What are you going to use for kegs? sankie or corney? I actually keg my beer with sankie 1/6kegs, because i already had a keg-or-ator with all the connections. It seems to work pretty well. If you are going with sankie how many do you think you will need/keep on hand? could you even legally use other commercial beers kegs?
Electric 1.5 BBL Upgrade
- Thread starter cruelkix
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cruelkix
Well-Known Member
I'm buying 20 plastic sanke style 1/2 barrel kegs from http://www.plastickegs.com/.
I'll get more as needed. Each of my fermenters holds 5 kegs worth. So 20 kegs will hold my first 4 batches of beer. I'll prob max out at 40 kegs.
TheBreweryUnderground
Well-Known Member
How much do those plastic kegs cost? Somewhere on their site they say they're not suitable for homebrewing, what's the deal with that? No love for homebrewers.
Lucky_Chicken
Well-Known Member
at 1/3 of the price i would guess around $60. I didnt see where it said not for homebrewing. Maybe I missed it but it could be special cleaning required?
TheBreweryUnderground
Well-Known Member
Lucky_Chicken said:
I was using their mobile site and only saw it on their quotes page. Their FAQ says that you can use any normal cleaners and treat it just like regular kegs so I'm not sure why, maybe different fittings? Although that's easily fixed. If their 1/6s are less than $40 then I'd spring for their minimum of 5. Sorry to thread jack.
What fermentors are you using, sorry if I missed that earlier in the thread but my internet in Argentina isn't the greatest. Are you planning on just double batching into those? I figured I'd just load up on SS drums and use those as fermentors to avoid using plastic, though I've seen one brewery here using inductor tanks with no issues.
foodplusbeer
Well-Known Member
Subscribed
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
thelorax121
Well-Known Member
Underground, I am looking into using SS drums as fermentors as well. Any design ideas you would care to share?
TheBreweryUnderground
Well-Known Member
I see now that you're using plastic inductor tanks.
I'm way early on in the planning, so my ideas basically mirror this except I'll probably wire things up so the heating elements can be moved from HLT to BK like heat sticks that rest on top of the kettles. I'm not to sure where I'll be getting so many drums, but Bubba's Barrels have decent prices and you can get a discount on orders $2,000+. They'll also do the fittings for you, but I'd rather do everything myself. I also don't really care much for pumps but don't know how I'd get around that without building a crazy tall system. I'll make a giant SS IC for the cooling and send that water straight to the HLT. Really these are just giant glorified homebrew setups.
Will 1.5 bbl of fermenting beer have temperatures too hard to control with just a cool room and need some sort of chiller?
I'm way early on in the planning, so my ideas basically mirror this except I'll probably wire things up so the heating elements can be moved from HLT to BK like heat sticks that rest on top of the kettles. I'm not to sure where I'll be getting so many drums, but Bubba's Barrels have decent prices and you can get a discount on orders $2,000+. They'll also do the fittings for you, but I'd rather do everything myself. I also don't really care much for pumps but don't know how I'd get around that without building a crazy tall system. I'll make a giant SS IC for the cooling and send that water straight to the HLT. Really these are just giant glorified homebrew setups.
Will 1.5 bbl of fermenting beer have temperatures too hard to control with just a cool room and need some sort of chiller?
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
They will send you a price page with any simple request. By ordering 27+ kegs I can get them for $91.50, if I order less than that they are $93 for a 1/2 barrel sanke style.
They are not for homebrewers because they spears are threaded into plastic and they do not recommend you continually take them apart. They assume that any commercial brewer will have a keg cleaner. I dont have one. But Ill prob need to get one.
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Life with a pump is something you are going to have to get used to I think. Once you do I guarantee you will like it. Drums are hard to find, but it seems when you do find them, they either have 1 or like 250 so if you want a ton of drums you can probably pull it off.
I will be double batching into the inductor tanks. Ill let you know what temps look like when I get an idea. I'm not sure if you can handle 1.5 bbl in a cool room or not.
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Today was a very long day. Started at 8 am and I just now finished up at 11 p.m. It was a rough day with a lot of twists and turns, but in the end things went decently well.
Ran a double batch on the system to test out the fermenters and the rig at full load.
The rig in action:
Full Mash tun. I crushed and used a total of 262 lbs of grain today!! THis was after I drained some out. I maxed out my mash tun with 131 lbs of grain for sure!!
The fermenter filling downstairs in the basement. It was a LONG hose haha. I had to roll the fermenter to the bottom of the stairs to reach it.
In its spot.
I hit a gravity of 1.078. 60% efficiency. Not fantastic but not bad for a higher gravity beer.
It's my double IPA, which I drink a ton of, but dang, 68 gallons is a lot haha.
Ran a double batch on the system to test out the fermenters and the rig at full load.
The rig in action:
Full Mash tun. I crushed and used a total of 262 lbs of grain today!! THis was after I drained some out. I maxed out my mash tun with 131 lbs of grain for sure!!
The fermenter filling downstairs in the basement. It was a LONG hose haha. I had to roll the fermenter to the bottom of the stairs to reach it.
In its spot.
I hit a gravity of 1.078. 60% efficiency. Not fantastic but not bad for a higher gravity beer.
It's my double IPA, which I drink a ton of, but dang, 68 gallons is a lot haha.
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
I was running a 5500 and a 4500 in each kettle yesterday (not at the same time due to only having 50 Amps). I was not overly happy with the rate at which things were going. I would say that it is doable with two 4500 elements, but you are going to be waiting around a fair amount for temps to rise. That was part of the reason things took so long yesterday. Good luck!
So at lunch today a truck pulled up and dropped off my fermeneters!
I'm pretty excited! 4 showed up but I had to send one back due to damage.
85 gallons a piece!! 5 kegs worth of beer. Double batch 40 gallons into each one.
Cost me $1700 for 4 shipped. Shipping was stupid expensive and I dont want to talk about it, especailly considering they damaged one. Ridiculous.
On a seperate note:
Thanks!
Where'd you get these beasts from?
The best price I can seem to find is one of these for the same price you paid
:cross:cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Where'd you get these beasts from?
The best price I can seem to find is one of these for the same price you paid
http://www.tank-depot.com/product.aspx?id=854
I got the 85 gallon ones.
Good solution for cooling is a CoolBot. I have a 10 x 13 cold room that is fairly well insulated, and a 800 BTU room ac with a coolbot can keep it at lager temps with outside at 80 degrees. More pix and details of the tippy please. I have dreams of doing this with my 40 Gallon Stout MLT. Have not thought about car hubs!
I thought you were running one 4500 and two 5500 watt heaters in your brew kettle. I run two 5500 Watt units in our BK with a 50 AMP breaker
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
I didn't want to push it with two 5500's on my 50 amp breaker. Besides I can wait until I get into my building to crank out the juice. Once that happens I'll be running 3 x 5500 in each kettle
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Subscribed...I'd drive across town and help you out with that 68 gallons when it's ready
Lol, any time man. I'd love to get feed back on my other beers as well. I'll let you know when its ready. But want real feedback. Maybe I'll give you a BJCP form for each beer
Wow man that is really cool that you ran your first double batch. I want in on a beer tasting. I'll PM you my info. How is the bank loan/location going?Lol, any time man. I'd love to get feed back on my other beers as well. I'll let you know when its ready. But want real feedback. Maybe I'll give you a BJCP form for each beer
I was at Rockbottom brewhouse last Thursday and it was pretty packed in the bar section. While i was there i thought of you venture and that on a week night there are people that want to drink good beer and just hang out. just sayin!!cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Heh, we should arrange an HBT-Denver tasting party for this beer
Ya know, I'm actually not opposed to this idea at all. I think it might infact be a great idea!
I have limited quantites of my other beers, but it would be a cool way to get rid of some of this IPA. And I really havent gotten much use out of my new bar yet!!
Perhaps when it gets closer to ready, I'll set up a new thread for denver people to unite.
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
Wow man that is really cool that you ran your first double batch. I want in on a beer tasting. I'll PM you my info. How is the bank loan/location going?
Loan: The bank loan got denied through Chase (which they said would happen), so now they are using the SBA (Government run loan service for small businesses) to underwite it. Slow process.....
Location: I go pick up the lease today at 4 pm. At that point, my lawyer and I will look it over and I will begin the negotiation process. Hopefully have it signed by the end of the week!!
In regards to your off topic comment: I am continually amazed at the beer love in CO. Everytime I bring this venture up, no matter who it is, the enthusiam is fantastic. When I even hint at the fact that the market might start to get saturated, people are emphatic that I am just plain wrong. It seems every night I am out I end up talking about these plans and people are so excited. It's amazing. I'm optomistic to say the least and hopefully, holy crap hopefully, I will be succesful in this venture. :rockin:
Jaysus
Well-Known Member
I love threads like this!
I am of the opinion that Denver/Front Range Colorado is the best place in the world in terms of its beer community. As a beer nerd, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, especially now that I'm working on becoming part of it :rockin:
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
The IIPA is going strong. Its been fermenting like crazy since day 1. What i found surprising is that in my 60 degree basement, the temp ever rose above 67 degrees. And after a week was actually down to around room temp. This was with no active cooling. I will say that I drastically under pitched the yeast.
I took a gravity reading yesterday, and it has gone down from 1.078 to 1.030. Not bad. The beer will probably be ready to keg towards the end of the month, due to under pitching.
I am still negotiating the building with the land lord at the location I have chosen. The whole realestate thing is a gigantic pain in the a$$.... Hopefully i will get it squared away soon.
Oh yeah, I signed my loan papers today!! Money will be available to me tomorrow. Hurray interest!!
cruelkix
Well-Known Member
If any of you every decide to brew 68 gallons of beer.... don't under pitch the crap out of it, haha. I honestly was not really too concerned about how this beer turns out per se. I know that sounds kind of strange, but I was more interested in the process of the whole thing and I am confident that the beer will be perfectly drinkable, if not good. However, the one thing I did not think of was the incredible amount of time that it would take for the yeast to do its job after being incredibly under pitched. Although signs of fermentation appeared quickly after pitching, this batch has been fermenting with high krausen for much longer than I am accustomed to.
Of course, after brewing it, a friend asks if he can have two kegs for a charity event on March 24th. It would have been a perfect use of so much beer. Now I'm pretty worried that it wont be ready in time.
Lesson learned. Big breweries pitch proper yeast amounts so that they can get it the hell out of the fermenter and make room for the next batch!! Sure there are other reasons but I would argue that it is definitely one of the most influential reasons. I've always under pitched my beers a bit. Sure it took a few more days, but on this scale, I think the difference can be in weeks....
Cheers!
Of course, after brewing it, a friend asks if he can have two kegs for a charity event on March 24th. It would have been a perfect use of so much beer. Now I'm pretty worried that it wont be ready in time.
Lesson learned. Big breweries pitch proper yeast amounts so that they can get it the hell out of the fermenter and make room for the next batch!! Sure there are other reasons but I would argue that it is definitely one of the most influential reasons. I've always under pitched my beers a bit. Sure it took a few more days, but on this scale, I think the difference can be in weeks....
Cheers!
