Boil kettle condenser - no overhead ventilation needed

[stlbeer]

I bought and installed the Brew Boss steam condenser a couple of weeks ago and was able to use it in a brew two weekends ago.

It comes with a gasket that is nothing more than a piece of 1/2” silicon hose that has a slit in it. Cut to fit your kettle. It does help seal the lid.

Once at a boil for my 11.5 gallons of wort, I was able to reduce my boil to 30% of my 4500watt capacity and was getting a good, full boil. I do have a partial glass lid so was able to judge the boil. I’m certain I could reduce it further.

I have high water pressure, 70psi, and in testing filled a 5 gallon bucket pretty quickly. Adding a hose to the bottom of the unit allowed me to send the waste to the drain.

Before anyone gets bent out of shape about my water usage, the Mississippi will have to show notable drops in level to influence how I brew.

Overall the unit performed quite well. I boiled off 0.5 gallons. And I also used a hop basket (cut off the hanger and used neodymium magnets inside and outside to hold the basket.

Now I need a lid for my mash tun since I did get some dripping condensation from my water supply lines.

 

[Boydric]

Has anyone done this with an an induction cook top? Wondering how it helps with boil times.

 

[TexasWine]

I boiled off 0.5 gallons.

You boiled off 0.5 gallons from an 11.5 gallon initial volume? That's 4.3%, and definitely pushing the lower limit of what you need to drive off DMS precursors. Safe range is typically 6-8%.

If you don't mind, please chime back in when you've had a chance to taste the final product. I'm very interested to hear how it turns out.

 

[stlbeer]

You boiled off 0.5 gallons from an 11.5 gallon initial volume? That's 4.3%, and definitely pushing the lower limit of what you need to drive off DMS precursors. Safe range is typically 6-8%.

If you don't mind, please chime back in when you've had a chance to taste the final product. I'm very interested to hear how it turns out.

Will do.

 

[BrunDog]

I’m certainly not contesting @TexasWine ‘s statement, but do we know that 6-8% yields the ideal flashing of volatiles or is that just the number commercial breweries target?

A half gallon does sound a tad low for an hour boil but I think mine is not terribly dissimilar. You can always boil a bit longer for malts that need it, assuming you adjust the hop schedules accordingly.

 

[TexasWine]

but do we know that 6-8% yields the ideal flashing of volatiles or is that just the number commercial breweries target?

Very good question. I have only one data point, and that's @Die_Beerery. If I recall correctly, with boil off in the 4-5% range he had DMS issues.

The way the steam is removed from a system like this may have an impact on the % that you can get by with. It'll be interesting to test to lower limits.

 

[Die_Beerery]

It's pH dependent as well. With my lid, I use a 3750 watt boil coil, which I run at 45% and that gets my about 6% boil off. My cut out would be equivalent of a 4" opening. I still see my boil temp at 212. SO, for me 5.4pH to start, 45% on the 3750 boil coil, with 6% boil off and grists as high as 95% pils, I do not see any DMS. Same exact setup at 4% I do, if I lower pH I need to boil 70 minutes even with 6%. That what I have put together over a few hundred batches.

 

[ingchr1]

Just did my first batch and the condenser worked very well. I have a 3750W BoilCoil and had the power set at 50% (Brew Boss Controller). I measured 0.75 gallons of boil off. I peeked in through the side of the lid and the boil looked fine. I had hops up the side of the kettle, but it was from the boil up that happened when I dumped them in.

I use a collection kettle for the condensate and the condensate did have a distinct odor to it.

Here's my build thread, post #6 has details on the condenser setup: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...11-gallon-bayou-classic-with-boilcoil.643196/

 

[rkhanso]

I'm ready to buy parts to build this, but have an aluminum kettle.
Do I need to find aluminum TC parts? Are they even available?
Or, can I use stainless parts if I JB Weld the flange onto the kettle?
I'm looking for direction on building this, considering I have an aluminum kettle (about 4mm thick).
Thanks.

 

[NeoBrew]

I'm ready to buy parts to build this, but have an aluminum kettle.
Do I need to find aluminum TC parts? Are they even available?
Or, can I use stainless parts if I JB Weld the flange onto the kettle?
I'm looking for direction on building this, considering I have an aluminum kettle (about 4mm thick).
Thanks.

One of these might take care of you: https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15wlf.htm

 

[BrunDog]

You can JB weld to aluminum, so no problem there, or use the weldless flange per above.

 

[rkhanso]

The weldless bulkhead fittings are all out-of-stock. Crud.
But, if I can just use JB Weld, then I should be able to get by with this much cheaper fitting, right? Or This One? Even though it's just under 1" in length, I suspect that's long enough to work.
Just drill a hole in the kettle and let this stick through enough to give a good seal with the JB Weld all around. Good to go?

 

[ingchr1]

The weldless bulkhead fittings are all out-of-stock.

Ss Brewtech also sells them: https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/a-new-accessory-weldless-1-5-tc-fitting

 

[rkhanso]

I'll be using this with eBIAB -
I'm wondering if anyone suggests using a cap over the bulkhead when mashing. Or, just leave the hole open.

 

[BrunDog]

You can put a cap on if you need the volume in the MLT. Otherwise leave it open.

 

[rkhanso]

You can put a cap on if you need the volume in the MLT. Otherwise leave it open.

Thanks.
I have a 25 gal kettle, so headspace is not a problem.
Ordering parts right now - thanks for the help in deciding...

 

[Woodbrews]

I put a cap over when mashing during BIAB. Works great.

 

[marjen]

For people on a 3 vessel HERMs, do you just hook this up to the boil kettle or also the HLT?

 

[RocketBrewer]

There's no need to use one on a HLT, just put a lid on it

 

[BudgetBrewer]

Well, did my first actual brewday with this condenser. I did a water test run thru a cpl weeks ago, with only 8 gal water just to get a feel for what to expect. On the test, i had cut power back to even 45% power and maintained a good boil as long as i wasnt removing the lid often. This recipe called for 13.2gal boil volume, which i cut back to 12.5 gal with the experience of only boiling off 1/2 gal on the test.
Today, i dialed in the boil power to 60% figuring a larger starting volume, and wanted higher than 1/2 gal boiloff to increase odds of eliminating DMS.
I ended up with 11 gals in the fermenter, and a good gallon boiloff. I think im close.
Observations...
I definately got the DMS smell from the runoff from the condenser. Fairly strong.
Some serious hop ring at the boil level in the kettle after boil was complete despite using a hop sock.
Boiloff was a little high, will modify power to 50% next time and compare results.
Conclusions...
I love the lower humidity, and the reduction in power usage.
Not a fan of wasting all that water. Initially intended to use it for cleanup, but as Brundog suggested, im not sure i'd want to use it for real cleaning after i got the full effect of the smell of the output water.
Will likely try the 6 gph tip instead of the 10 gph next time.
Overall, im impressed and will continue using this equipment, until such time as i have a reason not to... ie, the DMS taste in the beer. Time will answer that.
Time to drink a couple, relax and watch some baseball. Cheers all.

 

[rkhanso]

BrunDog - I have an aluminum kettle and bought a stainless 2" TC ferrule to JB weld onto my kettle. I'll be using a 2" hole saw and hopefully a steady hand to not let it get out of control.

I was looking through the thread for a picture of your TC Ferrule being JB Welded to the kettle, but couldn't find one.
Do you still have that ferrule JB Welded onto the kettle? If so, are you happy with that?

I don't want it to look too ugly, but it being secure is the most important.

I see you used the Stick of JB Weld instead of the two tubes.

Any suggestions for mounting the ferrule at the top of my aluminum kettle?

 

[BrunDog]

I think I posted a picture of it but you might not see the JB Weld part - it will just look like a ferrule magically connected to the kettle. My pot is SS, but I am sure Al works fine. I blended the epoxy and rolled out a spaghetti strand of it. I then rolled it onto the center of the flange, adding a little more on the sides because they made less flush contact with the pot (the radius of the pot and the flange are not identical). Worked like a champ!

 

[rkhanso]

I'm ready to make the hole in the kettle. Trying to predict the best place to put this.
I'm right-handed so I was thinking about putting it on the left side. But thinking about that, I'd usually take the lid off with the left hand and do whatever I'm doing (adding hops, stirring, etc) with the right hand - so maybe the left side isn't the best, as it'd be in the way of the left hand taking the lid off the kettle.
The kettle currently has a outlet/drain which I'll probably keep facing frontwards, toward me when I'm brewing. The electric element cord would then be on the left side, looking at the kettle.
What have most people done? I see BrunDog put his on the right side (at least it looks that way to me). I suspect that may be the best place to put it.

 

[Wizard_of_Frobozz]

I'd put it on the side closest to whatever you are going to drain it into. If that's a bucket, it doesn't matter, but if it's a sink, it means it will be easier to run the tubing.

Also, I wouldn't put it directly over the electric element housing just to be on the safe side in case of leaks.

 

[BrunDog]

I agree with WoF. I put mine in the back right corner because it was generally out of the way for my brewing and put the piping in a good place. It is 90 degs out of phase of the element housing.

 

[rkhanso]

Got the boil condenser mounted on the kettle. I'm hoping to have time this weekend to do simulated brew - just using water. That's if the weather isn't too cold.

 

[BrunDog]

The condenser, which will have an active water supply, is awfully close to that electrical panel. You need to be careful that the water feed doesn’t leak or break and spray the panel.

 

[rkhanso]

I'm going to be pulling the whole setup away from the wall when I brew - and maybe perpendicular to the wall.

I'm thinking of getting a 12v solenoid/valve to turn off the condenser water supply since the garden hose shutoff is in front of the house.

Which one of these would be better? 1/2" or 5/8"? Is water volume an issue using the smaller? Or should I get something different?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-12V-DC...Electric-Water-12-volt-DC-12VDC-/121437063003
or
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-8-12-vol...bs-Water-12VDC-N-C-Plastic-Body-/300625215478

 

[BrunDog]

Use the smallest/least expensive valve - the volume is very very little (6 or 9gph isn’t much). 1/2” and probably down to 1/4” would be ok. You just don’t want the valve to be a restriction compared to the nozzle as that will only serve to reduce the pressure at the nozzle (I don’t think using a manual valve to reduce flow is a good idea for this reason). You don’t need an electric valve unless you don’t want to put a manual valve there for some reason.

 

[rkhanso]

Well, I thought the electric valve might increase my cool factor, but I suppose a manual valve would be OK also.
Thanks. That makes sense about the size not mattering as long as it doesn't reduce the flow of the spray nozzle.