Electric 1.5 BBL Upgrade

[cruelkix]

Thanks for the link. Mcmaster is pretty close tothat pricing as well. I guess it depends on shipping ...

Sooo, before I spend a bunch of money on this, I think I'm going to set up a little test.

I think I'm going to measure the ambient air and the temperature of the fermentation and see if I truly need internal cooling or if I can just use a cold room to achieve the same thing. I'll log all the data to see what happens.

Thoughts?

 

[cruelkix]

Just an update to anyone who might actually be following this thread:

I BREWED LAST NIGHT!!!!!

Everything went pretty well. Brewed my first beer for a "customer" after a request.

I brewed 14 gallons of an American Wheat. My next door neighbors are having an aniversary party and really liked it when they came over to have some. They asked if I could make them a keg for the party. I thought it would be a perfect chance to use the new system.

I obviously wont be charging them as thats not legal......

Ragardless, everything went pretty well. My homemade false bottom worked which was slightly shocking as it is not pretty, haha. Ended up getting 78% efficency yeilding a 1.054 OG.

Putting 16 gallons of wort into a 55 gallon BK is hilarious btw. It barely fills up the bottom. Glad I placed my heating elements low. I'll let you all know how it tastes in 2 weeks (their party is on the 30th, I told them it might not be ready....). Good thing its a wheat and I dont have to worry about it being cloudy...

 

[onthekeg]

For the sprayball lid question, I would buy one extra lid and have the sprayball attached to that lid only. That way you can just move it from fermenter to fermenter and don't have another opening to contend with.

 

[cruelkix]

For the sprayball lid question, I would buy one extra lid and have the sprayball attached to that lid only. That way you can just move it from fermenter to fermenter and don't have another opening to contend with.

That's a good idea. Thanks!

 

[Boar Beer]

Cruelkix

Some thoughts

First of all you will need some extra cooling for your fermentors. 35 gallons of a normal beer will add 5-7 F if you move up to double that the heat will be too much especially on a big beer. Try 20 feet at 3/8.

Are you planning on leaving the coil in for the entire fermentation or will you remove it after day 4-5 when its not needed?

You need a 1in blow off tube. You cant stand to get a plugged blow off tube.

You are talking about double 40 gallon batches but for an 85 gallon fermentors you need more head space especially if you make some big beers.

Will your 20 in probe still be in the wort with only 70 gallon batch. I like the idea of it coming in from the top.

Aeration You should get an oxygen stone and an oxygen tank. aeration with oxygen will help 1 getting your wart started AND 2 cut down on the chance for an air born contamination

When you are pumping from your BK to the fermentors you will generate a huge amount of foam…. So you need to have your lid off ( at least loose) at that time

We are running (6)1 bb fermentors and brewing in a 55 gallon Brewmation kettle check out our build.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/squam-lakes-brewery-pictures-144764/

Nice build and thanks for posting it

Good luck

 

[cruelkix]

First of all you will need some extra cooling for your fermentors. 35 gallons of a normal beer will add 5-7 F if you move up to double that the heat will be too much especially on a big beer. Try 20 feet at 3/8.

Good to know.

Are you planning on leaving the coil in for the entire fermentation or will you remove it after day 4-5 when its not needed?

Yes, I would leave the coil in for the entire fermentation.

You are talking about double 40 gallon batches but for an 85 gallon fermentors you need more head space especially if you make some big beers.

Hve you messed around with Fermcap-s at all? I was planning on using that to allow me to not need a huge amount of head space? Also, there are a good couple of inches of head space between teh 85 gallon marker on teh tank and the actual lid. It could technically prob hold around 90 gallons.

Will your 20 in probe still be in the wort with only 70 gallon batch. I like the idea of it coming in from the top.

It should. The actually difference between 70 and 80 gallons is only an few inches. The 20" probe gets pretty well into the center of the tank. I can rest my arm on top of the tanks. So they are about 48" high, maybe a few more.

Aeration You should get an oxygen stone and an oxygen tank. aeration with oxygen will help 1 getting your wart started AND 2 cut down on the chance for an air born contamination

Totally agree. It is on my list of things to buy!!

When you are pumping from your BK to the fermentors you will generate a huge amount of foam…. So you need to have your lid off ( at least loose) at that time

Why would I generate foam from the BK to the fermenters? I dont generate any now when I pump over? Are you saying if I pump it in from the bottom up it will cause foaming? Usually I pump inot the top and let it fall in to get my a small amount of aeration.

We are running (6)1 bb fermentors and brewing in a 55 gallon Brewmation kettle check out our build.

Haha. I've read through you and your son's thread about a million times at least!! Awesome stuff. I've asked a few question in there as well. Thanks to you as well for sharing all the great info.


Thank you for all the helpful information. YOur experience with this size batches is hugely benificial to me

Craig

 

[Boar Beer]

Foam

Its from aeration. when we made small batches with carboys we just used a funnel and swirled the wart. But with a big batch like what you are making and adding oxygen weather you go in the top or the bottom you will get a great deal of foam. Just be ready for it.

Buy the way you can burn the oxygenated foam with a match. Oxygen can be dangerous so be care full with it.

 

[cruelkix]

Foam

Its from aeration. when we made small batches with carboys we just used a funnel and swirled the wart. But with a big batch like what you are making and adding oxygen weather you go in the top or the bottom you will get a great deal of foam. Just be ready for it.

Buy the way you can burn the oxygenated foam with a match. Oxygen can be dangerous so be care full with it.

Gotcha. I was thinking that I would aerate in the fermenter. It will prob spill all over the top. Do you aerate "inline" as you transfer to the fermenter?

 

[Boar Beer]

Yes we use an in line Oxygen aeration set up after the plate heat exchanger. (cold wart holds more oxygen than hot wart) I will try to send you a couple pictures.

 

[cruelkix]

Yes we use an in line Oxygen aeration set up after the plate heat exchanger. (cold wart holds more oxygen than hot wart) I will try to send you a couple pictures.

Thanks, you rock!

 

[Boar Beer]

You can see the oxygenator with the silicon tubing we use to connect it to the Blichmann plate chiller.
In addition I have sent the picture of the double peristaltic pump which is the greatest work saving device you can have.

 

[cruelkix]

You can see the oxygenator with the silicon tubing we use to connect it to the Blichmann plate chiller.
In addition I have sent the picture of the double peristaltic pump which is the greatest work saving device you can have.

Where did you get the stone from and what size is it? .5 micron? How does it attach to the SS Tee? Most the ones I have seen don't have a threaded connection?

That pump looks like a boss. Where did you get and what kind of flow rates are you seeing from it?

 

[Tinga]

subscribed

 

[Mongrat]

awesome

 

[Monster Mash]

(cold wart holds more oxygen than hot wart)

Tht's only if you don't believe in hot side aeration....

 

[cruelkix]

Tht's only if you don't believe in hot side aeration....

Actually I believe he is referring to the fact that colder liquids have a higher capability to hold gases.

Solubility of gases in Water
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/gases-solubility-water-d_1148.html

 

[Thehopguy]

I'll be following along as well. Looks great

 

[Boar Beer]

Tht's only if you don't believe in hot side aeration....

control and repeatability is what i believe in

 

[Boar Beer]

Where did you get the stone from and what size is it? .5 micron? How does it attach to the SS Tee? Most the ones I have seen don't have a threaded connection?

That pump looks like a boss. Where did you get and what kind of flow rates are you seeing from it?

It came from More Beer http://morebeer.com/view_product/16613/102281/Stainless_in-line_Oxygenation_Assembly

This unit came all assembled you only need to connect the tubing.
Yes .5 micron and we follow the direction of abut 8 lb pressure for half the batch.

Let me check the pump. its old and came from a HBT member

 

[jaginger]

Awesome, Craig! Do you plan to be exhibiting at GABF? I have a business trip out there (from CT) and i would love to see your setup when i'm out there, and try a few tasty brews.

Jason

 

[cruelkix]

Awesome, Craig! Do you plan to be exhibiting at GABF? I have a business trip out there (from CT) and i would love to see your setup when I'm out there, and try a few tasty brews.

Jason

Not this year. I'm too far behind schedule and on top of that a booth at GABF is mighty expensive these days.

I will, however, be at the brewer's only session on Saturday afternoon.

You are more than welcome to come check out the rig and have a few beers. I'm about 20-30 minutes from where the GABF is held tho, so it might be slightly out of your way.

-Craig

 

[cruelkix]

It came from More Beer http://morebeer.com/view_product/16613/102281/Stainless_in-line_Oxygenation_Assembly

This unit came all assembled you only need to connect the tubing.
Yes .5 micron and we follow the direction of abut 8 lb pressure for half the batch.

Let me check the pump. its old and came from a HBT member

Sweet. Thanks!

 

[bigbeergeek]

following this one.

 

[tante]

any updates? did you find a location yet?

 

[cruelkix]

any updates? did you find a location yet?

Yeah sorry I haven't written any updates for a while. Right now I am still working on equipment. I don't plan to find a place to rent until late Feb. or early March of 2012. I need time to build my bank account back up.

In the mean time I have been working on modifying my fermenters and have done some pretty sweet stuff. It was going to be my next big update. It's almost done.

I put up all the fermenters on casters, modified some extra lids with CIP Spray balls, built a micro controller that will monitor fermenter temps and open valves to run chiller water through S.S. coils though all four fermenters that I can monitor and make temperature adjusts from anywhere on my andriod phone!! I still have a few things to do which is why I have written up the progress on the fermenter modifications yet.

I need to get the S.S coils mounted on the lids, solder up the temperature probes, and get all the valves and electronics into a case to protect them a bit.

Soooo, short answer, I will def let everyone know when anything cool happens

 

[Monstar]

I put up all the fermenters on casters, modified some extra lids with CIP Spray balls, built a micro controller that will monitor fermenter temps and open valves to run chiller water through S.S. coils though all four fermenters that I can monitor and make temperature adjusts from anywhere on my andriod phone!!

Dear god that rules. Im in Denver, you know Ill be hitting up your brewery as soon as you open! Killer build, man.

 

[user 84304]

I like this, I like it a lot. Subscribed. Keep on keepin on!

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

Subscribed... how are you planning to work your CIP system? hard plumbed or protable?

ps: those fermenters are sweet! now I just have to convince the wife that I "need" some.

 

[cruelkix]

Subscribed... how are you planning to work your CIP system? hard plumbed or protable?

ps: those fermenters are sweet! now I just have to convince the wife that I "need" some.

Definitely portable. Some sort of Supply and return pump on wheels with a water/cleaning supply tank. I haven't fully figured it out yet. Finding the right pumps to provide the proper PSI and flow rate can be difficult/expensive.

Yeah, the fermenters are huge and take up a lot of space in the house right now. If you go homebrew scale though they are really inexpensive and should be much more manageable in a home environment.

 

[Brewmoor]

That setup looks nice! Good luck getting setup! Let me know when you are up and running so I can come down and taste some beer!