New Basement Brewery Build

[highland_brewer]

Well I did get some things done on Friday. (The rest of the weekend was spent on my a$$ with a severe sinus infection.. YUCK) One more wall almost completed and and a TON of cutting tile for the other wall(s). I hope to have the tile work done by the end of this coming weekend... I NEED TO BREW it is killing me!!

Starting to look like something..

My wife came down and said it looked nice and thought she might turn it into a shower... NOPE!!

 

[Safa]

As long as she doesn't mind monitoring the mash temp while showering and wont splash, I'd be cool with it!

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

My wife built a shower in the basement...I turned it into a fermentation room. It has plumbing...maybe I could repurpose it further. Great job on the build. Look forward to seeing more.

 

[Topdawg2881]

So now I have to ask, as SWMBO came in a looked over my shoulder as I was reading through this thread, and said that she wanted one like it. Where did you get the faucet and sink, she loves it and wants one, (which I will repurpose for my uses)!!

Great job on the build so far look forward to seeing more

 

[bigbeergeek]

Wow. Subbed.

 

[highland_brewer]

So now I have to ask, as SWMBO came in a looked over my shoulder as I was reading through this thread, and said that she wanted one like it. Where did you get the faucet and sink, she loves it and wants one, (which I will repurpose for my uses)!!

Great job on the build so far look forward to seeing more

got them off of Ebay from http://stores.ebay.com/abrestaurantequipment

Some of the best pricing with free shipping..

 

[high5apparatus]

You're Killing Me Smalls!

I feel completely inadequate. And poor.

 

[highland_brewer]

You're Killing Me Smalls!

I feel completely inadequate. And poor.

lol

 

[ISUBrew79]

Highland_brewer,

Do you have a wiring diagram for your control panel? I really like the simplicity of your design and would like to construct something similar.

 

[highland_brewer]

I can try to whip something out... I did not do one initially just wired "from the hip". I did learn alot from my first control panel that was a mess...lol

Anyone know if PJ uses software to do his? I suppose you could just use an image program..

 

[highland_brewer]

Sidetrack a little from the room itself...

A friend of mine is an extremely talented carpenter and he is constructing the hood for me. It is going to be made of wood, sealed then painted and a stainless shell installed around 3 sides of the hood.

Here is where he is so far.

2 sheets 3/4" cabinet grade plywood.

Dado cuts in the side panels to receive the top panel.

Top and sides assembled

Call it a box...

Hood essentially completed, cleats installed on top for mounting to the roof, now all thats left is to seal and paint it. Then install it.

Got 98% of the tile work done over the last couple of days.. (sorry no pics yet) try to finish the tiling of the curb tonight, then HOPEFULLY grout tomorrow and *fingers crossed* brew on Sunday.. lots to do between now and then!!

 

[theknub]

highland, great work. i have to give you big props. very interested in seeing how this turns out.

one day i'll get mine....

 

[highland_brewer]

Finally got the tile work done... tomorrow... grout and install sink and seal hood for painting

 

[LandoLincoln]

My basement brewery is going to look like a total piece of crap next to this one. I'm not even going to post the pictures of it from embarrassment.

 

[highland_brewer]

Lando, I get carried away sometimes... If it works for you and makes beer who cares.

 

[highland_brewer]

Got the grout work done today. Thanks to SWMBO for helping me from the brink of insanity... I will NOT be doing any dark grout work anytime in the near future... Looks great but MAN WHAT A PITA... had to sponge, rinse, repeat about 50 billion times... but got it done. Little caulking around the seams and I will be ready to install the sink, brew bench, and swivel tv mount for the control panel. Hood is on site has to be sealed and painted (this week) then install.

Curb came out nice, just like I wanted.

Sink in its place.

(one thing to note, if you are wondering about the black spot on the sink, I put some sound deadening mat on 3 sides. It was like a giant steel bass drum when I got it. It is extremely quiet after installing the sound mat.)

 

[highland_brewer]

Finally have some real progress!!

Got a swivel mount off of Amazon for the control panel.

There it is with the brew bench in place.

And from the other angle.

This photo is a bit blurry but posted it anyway.

I will be posting a video of my first brew day from this weekend. All thats left is to finish up and mount the hood and I will be ready to rock!!

 

[high5apparatus]

 

[Xpertskir]

I thought you were putting a 23-37 inch TV in your brewery. I thought that was a great idea...you should do that too..

Nice work.

 

[LandoLincoln]

All that pretty, shiny stainless. This is a really great brewery! Good work!

 

[highland_brewer]

I thought you were putting a 23-37 inch TV in your brewery. I thought that was a great idea...you should do that too..

Nice work.

No that would be Brian Rabe.. Drunken Parrot Brewery....

However on the opposite side of the basement from the brewery there is plans for a TV and couch.. So i can kick back brew and watch tv...lol

 

[lorglath]

This looks AWESOME! Are you putting anything between your pots and your stainless table? are you concerned with heat transfer between the two?

 

[highland_brewer]

Have not really thought about it... Should I?

When I did a trial run with the hlt it got slightly warm but nothing i was concerned about... The table is like a big heatsink as far as i can tell.

 

[modobrew]

The table is like a big heatsink as far as i can tell.

Just a guess, but I believe that was his concerns, that maybe the table would remove a lot of your heat from your kettles, thus making your system work less efficient.

 

[highland_brewer]

P-J you seem to be the foremost wiring diagram maker. I am not skilled in doing this. I was wondering if you could give me a hand with making a wiring diagram for my system. Several people has asked about it and I don't have the software to make one. Tried Smart Draw but there are none of the components that I used in my build in the library. I have noticed in most of your diagrams you have those images.

Thanks in advance for your help, I don't know what all you would need from me so just let me know and I will try to get the info you need.

 

[highland_brewer]

Just a guess, but I believe that was his concerns, that maybe the table would remove a lot of your heat from your kettles, thus making your system work less efficient.

Thats true.. hadn't thought of it that way.. looks like some cork mats are in order!!

 

[bigbeergeek]

Finally have some real progress!!

I was gonna say the same thing... everything up 'til now has been a total disappointment for the rest of us...

Amazing work sir. Likely the best I've ever seen!

 

[highland_brewer]

Hahah bigbeer!

I am my own worst critic.. I felt like progress was really slow, but just today when I got everything moved into the space, I thought to myself the work and wait has been worth it.. I am really proud of what I have accomplished. It has been a pretty amazing process. I guess it was kind of like my start in brewing. I did one batch of extract, one partial grain, and went straight to all grain. Same with the electric stuff. I built a herms system, brewed about 5 batches, electrified my brew kettle, did a few more then went to this.. Don't regret any of it.

 

[frank001]

It looks like you are using chugger pumps, how did you get the cord to reach? Awesome build by the way!

 

[highland_brewer]

I have one chugger pump one March pump you are right the chugger pump does have a short cord I think I'm going to have to do a lil bit of soldering work to extend it... so far it is not a problem but we'll see when I put my hops freezer in the space underneath the control panel