Countertop Brutus 20

[rtt121]

jkarp,

I hate to ask but is it possible for you to take a picture of the inside or your controller? I thought I had it figured until I realized you have both your element and your pump hooked up to it.

 

[jkarp]

jkarp,

I hate to ask but is it possible for you to take a picture of the inside or your controller? I thought I had it figured until I realized you have both your element and your pump hooked up to it.

Pics are buried in this thread...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/countertop-brutus-20-a-131411/index5.html#post1482908

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/countertop-brutus-20-a-131411/index23.html#post1692713

 

[rtt121]

Well now I feel silly :-(

Sorry about that! And thanks great build!

 

[sawdsm]

JKarp - Great system... I like the idea of all electric and have put together a 5 gallon, 2 element, 120v (2-20amp circuits) version. Every thing else in my system is pretty much as you detailed. I have a Chugger pump in my bucket CFC to transfer liquid. I've read numerous threads about difficulty bleeding air out of the March/Chugger pumps...

My question - Has anyone had problems (with the bucket CFC configuration) getting air bled out of the pump, CFC coil? If so, how did you overcome?

 

[batty]

subscribed! apartment living means something like this may come in handy.. hmm

 

[jkarp]

My question - Has anyone had problems (with the bucket CFC configuration) getting air bled out of the pump, CFC coil? If so, how did you overcome?

As long as the kettle is full when you start the pump (as it should be when you push strike water to the MLT), there should be plenty of back-pressure to force the pump to prime instantly. From then on during the brew session, the pump always has liquid in it so never looses prime.

I do have to give it a little help during cleaning to get the hot PBW solution circulating - I just use my mouth then to suck solution into the pump. Once it catches, you'll know and it'll take off.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I've been planning a single tier version of this for at 10G size rig. Now I'm planning a replica for indoor brewing during the winter. Damn you jkarp.

I just entered your parts list into a spread sheet that I can now carry with me in my wallet and pick up the system peice by piece at lowes and check them off as I get them. My wife will be thrilled at the idea of having outdoor AND indoor brew systems

 

[stubbornman]

I've been planning a single tier version of this for at 10G size rig. Now I'm planning a replica for indoor brewing during the winter. Damn you jkarp.

I just entered your parts list into a spread sheet that I can now carry with me in my wallet and pick up the system peice by piece at lowes and check them off as I get them. My wife will be thrilled at the idea of having outdoor AND indoor brew systems

Any chance you want to share the spreadsheet?

 

[IrregularPulse]

Any chance you want to share the spreadsheet?

Definitely. I added a HAVE field to be able to check stuff off as I accumulate it. PM me or post here you email address and I'll send it. This goes for anyone else that wants it.

 

[jkarp]

My wife will be thrilled at the idea of having outdoor AND indoor brew systems

Now she wouldn't want you out there catching pneumonia, would she?

 

[stubbornman]

Definitely. I added a HAVE field to be able to check stuff off as I accumulate it. PM me or post here you email address and I'll send it. This goes for anyone else that wants it.

Thanks for the sheet IR, you the man!! :rockin:

Here is a link to download the spreadsheet for anyone else that may want it...


http://tinyurl.com/2dhn6ph

 

[mschrock]

I was inspired by this thread, and have nearly collected all the required parts. I keep stumbling onto sporadic posts that mention efficiency issues with higher than 1.050 OG. Even google turned up what looked to be Lonnie saying something to that effect back in 2008.

Granted, I really don't care what my efficiency is. As long as I can plan properly and use enough grain to hit my OG. Were these posts from before there was much actual use of the 2.0 system?

 

[BrewBeemer]

Dang man your up late.
Cold enough in your neck of the woods?
I have a close bud in Wirtz Va. with a white Christmas.

 

[jkarp]

Granted, I really don't care what my efficiency is. As long as I can plan properly and use enough grain to hit my OG. Were these posts from before there was much actual use of the 2.0 system?

As long as you plan for efficiency in the 70% range, you'll be golden. High adjunct beers seem to take a bigger efficiency hit than high gravity, in my experience.

 

[ksuil]

Thanks jkarp for this awesome idea. I have been throwing around ideas in my head to convert from extract brewing to all grain, but living in an apartment really limits my options. Once I saw your thread, I knew this was the solution for me. Sadly, Christmas drained the funds, so it'll be a few weeks to assemble the parts. Looking forward to it though!

 

[BrewBeemer]

December 2010 issue of BREW has an article "Calculating Conversions"
"From all-grain to extract---and back". Four half pages.

 

[jkarp]

And my system was in the Nov 2009 BYO. It's still up on the website.

 

[ksuil]

Out of curiosity, how do you handle filtering hops coming out of the kettle after boil?

Do you do this after the CFC, before fermenter? have you modified the pickup in the kettle to handle a hob sock or filter of some sort?

 

[IrregularPulse]

So when you say you wait for gravity to equalize between the two pots, are you using a refractometer or taking hydro samples and taking the time to chill them?

 

[rtt121]

FWIW, I built this system, and it works wonders. BUT my effiency is ~55%. I think it has to do with my cooler being square, but I am not too worried about it.

 

[jkarp]

Out of curiosity, how do you handle filtering hops coming out of the kettle after boil?

Do you do this after the CFC, before fermenter? have you modified the pickup in the kettle to handle a hob sock or filter of some sort?

I use a hop bag for hops during the boil, but I do let whirlpool hops run "free". As I always use pellet hops, the pump has no issues circulating them.

 

[jkarp]

So when you say you wait for gravity to equalize between the two pots, are you using a refractometer or taking hydro samples and taking the time to chill them?

Because I know exactly the amount of water and grain in the system, I know the pre-boil gravity (assuming full conversion, of course). I could take periodic samples from the kettle to verify, but experience has shown me that 20-30 minutes of recirculation is plenty to reach the target pre-boil gravity.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Because I know exactly the amount of water and grain in the system, I know the pre-boil gravity (assuming full conversion, of course). I could take periodic samples from the kettle to verify, but experience has shown me that 20-30 minutes of recirculation is plenty to reach the target pre-boil gravity.

So you just do it for 30 minutes and call it done? That's good enough for me if it's reliable. I have a refractometer so the first few times I get this going I'll likely compare brix readings from both pots to get an idea, but once it gets going would be fine just saying, do it for 30 minutes and call it good.

 

[jkarp]

So you just do it for 30 minutes and call it done? That's good enough for me if it's reliable. I have a refractometer so the first few times I get this going I'll likely compare brix readings from both pots to get an idea, but once it gets going would be fine just saying, do it for 30 minutes and call it good.

That's exactly what I did in the early days of my system - test the kettle with a refractometer until it hit the target. Don't bother any more. 30 and call it good.

 

[DrinknBuddy]

I use a hop bag for hops during the boil, but I do let whirlpool hops run "free". As I always use pellet hops, the pump has no issues circulating them.

I have made Amarillo IPA many times and have never put my pellet hops in a bag. Thats 4 ozs of hops. Just make sure if you are doing a late addition you dissolve it throughly before you turn the pump on or you might get a clog at the kettle outlet.

 

[jkarp]

I have made Amarillo IPA many times and have never put my pellet hops in a bag. Thats 4 ozs of hops. Just make sure if you are doing a late addition you dissolve it throughly before you turn the pump on or you might get a clog at the kettle outlet.

So have I. My process is a matter of preference and less hop material finding its way to the fermenter.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I'm hoping to get a copy of this put together next week while home from work. I don't know if I'll get everything into a bucket just yet, but hopefully a workable setup. I'd love to brew towards the end of the week before heading back to work.

 

[ScubaSteve]

IrregularPulse, How do you have 21,000 posts? That's just crazy!

 

[BrewBeemer]

Simple, 18.57591623 posts a day for 1,146 days as a HBT member.
This or slip a moderator $100?

 

[IrregularPulse]

even simpler....TapRoom

Got my mash tun to finally hold a seal for this last night. I forgot what a PITA weldless fittings are. Gonna head to Lowes after bit to pick up some more fittings.