The beginnings of Brew McQ

[brewmcq]

I do NOT like the STC-1000. I don't know if they are all like the one I received, but the circuit board soldering job sucks all @ss, and not in a good way. I had to re-solder all the power connections. What a pain. Regardless.. I got it soldered.

Plan "C". Plan "A" was to trot down to the local hardware store and get a PVC junction box, or an ABS project box. But do you think for ONE minute that this little sh*thole town carries anything like that anywhere? Nope. So onto Plan "B"... I took a page from Revvy (I think) and was going to wire up a multi-gang box. Yeah, not so much. Hence, Plan "C". Plywood. You can never go wrong with plywood.

Blah blah blah, wiring.

Spray paint is my friend.

Holy CRAP, it WORKS!

Nothing to do with the ferment closet. I just like how it looks.

 

[brewmcq]

I filled 4 carboys with tap water and put them in the closet after getting everything set up yesterday (~60F out of the tap). I set up the STC to 18C (64.4F, according to Google), differential of 1*, compressor delay of 5 minutes and changed the offset from 2* to 0*. I don't know why it wasn't already on the default setting of 0, but whatever.

The first thing I did this morning (well, after taking a leak then petting the dog and the SWMBO) was to go down stairs and see where things were at.

The STC read 18.1C (64.58F, according to Google). The independent digital thermometer (whose probe is taped right next to the STC probe) read 64F. The two temperature strips on my Better Bottle carboys read 64F.

So I'd have to say that it's close to being dialed in. It will be interesting to add some yeast action heat to the mix to see how it does, but all-in-all, I'm pleased. I might line the closet with more insulation at some point, but for now, all seems well... *knock on wood*

 

[Melana]

Nice! I'm impressed!

 

[brewmcq]

Nice! I'm impressed!

Thanks!

 

[sch21c]

Very cool.

I just got the STC-1000 and should be wiring it up today. I hope I don't have the same issues you did with the circuit board.

Please keep posting your progress. I'm living vicariously through your builds.

 

[brewmcq]

Very cool.

I just got the STC-1000 and should be wiring it up today. I hope I don't have the same issues you did with the circuit board.

Please keep posting your progress. I'm living vicariously through your builds.

I've been living vicariously though others, so it's kinda nice to be on this side.. Lol

Good luck with your STC!

 

[Homercidal]

Looks good! And seems to work fine. I taped a conversion chart on my ferm chamber next to the STC so I can look up the proper temp in proper English units. Maybe some day I will be able to convert that range of temps in my head, but that day is not this day. Maybe after I change my ferm chamber into a TARDIS and mount the STC directly into the door for sophistication.

 

[brewmcq]

Looks good! And seems to work fine. I taped a conversion chart on my ferm chamber next to the STC so I can look up the proper temp in proper English units. Maybe some day I will be able to convert that range of temps in my head, but that day is not this day. Maybe after I change my ferm chamber into a TARDIS and mount the STC directly into the door for sophistication.

I've got a chart taped In there as well..

And I was actually going to TARDIS the closet doors.. Lol

Actually, I still might..

 

[Inkleg]

Nice build, very nice.

I like these pictures better than that other one. Though that one was just as impressive. "No Homo" as TxBrew would say.

 

[brewmcq]

Nice build, very nice.

I like these pictures better than that other one. Though that one was just as impressive. "No Homo" as TxBrew would say.

You're safe, Ink. I like my men with a little more meat on them. ;-)

 

[zzzzzzzzz]

I too am getting going again after 35 years away from brewing. I would like to add that indoor brewing takes a massive venting effort. The steam will discolor your ceilings and walls and likely grow really ugly stuff! Make sure to use a large cu ft fan..and I'd suggest a hood to collect it ALL. I also have gas leakage potential which should be alleviated as well. I started on an electric build and due to venting issues in either case I changed to gas and planning modular so whole kit could got where ever and brew for the day etc.

Just scored huge... Edgestar w/tower Kegerator 2 1/2 barrel kegs 2 CO2tanks and 2 regulators and all hoses for $250 DELIVERED! oh year and 2 bottles of Stella as well.

Might keep eyes peeled on Craigslist/newspaper etc to grab cheap Corny kegs... very expensive when you NEED them cheap when they come along.

Keep up good work!

 

[Melana]

You're safe, Ink. I like my men with a little more meat on them. ;-)

Just men?!

 

[cpl-america]

Looking great

 

[brewmcq]

So the brewday wasn't in the new brewery (well, except the ferment closet), but we had some fun, none-the-less.

And this was my first fully-traditional BiaB brewday! Normally I've been mashing in a water cooler, but this really seemed to work well.

 

[cpl-america]

biab for the win!

 

[brewmcq]

Just pulled the trigger on two 15 gallon conicals...

 

[sch21c]

Just pulled the trigger on two 15 gallon conicals...

Oh yeah!

Which ones did you get? I've been coveting a 14-15g conical for a while.

 

[brewmcq]

http://www.spraysmarter.com/ace-roto-mold-white-inductor-tank-15-gallon-open-flow.html

They were slightly cheaper than AgriMart, even after all the discounts and my $10 off coupon code.

 

[sch21c]

Nice. I'm interested to know how those work out. Have you figured out what fittings you're putting on the trub port?

 

[brewmcq]

Here's how well they work out:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/super-simple-15g-plastic-conical-276378/

Spotted Dog also has a big writeup somewhere, as have others.


I know basically what I'm going to do for the trub stuff, but I'm going to wait until I get the conical(s) before ordering any fittings, etc.

 

[Inkleg]

I like your sac masher

 

[brewmcq]

I like your sac masher

Figures.

 

[brewmcq]

I'm also going to be wired up and ready for testing the beginning of next week!! My GFCI breaker and 50' of 10/3 10 gauge wire has shipped, so I'm super excited about that...

(I only need ~25' of wire to get to the brew bench, however, we will be installing an electric water heater in the next couple of months as well, so I'll need the other half for that.)

 

[brewmcq]

A quick update...

All wired up and GFCI-safe ($100 for that breaker, it had BETTER be safe.. lol). I did run into a few problems along the way, of course, but got them all sorted out.

Nothing super exciting, picture-wise, but I've attached some just because. Please feel free to ignore the readout on the CP PID... that's what it spit out when I first turned it on..

Today will be more tinkering with the PID and doing what I can to figure out all its ins and outs.

I need to re-mount the pump as well as figuring out where exactly I want/need to mount my chiller.

I think we're going to try a couple 5 gallon batches next week... see how everything goes and to tweak my process a bit more. Then it will be time to ramp up to 10 gallon batches!

Oh, sh*t! I almost forgot! I have a couple plastic conicals airing out on the deck! There was the "plasticky smell" in them that most people have described, but when I sniffed them on Sunday, there was no more smell. I should probably build my ferment "rack" and get them set up to start fermenting at some point...

 

[brewmcq]

Window fans are NOT sufficient! Where have I heard that before..? LOL

On the plus side, I set up a big fan behind me (about where I was standing to take this photo)) and that cleared out the steam nicely.

Brought her up to a boil then dropped the duty cycle in manual mode... 85% appeared to keep a really good rolling boil. I will tweak further with actual wort.

Time to get in some pumping action... so with everything running, everything ran. I then pressed the E-stop and heard the breaker trip and everything shut right down. Awesome.


It took some doing to figure out the PID. Quite a learning curve for me, which is odd since I'm a "gadget guy". But finally with the help of reading and re-reading the manual over breakfast as well as the invaluable (and thorough) information at Kal's site, I finally managed through autotune and getting this thing to work... a number of times, I was just randomly pushing buttons to get the friggin thing to go... I wish I'd kept better notes.

The settings I changed:
Sn: 21
Pb: (I didn't need to change this one.. it was within 0.5 degrees, so close enough)
FILT: 5
A-M: 1
COOL: 10

I followed the Autotune directions per Kal's site. While it was autotuning, I reorganized my toolbox and sorted out the millions of terminal connections I've acquired over the course of this build. I didn't time how long it took, but it was quite awhile.. maybe 30-45 minutes? Dunno.


But it would appear that I am now able to heat water, maintain a boil and hit target temps. That, I believe, is half the battle.


Will update with conicals later.

 

[brewmcq]

Brewday! September 29, 2013

 

[Rivenin]

Awesome!

 

[brewmcq]

Just needs a little trim around the backsplash and caulking behind the sink... but there is now running water in the brewery.

I don't have my BIG sprayer nozzle put in yet. The 6' hose I was going to use has a leak... so I need to find a short length of hose, when all the stores have put away their garden stuff..


An update on the Irish Red and the Milk Stout:

Another week in the keg and that should be some GOOD stuff.

 

[Melana]

So nice!

 

[brewmcq]

I almost hate to say this, but I paid only $75 for that AWESOME sink.

There was another one just like it, about 4 posts down on Craigslist.. they were asking $300. I might try to talk them down so I can put that sink in the kitchen.. it would be tres cool, especially since we're trying to move our kitchen to lots of brushed stainless...


Edited to add: They've bumped the price of it up to $500. Seriously!??