Steel Horse Brewing 3 tier build and brewery pics

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

Brew-ta, very nice setup. Be careful with that side swing tippy dump. It seems like if it were full of wet grain, it has the potential to topple the stand. I mean, just be careful because you might actually want to clean the tun while you're boiling and that would be bad, mmmkay. Duh, you know that.

My only other comment (only to benefit those copying your design) is that you could have compressed the overall height by a few inches if headroom is a concern. You only need the next tier up to be high enough for the drain to make it over the lower vessel. If you're willing to put an "in" port in the next lower vessel, the height difference can be even less. Finally, with a pump in the plans, the BK doesn't have to be high enough to gravity drain to a fermenter. With all those considerations, it's possible to keep the MLT at a height to stir the mash while standing on the ground.

Don't take this stuff as criticism, just potential alternatives in design. The sculpture is awesome.

Holy crap, I just noticed you used the 32 tip burners. That's more heat than the space shuttle's main engine burn.

No criticism take Bobby, and thanks for posting your web site and all the useful info I pulled from it i.e. quick disconnet info, chiller build plans etc. I agree with you on the tippy dump (I think I copied that from your stand as well). I have not used the tippy dump yet. Still need an earthquake starp to secure it and living in CO, they don't sell them here. Going to CA in July where I know EQ straps are code so I will pick one up then. I will be careful wehn i use it the first time.

Regarding compressing the height, original plan was not to use a pump at all. I wanted to go gravity all the way ( and save myself the $150 pump as well) down to my basement. I based my tier heights on the kegs with a little head pressure built in. I really didnt look at the drain into a fermenter as an issue. Best laid plans!!! I am sure folks could go lower with overall height and still make it work. I find that with the restriction of the quick disconnects it slows flow regardless of height. Oh well first brew rig build always has some bugs. After building this one, I bought a wire welder so I can always mod it up down the road.

 

[Aubie Stout]

Any additional information you can forward me would be fantastic. I need to get something done and I like the tier concept.

 

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

Aubie, Pm me your e-mail address and I will send you all the links, pics & measurements I have for all that is 3 tier.

Brew

 

[dudes]

Just curious, where did you get the plastic sink in #8?

Cheers,
Dude

 

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

Home depot

 

[Dog House Brew]

What is your burner distance to the bottom of your kettles? Just wondering how to set mine. My new build is almost the same as yours. I bought the 23 tip burners. I often wondered about making something easily adjustable for going full when you want to get your strike water up to temp quickly and then being able to adjust closer to your kettle for small flame adjustment. Maybe I'm over thinking it. The build looks great. I can't wait to get mine in operation.

 

[Sawdustguy]

I used these burners


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/200-000-btu-natural-gas-burner-14742/#post137905

I was going to go with the small, but they were backordered so I ended up buying the Medium and figured i would have to emply Bobby M's trick of removing some of the jets. As it worked out I ran 1/2 gas line to the garage from the basement. The burners work perfect out of the box. My guess is since my house is a newer home I must have a hell of a regulator on my main gass line as the line from the meter to the furnace is 1 1/2 inch. I tapped in right at the furnace at 1/2 inch. When I have a single burner on full blast it burns great, but if I turn on a 2nd or 3rd burner at the same time my BTU's drop per burner. A buddy of mine has the small burners and ran 3/4 " gas line. His burners are like a jet engine so much so that he has very little control of heat output (either on or off).

Couldn't he restrict the gas with a simple ball or needle valve? In one of the pictures I see alot of orange in the flame. Is that with both burners on? Lots of BTU's don't mean much if they are not burning efficiently.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Couldn't he restrict the gas with a simple ball or needle valve? In one of the pictures I see alot of orange in the flame. Is that with both burners on? Lots of BTU's don't mean much if they are not burning efficiently.

A friend of mine owns a HVAC company. He told me I would have to run a
3/4" line to my rig to be able to reach the specified BTU output for the burner. Eventhough the burner takes 1/2". I'm going to run 3/4" to all my burners and put a bell reducer going into the burner. I have the 23 tip 140,000 BTU burners and wish I had bought the small 10 tip model.

 

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

What is your burner distance to the bottom of your kettles? Just wondering how to set mine. My new build is almost the same as yours. I bought the 23 tip burners. I often wondered about making something easily adjustable for going full when you want to get your strike water up to temp quickly and then being able to adjust closer to your kettle for small flame adjustment. Maybe I'm over thinking it. The build looks great. I can't wait to get mine in operation.

Doghouse sorry it's taken me a bit to respond it was a busy week I just measured and I have 41/4 inches between my keg bottom & the top of the burner tip. i have found after a little break in time that the burners burn a little to orange adn they leave a small amount of soot on the bottom of the keg. Before my next brew I plan to move them up 1 to 2" to see if I get a better burn. I use 1/2" ball valves for adjustability and that works great. I can adjust down to a low simmer or turn on full for boil. POst some pics of your build when you get it done.

 

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

A friend of mine owns a HVAC company. He told me I would have to run a
3/4" line to my rig to be able to reach the specified BTU output for the burner. Eventhough the burner takes 1/2". I'm going to run 3/4" to all my burners and put a bell reducer going into the burner. I have the 23 tip 140,000 BTU burners and wish I had bought the small 10 tip model.

See my post above regarding the need for burner height adjustment. As noted in a earlier post a co-brewer of mine has 3/4" line run to his garage. He has the small burners and his burn like a jet engine. Very little adjustabilty even with ball valves. I used 1/2 pipe becasue I was concerned about to much heat and no adjability. But to much is always better then not enough.

 

[HVBrewtality]

beautiful set-up, and beautiful bike

 

[Dog House Brew]

See my post above regarding the need for burner height adjustment. As noted in a earlier post a co-brewer of mine has 3/4" line run to his garage. He has the small burners and his burn like a jet engine. Very little adjustabilty even with ball valves. I used 1/2 pipe becasue I was concerned about to much heat and no adjability. But to much is always better then not enough.

Thanks for the info, I would also think supply pressure would have a lot to do with it. I guess I will have to see what my gas feed is like. I don't have any trouble with adjusting the one I've been brewing on, but it is only one and not two burners going. I'll post pics if I ever get this thing done.

 

[thomasgorff]

I am interested in constructing a 3 tier system similar to this. I would appreciate it if someone who has experience and a successful setup (such as this one) could send me any links or food for thought in getting my system off the ground. [email protected]