The Cost of Building a HERMs System

[p40whk]

After brewing extract for a year and suffering a house fire, loosing all of my brewing equipment, I decided I wanted to brew all grain. Not only that, I wanted to jump right in to a HERMs setup so I could be the mad scientist I am and flip ball valve levers while my concoctions brewed and hops aromas drifted through my garage.

I knew it was going to be a considerable investment but in my research I never really came across any single thread that detailed what was involved and the costs associated with it. I've been buying bits and pieces of the system over the last 4 months but only recently looked at what I had been spending.

You don't build a HERMS/RIMS system if you just want to make your own beer on the cheap because the costs associated with the equipment far exceed what you can buy good craft beer for. You build a system like this because you love your beer, because you love to brew, and you love to tinker.

If you can weld, and with steel being cheap, you can build the brew stand for as little as a few hundred dollars in materials including burners and valves. $300-$400 depending on what you already have. Is a stand necessary? No, but it adds to the convenience and tinker factor. It can be done much cheaper.

Kettles can range from $165 to over $1K depending on how it's outfitted. A plain-no fitting Stainless Kettle (80qt.) can be had for about $165. I chose to go with 2 kettles and a cooler for a mash tun so my kettle cost was double. I went with BrewHardware's silver solder fittings, camlocks, and silicone tubing for my plumbing, total cost was around $400 for the fittings and $320 for the two kettles.

Then you need to ad a means of circulating the liquid. There are many threads on pumps and alternatives here but it seemed to me that the consensus was either March or Chugger Pumps. The cost difference was negligible between one and two pump systems when you start to figure in the added cost of more fittings. Total cost for two pumps was $200 (I went with plastic heads for now).

HERMS Coil can either be built or bought but if you figure your time then the $100-$150 for a coil is worth it to buy. A wort chiller can also be modded.

Some people use the HERMS Coil as a chiller to cool their wort but I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get my temps down fast enough with large batches so I opted for a plate chiller from DudaDiesel, $150.

I am a DIY type of person and I probably could have built a system cheaper but for those thinking of getting into this you're probably looking at a minimum of $1000 dollars but more closer to $1400 (and up) depending on how much or how little you want to swap hoses.

I'll take photo's once I start the assembly process so people can my setup and the fittings used. These forums are a great recourse but it took me a ton of time just to figure out the basics of what I needed.

 

[SnakeRidge]

I'm looking forward to more posts about this. I'm going through the same thought processes trying to figure out what I can re-purpose from my cooler batch sparge setup.

 

[aangel]

There's a thread on building a $50 HERMS setup worth checking out here
As for myself, I have a $100, 2-port 8gal kettle, and a 25' copper immersion chiller (which I do use for chilling after) in it. I double-purpose my HLT as a boil kettle, which is why I bought it instead of going with the cheaper $50 setup.

 

[ruger988]

I probably have less than $45-50 in my set-up, and could replicate it for around $100 or so starting from scratch.

3 gallon igloo cooler, Johnson Controls thermostat, hot water heater element, little immersion chiller and some silicone hoses, done.

 

[JKoravos]

it can vary from under $100 to thousands. It depends on what level of control you want.

 

[p40whk]

I see a lot of really low costs in here and I'm assuming most of you are talking about converting a system where you already have most of the parts? I'm also talking 10-15 gallon batch size not 3-5 gallon which makes a huge difference.

The reason my cost is so hi is because I lost everything in a fire and I'm basically starting from scratch. So, my estimates above are inclusive of everything you need from kettles, to hose, to fittings to burners, brew stands etc.

My setup is also geared around 20 gallon kettles so there's quite a jump in price when your volume increases. Sure, you could do it cheap if you're only brewing 3-5 gallons.

 

[p40whk]

There's a thread on building a $50 HERMS setup worth checking out here
As for myself, I have a $100, 2-port 8gal kettle, and a 25' copper immersion chiller (which I do use for chilling after) in it. I double-purpose my HLT as a boil kettle, which is why I bought it instead of going with the cheaper $50 setup.

I checked that thread out and it's misleading. The chugger pump and 3-piece ball valve fittings alone in his system cost more $200 so a $50 system it's not.

 

[Hello]

Well, the costs certainly vary. It really depends upon where you source your inventory and how much you do on your own.

For me, it starts with an actual location to set up my brewery. Right there I've already went from cheap to WTFOMGBBQ pricing. Then it was electrical and again, the dollars were just flying away. Then it was the control panel, 50a for back to back capability--3vessel system obviously.

Next it is drywall and flooring, which both have been put on hold until mid-April, most likely. Finally, it is the brew table, HERMs coil, connections, hoses, blah blah blah. I have a spreadsheet.

But I love where you're going with this thread and sorry to hear you lost everything in a fire.

 

[JKoravos]

I see a lot of really low costs in here and I'm assuming most of you are talking about converting a system where you already have most of the parts? I'm also talking 10-15 gallon batch size not 3-5 gallon which makes a huge difference.

The reason my cost is so hi is because I lost everything in a fire and I'm basically starting from scratch. So, my estimates above are inclusive of everything you need from kettles, to hose, to fittings to burners, brew stands etc.

My setup is also geared around 20 gallon kettles so there's quite a jump in price when your volume increases. Sure, you could do it cheap if you're only brewing 3-5 gallons.

Most people think of 'the cost to build a HERMS' to be the differential cost from a gravity system. Obviously you need everything, so it's a bit different. Although, you'd be buying all the hoses, kettles, heating elements/burners, etc. regardless of whether you go HERMS or not, so it's still relevant. The added cost to go to HERMS is probably a few hundred dollars if you don't scrounge for deals.

 

[p40whk]

I've already went from cheap to WTFOMGBBQ pricing.

But I love where you're going with this thread and sorry to hear you lost everything in a fire.

Had to laugh at that one because I'm sure a lot of us have had that reaction. And thanks about the fire, insurance is paying for most of what I lost and because I'm literally starting from scratch and not just upgrading, I'm noticing the costs a lot more.

I considered (and may still) put together a spreadsheet but I'd like to put together a visual representation using photographs of the layout rather than just a drawing.

I started to Draw out my system and have it roughly outlined HERE