$50 Dedicated HERMS

[KegWrangler]

I meant to ask...do you have a thermometer in/on the HERMS pot? I'm curious about what the temperature profile in that pot looks like, maybe overlaid with the Mash Tun temperature.

Thanks

 

[MikeInMKE]

I've got to say, I'm impressed. Bravo, sir. I expected far more overshoot and undershoot than that.

But ultimately what really matters is the stability of the mash temperature. A bit of overshoot and undershoot out of the HERMS is fine if the temperature of the mash itself holds steady, which I'm guessing it will.

 

[brew2enjoy]

nice work!

 

[poptarts]

My goal is to heat up my strike water with the while im sleeping this weekend for my early morning brew day.

 

[poptarts]

Did a brew with this yesterday, held temps with .4c the entire 90 minute mash and didn't overshoot at all with the valve open about half way and the burner on medium. Also used it to sous vide steaks for dinner. Held water at 57.5 - 57.8 for about 7 hours! No issues what so ever. Cooking steaks this way is alone enough to justify the 50$ price tag, they came out perfect! Its weird that you can cook food that long but you don't even smell it the entire time its cooking.

 

[77bawls]

Pros
Cheap
Works
Double MLT as Sous vide oven
Can heat up water while sleeping or doing other things
Can hold within .4c on water test

I may have to make one of these for this purpose.

 

[poptarts]

It worked flawless as a sous vide oven, I agree that alone is worth the cost.

 

[77bawls]

I think I'm going to go with the RIMS and a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler. Should be the same except with the wert coming in direct contact with the element.

 

[Genuine]

That's enough proof for me. I know what I'm making this weekend. With my cooler set up I would lose about 4 degrees over a hour long mash but if I can keep it within temps with this, I'm all for it! Great job!


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[opiate82]

Just so you all know, a STC-1000 and a crockpot is all you need for sous-vide cooking. Do it all the time with my fermentation temp controller.

 

[poptarts]

isn't a pump or something required to move the water around to prevent stratification?

 

[opiate82]

In theory, yes. In practice at the small crockpot level, no, not at all.

 

[poptarts]

maybe a 4th stc is in my future haha.

 

[brew2enjoy]

Just so you all know, a STC-1000 and a crockpot is all you need for sous-vide cooking. Do it all the time with my fermentation temp controller.

Hmmm, you got my attention now. Where do you put the probe from the stc-1000? I wouldn't mind trying this...

 

[brew2enjoy]

Just so you all know, a STC-1000 and a crockpot is all you need for sous-vide cooking. Do it all the time with my fermentation temp controller.

Hmmm, you got my attention now. Where do you put the probe from the stc-1000? I wouldn't mind trying this...

 

[opiate82]

Straight in the crock-pot. I try to get it about 1/2 way down and not touching either the sides of the crockpot nor whatever it is I'm cooking.

 

[77bawls]

Just so you all know, a STC-1000 and a crockpot is all you need for sous-vide cooking. Do it all the time with my fermentation temp controller.

Hmm. I have a crock pot and a Johnson Controls temp controller.

 

[BadWolfBrewing]

I've done sous-vide a dozen times with a crock pot and a johnson temp controller. Works great. Think maybe I'll do that this weekend, now that I'm thinking about it again.

I think something where the water is moving works 'better', but I had great results with just the crock pot. I think the fact that it is heated on all sides vs the little heating element of a true recirculator makes a difference.

And now I'm hungry.

 

[nealm]

Can you provide more detail as to how you put the temp sensor in the output of the HERMS. Is the temperature probe food safe?
NealM

 

[poptarts]

1/2 nylon tee, just shove the hose on one end. done and don.

Nylon is food safe.

 

[poptarts]

Used this system to heat up my strike water while I was sleeping last night. Worked flawless had boil done at 8am. Once again held temps the entire mash within .4c of desired temp.

 

[Genuine]

Glad to hear it! I have everything ordered, now to build it and put it to use!


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[poptarts]

Post pics when you make it.

 

[Genuine]

Just got the stc-1000 wired up and testing it out now. I was hoping to brew today but I'm waiting for the pump to come in, which should arrive tomorrow.


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[poptarts]

nice

 

[brettwasbtd]

1/2 nylon tee, just shove the hose on one end. done and don.

Nylon is food safe.

I'm still not following. Whats preventing liquid from flowing out the side which has the temp probe. Maybe I am just challenged

 

[poptarts]

I'm still not following. Whats preventing liquid from flowing out the side which has the temp probe. Maybe I am just challenged

The liquid needs to flow over the probe so it can get a reading. its really not complicated at all, its so simple that it might look confusing. just thread the probe in one end of the tee then out the side. the probe end is long enough where it wont be able to do the 90 degree corner and slip through. then just shove the hose on either end, it doesn't matter and then toss the entire thing in the ton on top of the bed.

 

[KegWrangler]

Concept works for a Keggle size batch too! Last week I crammed a 1500W-120V element in a 4 gallon pot that was filled with about 2 gallons of water and a 10ft coil of 3/8" ID copper tube. I recirculated at about 0.25 gpm and was able to hold a pretty steady mash temp. Also, I managed a 5 degree F step over a 15-20 minute period.

Unfortunately, I had to cycle on and off manually because I fried the SSR that controls the HLT (due to an undersized heat sink) and the HERMS controller is in the same control box (not a good smell).

Gentlemen we can rebuild him, we have the technology...

 

[BadWolfBrewing]

Is your mlt a keggle or a cooler?

 

[KegWrangler]

My MLT is a poorly insulated keg. Usually I have to add a quart of 212*F water every 10 minutes to maintain a "steady" mash temp.

For reference: last week's batch was 18lbs grain with 27qt (1.5 qt/lb) at 150*F for 15 minutes then added 5 quarts to get to 156*F held for 15 minutes then stepped it up to 162*F over 15 minutes or so followed by a "proper" mash-out with another 1.5 gallons to hit 168*F.

I located my HERMS temperature probe right where it comes out of the HERMS so I don't risk "overcooking" the enzymes. I try to keep that temperature 1-2 degrees higher than the rest of the mash to account for the MLT heat loss. Or boost it to 162*F for intra-saccharification steps.

FWIW - I also hit 87% efficiency, which is 2-3% higher than previous runs. And the wort seemed to have less hot break than other batches.