Show us your sculpture or brew rig

[Kbrann]

Here's our new setup. Out of curiosity, I would like to eventually get pumps instead of gravity feeding and then transistion into a HERMS or RIMS system. Does anyone know if I will be able to do this with my current cooler setup? I really don't want to spend money on stainless kettles (conical fermenters would be higher priority). My current setup is 15 gallon coolers and kettle, would prefer to spend money adding on, not replacing.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Here is my compact arduino controlled RIMS setup...

 

[Carlscan26]

Here's our new setup. Out of curiosity, I would like to eventually get pumps instead of gravity feeding and then transistion into a HERMS or RIMS system. Does anyone know if I will be able to do this with my current cooler setup? I really don't want to spend money on stainless kettles (conical fermenters would be higher priority). My current setup is 15 gallon coolers and kettle, would prefer to spend money adding on, not replacing.

Yes you can definitely add to this with a rims style setup. A germs will require another vessel capable of taking heat.

What kind of coolers are those? I've searched for 15 gallon Coolers and never found one.

 

[Kbrann]

Yes you can definitely add to this with a rims style setup. A germs will require another vessel capable of taking heat.

What kind of coolers are those? I've searched for 15 gallon Coolers and never found one.

It is the fermentors favorite kit from midwest supply. You can get the kit for 5 gal or 10 gal batches. When I went to all grain I jumped right up to 10 gal since it wasn't much extra money.

I have an old copper coil that I used to use for cooling before I went to 10 gal batches and realized it was now too small. Thought about installing that in the liquor tank along with a heating element to make a herms system. Only concern would be the plastic melting from the element, but haven't looked into it much. That's a little bit down the road.

 

[Zinc_Saucier]

Over the past three years moved from this View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495814225.975732.jpg

To my e-HERMS

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495814176.884691.jpg

 

[BrunDog]

I love evolution!

 

[jcav]

Me too!

 

[Genuine]

I started out with this View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1496060803.759573.jpg

Theee vessel mini E Hermes controlled by a STC-1000 and now to this:

2 vessels RIMS with no Sparge. Efficiency hasn't been affected and it's great brewing electric

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1496060948.436909.jpg

 

[BrunDog]

Props to 2 vessels! You could always do a cold sparge.

 

[cod3ck]

I started out with this View attachment 402375

Theee vessel mini E Hermes controlled by a STC-1000 and now to this:

2 vessels RIMS with no Sparge. Efficiency hasn't been affected and it's great brewing electric

View attachment 402376

Using the BK as the RIMS?

 

[mitchard]

Its been a work in progress since last summer, but I am just about finished. Added a second pump a couple weeks ago, and then replaced my 10g cooler mash tun with another sanke. Installed a false bottom and Loc-Line sparge arm. Everything is fitted with stainless camlocks as well. Still need to add a smaller burner to the middle station for step mashing, but that'll happen soon. Adding a HERMS coil to the MLT will probably happen down the road though.

Brewing up a ten gallon batch of amber this weekend. It'll also be my first real venture into fly sparging with a pump, so it should be interesting. Pretty excited to finally be close to where I want to be.

 

[Dcpcooks]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1496342465.181732.jpg

Here is my set up. It's all going to change in the next few months. We're moving and I'm going to the basement in the next place.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Here's a pic of mine. Built it about a year ago. Makes 20 gal batches.

That gives me an idea. I could build a cart that houses the automation and pumps themselves. Thermocouple on pump inlet to a controller type thing.

Pretty much a square cart or structure on wheels with a Brutus control box on it that plugs into the rig on brew day and also provides power to the valves. And pumps which can be used independently. It is nice to have portable pumps sometimes. Just thinking out loud here for now

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

Still have some work to do but almost done

View attachment 1496404802956.jpg

 

[jbb3]

Still have some work to do but almost done

A few thoughts...

That seems to be a very narrow base to support the kind of weight you will have so high up. If you haven't already, I would fill the upper HLT with about 10 gallons of water to get an idea of how stable/unstable the stand will be. I think you may need to widen that base. And maybe consider adding some locking casters.
Since your not finished, you may already have this in your plans, but I would also wrap the center post with some flashing or something to protect it from the heat your burners will put out.
Just wanted to throw that out as food for thought. Can be very dangerous to have hot liquid up that high on a narrow stand.
Good luck!

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

I'm 190 pounds and to get the center post to seat in the base I had to stand on the top burner and beat it down with a maul before I cut the top off. It's pretty sturdy

 

[HiImBrian]

I'm 190 pounds and to get the center post to seat in the base I had to stand on the top burner and beat it down with a maul before I cut the top off. It's pretty sturdy

I think the concern was more about how tippy it looks, to which I agree. It's a cool rig and I really like the chains right to the burners. Super simple and I can totally appreciate that. We're just expressing a concern for your own safety. Feel free to disregard, but having said that will help me sleep better tonight

 

[MadTeacher]

 

[calgary222]

@mitchard, any issues with mash filtration without a silicon edge to your barrier? I am upgrading my rig size and moving from cooler to a RIMS, was planning on using one of the 12v motors for RIMs and I have one of those filters, but am concerned with clogging lines...


@ desert sky.. now that's a heat exchanger...

cheers!

 

[mitchard]

@mitchard, any issues with mash filtration without a silicon edge to your barrier? I am upgrading my rig size and moving from cooler to a RIMS, was planning on using one of the 12v motors for RIMs and I have one of those filters, but am concerned with clogging lines...


@ desert sky.. now that's a heat exchanger...

cheers!

I used the mash tun for the first time the weekend before last, and didn't see any issues. A bit more of a vorlouf than I was used to with my cooler and CPVC manifold, but nothing significant.

 

[sakeyfour]

Similar to mine but mine is also for storage so the solid base.

 

[smitty8202]

View attachment 403871

Nice rig. Do you have any scorching or worried about the wood catching fire under the burners?

 

[MadTeacher]

there are steel heatshields under each burner and a circle cut out from the plywood for airflow, wood doesnt get any hotter than if left in the sun

 

[mitchard]

Similar to mine but mine is also for storage so the solid base.

Did you use dock cleats for the keggle handle? Pretty clever idea.

 

[jayway]

Finally the first brew day on the new rig and brewhouse

 

[day_trippr]

Too pretty to use

Can you talk about the hood?

Cheers!

 

[jayway]

DIY cheapo hood. The plans are on here somewhere...

Found it! https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=371453

 

[day_trippr]

Thanks for the link
I don't follow the electric forum much and totally missed that thread...

Cheers!

 

[Genuine]

Using the BK as the RIMS?

Yessir! The concept has been working great and less equipment, smaller footprint. The next thing to add is a counter flow chiller Because the IC is taking too long to cool at the end of a brew day.

 

[bd2xu]

Dusted off the brewery after a 6 month break. Still working well View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1498867955.407172.jpg