The most expensive way to Homebrew

[MintonHVAC]

Update.

The last few weeks have been a fun and challenging time.

I was able to get the plumbing from the Brewing System to the biodigester installed on the other side of my house.

This will take the spent grain from the system to the tank in the ground that holds upwards of 800 gallons and will digest the spent grain for other uses.

All the valves are now installed on the system along with the refractometer and the pump to transfer liquids between kettles, fermenters and the CIP Loop.

Still need to acquire a few parts which I am currently talking to manufacturers about but should have a solution soon.

PLC programming is also underway and manual controls currently work flawlessly.

The system has ran with just a caustic solution to clean all the fittings and was able to heat water to 180 degrees in just 45 minutes from ground temp.

Current project expense $74,018.00


More to come...

 

[wyowolf]

Holy Crap!! That is incredible!! that took some SERIOUS effort to achieve..

 

[kevinthestout]

I am more of a fan of "gravity" than electricity, pumps, software, etc. Gravity never breaks.

Not in your part of the world maybe. Round here we've had a few magnitude 7 gravity failures recently.

 

[M54B25]

This is absolutely ridiculous... and I love it!

Despite having my own (very manual) HERMS setup that brews "good beer"(tm), I have found myself somewhat intrigued by the smaller automated brewing setups (Picobrew/Brewie, etc.) for similar automation/ repeatability reasons that you're going for. The difference being they only measure a couple variables as opposed to what you're looking at. And I guess they're a bit cheaper and fit better on a kitchen counter if that's important to you...

Anyway, best of luck and keep up the great work! I'm looking forward to seeing your first brew, though probably not much as you are!

 

[gunhaus]

I've really enjoyed following this - thanks.

 

[MintonHVAC]

Okay so new update.

The system is able to brew beer now, not in an Automated Manor but by selecting valves and set points manually. I'm slightly behind schedule due to some complications with programming but I think it's time for its maiden voyage manually controlled.

If anyone is curious and would like me to record the event just let me know and I will post a YouTube live feed if there is enough interest here.

 

[hafmpty]

if anyone is curious and would like me to record the event just let me know and I will post a YouTube live feed if there is enough interest here.

View attachment 572076

“IF”? Yeah! I totally am.

 

[GolFisHunt]

Me too! Fascinating!

 

[tsl346]

Yes, please post to Youtube. This will be great to see how it's coming along!

 

[helterscelter]

Okay so new update.

The system is able to brew beer now, not in an Automated Manor but by selecting valves and set points manually. I'm slightly behind schedule due to some complications with programming but I think it's time for its maiden voyage manually controlled.

If anyone is curious and would like me to record the event just let me know and I will post a YouTube live feed if there is enough interest here.

View attachment 572076

+1 here

 

[ClaudiusB]

A video would be great.
Did you finish the grain silos?

 

[MintonHVAC]

A video would be great.
Did you finish the grain silos?

No unfortunately work has pushed that part of the project way back. And because of this grain will have to be crushed and poured in a traditional manner.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I think you need to get the costs down under $50,000 if you want a viable market...

I remember reading something about the cost of first microwave oven. Instead of depending on my memory I Wiki'd it:

In 1947, Raytheon built the "Radarange", the first commercially available microwave oven. It was almost 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) tall, weighed 340 kilograms (750 lbs) and cost about US$5,000 ($55,000 in 2017 dollars) each.

Now you can get them slightly larger than a bread box for under $30 on sale.

 

[ClaudiusB]

No unfortunately work has pushed that part of the project way back. And because of this grain will have to be crushed and poured in a traditional manner.

Thanks for replying.

 

[GnenieGone]

Incredible! I spent like $100 on my aluminum 10gal kettel, some HB buckets, spigots, racking cane etc, pan for ice/water temp control and free beer bottles. Please post your video!

 

[Tom Foolery]

The only feature left to add is, Alexa make me a...

 

[MintonHVAC]

The only feature left to add is, Alexa make me a...

Actually that is something that could easily be obtainable through IFTTT.

 

[whovous]

Okay so new update.

The system is able to brew beer now, not in an Automated Manor but by selecting valves and set points manually. I'm slightly behind schedule due to some complications with programming but I think it's time for its maiden voyage manually controlled.

If anyone is curious and would like me to record the event just let me know and I will post a YouTube live feed if there is enough interest here.

View attachment 572076

Let me guess. Is this the world's first blue beer?

 

[Kharnynb]

If anyone is curious and would like me to record the event just let me know and I will post a YouTube live feed if there is enough interest here.

hell yes, and massive walter white vibes on the picture

 

[El Nino]

Holy crap man, I'd have to empty my 401k to afford that setup

 

[brewbama]

And to think I use a blue cooler, a RIMS tube, a brew kettle and a chugger pump.

 

[ITV]

Very impressive project you have.

I am an electrical engineer and have been designing industrial controls for the power plant industry for the past 33 years. Over the years as technology advanced, the control system "life cycle" has become shorter. PLC's are good for 15 years before becoming obsolete, HMI's are good for 8 to 10 years before becoming obsolete and the software running the HMI's is even shorter. I'm not even addressing the cost of the PLC's, HMI's or the software. Fortunately your using much less expensive PLC's and HMI's compared to the Allen-Bradley and Modicon that I use.

I don't have any desire to automate my home brew system as I prefer the chef approach to brewing (taste, smell and adjust on the fly). I even prefer my tube amps over solid state for my stereo.

The important thing is that you enjoy your hobby/business.

Cheers

 

[snowtiger1987]

This is kind of expensive

 

[jiMithing83]

This is kind of expensive

But where did you get a 5 gallon bucket of oxiclean free though?

 

[snowtiger1987]

Sam's, years ago. I don't know if they still carry it. Stupid me used it to wash clothes back then.

 

[rwing7486]

I think i need to change my shorts

 

[snowtiger1987]

 

[BoB Lever]

Almost two years later the world's most expensive homebrew system is.......?

 

[Nate R]

Almost two years later the world's most expensive homebrew system is.......?

Op was last seen here 2 years ago... 5/31/2018... so...??? Hopefully he has perfected this, and the cost is down to say $40,000 or so...

 

[grampamark]

Op was last seen here 2 years ago... 5/31/2018... so...??? Hopefully he has perfected this, and the cost is down to say $40,000 or so...

Or, the prototype is on Craigslist for $1995 (buyer must haul).

 

[Pkrd]

Sooner or later the wife looks at the books....

 

[Nate R]

Sooner or later the wife looks at the books....

And here i was trying to sneak another sack of grain in the house..

 

[bkboiler]

Maybe he fell into the biodigester?

 

[Barbarossa]

Maybe he never stopped upgrading without sleeping and the system looks like this

 

[Barbarossa]

Maybe he fell into the biodigester?

Or his machine became sentient and brew/disposed of him.

 

[Barbarossa]

Deleted

 

[Nate R]

Or his machine became sentient and brew/disposed of him.

We don't know who struck first, but it was he who scorched the grains...

 

[hout17]

He probably perfected it and sold 20 of them to celebrities at double the price and retired early lol.

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

We don't know who struck first, but it was he who scorched the grains...

 

[Nate R]

He probably perfected it and sold 20 of them to celebrities at double the price and retired early lol.

Total cost: $37,500
Or, roughly 2/3 what the average homebrewer spends over a lifetime (nickel & diming each step of the way)