My 4x8' indoor electric brewery

[SAMBUCA]

Here's my auto sparge in action CO2 pressurized keg (hot liquor tank) to mash tun.

The electric kettle is only 3500 watts but gets a good boil going with the assistance of the counter flow wort chiller using hot water upon entering the kettle

and now the chiller being used as a chiller to fill the fermenter.
With this sytem a high temp pump is not required as the liquids are always on the cold side of the wort chiller.

 

[wildwest450]

Holy burn unit, Batman! You seriously don't have your hlt on top of a kettle on top of a flimsy stand on top of a keg do you?? If so, are you nuts? Please further explain the counterflow chillers use in the boil. I'd like to say nice setup, but it looks like a deathtrap to me.

 

[wyzazz]

Heh, you're crazier than I am!

 

[SAMBUCA]

OMG relax it`s all anti- slip see the green rubber over and under the pot. It`s steady Im not an idiot. The keg is the hlt the mash tun is on top.

 

[wildwest450]

OMG relax it`s all anti- slip see the green rubber over and under the pot. It`s steady Im not an idiot.

Wow, does the anti slip rubber keep it from collapsing as well? Seriously, that looks unsafe as hell. Do you fill the hlt all the way up?

 

[SAMBUCA]

Wow, does the anti slip rubber keep it from collapsing as well? Seriously, that looks unsafe as hell. Do you fill the hlt all the way up?

Gee I've been using this for 3 years and it hasn't fallen down yet but I guess you'd know more about my system than I do.

The mash tun is on top...the keg is the hot liquor tank.

 

[wildwest450]

Gee I've been using this for 3 years and it hasn't fallen down yet but I guess you'd know more about my system than I do.

The mash tun is on top...the keg is the hot liquor tank.

Hey man if you like it I like it. Now whats up with the chiller and the boil?

 

[SAMBUCA]

Hey man if you like it I like it. Now whats up with the chiller and the boil?

Ya I like it. I simply use the counterflow chiller with HOT tap water that preheats the water to 130 degrees as it enters the kettle. This cuts down alot of waiting time for the mash/sparge water to reach temperature.

 

[cruckin78]

I've saw this set up before....Are you a member of katriders.com???

 

[SAMBUCA]

Heh, you're crazier than I am!

You got that right!

 

[cascadia]

Do you have any more pictures or details on your fermenter? Looks like an upside down keg with tri clamp/valve at the bottom. Do you have a corny lid in the top(bottom)?

 

[Sparky]

.

Wow, Sambuca, you have quite a bit going on here! Sheesh, I don't know where to start. Looks like you have it all figured out, but I would be a bit concerned with some of that electrical in the background....

 

[MetallHed]

wow and everyone started getting on my case for a pulley system...

 

[SAMBUCA]

Do you have any more pictures or details on your fermenter? Looks like an upside down keg with tri clamp/valve at the bottom. Do you have a corny lid in the top(bottom)?

YUP its an upside down keg with a complete corny top welded the top (bottom)

 

[SAMBUCA]

Wow, Sambuca, you have quite a bit going on here! Sheesh, I don't know where to start. Looks like you have it all figured out, but I would be a bit concerned with some of that electrical in the background....

WOW you guys all worry too much its a closed system.

 

[earwig]

Please tell me you wear a helmet when you drive your car/truck/SUV to work in the morning. You seem like one of those guys who would cook on a gas/flame oven and take out the trash without wearing body armor... God bless you SAMBUCA, if you continue down this reckless path; your days are numbered.

 

[SAMBUCA]

Please tell me you wear a helmet when you drive your car/truck/SUV to work in the morning. You seem like one of those guys who would cook on a gas/flame oven and take out the trash without wearing body armor... God bless you SAMBUCA, if you continue down this reckless path; your days are numbered.

I`m so glad I shared pictures of my brew day but I guess after three years using this system with NO PROBLEMS I`m still not as smart as the rest of you.

 

[MetallHed]

I`m so glad I shared pictures of my brew day but I guess after three years using this system with NO PROBLEMS I`m still not as smart as the rest of you.

I hope you don't have an accident with your rig... with your thin skin you'd REALLY get hurt!

 

[SAMBUCA]

I hope you don't have an accident with your rig... with your thin skin you'd REALLY get hurt!

Hey thanks for the tip. LOL

 

[earwig]

I`m so glad I shared pictures of my brew day but I guess after three years using this system with NO PROBLEMS I`m still not as smart as the rest of you.

lol, I was just kidding. I do crazy sh*t like that all the time. I have to get my hands on a couple of used kegs but so far I'm not having any luck with craigslist or liquor stores around here.

 

[EricT]

I`m so glad I shared pictures of my brew day but I guess after three years using this system with NO PROBLEMS I`m still not as smart as the rest of you.

I don't think anyone is questioning your equipment, hell I wish I had that Fermenter of yours. You obviously have some good DIY skills. But damn man, make a friggin stand for your MLT. I took a good rashon of $h!7 for my setup too but then again I live in CA where we have earthquakes so..... Maybe some folks are just too safety Conscious.

 

[SAMBUCA]

But damn man, make a friggin stand for your MLT

I did its in the first pic
LOL

 

[weirdboy]

What do you do for ventilation? I don't see anything in the pics but I have to imagine you get a lot of steam going there when you're brewing.

 

[EricT]

What do you do for ventilation? I don't see anything in the pics but I have to imagine you get a lot of steam going there when you're brewing.

Have you seen the weather in St. Louis? LOL its winter time, probably feels great in December but yah, Summer would be brutal.

 

[weirdboy]

Have you seen the weather in St. Louis? LOL its winter time, probably feels great in December but yah, Summer would be brutal.

I don't mean ventilation in that sense. I mean, if you boil a bunch of wort in a space like that with no ventilation, you're going to cause damage to the structure and probably develop mold.

 

[SAMBUCA]

What do you do for ventilation? I don't see anything in the pics but I have to imagine you get a lot of steam going there when you're brewing.

its in the first pic I have a double blower range hood over the kettle that takes care of the steam I also have a dehumidifier going full blast.

 

[EricT]

its in the first pic I have a double blower range hood over the kettle that takes care of the steam I also have a dehumidifier going full blast.

Probably stays pretty nice in the summer, do you have A/C in there? Since youre not using Gas that would curt down on an A$$ load of heat being thrown out. I'm in the middle of making a hybrid gas/electric brewery now for this reason in the summer.

 

[Sparky]

Here's my auto sparge in action CO2 pressurized keg (hot liquor tank) to mash tun.

Sambuca, relax. Like I said, I'm sure you have it all under control. And, I can tell by how long you have had this setup since the screws are leeching in the photo above.

Sorry, but it does look precarious. Okay, enough with the nit-picky, what is your efficiency on this system? And, how are you venting?

Hey, if you want REAL entertainment, go over to the Electric Brewing section of this forum where pictures get hammered for not having the screws aligned in a vertical position.

 

[SAMBUCA]

Probably stays pretty nice in the summer, do you have A/C in there? Since youre not using Gas that would curt down on an A$$ load of heat being thrown out. I'm in the middle of making a hybrid gas/electric brewery now for this reason in the summer.

its just a small room in my basement and is also a walk in cooler in winter or summer with A/C

 

[SAMBUCA]

Sambuca, relax. Like I said, I'm sure you have it all under control. And, I can tell by how long you have had this setup since the screws are leeching in the photo above.

Sorry, but it does look precarious. Okay, enough with the nit-picky, what is your efficiency on this system? And, how are you venting?

Hey, if you want REAL entertainment, go over to the Electric Brewing section of this forum where pictures get hammered for not having the screws aligned in a vertical position.

YA thats not good thanks for pointing that out.As far as efficiency I`ve never
realy worried about it and the hood just vents out through a dryer vent

 

[3PegBrew]

Here's my auto sparge in action CO2 pressurized keg (hot liquor tank) to mash tun.

The electric kettle is only 3500 watts but gets a good boil going with the assistance of the counter flow wort chiller using hot water upon entering the kettle

and now the chiller being used as a chiller to fill the fermenter.
With this sytem a high temp pump is not required as the liquids are always on the cold side of the wort chiller.

I had to quote this.....it's the leaning tower of wort....

I was laughing so hard at this entire thread. I don't think Mr. Sam is being angry and defensive. I think he's embracing everyone's constructive criticism with open arms and a warm heart

 

[SAMBUCA]

Hey I won`t be changing a thing. Well the bolts that hold my sparge arm.Half of you guys are using propane burners in your garages so worry about your own safety not mine.

 

[EricT]

Hey I won`t be changing a thing. Well the bolts that hold my sparge arm.Half of you guys are using propane burners in your garages so worry about your own safety not mine.

LOL What could go wrong with propane in a garage? Yah I have paint cans in there and maybe a few gallons of extra fuel but besides that.... Hehe

 

[3PegBrew]

I RECENTLY CAME INTO POSSESSION OF NUCLEAR BEER IN MY GARAGE. A FEW EXTRA POUNDS OF NAPALM AS WELL. I LOVE THE SMELL OF NUCLEAR BEER AND NAPALM IN THE MORNING.