Austin_
Well-Known Member
What size Wilsner bag do you have?
High Gravity Custom eBIAB System
- Thread starter goofiefoot
- Start date
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Ive done 4-5 step mashes with a Wilserbag directly on the element.
With that being said:
1. I have a BoilCoil
2. I don't let the element use 100% when heating in direct contact with the bag.
I'm guessing mine is not really a custom size but I have a 15 gallon pot and I gave him the dimensions of my pot, not the basket in case I every decided not to use the basket. I think I paid $22 for my bag if I remember right.
So I have the BrewBuilt 15 gallon version of this as I mentioned before and it doesn't ship with a pickup tube. I have an SS Brewtech Trub Dam but not sure what I need to allow the press fitting to work. The port allows for any accessory that features 1/2" MPT threads. I can't find any info on the Trub Dam dimensions.
Nick Poggetti
Well-Known Member
Your best bet is to email Ss Brewtech and ask about their bulkhead that comes with their kettles and ball valves. The thing you need is a their proprietary weldless bulkhead fitting (not the FTP one). I can't find it in their online shop so I'm not sure they sell it separate from their kettles.
If you scroll down the page here:
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/pages/kettle
and look at what comes in the box. It's that bulkhead fitting that you need.
I'm afraid you are probably right. From one of their FAQ pages they mention that these are not sold separately. Bought it from them but it's marketed as a "replacement".
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Nick Poggetti
Well-Known Member
Shoot a support email in and see, never hurts to ask.
Austin_
Well-Known Member
My temperature probe is really struggling for accurate temperatures. It's reading a good 7-8 degrees off compared to two other handheld thermometers. I somehow doubt I'm boiling at 218 degrees at 600 ft. I looked through the EZBoil manual and found a place to adjust the temperature readings, so I'll try that next time and see.
How’s your cleaning process so far on the ss brewtech kettles? I’ve got a 20 gal, so a little tough to lift and rinse out. I’ve been using PBW and running it thru the pump for 20 min with cold water, but still have buildup and gunk on the coils. Next time I’m goin to heat the water while it’s running thru the cleaning cycle...
I have a 15-gallon kettle and clean in place. Right after filling the fermentors and pitching the yeast I clean mine before the wort hardens. Add 3-gallons of water to half a cup of PBW and heat it to 140F. Then let it recirculate for 15 minutes and pump it out through the counterflow chiller. Next, repeat this step omitting the PBW but before pumping it out this time use a long handle brush to remove any shmutz from the heating coil. Follow that with wiping the coils down with a cotton cloth. When done the inside of the kettle and the heating element look like new.
Austin_
Well-Known Member
I have a process similar to Screwy. I recirculate hot PBW water through the system for about 15 minutes. I then dump out the liquid, wipe everything down, and then spray it out. Looks like new.
I also recirculate but at about 170 for 20 minutes. Then I rinse with cool, clean water and air dry.
PBW and cold water is pretty worthless, the packaging even recommends 100-160 degrees.
Nick Poggetti
Well-Known Member
I use these to clean my Boilcoils:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BAT8PM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
I cut them in half/quarters and I've only gone through a couple of pads in ~6 months. Just a quick wipe down after cleaning, followed by one more rinse before drying it all off. Worth the $12.
My wife has caught wind of these too and has stolen a bunch for around the house.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BAT8PM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
I cut them in half/quarters and I've only gone through a couple of pads in ~6 months. Just a quick wipe down after cleaning, followed by one more rinse before drying it all off. Worth the $12.
My wife has caught wind of these too and has stolen a bunch for around the house.
I use the green version cut in half. I wrap them half moon around the coil and start at one end and follow along until I reach the other. Then swap the half moon the other way and repeat. Comes out perfectly clean every time.
Latest brew day update- went great but efficiency still sucked.
Ditched the basket and let the brewbag rest directly on heating coils. No scorching! Kept the worthog controller on the whole time with mash set to 150. Ditched the spray nozzle and used loc-line sparge attachment with pump on low. Worked great. I usually stir every 20 min, but didn’t get around to stirring until 40 min into mash.
Anyways, raised the bag, let it drip dry, I even used a stainless steel hop spider basket during the boil that a friend gave me. Altogether very pleased with how brew day went, and probably the cleanest wort I’ve racked into fermentors in a long time. But 67% efficiency???!? Cmon... I know I can do better!
I’m not obsessed with efficiency, but I’m used to getting high 70’s with BIAB. I’m starting to wonder if my 20 gal kettle is too big? I figured with recirculating the mash, the efficiency would be great. I double mill my grains. Any advice is appreciated thanks.
Ditched the basket and let the brewbag rest directly on heating coils. No scorching! Kept the worthog controller on the whole time with mash set to 150. Ditched the spray nozzle and used loc-line sparge attachment with pump on low. Worked great. I usually stir every 20 min, but didn’t get around to stirring until 40 min into mash.
Anyways, raised the bag, let it drip dry, I even used a stainless steel hop spider basket during the boil that a friend gave me. Altogether very pleased with how brew day went, and probably the cleanest wort I’ve racked into fermentors in a long time. But 67% efficiency???!? Cmon... I know I can do better!
I’m not obsessed with efficiency, but I’m used to getting high 70’s with BIAB. I’m starting to wonder if my 20 gal kettle is too big? I figured with recirculating the mash, the efficiency would be great. I double mill my grains. Any advice is appreciated thanks.
I guess the next logical place to look would be your grain crush and stirring the mash. Our systems don't have arms that turn to agitate and keep the grains from clumping together. I've thought about running the loc-line straight down the center of the grain bed. From the outlet in the top to the bottom of the grain bed. In the hope that the streams of moving wort are enough to agitate the grain bed keeping it nice and loose.
Finally got my whole system together. Wound up getting a pickup tube and whirlpool arm from Brewhardware. I have the 15 gallon 240v version which has the BrewBuilt kettle. The pickup tube fits between two of the coils, touching, but should be fine. I ordered the whirlpool arm with the 18" length and male camlock attachment. Going to test it all tonight and setup my Beersmith equipment profile.
I also put this together last night for a brew cart. It's a beast. Will try to get some pictures of the setup tonight.
I also put this together last night for a brew cart. It's a beast. Will try to get some pictures of the setup tonight.
I love that brew cart!
Why didn't you ask Dave to get the pickup tube and whirlpool arm for you? He's extremely reasonable with stuff like that.
I agree with ScrewyBrewer that stirring is the key to a better efficiency. Even before I went electric but still doing BIAB, I made sure to stir at least every 12-15 minutes.
Why didn't you ask Dave to get the pickup tube and whirlpool arm for you? He's extremely reasonable with stuff like that.
I agree with ScrewyBrewer that stirring is the key to a better efficiency. Even before I went electric but still doing BIAB, I made sure to stir at least every 12-15 minutes.
The whirlpool arm was a last minute consideration, but the system shipped without a pickup tube. When I asked HG they said they would get back to me. That was about 10 days ago so I just pulled the trigger with BrewHardware.
EDIT: It's actually sort of odd to ship this system without a pickup tube. It's about 2 gallons left behind without one.
My mill is pretty beat up. I have to run it through twice. First gap is very wide. Second pass i set the gap at credit card width. I’ve used the same crush on my old setup, which was mashing in a igloo cooler. Efficiency was 72-78%. New setup with the single vessel BIAB system is around 67-68%.
Next brew I’ll definitely stir the mash more.
Sweet! I love the bar to hold the control unit too!
It's this one here. I had to mount the controller onto a piece of wood so I could attach it to the VESA mounts. Would have been great if I could attach it directly but it's works well.
So rookie mistake. I did a PBW cycle of the recommended amount at 160° for about 45 minutes. Had it filled up to about 12 of the 15 gallons. Ran several boil tests, etc. BUT I didn't do it with the basket in! So first brewday yesterday was scrapped when I pulled the basket after the mash and there was gray/greasy residue on the side of the basket and the inside of the kettle.
After the failed brewday I redid the PBW cycle with the basket in, scrubbed it all down and rinsed it all after.
Fast forward to tonight and when I pulled the basket there was still some grayish (more of a gray/brown, not remotely as bad as yesterday) residue. It tastes grainy so I'm probably going to finish the brewday.
Anyone else have this issue?
After the failed brewday I redid the PBW cycle with the basket in, scrubbed it all down and rinsed it all after.
Fast forward to tonight and when I pulled the basket there was still some grayish (more of a gray/brown, not remotely as bad as yesterday) residue. It tastes grainy so I'm probably going to finish the brewday.
Anyone else have this issue?
Austin_
Well-Known Member
Did you clean it out with TSP first? Did you then passivate with an acid?
Initially, on the kettle only, I used PBW and scrubbed then passivated with a star san soak and left to air dry.
Then I did the same with the basket after the initial brew day fail.
I've never used TSP on my stainless, always had good luck with just PBW and elbow grease.
Likely just that the basket with all it's holes needed special attention and perhaps TSP would have been more effective.
Then I did the same with the basket after the initial brew day fail.
I've never used TSP on my stainless, always had good luck with just PBW and elbow grease.
Likely just that the basket with all it's holes needed special attention and perhaps TSP would have been more effective.
I've lost count on how many brews I've done on my HG system now......maybe 12??? Today's brew day went 100% perfect. Can't complain about 1 damn thing except the 3 hours of a huge downpour (I brew outdoors but under a huge, aluminum roof).
I did grind a bit finer this time and will likely keep it the same going forward. I added about 1/2 lb more base malt and hit my number dead on. I really think the key to fixing my earlier problems of rising liquid with the pump running was fixed but letting things sit the first 10-12 minutes then stir a bit then turn on the pump on a low speed. Never had a problem since I've done that.
Temps stayed perfect and after I chilled to 180, the temp stayed rock solid at 180 for the 30 minute whirlpool. Much, much easier than before I had this system.
Oh, did a Cashmere Summer Hoppy Pale. New hops for me to try.
I did grind a bit finer this time and will likely keep it the same going forward. I added about 1/2 lb more base malt and hit my number dead on. I really think the key to fixing my earlier problems of rising liquid with the pump running was fixed but letting things sit the first 10-12 minutes then stir a bit then turn on the pump on a low speed. Never had a problem since I've done that.
Temps stayed perfect and after I chilled to 180, the temp stayed rock solid at 180 for the 30 minute whirlpool. Much, much easier than before I had this system.
Oh, did a Cashmere Summer Hoppy Pale. New hops for me to try.
Austin_
Well-Known Member
I had a really good brew day yesterday as well. I had been having issues with the temperature being off, so I looked up how to adjust the EZBoil temperature readings. Easy enough adjustment. Worked great. I brewed an old school west coast IPA.
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