Brewing in the New'd!!!

[Brulosopher]

I was planning on waking up early this morning to start brewing, around 5am or so (I like mornings)... then my 18 month old son woke up at 3:30am, and I figured, what the hell? Admittedly, I was a bit anxious to try out some new stuff and processes:

1. 15 gallon brew kettle (thanks to www.SpikeBrewing.com)
2. Pump (thanks to www.chuggerpumps.com) and parts (thanks to www.bargainfittings.com & www.brewhardware.com)
3. pH meter (thanks to www.amazon.com)
4. Adding brewing salts to my mash (thanks to www.morebeer.com)

In over 10 years of brewing, I've only ever added gypsum to my water, and even that was rare. I was awkwardly anxious adding small amounts of epsom, table salt, calcium chloride, and gypsum to create a new water profile. Alas, it's 5:20am and my mash is almost complete. The pH is at a steady 5.6 and things are looking great! I'm brewing one of my favorite recipes, just to gauge if I notice any differences from the salt additions. One thing I realized I need (and just purchased) is a blade scale that measures to the .1 gram... I used my regular scale and tried to undershoot the salt additions, just in case. Either way, the water profile I selected (Tasty's non-hoppy profile) required minimal additions (16 grams altogether), so I think I should be fine.

Cheers!!

 

[Reubens888]

LOL. My 7 month old son woke me up at 3:30 am too! I did not brew, but I did do some research on building a new system.

The real question is.... did your son help you brew today?

 

[passedpawn]

You have company. My boil is just finishing on my Dry Stout.

I started heating water for first step at 5:30, doughed-in at 6. Most of the cleanup is done already, hope to be done by 10am.

I've got 3 kids but wouldn't you know it's my dumb dog that gets me up at 5:00-ish every day.

 

[SGFBeerBuzz]

What is it with our boys this morning? Mine is 17 months old and woke us up at 4:00. Alas, today is not a brew day, but I've been doing research for my show later today.

 

[Brulosopher]

LOL. My 7 month old son woke me up at 3:30 am too! I did not brew, but I did do some research on building a new system.

The real question is.... did your son help you brew today?

Haha, actually he fell right back asleep, but I was wide awake, so I started. I've about 30 mins left in my boil, then I'll be using my new wort recirculation chiller... thing...

 

[Brulosopher]

The pump. I like it, but I've gotta get a decent stand!

 

[passedpawn]

Just finshished cleaning up my gear.

Brightspot, that burner / boil kettle looks like trouble. I don't want to play the safety card, but with kids / dogs / clumsy brewers around it looks like it could easily be pulled over if someone tripped over the tubing. My brother still has huge scars (skin grafts) all over his body from when he was little and pulled a coffee pot over onto himself.

With a pump, you don't need to put it up there at all.

 

[Varmintman]

For the most part I would rather brew early morning as well.

I had my daughter help me bottle once. She commented that she would not drink or make beer because it involved to much cleaning LOL

 

[Brulosopher]

Just finshished cleaning up my gear.

Brightspot, that burner / boil kettle looks like trouble. I don't want to play the safety card, but with kids / dogs / clumsy brewers around it looks like it could easily be pulled over if someone tripped over the tubing. My brother still has huge scars (skin grafts) all over his body from when he was little and pulled a coffee pot over onto himself.

With a pump, you don't need to put it up there at all.

I hear ya, passedpawn, good looking out. Since this is the first time using my pump, I guess I took the "it has to be under the wort" recommendation a tad too extreme. Next time, I'll leave on the ground. That said, it is surprisingly sturdy, and I refuse to let the kids or the dog anywhere near it.

 

[Brulosopher]

All in all, a great brew day, despite my new sight glass leaking like crazy and spilling over the top! Is this normal? I hate it! Makes it seem not worth the price. Also, I'm always a little anxious when I change my process... we'll see.



ugh!

 

[passedpawn]

All in all, a great brew day, despite my new sight glass leaking like crazy and spilling over the top! Is this normal? I hate it! Makes it seem not worth the price. Also, I'm always a little anxious when I change my process... we'll see.

View attachment 58383

ugh!

That is not normal. I have 2 of those. Never seen a leak.

 

[Brulosopher]

And I installed it exactly per instructions... hmm. Suggestions?

 

[passedpawn]

And I installed it exactly per instructions... hmm. Suggestions?

If you got several turns on it, and you used lots of thread tape, I don't know what else to say.

Those look like Bobby_M sight glasses. If so, PM him. I'm certain he'll get you working.

 

[Brulosopher]

Perhaps I didn't use enough tape... 3 wraps enough? It is from Bobby, I'll PM him.

 

[phoenixs4r]

All in all, a great brew day, despite my new sight glass leaking like crazy and spilling over the top! Is this normal? I hate it! Makes it seem not worth the price. Also, I'm always a little anxious when I change my process... we'll see.

View attachment 58383

ugh!

Looks like it's leaking where the clear tube meets the stainless? If I remember correctly that part was pre-assembled from bobby when I got mine. I'd just email him, he's pretty damn responsive.

 

[passedpawn]

Perhaps I didn't use enough tape... 3 wraps enough? It is from Bobby, I'll PM him.

Is it leaking between the polycarbonate sight glass tubing and the fitting that the sight glass is in? If so, that's a different problem. I think Bobby has that polycarbonate tubing threaded, then screwed and glued into the 1/2" fitting. If they are leaking from there, I think there is something wrong with the way they are made.

 

[Brulosopher]

Is it leaking between the polycarbonate sight glass tubing and the fitting that the sight glass is in? If so, that's a different problem. I think Bobby has that polycarbonate tubing threaded, then screwed and glued into the 1/2" fitting. If they are leaking from there, I think there is something wrong with the way they are made.

It seems so. I emailed him

 

[passedpawn]

It seems so. I emailed him

I think the connection should be very tight between the tube and the stainless fitting. I think I recall him saying it's glued too. Here's a pic. Let me know how it turns out.

 

[Brulosopher]

I think the connection should be very tight between the tube and the stainless fitting. I think I recall him saying it's glued too. Here's a pic. Let me know how it turns out.

He emailed me... sounds like its due to my super hot burners "reaching" over to the T-fitting and boiling the wort from there. He's hooking me up with free shipping when I buy the heat shield. Great guy!!!

 

[passedpawn]

He emailed me... sounds like its due to my super hot burners "reaching" over to the T-fitting and boiling the wort from there. He's hooking me up with free shipping when I buy the heat shield. Great guy!!!

So if the wort boils in the T-fitting the sight glass will leak? That's odd. Metal expands faster than the plastic, so they separate?

I have an electric system so I never see that problem. Well good luck.

 

[Brulosopher]

So if the wort boils in the T-fitting the sight glass will leak? That's odd. Metal expands faster than the plastic, so they separate?

I have an electric system so I never see that problem. Well good luck.

I think that's what's causing the wort to go over the lip of the tube.

 

[onthekeg]

At 3:30am Sunday morning I noticed that my kids were just slowing down to go to bed. I guess thats how teen's these days roll..