Hunter's Basement E-Brewery Build

[dcbc]

Here's my method for moving hoses. I have a small pan under the purge valve on my pump.

1. Close all kettle valves.
2. Open the pump purge valve slightly (if you are moving the output hose, open the pump output valve slightly as well).
3. Unhook the output end of the hose from the coupling on the kettle.
4. Watch as the liquid in that hose falls and drains out into the pan under the purge valve.
5. When the liquid level in the hose has dropped a few inches, close the pump purge valve.
6. Carefully move the hose to the next connection point.

You lose very little liquid doing this, and it avoids getting hot wort on your hands or inside the gloves (ouch).

 

[Setesh]

Here's my method for moving hoses. I have a small pan under the purge valve on my pump.

1. Close all kettle valves.
2. Open the pump purge valve slightly (if you are moving the output hose, open the pump output valve slightly as well).
3. Unhook the output end of the hose from the coupling on the kettle.
4. Watch as the liquid in that hose falls and drains out into the pan under the purge valve.
5. When the liquid level in the hose has dropped a few inches, close the pump purge valve.
6. Carefully move the hose to the next connection point.

You lose very little liquid doing this, and it avoids getting hot wort on your hands or inside the gloves (ouch).

My current method is close one valve the hose is connected to. Then I fold the silicone tubing over repeatedly, like when you roll up a toothpaste tube, then close the other valve. Now I have a hose with less liquid in it than it wants to have. As soon as the seal on the connection is broken there is a suction and maybe a few drips but that's it.

I like the idea of the purge valve trick though. I never have problems priming so I never installed purge valves, but I think I might now.

 

[Matthewjscott]

I will be attempting a similar build, but am trying to cut cost where I can. I have been using an aluminum pot in my current system and have brewed some great beers, but it will be too small for this set up. Would it cause any issues with using aluminum pots for the whole system ?

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[hunter306]

I will be attempting a similar build, but am trying to cut cost where I can. I have been using an aluminum pot in my current system and have brewed some great beers, but it will be too small for this set up. Would it cause any issues with using aluminum pots for the whole system ?

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I think it would be dependent on the wall thickness. In my experience (I brewed in aluminum before this) the metal was quite soft. To get these weldless connections sealed well, you do have to wrench them down pretty hard. I'd be a little be leary that it might actually deform the kettle.

I'm not confident on that though, so definitely do some additional research. If you're looking to save some money, I highly recommend going with AIH (homebrewing.org)'s line of stainless pots, which are super affordable.

 

[iijakii]

A pitcher is really nice on brewdays. Just disconnect a hose and drain it into there then dump back into your MT or BK or what have you. Simple, easy.

 

[Setesh]

I think it would be dependent on the wall thickness. In my experience (I brewed in aluminum before this) the metal was quite soft. To get these weldless connections sealed well, you do have to wrench them down pretty hard. I'd be a little be leary that it might actually deform the kettle.

I'm not confident on that though, so definitely do some additional research. If you're looking to save some money, I highly recommend going with AIH (homebrewing.org)'s line of stainless pots, which are super affordable.

Looking at it from the other side, I think that part of the reason you have to wrench these weldless fittings down so had on stainless kettles is because they don't deform easily. The stainless constantly wants to spring back, but aluminum might just yield enough to make a good seal with far less pressure. The diameter of the pot is also key. It's harder to get a seal on a 15g keg than a 30g Blichmann kettle because the curvature of the wall is so much greater.

 

[Setesh]

a pitcher is really nice on brewdays. Just disconnect a hose and drain it into there then dump back into your mt or bk or what have you. Simple, easy.

+1

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Looking at it from the other side, I think that part of the reason you have to wrench these weldless fittings down so had on stainless kettles is because they don't deform easily. The stainless constantly wants to spring back, but aluminum might just yield enough to make a good seal with far less pressure. The diameter of the pot is also key. It's harder to get a seal on a 15g keg than a 30g Blichmann kettle because the curvature of the wall is so much greater.

^^^^^ What he said!
My Buddy was having a time with his weldless fittings vs. the curvature of the vessel.
A major problem, as delivered, was that the holes were not de-burred, thereby gouging his o-rings when he smoked them down.

I de-burred the holes, marked the area where the fitting / washer / valve / thermometer stackup covered, and moved 1/4 inch outside of that.

Then I took a body hammer and a smooth dolly, and proceeded to shrink / flatten said curved area to give the gizmos something to bear down flat on.

No more leaky!

Yeah, it was a little tougher with the stainless, ( and LOUD!), but I just used regular " body working", metalworking practices on them, and they came around to "my way of thinkin' ".

 

[hunter306]

Interesting thoughts. That certainly explains why I had to put so much force on mine to get them locked down!

 

[sablesurfer]

Then I took a body hammer and a smooth dolly, and proceeded to shrink / flatten said curved area to give the gizmos something to bear down flat on.

No more leaky!

Yeah, it was a little tougher with the stainless, ( and LOUD!), but I just used regular " body working", metalworking practices on them, and they came around to "my way of thinkin' ".

HAHA...I was just thinking, "Does no one own a hammer?" But then when you say bodyworking, maybe it was my highschool/college years of jalopy repairs that let me thinking shaping metal was normal/relatively easy. Yep, I just beat my AIH pot (and my smaller big lots test pot) with a rubber mallet with a 2*4 inside the pot.

 

[Matthewjscott]

The prices for the homebrewing.org pots are amazing. The difficulty is trying to find a pot sized for brewing five gallon batches but still have the space for a heating element.

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[Matthewjscott]

Can you still brew 5 gallon batches effectively with pots this big? If so, I can actually get some 15 gallon pots for really cheap.

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[Itsott]

I have 15 gallon pots and plan to do 5 gallon batches.


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[Roadie]

I have 20 gallon pots and will do some 5g batches.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[hunter306]

I'm also planning on running some smaller 6 gallon batches in my setup. I originally opted for the 15gal kettles to be more appropriate for both, so I suspect you'll have no issue.

@matthew, I assume you're looking at the prices on Homebrewing.org for their 15gal kettles? That's a great price. I live near the shop and I've checked them out, the kettles are a bit wider and shorter than the blichmanns, but other wise very nice.

 

[sablesurfer]

This is what I think about on brewing small batches in big pots.

1) Taller and narrow is better than wider and short. This results in more wort volume above the element and not spread out to sides.

2) How low can you go? How far down in the pot can you get your element without touching bottom. This is a factor on some pots where the curvature to the bottom plate can start almost 2" up the side of pot.

Not sure if accurate or not, but those are what I wonder about.

Roadie...have you done a 5gal in your 20gal pots yet? Or are you just planning to? Would love to hear if that is actually practical or if you get a whole lot of carmelization because of giant element for low volume of wort. Also would think boil off would be big issue if you have lots of surface area in that 20gal pot. Hmmm....

 

[Roadie]

Roadie...have you done a 5gal in your 20gal pots yet? Or are you just planning to? Would love to hear if that is actually practical or if you get a whole lot of carmelization because of giant element for low volume of wort. Also would think boil off would be big issue if you have lots of surface area in that 20gal pot. Hmmm....

I have not brewed on the new system yet but will this Sunday. When I say 5g batch I really mean 5.5 from BK to carboy so preboil closer to 7g.

We have been brewing at a retail place that uses the same Stout kettles and have been told 5g is no problem - though we've always done 10g batches there.



Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[brewman !]

I have 20 gallon pots and will do some 5g batches.

Your grain bed is going to be about 3" deep on light 5 gallon beers, depending on the aspect ratio of your pots. If you get a tall, thin 20 gallon pot, then you'll get really deep grain beds on the 20 gallon batches.

I bought 11 and 20.5 gallon pots for my brewery. That allows a variety of combinations.

 

[Matthewjscott]

I am trying to figure out how to get the HERMS coil and the heating element measured out and how low I can lay them out

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[hunter306]

The heating element (if you're following the standard 2-gang box design and not some other enclosure) is determined by the box size. I ended up mounting mine so the edge of the 2-gang box was at the ridge of the blichmann false bottom. If you don't have that ridge, you would be able to get it mounted a hair lower (1" lower, roughly).

As for the herms coil, once I had the element mounted, I then spaced the coil about 1.5" above that element.

I'm sure you could adjust that, based on the pot you choose.

 

[Matthewjscott]

I am sorry for all of the questions. Thank you all for the advice. I cannot wait to get started.

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[hunter306]

The Conical has Landed!

Running another batch this weekend, likely a SMASH batch this time to improve some skills rather than muddy things with too many ingredients. Going for more technical understanding of the process side so that we can better predict final production volumes. The fermenter should help us harvest yeast later on down the road too, I hope!

 

[Roadie]

Very nice! Do you have a way to heat/cool it?


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[hunter306]

Very nice! Do you have a way to heat/cool it?


Almost Famous Brewing Company

Tentatively, going to look at a True GDM unit tomorrow evening. Plan is to do a temperature controlled chamber with the True unit, and an electronic heat wrap for the heating needs. Still looking at 'heat' options... but I think the unit should provide a nice fermentation cave.

 

[Ttownbrewer]

Tentatively, going to look at a True GDM unit tomorrow evening. Plan is to do a temperature controlled chamber with the True unit, and an electronic heat wrap for the heating needs. Still looking at 'heat' options... but I think the unit should provide a nice fermentation cave.

I like those GDM coolers. What size are you looking at? They look to be pricey, so hopefully you found a sweet deal somewhere!


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[hunter306]

I'm looking at the TRUE GDM-35SL, which is a two door, slim model. It's going to be really tight for the fermenter, so I need to confirm before hand that it will fit. Price is still TBD.

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

Still looking at 'heat' options... .

I use reptile tank heat mat from http://www.reptilebasics.com/ - it works great. I wrapped it around my entire carboy and use a thermowell with a temp controller to take the temp from the center of the wort. It works great and provides steady heating to the vessle. The site I provided was the cheapest I could find a year and a half ago, but maybe it can be found cheaper elsewhere.

-Kevin

 

[Itsott]

Are you talking flex watt heat tape?


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[BadNewsBrewery]

Are you talking flex watt heat tape?

Specifically, I used this - http://www.reptilebasics.com/12-heat-tape

I got about 3.5-4' per carboy, no big deal if you wrap it over itself. I got it with the wires pre-mounted, which they'll do for you if you order both the tape and the wires from them. Plug it into a Johnson A419 wired for heating, drop the temp probe into the thermowell inside the carboy, and we're off to the races.

 

[Itsott]

I have several feet(30-40) of the 3 or 4 in. I use it for reptiles.


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