Propane Herms Without Automation

[mrshaund]

I had originally planned on going fully electric but I have a son on the way so going to try going herms with my current 3 kettle propane setup.

I am just curious if this will work without automation and a control panel? I have scoured the threads but most everything involves a control panel that I could find so far.

As of now I heat it up then manually dump water in mash tun dough and let it set, then to boil kettle. So was wondering if it is worth it to go to 2 pump Herms without automation and a control panel.

 

[Gumbys_Brew]

I do a manual propane herms with just one pump and it works fine. you just have to keep an eye on it more. not set and go like the automated ones. but works and if you like to be more involved in the brewing process and want to go herms on the cheap. manual is the way to go.

 

[Bobcatbrewing42]

I do a manual propane herms with just one pump and it works fine. you just have to keep an eye on it more. not set and go like the automated ones. but works and if you like to be more involved in the brewing process and want to go herms on the cheap. manual is the way to go.

I just bought a homemade HERMS setup with one chugger pump and no automation. I'm using 3 kettles on a stand. One keggle mash tun, 20 gal boil kettle, and keggle heat exchanger/HLT. I've brewed a lot with a gravity system so am very aware of the process. That helps. It is tricky to keep your liquid amounts and temp. correct but I'm doing OK. With one pump I have to change the hoses several times. I only have two propane heaters so I heat my strike water to the Beer Smith temperature in the boil kettle and pump it into the MT. About 5 degrees F high compensates for heat loss. Mash in and start the HERMS recirc. with water at step temperature. That works great with the flame at idle. Near the end of mash rest heat the HLT water for sparging or mash-out if desired. Sparging is tricky with one pump. This is where 2 are usually used. You can batch sparge but not really fly sparge. I'm trying a "surge sparge", (my term) where I pump some wort into the Boil Kettle, then switch the hoses to add some of the sparge water to the mash tun and repeat a couple of times. It works better than just a batch sparge for efficiency. With a boil kettle larger than the MT and HLT, I can make larger batches than I could with 3 keggles, 16 or 17 gal, max. I may add a second pump but for now, I have hit my amounts and temperatures with close attention and experience.

 

[Bobcatbrewing42]

I just bought a homemade HERMS setup with one chugger pump and no automation. I'm using 3 kettles on a stand. One keggle mash tun, 20 gal boil kettle, and keggle heat exchanger/HLT. I've brewed a lot with a gravity system so am very aware of the process. That helps. It is tricky to keep your liquid amounts and temp. correct but I'm doing OK. With one pump I have to change the hoses several times. I only have two propane heaters so I heat my strike water to the Beer Smith temperature in the boil kettle and pump it into the MT. About 5 degrees F high compensates for heat loss. Mash in and start the HERMS recirc. with water at step temperature. That works great with the flame at idle. Near the end of mash rest heat the HLT water for sparging or mash-out if desired. Sparging is tricky with one pump. This is where 2 are usually used. You can batch sparge but not really fly sparge. I'm trying a "surge sparge", (my term) where I pump some wort into the Boil Kettle, then switch the hoses to add some of the sparge water to the mash tun and repeat a couple of times. It works better than just a batch sparge for efficiency. With a boil kettle larger than the MT and HLT, I can make larger batches than I could with 3 keggles, 16 or 17 gal, max. I may add a second pump but for now, I have hit my amounts and temperatures with close attention and experience.

On tap
Utah- semi-stout...a lower gravity oatmeal stout
Red IPA
Backend Hopsmash IPA...A northwest IPA with some rye malt and lots of late addition hops
Another Day in Helles: A sessionable Munich Helles

 

[day_trippr]

I run a 3V2P single tier herms rig on propane in full manual mode. Even with two pumps there's still a few hose swaps getting from standing start through clean-up. A bunch of 3-way valves would solve that but I don't mind the swapping.

As for lack of automation, with decent metering once you've figured out how your system works it's not difficult to hit and maintain temperatures and execute ramps (to mash-out, for instance) on the mash side, to holding whirlpool temperatures on the boil side.
Due attention must be paid, of course, but not to the point of hovering. I typically get the HLT burner tuned to where the mash will hold temperature dead nuts for the whole hour.

Because of that (and being in the throes of a major home renovation) automating the mash side has been low on my priority stack.


Cheers!

 

[Dog House Brew]

I run a 3V2P single tier herms rig on propane in full manual mode. Even with two pumps there's still a few hose swaps getting from standing start through clean-up. A bunch of 3-way valves would solve that but I don't mind the swapping.

As for lack of automation, with decent metering once you've figured out how your system works it's not difficult to hit and maintain temperatures and execute ramps (to mash-out, for instance) on the mash side, to holding whirlpool temperatures on the boil side.
Due attention must be paid, of course, but not to the point of hovering. I typically get the HLT burner tuned to where the mash will hold temperature dead nuts for the whole hour.

Because of that (and being in the throes of a major home renovation) automating the mash side has been low on my priority stack.


Cheers!

Similar, only difference is mine is 3 tier. I’ve never felt the need for all the automation. I could see it if I were electric. It is so easy to throttle the flame. You just need several batches and you will figure your rig out.

 

[day_trippr]

Yeah, simple switched elements would be crazy tricky to manage manually.
Otoh, while I haven't paid enough attention to the Electric Brewing forum to see what's up, it seems to me if one used PWM control through an SSR an electric element would be at least as controllable as a gas burner.

Being an inveterate indoor brewer I'm frequently tempted to go electric.
But, again, it's way down the list of things I gotta get done.

I need a clone of me

Cheers!

 

[RasMouSein]

I fly sparge whit one pump, by having the HLT gravity fed to MLT. So a two tier system.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Yeah, simple switched elements would be crazy tricky to manage manually.
Otoh, while I haven't paid enough attention to the Electric Brewing forum to see what's up, it seems to me if one used PWM control through an SSR an electric element would be at least as controllable as a gas burner.

Being an inveterate indoor brewer I'm frequently tempted to go electric.
But, again, it's way down the list of things I gotta get done.

I need a clone of me

Cheers!

If I had an indoor space, I would be electric. Since I’m an “in the elements” brewer, I have no elements.