Complete DIY eHERMS build

[BLANK1911]

wow, thanks for the input. Aguie, so you are running a bazooka as your sole filter in your mash tun? The one thing I have read is what you said about starting the flow slow to set the grain bed before opening it up. If you have success with just the tube as your filter ill give it a try and see what happens. Do you use rice hulls as well? A stuck mash would suck on the maiden voyage of my system.

 

[augiedoggy]

wow, thanks for the input. Aguie, so you are running a bazooka as your sole filter in your mash tun? The one thing I have read is what you said about starting the flow slow to set the grain bed before opening it up. If you have success with just the tube as your filter ill give it a try and see what happens. Do you use rice hulls as well? A stuck mash would suck on the maiden voyage of my system.

currently I use a false bottom as well as a bazooka tube under that with the stainless braid inside the bazooka tube to catch the fine particles that get through but I brewed 20 or so batches with just the bazooka tube and stainless mesh in my igloo cooler MLT before getting the bayou classic stainless kettle with false bottom and it works very well also. the key here is flow I think... the more you increase your flow through the grainbed the larger filtering surface you need to overcome plugging up it seems. starting the pump at a very low speed may overcome this to a point though. I have only use DC pumps and the flow has been 3gpm or less however ironically before I added the inner braided filter I got a stuck sparge with my very two fisrt all grain brews by just letting them gravity drain with a long piece of braid and no outer course filter like the bazooka tube so I suspect this is why so many are against using it alone.

 

[BLANK1911]

ironically before I added the inner braided filter I got a stuck sparge with my very two fisrt all grain brews by just letting them gravity drain with a long piece of braid and no outer course filter like the bazooka tube so I suspect this is why so many are against using it alone.

Makes sense...

This caught my eye, and would be easy and cheap to make as I already have the parts sitting around.

Any thoughts?

 

[cantrell00]

Can you make it for less than $50.00?

 

[BLANK1911]

all of the copper is only $25-30 at H-D

 

[augiedoggy]

all of the copper is only $25-30 at H-D

This is easy to clean as well since you can pull everything apart to clean (no need to solder if you just squeeze each fitting slightly to hold together once) Many people use and love these slotted copper manifolds... One thing I dont care for is you have to dump the grain and clean them right away... I have been known to leave my MT full of spend grain for a day or two since I'm usually beat when cleaning up and dumping it in my compost bin at night doesnt sound as appealing as doing it the next day. (especially with recent subzero temps around here) The grain and acid from the wort will eat the copper and make it a mess. I stopped using my copper upper sparge manifold for this reason as well... otherwise it works great.

 

[BLANK1911]

I might give this a shot! but may solder it into a few larger pieces that can be taken apart to simplify cleaning (less tiny parts). I might also might put an angle on the pipes going from the outer ring to the center so it contours the bottom of the keg. I do not have bottom drain keggles so basically ill flip it over, angle the center down and come off the center to my bulkhead.

 

[BLANK1911]

Now Im excited! I placed my order last night through Bargain Fittings for all of the plumbing for the system. Right now he has a killer deal on 3 piece stainless ball valves that could not be ignored. I went with the Kent plastic QD's and was able to get the final cost down to $360.00. Bummer though they were out of stock of the male QD halves so I hope the come in soon. These are the final parts of the system itself and I should be able to test soon!

The only things I need now is a cheap temporary/moveable ventelation system because the brewery may move in the future when I finish the basement. also a sink. Where I have built the system the boil kettle is right next to a large window. I am hoping that I can put a fan in that window to suck the steam out. Has anyone tried this? does it work ok?

 

[wbarber69]

Why not make the manifold a cross t design instead of just 1 small 1/2" pipe it would be cover the bottom better. Or you could look in to using a stainless spring.

https://store.brewpi.com/mashing/filtering/brewpi-matmill-lauterhexe-kit

 

[BLANK1911]

Why not make the manifold a cross t design instead of just 1 small 1/2" pipe it would be cover the bottom better. Or you could look in to using a stainless spring.

https://store.brewpi.com/mashing/filtering/brewpi-matmill-lauterhexe-kit

Im glad you suggested this. I found something similar in How To Brew and elseware on this site and people seem to really like them.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f257/all-grain-mash-tun-need-ideas-my-30gal-blue-barrel-352476/

 

[BLANK1911]

All of my fittings are on their way now! Wayne at Bargain Fittings is Awesome! I dropped him a message telling him I was trying to get the male QD's and he checked his stock and added them to my order before it shipped. Just wanted to plug the amazing customer service.

 

[hio3791]

All of my fittings are on their way now! Wayne at Bargain Fittings is Awesome! I dropped him a message telling him I was trying to get the male QD's and he checked his stock and added them to my order before it shipped. Just wanted to plug the amazing customer service.

I've had similar experience with Bargain Fittings. Great customer service!

 

[wmubronco]

Enjoyed the thread so far, great work!

Just brewed another batch of the infamous Zombie Dust clone last night, hit my numbers, but as always, when I am collecting the cooled wort, it always seems to slow when I still need to collect the remaining 2-3 gallons for the 5.5g batch.

I have a fairly generic setup, using the 90degree side pickup SS tube;
http://www.bargainfittings.com/inde...t&keyword=pickup&category_id=0&product_id=157

I have a stainless steel braid attached to this, and it is angled in the kettle maybe at a 45degree angle as to not be completely perpendicular with the bottle of the pot. I want to go electric in the future, and every batch I make now, I always say, "wish I had a pump," at this point of the process.

I've tried the whirlpool effect with continuous stirring, and also use a tee-type drain tube as to oxygenate the wort before pitching. Sometimes the setup does not create the continuous flow as expected, while keeping the tee line facing upward. For example, last night, the flow would drain for a quick 2-3 second burst, momentarily pause and some wort would actually travel back up the "oxygen" tee, and then continue the process of draining, but repeating the pause scenario.

I'm just adding some discussion, and wouldn't mind some feedback as to how I could improve the process for what I currently utilize... of course a pump would make life a lot easier.

Cheers!

 

[BLANK1911]

Ah yeah! It's time to covert some kegs!

View attachment 1425349471305.jpg

 

[BLANK1911]

I have got my Kegs converted and everything works as planned! I just need a sink near the brewery and I can run my full water test...

More pics!

 

[BLANK1911]

More

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[Roadliner]

Looking awesome!