The building of a New Brewery

[rabeb25]

A change was needed, so I set out to build a new brewery... I had this:

The problem was it was purpose built for my old house(limited space, biggest batches), and now with building the new one(house) I put in a dedicated area:

So I wanted something new that encompasses all the brewing I do, and the 2 vessel big pots were not cutting it anymore. So I am actually downsizing and adding a vessel. So the 4 vessel HERMS, decoction brewhaus was born, based off the Concord 50qt kettles.


Starting to get stuff in..

Decoction vessel, Mash rake. Got the motor mounted today, and working on getting the top hinged and cut out.

 

[rabeb25]

Cutting the lid for the decoction vessel.

Got the lid cut, and the hinges ordered. Still awating all the fittings.

 

[rabeb25]

Massive picture dump from over the weekend.

parts:

Starting to punch in fittings:

Starting To solder:

Soldered and polished:

Starting to re-assemble:

HLT:

MT

HERMs:

Plumbing:

 

[rabeb25]

New False bottom showed up, it is a PICO style that bodes well for decoctions (16% open).

A little massaging to get it to fit (15" diameter, pot was 16"), still have a little more work to do.

 

[RocketBrewer]

You've been busy! Looks great!

 

[BrunDog]

Nice!

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

Wow! That thing is bananas. Looking forward to seeing it in action.

 

[rabeb25]

Decoction Vessel:

Optional false bottom:

Water test Video:

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/649592691850001/

Water and Malt

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/651672011642069/

Still got work to do...

 

[rabeb25]

ALRIGHT massive picture dump.

Insulated the decoction vessel with 4 wraps of reflectix:

Then the Lid, 2 layers:

Then did some final wet testing with with speeds and temperature rises:
https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/653201741489096/

I turned my attention to modifying the induction plate. I relocated the thermistor of the cooker into a thermwell, for usage as a method to temperature step, or hold temps.

Test of the probe and probe relocation
https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/652865131522757/


Final fitment of everything:

 

[rabeb25]

I then turned my attention to the last bits before the inaugural brew session.

I made what I call my mash cap, with a spare lid:

I use a BIAB along with the false bottom to create what I call a mash filter. So tested fitment with that:

Assembled everything into a temp state for a inaugural test brew:

I have a SS cart on wheels coming to hold all the decoction stuff, and will just be able to wheel that in, if a decoction is needed.

 

[rabeb25]

Inugeral brew day! It all came together pretty fast, as it wasn't my first rodeo

So on the docket was a German Pils and a hochkurz double decoction.

Water in the HLT and heating:

Grain condidtioned and milled, and put in the mash tun.

Dough in at 145f:

Waited a few minutes and pulled the decoction:

Rested that at 157 for conversion:

Thought it would be a good time to pull a pH sample:

Rest complete:

Video of the ramp:
https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/653527468123190/

Boil started:

Video of the boil:
https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/653527704789833/

Before I moved the decoction over I snuck a sample for color and gravity:

145F gravity:

Boil over, and and brought back for the 162 rest, YAY no scorching:

Start of 162 rest:

Right before I pulled the mash out decoction:

Second decoction boil:

Pulled pH sample:

End of mash out:

Preboil wort:

 

[rabeb25]

This beer some FWH, runnning the first runnings into the kettle:

Pulled a gravity reading and soon found out my my guessed brewhouse effciency, was uhh a little of the mark:

Started the sparge( though I shouldn't have):

Sparge gravity:

Empty tun:

Preboil was exactly on target for volume (7.75 gallons) but gravity was at 1.053 (1.041 target), for a mash efficiency of 98.5%, and a brewhouse efficiency of about 91%, so much for my target of 75%. So I had to top up with 2 gallons of treated water, to get back to my preboil.

Preboil color:

Preboil pH:

Coming to a boil:

Boil achieved:

All hops added:

Chilling:

Wort pulled for FFT:

Wort pulled for testing:

Wort pulled for high krausen starter:

Whirlpool trub:

All in all an extremely successful brew day, all numbers hit or exceeded!

Prost

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

Nasty, nasty beer porn. I feel ashamed...

 

[BrunDog]

Yeah, I am not gonna lie here... I really don't know what's going on... Good job, but it's over my head!!

 

[jcav]

You do nice work! Lot's of luck!

John

 

[Rivenin]

Man... electrical decoction... hawt.

Looks like a very extensive but easy to use brewing system. congrats!

 

[Biscuits]

Gorgeous...just gorgeous

 

[Kharnynb]

eh yeah...I have a cheap ass kettle and a few plastic buckets

Using this thread for when swmbo complains about my brewing gear i think

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Just curious, but how long is it for your double decoction brew day from dough-in to the fermenters.

 

[rabeb25]

Just curious, but how long is it for your double decoction brew day from dough-in to the fermenters.

~6hrs

 

[rabeb25]

Started putting together the controller for the Decoction cart.

Based off a raspberry pi, testing temp sensors:

Found old blown core router power supply, and thought hey! this may work. Mocking stuff up:

Got some twist locs mounted:

Starting final assembly:

Fired it up for some testing:

More to follow.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[WI_Wino]

No heat sinks for the relays? Direct mounting to the enclosure will pull enough heat out?

 

[aprichman]

Wow, that's some great work! Thanks for all the pics

 

[rabeb25]

No heat sinks for the relays? Direct mounting to the enclosure will pull enough heat out?

We'll find out, the mash rake is only pulling a few amps, and even at full power 3000 watts the induction only pulls 12 amps, however I run it at 1200watts for 1c/min rise.

 

[Yooper]

Wow- that's awesome.

The idea of an electric decoction system blows my mind. When I do a decoction, I still run to the kitchen stove!

 

[rabeb25]

Thanks all...

Had to modify the decoction vessel for the probe

Quick pulled though and soldered a coupler:

Checked fitment with the rake:

 

[rabeb25]

Did some more playing around with the controller.

Finalized controller interface:

Mobile Interface:

Tuned the PID, Got it down to a .7 variance:

Shot a little video, sorry about the facebook changing the orientation:
https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/655551291254141/

 

[rayf]

I have the advantco 3500 watt unit that you have. How well does your probe hack keep the temps. I'm also waiting for the hosehead brewery controller to arrive. Are you going to use the pi to control the advantco?

 

[rabeb25]

I have the advantco 3500 watt unit that you have. How well does your probe hack keep the temps. I'm also waiting for the hosehead brewery controller to arrive. Are you going to use the pi to control the advantco?

You know, it seemed to work pretty good but i only used it in brief testing, but I never use it beyond that.

No, unless you hack the advantco, you will not be able to do this since you need to hit buttons for it to start.

 

[rabeb25]

Since I have been getting a lot of PM's, here is some quick and dirty cell phone videos of some testing in action.

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/655755964567007/

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/655756057900331/

 

[brettwasbtd]

So what is the new induction unit you have and how did you mod it?

 

[hungry4hops]

This is amazing, it's like a miniature scale of a professional brewery, thanks for all the posts keep up the good work!

 

[rabeb25]

Tinkered some more over the last few days:
Starting finalizing the decoction control panel:

XLR for the temp probe:

Panel all sorted ( still awaiting the cat5 panel mount):

Front of the unit, 120v in, 240v in, and HDMI out:

Back of the unit, Power connectors( still awaiting cat5 panel mount, and panel tags):

Making sure it all still works:

Got the new controller for it ( a 7" kindle fire, that will go in a ruggedized case):

It also interfaces with the main brewery controller:

 

[rabeb25]

I orignally went center bottom mount for the volume sensors, but it pooled water after clean out, and if the pump lost power it would get sucked in the air tubes. SO I went back to the traditional bubbler mounting and am much happier with it.

Boil Kettle:

Matched it with the HLT:

Both:

 

[rabeb25]

Well, I had Christmas with my family today, and happened to luck out( thank god for Amazon wish lists). I got my decoction stand, my long wished for restaurant sprayer thing, and my panel mount stuff showed up. So rushed home, put the kids to bed and started tinkering.
First thing I put in was the sprayer.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589517.166118.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589556.701114.jpg

Then I turned my attention to the kitchen cart. Chopped off about 16" on the legs, got it all mounted and put on. Ended up with this:
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589653.416711.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589669.007570.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589690.518278.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589731.972234.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450589775.561550.jpg

 

[wobdee]

Wow, nice work!

 

[mblanks2]

Thing of beauty. Awesome work. When my brew stand grows up it wants to be just like yours.

 

[rabeb25]

Did some tinkering over Christmas break here.

Finished my probe ends:

Got the controller all put together:

Had my 14" touchscreen go out, so I happen to have a 17" back up I retorfitted in place:

Misson Control:

Brewing while Eating breakfast:

Reconfigured the area where the TV was before:

View from the bar Area:

Of course I still have to finish the room!

 

[brewslinger]

Would you mind sharing what kind of touch screen you are using?

I am looking at building a system with a touchscreen myself but have been having a hard time locating one to my liking.