The building of a New Brewery

[bierdeblanche]

It's automated with the raspberry pi.

Well what are you automating with the mash rake though? Different speeds depending on temp? I'm just trying to understand the process you use.

I watched the 3 minute long video, and as far as I could see you were only automating the induction burner itself.

 

[rabeb25]

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/655551291254141/

That video may help. I may not have any finished ones. Basically I set the speed on the rake via a router speed controller. When the burner is on the rake turns on, controlled via the program.

 

[bierdeblanche]

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerery/videos/655551291254141/

That video may help. I may not have any finished ones. Basically I set the speed on the rake via a router speed controller. When the burner is on the rake turns on, controlled via the program.

That's just too freaking awesome.

 

[rabeb25]

Another day, another youtube stream...

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPWJZjvtH4Q[/ame]

 

[rabeb25]

I now have a command center I can remote into, to keep a watchful eye.

 

[BrunDog]

Cool! Sorry I dont have time to watch 7 hours!

 

[rabeb25]

Hah, no worries!

 

[rabeb25]

I now have about 50 batches on the system and have worked out most of all the kinks. The bulk have my batches have been no sparge, but still using the HERMs. I have been really happy with the beers that turns out. This poor fellow has been sitting in the corner collecting dust once I realized decoctions where hurting me.

So if someone is looking for a direct heat, mash rake, stand alone automated vessel, hit me up.

This is the current everyday config of the system.

I will explain it a little.

From left to right:
Motorized crusher
Brew Monitor, that split screens brunwater, and beersmith
Control panel with main interfaces. The control panel features On/Auto/Off controls, this is for manual over rides
BK
HLT
MT
All pumps and electric valves, there is no manual valves on the system
Brewery water panel Hot/RO/Cold waters. The RO has an electric valve and a flow meter on it, to auto fill the HLT. The RO fill is going to be moving to the left of the HLT, behind the BK. You can see the white PEX line in that stud bay, that is the cooling water for the CFC, with is also valved and automated.

Close up of the kettle config showing HERMS and sight glasses. All my kettles are bottom drained and have both in and out feeds there allowing for all vessels to be drained, or filled from the bottom. The HERMS has 2 loops a Heat and a "Cool", this is controlled with a 3 way valve, and based on the 2 temp probes in the mash ( MT exit, and MT entrance), it will float the valve to mix the loops to achieve temp to .1. I have sight glasses to make sure flow is good with no air bubbles in solution.. and cause its great to watch.

In this picture you can see the SS CFC in the bottom left corner.

Close up of the control panel. Every "device' ( pumps, valves, heating elements, pressure and flow sensors) has a manual override switch. It has a buzzer on the panel and will sound at the end of every step (If I want) to let me know it completed a task. It also has a 17" touch screen monitor which is what I use for the recipe, brunwater, etc.

Top view

Mash tun. Standard false bottom in, and bottom drain/fill. Temperature sensors are in the outs and the ins of the vessel for easier cleaning. I have still not found a pressure sensor to work for this application.

HLT. HERMs coil, 5500watt element, pressure sensor, temp probe. This vessel has bottom drains, and bottom fill with a elbow for whirlpooling.

\

Boil Kettle. Temperature probe, Pressure sensor, Bottom drain/fill, blichmann 3750 watt boil coil, that I run at 40%(can't say enough about how awesome this element is, it heats 1f/min faster than my 5500 watt elements!). the top port is a whirlpool port from out of the CFC.

I have set up remote monitoring, for brewing remotely. That interface looks like this:

So thats where it sits today, still some work I would like to do...Namely to automate the hop additions. Right now I have to add grain, and add hops. I am fine with grain, but I would rather automate the hops. The less interaction from me on brewday the better, I always screw it up.

 

[BrunDog]

Cool new overview! Thanks for sharing!
L

 

[BrunDog]

Hey, question... I have 2 inline CFCs made of copper tubing (homemade hybrid design). I am in South FL so the groundwater is too hot for one chiller. The second chiller recircs ice water. I want to get away from copper altogether (mild concern around toxicity but also considering improvements toward LODO). I have been looking for stainless chillers. Being I whirlpool, I don't think a plate chiller is in my future, and they are copper brazed anyway. I see the stainless CFC from Williams is supposedly convoluted but has brass fittings (boo!) which would need to be removed. I see other companies have SS CFC's but they don't claim convoluted. I need two units so it's no small cost endeavor
What's your feedback on yours? Where did you acquire it, how is the performance, and what did you do for connections?

 

[rabeb25]

Hey brun,
I use the Williams brewing convoluted. I got mine sans fittings so it was just male threads( 1/2" wort side,3/4" water side). Then just put Camlocks and qd's on it. It's certainly not as fast as my plate chiller, but it works well. No complaints from me.

 

[BrunDog]

Thanks! Does it flow free, or does it create a restriction? Last question: how did you order without fittings?

 

[rabeb25]

Thanks! Does it flow free, or does it create a restriction? Last question: how did you order without fittings?

I see no restriction. I have no idea, I have had it for about 2.5 years... maybe it was different then?!?

 

[BrunDog]

Thanks man!