I'm the planning stage of constructing a boil kettle.
It will be built around a Blichmann 55G (208 litres) for boiling batches of approximately 100 litres.
I will install a separate Whirlpool system in the kettle (separate in the sense that it will be installed with its own pump - it won't pass the plate chiller for re-circulation).
The lid to the BlichMann BoilerMaker will be fitted with a stainless steel lid which is designed for the Speidel Braumeister:
The above Speidel lid will cover a hole which we will make in the Blichmann lid. This hole will be used for adding hops etc. and also to divert the steam from the boil via the "chimney" (a fan system till draw off the steam from the boil and out of the brewery). Not sure if this hole with be located in the middle of the Blichmann lid...
I consider the above ideas as pretty solid. But I have started to have thoughts about a "dual stage cooling system" (not as solid maybe).
The idea I have is to install an immersion chiller in the Blichmann lid (close to or in the actual middle of the kettle). The immersion chiller will be placed in the wort during the whole boil and its two connections will be attached through the BlichMann lid. The chiller will in other means be a permanent installation.
With the above installation I will be able to chill the wort before it enters the plate chiller (useful if I for example want to chill the wort to lager fermentation temperatures without re-circulation via the plate chiller). I will also be able to chill the wort quickly from boiling/near boiling to precise temperatures for late hopping/whirlpool hopping etc.
The heating of the boil kettle will probably be done via heating elements from The Electric Brewery. I will make sure that I can set the temperature in a stepless manner. In this way I can chill the temperature of the wort quickly (vith the imerssion chiller) to a set temperature and keep it there for any amount of time (fun for experimentation and flexability?).
One might ask why I even bother with a plate chiller with the above imerssion system installed. One reason is that I MIGHT want to chill the wort before it enters the plate chiller (for the above mentioned reason) and another reason is that my plate chiller system has a connection for oxygen.
The only negative effect the above system might have (that I've come to think of) is that the immersion chiller might interfere with the whirlpool? Does any of you guys have any experience with whirlpooling with the immersion chiller is located in the wort?
Any other thoughts and ideas about the above is more than welcome!
Best regards,
Anton
It will be built around a Blichmann 55G (208 litres) for boiling batches of approximately 100 litres.
I will install a separate Whirlpool system in the kettle (separate in the sense that it will be installed with its own pump - it won't pass the plate chiller for re-circulation).
The lid to the BlichMann BoilerMaker will be fitted with a stainless steel lid which is designed for the Speidel Braumeister:
The above Speidel lid will cover a hole which we will make in the Blichmann lid. This hole will be used for adding hops etc. and also to divert the steam from the boil via the "chimney" (a fan system till draw off the steam from the boil and out of the brewery). Not sure if this hole with be located in the middle of the Blichmann lid...
I consider the above ideas as pretty solid. But I have started to have thoughts about a "dual stage cooling system" (not as solid maybe).
The idea I have is to install an immersion chiller in the Blichmann lid (close to or in the actual middle of the kettle). The immersion chiller will be placed in the wort during the whole boil and its two connections will be attached through the BlichMann lid. The chiller will in other means be a permanent installation.
With the above installation I will be able to chill the wort before it enters the plate chiller (useful if I for example want to chill the wort to lager fermentation temperatures without re-circulation via the plate chiller). I will also be able to chill the wort quickly from boiling/near boiling to precise temperatures for late hopping/whirlpool hopping etc.
The heating of the boil kettle will probably be done via heating elements from The Electric Brewery. I will make sure that I can set the temperature in a stepless manner. In this way I can chill the temperature of the wort quickly (vith the imerssion chiller) to a set temperature and keep it there for any amount of time (fun for experimentation and flexability?).
One might ask why I even bother with a plate chiller with the above imerssion system installed. One reason is that I MIGHT want to chill the wort before it enters the plate chiller (for the above mentioned reason) and another reason is that my plate chiller system has a connection for oxygen.
The only negative effect the above system might have (that I've come to think of) is that the immersion chiller might interfere with the whirlpool? Does any of you guys have any experience with whirlpooling with the immersion chiller is located in the wort?
Any other thoughts and ideas about the above is more than welcome!
Best regards,
Anton