Building an Electric Brewery

[Merkur]

I am in the initial stages of planning an electric three vessel 15 gallon electric brewery and I have done a lot of reading and video watching online. In looking at the different solutions, there appears to be three different approaches:
1) Proprietary solutions like the Blichmann 'Tower of Power'
2) Pre-built or kits from TheElectricBrewery.com
3) Pre-built or kits from eBrewSupply.com (Electric Brewing Supply)

In addition, it appears to me that the eBrewSupply solution is either available using PID control or BCS control.

Does that accurately describe the three main approaches if I want to buy a kit and design/build my own system? Are there others apart from complete turn-key approaches like SABCO? Is there a web resource to compare the different approaches in terms of cost, flexibility, performance?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

well all I can say is it can be a headache unless you know someone, I built 3 panels before realizing my mistakes and built a good one just to change it 3 times so the best advice I can give you is always use a magnetic relay for high power, you don't need to build one just like they do the 3 you mentioned, you can simplify it by using EZboils instead of Pid's and you don't need power meters or alarm switches, you can buy a brew buddy or just look how its wired and build your own, you can build anything like these below

 

[SEndorf]

Paul,
I researched various systems and chose theelectricbrewery.com
My knowledge of these electrical systems and components is limited. Kals system is straightforward and easy to follow. The build was easy. If you're familiar and comfortable with these various panel components then perhaps a different route would be appropriate. But if you're like me, specific instructions with a full parts list is valuable.
Goodluck in your build!

Edited to add: I would suggest going 20 G if you want to do 10 G batches

 

[augiedoggy]

I am in the initial stages of planning an electric three vessel 15 gallon electric brewery and I have done a lot of reading and video watching online. In looking at the different solutions, there appears to be three different approaches:
1) Proprietary solutions like the Blichmann 'Tower of Power'
2) Pre-built or kits from TheElectricBrewery.com
3) Pre-built or kits from eBrewSupply.com (Electric Brewing Supply)

In addition, it appears to me that the eBrewSupply solution is either available using PID control or BCS control.

Does that accurately describe the three main approaches if I want to buy a kit and design/build my own system? Are there others apart from complete turn-key approaches like SABCO? Is there a web resource to compare the different approaches in terms of cost, flexibility, performance?

Thanks,

Paul

theres also brucontrol software,which uses an arduino as the main hardware along with relay boards. I startedwith a 3 pid setup and went to ezboil and then brucontrol myself and even run my brewpub off it now.

 

[Merkur]

Thanks for your inputs. While I am technically savvy and have built a Raspberry Pi+Arduino BrewPi system, as well as remote temperature monitors, I think that for brewing, given all the things that can go wrong in these complex systems on Brewday, power glitches, moisture spills etc, I am leaning towards Kal's approach of functional low technology controls. There appears to be good documentation and support for TheElectricBrewery.com and the system looks straightforward to build.

I do like the idea of BruControl and I am looking at that too, but for the added complexity, and possible reduced reliability, I am not thinking that it's the approach I will take.

In the ideal world I think I'd like a simple ElectricBrewery type low-tech control panel with a high tech monitor system in the background to display using synoptics what is happening on a large TV monitor. Just for monitoring, not control. Does anything like that exist?

Paul

 

[augiedoggy]

Thanks for your inputs. While I am technically savvy and have built a Raspberry Pi+Arduino BrewPi system, as well as remote temperature monitors, I think that for brewing, given all the things that can go wrong in these complex systems on Brewday, power glitches, moisture spills etc, I am leaning towards Kal's approach of functional low technology controls. There appears to be good documentation and support for TheElectricBrewery.com and the system looks straightforward to build.

I do like the idea of BruControl and I am looking at that too, but for the added complexity, and possible reduced reliability, I am not thinking that it's the approach I will take.

In the ideal world I think I'd like a simple ElectricBrewery type low-tech control panel with a high tech monitor system in the background to display using synoptics what is happening on a large TV monitor. Just for monitoring, not control. Does anything like that exist?

Paul

I would normally agree with you but having gone from one to the other I can say brucontrol is reliable and way more flexible and easy to reconfigure and upgrade.. its also cheaper to build. IMO in the long run. so much so im using it in my 3 bbl nanobrew pub as well.. in fact ill be brewing again today on it.