Scary Tall Brewstands?

[Cpt_Kirks]

I'm working on brewstand designs, so I'm looking at a lot of pictures on google.

Some of the stands I see...are a little out there.

WHY have the outlet of the HLT at least a foot above the top of the MLT?

WHY have the outlet of the MLT 2 feet above the top of the brew kettle?

Am I missing something here? Why have it higher than it needs to be?

Frankly, I want my stand, with all that hot liquid, as low as possible.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Then you're looking for a single tier.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Right now, I am probably going to put together a wooden 3 tier.

Eventually, a welded or "erector set" two tier.

But my 2 tier will not be higher than I have to make it.

 

[IDrinkBr]

Only for flexibility. You might wind up changing equipment (IC to CFC) or change your MLT.

When I built my stand (wooden 3 tier) I allotted for extra height and did not like the overall height of the HLT. After 2 brews I chopped it down to meet the equipment that I had. THEN, I used different equipment (CFC instead of IC) and had to build it back up. Not a big deal given that it is a wood rig. However, I wasted time worrying about the extra height.

The only "scary" part was climbing the ladder to fill/measure the strike/sparge water and checking the temp along the way. A thermometer/sight-glass combo from Bobby_M took care of that!

But hey, go with what works for you.

All that being said, I am planning on getting a pump to create a single-tier soon.

 

[arturo7]

I spend $120 on a pump rather than dealing with a vertical monstrosity.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Frankly, I want my stand, with all that hot liquid, as low as possible.

Agreed! I cut my three tier down to a two tier, I just move the batch sparge water w/ a 1 gallon rubbermaid plastic pitcher. Eyeball the kettle before the last sparge, measure and transfer the last few gallons plus minus...fast and easy.

 

[user 15951]

I spend $120 on a pump rather than dealing with a vertical monstrosity.

this.

 

[Sawdustguy]

Right now, I am probably going to put together a wooden 3 tier.

Eventually, a welded or "erector set" two tier.

But my 2 tier will not be higher than I have to make it.

I don't understand. You complain about the height of brewstands and yet you are going to build a 3 teir stand. That just doesn't make sense.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I don't understand. You complain about the height of brewstands and yet you are going to build a 3 teir stand. That just doesn't make sense.

I am making a 3 tier, for now. However, I am not making it higher than I have to.

The brewstands I was talking about seem several feet higher than they have to be to function. Why have 2 feet of drop, when having the outlet of the upper container just above the lower container will work?

 

[passedpawn]

The higher the source, the greater the pressure, the faster the flow. 2 feet will flow faster than 1 foot. Is faster flow necessary? Probably not.

For the record, my 3 keggles sit flat on the ground. I don't even want a brewstand. (electric and pump allow this).

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

The higher the source, the greater the pressure, the faster the flow. 2 feet will flow faster than 1 foot. Is faster flow necessary? Probably not.

For the record, my 3 keggles sit flat on the ground. I don't even want a brewstand. (electric and pump allow this).

Doesn't the pump have to be lower than the keggles?

 

[ScubaSteve]

This is exactly why I started looking at brew in a bag. You can do pretty much the same thing in a single vessel, pump isn't mandatory.

Why don't you cut to the chase and make what you know you need/want? March pumps are ~ $90 used on ebay...they will retain 100% of their value.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Doesn't the pump have to be lower than the keggles?

Maybe best lower than the TOWL (top of wort level) to self prime. Disclaimer...never brewed with pumps...just done a bit of pumping through the years.

 

[passedpawn]

Doesn't the pump have to be lower than the keggles?

No, but it does need to be lower than the top of the liquid level. My pump sits flat on the ground, as do my keggles, and I can pull every last drop out of one of them. Every time, no problem.

Here's a pic of my system. Pump is there, screwed into a wood base.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

No, but it does need to be lower than the top of the liquid level. My pump sits flat on the ground, as do my keggles, and I can pull every last drop out of one of them. Every time, no problem.

Here's a pic of my system. Pump is there, screwed into a wood base.

I did not know that was possible.

We need a "Pumps 101" sticky.

 

[Bobby_M]

One word of caution though. If the pump is at about the same height as the lowest point on your "from" vessel, it primes well when that vessel is full. As long as you don't lose prime, it will empty that vessel. If for some reason you do lose prime and try to restart it with say 2 gallons left, it won't be so easy due to reduce head pressure.

If I were building a system from scratch right now, it would be a clone of the brewmagic with the legs amputated off. In other words, the boil kettle base would be just a couple inches off the ground, enough to mount the burner under. That puts the HLT and MLT at about chest height and requires no ladder. One pump would be used to pump sparge water and later to pump the wort though a chiller and into the fermenter. Another advantage is one pump fly sparging with no crazy heights.

 

[passedpawn]

One word of caution though. If the pump is at about the same height as the lowest point on your "from" vessel, it primes well when that vessel is full. As long as you don't lose prime, it will empty that vessel. If for some reason you do lose prime and try to restart it with say 2 gallons left, it won't be so easy due to reduce head pressure.

Right, and actually priming can be a problem when it is full. I have simple solution by taking the exit hose from the pump and bringing the distant end of that hose to ground level. Pump will always prime when I do that. Then I snap the hose back onto quick disconnect on whatever kettle I'm working with.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

One word of caution though. If the pump is at about the same height as the lowest point on your "from" vessel, it primes well when that vessel is full. As long as you don't lose prime, it will empty that vessel. If for some reason you do lose prime and try to restart it with say 2 gallons left, it won't be so easy due to reduce head pressure.

If I were building a system from scratch right now, it would be a clone of the brewmagic with the legs amputated off. In other words, the boil kettle base would be just a couple inches off the ground, enough to mount the burner under. That puts the HLT and MLT at about chest height and requires no ladder. One pump would be used to pump sparge water and later to pump the wort though a chiller and into the fermenter. Another advantage is one pump fly sparging with no crazy heights.

I am leaning toward a brewmagic style stand.

Though, lowering the legs is...interesting.

 

[Catt22]

If I were building a system from scratch right now, it would be a clone of the brewmagic with the legs amputated off. In other words, the boil kettle base would be just a couple inches off the ground, enough to mount the burner under. That puts the HLT and MLT at about chest height and requires no ladder. One pump would be used to pump sparge water and later to pump the wort though a chiller and into the fermenter. Another advantage is one pump fly sparging with no crazy heights.

This makes a lot of sense IMO.

 

[arturo7]

The stand I'm putting together is just for the HLT & MLT, chest height as Bobby describes. The BK sits on the burner which sits on the floor. One pump fly sparge.

 

[lschiavo]

I went tall with mine. I like the 4x4 footprint. My HLT is almost touching the ceiling. It is plumbed in and controlled with solenoid valves and floats so I never have to go up there.

Mashing in requires a 3ft step stool but IMO is a minor inconvenience. I only need a pump for the HERMS and to pump through the chiller.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I went tall with mine. I like the 4x4 footprint. My HLT is almost touching the ceiling. It is plumbed in and controlled with solenoid valves and floats so I never have to go up there.

Mashing in requires a 3ft step stool but IMO is a minor inconvenience. I only need a pump for the HERMS and to pump through the chiller.

That is pretty neat. Safe, too.

The image that set me off was of a woman, on the top of a TALL ladder, pouring hot water into a cooler HLT.

That had fail written all over it.

 

[lschiavo]

That is pretty neat. Safe, too.

The image that set me off was of a woman, on the top of a TALL ladder, pouring hot water into a cooler HLT.

That had fail written all over it.

I would agree. When I first started we would lift strike water from the burner to the MLT. That was scary enough without a ladder involved.

I built with unistrut. Very strong. I think the garage wall would come with if this thing came down. It also makes adjustments easy.