plus. And of course there is the elegance of the system. Imagine inviting your friends over for brew day and them seeing your 4 Brewha conicals all lined up in a row with solenoid valves hooked up for cooling water!!
The complete system is an elegant solution though it has lots of room for personal improvement to automate it and turn it into a Pico Brew system scaled up with computer controls, solenoid valves, etc, even hop baskets that circulate when the program says to.
I've long thought that a single vessel from mash to fermenter made sense, but in reality you need 3 vessels....... If you are going to sparge. the grain collander IS a mash tun, and you need an HLT if you want to sparge. The HLT may just be a water heater, so in reality you are just combining the boil kettle with the fermenter and chiller......But there really is no way around this..... at least none that I see.
H.W.
The jacketed fermenter is in itself a great leap forward for nano brewers. Whodathunkit.... That we'd see a stainless conical for a 5 gallon brewer with a water jacket?? The cost is high, but there is a lot of additional labor and parts in making a water jacketed fermenter where there are ports that must pass through the water jacket into the fermenter. Perhaps a bit more premium than is justified. It's hard to look at the SS 7 gallon conical at $395 without a jacket, and the jacketed one at $1249 and ask yourself if that extra $854 which more than triples the price is worth it for having a cooling jacket?
The answer will be yes for many people...... A conical is NOT something that is highly portable with beer in it. Your un-jacketed conical needs to be in your fermentation chamber before you transfer the wort to it.......unless it is easy to move on wheels, With this you don't even need a fermentation chamber. The sanitation issue of transferring how wort to the fermenter instead of cold wort is also a BIG plus. And of course there is the elegance of the system. Imagine inviting your friends over for brew day and them seeing your 4 Brewha conicals all lined up in a row with solenoid valves hooked up for cooling water!!
The complete system is an elegant solution though it has lots of room for personal improvement to automate it and turn it into a Pico Brew system scaled up with computer controls, solenoid valves, etc, even hop baskets that circulate when the program says to.
I've long thought that a single vessel from mash to fermenter made sense, but in reality you need 3 vessels....... If you are going to sparge. the grain collander IS a mash tun, and you need an HLT if you want to sparge. The HLT may just be a water heater, so in reality you are just combining the boil kettle with the fermenter and chiller......But there really is no way around this..... at least none that I see.
H.W.
My apologies if this has been asked and answered in the thread already. Are those of you with armed and operational Brewha systems using the element for the "hot side" of the temperature control during fermentation with the water/glycol jacket for the cool side? I thought I recall seeing mention of setting the element at 1%. Any issues that have been seen? I am thinking primarily for ramping up at the later stages of fermentation or for Belgian styles that like to finish much warmer.
I have not, but I know others here have used the element. I was concerned about scorching, but apparently, it is not a problem.
I typically use my glycol chiller for this with the help of an aquarium heater in the chiller bath. My basement is about 55º in the winter, so I'm generally trying to raise the temperature and this works quite well.
I am in the process of making a Berliner Weisse using the "Kettle Souring" method where you pitch lacto and hold the wort at ~110-120º until you reach your desired pH level (usually 2-3 days). During the souring stage, I used the electric element in the BIAC to hold the 120º and it wasn't an issue; it would hold at target temp +/- 1º. The beer is almost ready to keg, and I pulled a sample this morning - it's tasting great and no signs of any issues.
This setup is the perfect setup for the kettle souring method, BTW. You follow your normal process, but chill to 110-120º before pitching lacto, hold it there for a few days, then do your boil. The boil will kill any remaining bugs before you keg, preventing infection in your post boil equipment. It also has the nice advantage of being able to flood the fermenter with co2 before/during lacto fermentation. o2 is bad for lacto souring and will ruin your beer - the BIAC essentially lets you eliminate o2 during that stage...something that's fairly difficult with any other brewing setup.
Well lads, it is getting warm enough for me to start seriously thinking about this glycol chiller I bought. For those using chillers are you using the built-in reservoir or are you chilling a cold liquor tank (CLT) that in turn circulates through your fermenter jacket? I have two 10gal Coleman upright beverage coolers. They are the Coleman version of the Igloo or Home Depot coolers that many use for mashing. I also have a 25ft immersion chiller that I kept. I can easily place that inside the cooler/CLT and circulate solution from the glycol chiller. Then use a sump pump connected to the automatic valve that came with the BIAC system. I also bought a pressure regulator and a gauge.
My glycol chiller is 2300BTU, 1/3 HP and a 3gal reservoir. The pump runs continuously, so I would need a diverter valve that would open to allow glycol/water to flow through the jacket. I already have the electronic valve that came with the system. I could use that with some slight modifications. This way is the simplest and has the least amount of parts and it will eliminate clutter from having a CLT in the mix. As long as 3gal is enough capacity.
What are you others doing?
My glycol chiller is 2300BTU, 1/3 HP and a 3gal reservoir. The pump runs continuously, so I would need a diverter valve that would open to allow glycol/water to flow through the jacket. I already have the electronic valve that came with the system. I could use that with some slight modifications. This way is the simplest and has the least amount of parts and it will eliminate clutter from having a CLT in the mix. As long as 3gal is enough capacity.
What are you others doing?
I only use the built in reservoir, and my pump runs continuously. I didn't bother with running a diverter valve - instead I chose to run the chiller at my desired fermentation temperature, and let it run through the jacket continuously.
Well crap, I never even thought about setting it to 68F and running continuously! I guess I would have come up with that once I started playing with the temp setting. BTW, it did not come with any directions but it is actually quite simple. The guys who make their own from 5000 BTU window units are on to something.
My reason for running it that way was to avoid running glycol. It saves you from screwing around and having to switch between municipal water and glycol for chilling, no worries about evaporating glycol mixture, no extra plumbing required, etc. If your water evaporates from the reservoir, just top it up!
my reserve is 7 gallons. What I do is I have an additional 2 gallons of glycol mix in a Home Depot bucket. When I switch from municipal water to glycol, I fire up my pump and as the pump draws the glycol into the BIAC I have a large funnel and I slowly add the additional 2 gallons so the pump doesn't run dry. When my beer is done and being kegged, I just drain the 2 gallons back into the bucket and save for the next time. It works really well.
CrimsonBrew
Member
Anyone else have the small BIAC? The biggest element that I can find that fits is 2000 watts and it just took an hour to get to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is the controller sending full power to the element?
A question for the gycol pump users from someone considering this option: What is the thought process behind switching back and forth from municipal (well water in my case) to glycol?
Nevermind. Thinking about it a bit, I would guess the issue relates to the inability to re-cool the glycol after the first run given the small volume relative to the thermal mass of the hot wort. Therefore, using water from the faucet to cool to pitching temperatures then then hooking up the glycol pump to maintain temperatures.
Let me adjust my question slightly. How do you handle ramp up temperatures in a glycol pump set up? Just use the element at 1%?
Nevermind. Thinking about it a bit, I would guess the issue relates to the inability to re-cool the glycol after the first run given the small volume relative to the thermal mass of the hot wort. Therefore, using water from the faucet to cool to pitching temperatures then then hooking up the glycol pump to maintain temperatures.
Let me adjust my question slightly. How do you handle ramp up temperatures in a glycol pump set up? Just use the element at 1%?
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