Electronic Mead Brewing Setup

[MaxTheSpy]

I started an electronic mead brewing setup, I hope you all like it or can adapt it to what you need. I think it will be amazing and keep the quality up on the mead because you won't have to draw a sample from the carboy in order to read the SG, Just use tilt!

Hardware

• Raspberry Pi B3+
• RpI 7" HDMI Touchscreen
• Dual case for RpI & 7" HDMI Touchscreen
• Micro Mouse & Keyboard Setup
• Inline RpI power switch
• RpI Stable Power Adapter
• Tilt Electronic Temperature and Hydrometer
• 32 Gig Micro SD Card
• MicroSD to USB (Optional If you Already Have One)

Software

• TiltPi (Operating system for RpI integration with tilt
• Spreadsheet software (Optional)
• Rufus

Instructions:

1. Download TiltPi OS (Make sure to get the HDMI Version), Download Rufus
2. Unzip TiltPi image onto desktop or downloads folder.
3. Unbox Micro SD Card, Plug Into USB Adapter and then into your laptop. Open Rufus and select your SD Card, Then add the Image to wherever you downloaded it to. Start Image Burn.
4. While TiltPi Image is burning to the SD card, Unbox the Raspberry Pi B3+, Power adapter, Inline Power Switch, Screen, and case.
5. Install Screen and Raspberry Pi Into Case, Plug Inline power cable into the Raspberry Pi and then into the power adapter.
6. Remove SD Card after Image burn is finished, and insert it into the Raspberry Pi, Cycle the power to Raspberry Pi
7. Raspberry Pi should boot into TiltPi OS and automatically launch the program (If it does not there will be an icon on the home screen).
8. Unbox Tilt and Insert battery if it is not installed.
9. Open settings in the TiltPi OS and connect to tilt.
10. Drop Tilt into Carboy and watch the readings!

If the Tilt is not calibrated follow These Instructions.

If you have any questions or run into problems Please let me know and I will do my best to answer them! Plans for the future include a Turbidity Sensor to see how clear your Brew is!

 

[RPh_Guy]

keep the quality up on the mead beacuse you wont have to draw a sample from the carboy in order to read the SG

Your premise is that drawing a sample for a hydrometer reading decreases mead quality?

 

[MaxTheSpy]

Your premise is that drawing a sample for a hydrometer reading decreases mead quality?

Not only will it keep the quality up but its easier and allows for data point tracking.

It will keep the quality up by not introducing air, or potential bacteria into the Mead, Every time you open it up there is a potential to get bacteria in the must and you release the gas that fills up the headspace that keeps bacteria from growing as fast if at all.

I love electronics so this is a way to integrate what I know into something I love doing!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Air should be introduced into mead early in fermentation. The yeast need oxygen for growth and degassing removes CO2, which is toxic. Active fermentation keeps oxygen and pH low enough to prevent undesirable bacterial byproducts.

If you use raw honey or non-heat-pasteurized fruit or other additives, the bacteria are already in there, so sanitation concerns are especially pointless.

It's common knowledge that electronic hydrometers (tilt) have very low accuracy because bubbles and globs of yeast affect the reading.

Gadgets are definitely cool, but the rationalization doesn't make sense.

 

[MaxTheSpy]

Air should be introduced into mead early in fermentation. The yeast need oxygen for growth and degassing removes CO2, which is toxic. Active fermentation keeps oxygen and pH low enough to prevent undesirable bacterial byproducts.

If you use raw honey or non-heat-pasteurized fruit or other additives, the bacteria are already in there, so sanitation concerns are especially pointless.

It's common knowledge that electronic hydrometers (tilt) have very low accuracy because bubbles and globs of yeast affect the reading.

Gadgets are definitely cool, but the rationalization doesn't make sense.

Early Fermentation yes, Im not disagreeing with you but If I use the same tools for all my brews, It will be acturate to me, I will measure digitally and then manually for the first batch and use the readings to calculate average inaccuracy.

Its a cool way to take both of my hobbies and combine them, This project isnt for everyone but I thought I would write it up for those who want to try it. If you dont like it you dont have to and you made some good points but Im going to do it anyway.