What's the most cost effective way to move my brewing inside?

[vance]

Currently, I do single vessel BIAB (5 gallon batches) in my backyard. I really want to move my operation inside - I've basically had to take the winters off from brewing, *maybe* squeezing in one or two if I'm lucky, and I'm tired of being dependent on weather/daylight/etc for my brewing hobby.

I want to move inside, but I can't decide how to do it. I don't have a garage, so that's out. I have a gas stove and a laundry room just off the kitchen with a 240V dryer outlet. For a while I was considering a 240V, 2-vessel HERMS system. I've brewed with a buddy who has a similar setup and really enjoyed it - the problem is, I don't have the ability or confidence to mess with 240V wiring myself, so I'd at minimum have to shell out for a prebuilt controller, and my costs for a system like that were rapidly heading towards the $1k mark.

Now I'm considering some sort of hybrid electric/stovetop system, so I don't have to mess with wiring, but even then my costs keep going up...

What's the cheapest way for me to brew inside?

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Look into the robo brew. An ebiab set up similar to the Grainfather but half the price. I use a Grainfather in my kitchen and love it.

 

[aprichman]

eBIAB would be the cheapest. You can use a pulley to help pull the bag and gravity to move your liquid into the fermentation vessel.

Controllers can be found for under $300, when it comes down to it a PID isn't needed if you do everything manually.

If you already have a kettle seek out local welders and have them add a triclamp port for an element.

You can probably get everything setup for under $500.

 

[vance]

Look into the robo brew. An ebiab set up similar to the Grainfather but half the price. I use a Grainfather in my kitchen and love it.

Oh, I should add - I've looked into the Robobrew, Brewer's Edge, Grainfather, etc - not really a fan. They just look too hands off for my taste.

eBIAB would be the cheapest. You can use a pulley to help pull the bag and gravity to move your liquid into the fermentation vessel.

Controllers can be found for under $300, when it comes down to it a PID isn't needed if you do everything manually.

If you already have a kettle seek out local welders and have them add a triclamp port for an element.

You can probably get everything setup for under $500.

I've considered eBIAB, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to do it without making an ungodly mess. Right now I tend to spill wort pulling the bag out, squeezing it, putting a rack under it to drip, etc. A pulley would solve some of these problems, for sure, but I'm not sure how I'd set one up in my kitchen without building a whole frame for it. That would probably need to be metal, to hold it safely, and that's a bunch of cost in materials and welding.

 

[bleme]

I do a modified BIAB on my gas stove with no problem. I have a 10 gallon pot that almost stretches across 2 burners and a 5 gallon pot for sparging. Probably my next major purchase will be at heat stick to speed up the time it takes to get to temp though. I usually set the bag on the pot lid to move it around but if there are occasionally sticky drips I have a wet towel handy.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

I do a modified BIAB on my gas stove with no problem. I have a 10 gallon pot that almost stretches across 2 burners and a 5 gallon pot for sparging. Probably my next major purchase will be at heat stick to speed up the time it takes to get to temp though. I usually set the bag on the pot lid to move it around but if there are occasionally sticky drips I have a wet towel handy.

I just added a hot rod from brewing hardware to my grainfather. Great purchase. Saved me over 30 minutes the first brew day.

 

[aprichman]

Oh, I should add - I've looked into the Robobrew, Brewer's Edge, Grainfather, etc - not really a fan. They just look too hands off for my taste.



I've considered eBIAB, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to do it without making an ungodly mess. Right now I tend to spill wort pulling the bag out, squeezing it, putting a rack under it to drip, etc. A pulley would solve some of these problems, for sure, but I'm not sure how I'd set one up in my kitchen without building a whole frame for it. That would probably need to be metal, to hold it safely, and that's a bunch of cost in materials and welding.

If you have any wooden beams in the ceiling you should be able to hook an eyehole in there to put a pulley up on brew days. I let my grain bag hang over the pot for ~25 minutes while letting the wort come to a boil. By the time I pull my bag it's pretty dry. I'll throw the bag into a 5 gallon bucket and bring it out to the yard waste bin after it cools off (usually when I'm cleaning up after the brew).

Cleaning out a grain bag is going to be so much easier than cleaning out a mash tun, especially inside.

 

[kh54s10]

The cheapest would be smaller batch BIAB on your present stove. That partially solves the drippy bag problem also, should be light enough that you don't need a hoist.

I think you are overstating what a Grainfather, RoboBrew or others can do. The controller controls the heat and can step mash. The rest is no more hands off than BIAB outside.

They are also 110v so you don't have to mess with getting 240v where you need it.

 

[aprichman]

If you have the option to go 240V I would do it. Even brewing 3 gallon batches a 110V 1500W element feels underwhelming.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

What's the most cost effective way to move my brewing inside?

Through a door.



Smartassery aside, eBIAB or using your stove top would be the way to go. If you want to go electric, you can do 110v and use the existing circuits in your kitchen.

 

[vance]

My top choice is definitely something involving 240V - however, I can't seem to think of a way to do it for under $500, when a controller is $300 easy. Then I have to buy an element, cords, temperature probe, either another kettle or a false bottom... it all adds up fast.

Currently I'm leaning towards a 110V element that would only require drilling a hole in my current kettle, and then either doing eBIAB or working out a cheap option for a second vessel. I like the second vessel more, since I haven't really had good experiences with BIAB efficiency-wise, but that opens up the question of HERMS or RIMS.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

My top choice is definitely something involving 240V - however, I can't seem to think of a way to do it for under $500, when a controller is $300 easy. Then I have to buy an element, cords, temperature probe, either another kettle or a false bottom... it all adds up fast.

Currently I'm leaning towards a 110V element that would only require drilling a hole in my current kettle, and then either doing eBIAB or working out a cheap option for a second vessel. I like the second vessel more, since I haven't really had good experiences with BIAB efficiency-wise, but that opens up the question of HERMS or RIMS.

In a single vessel, one 110v element won't do it alone. You will need two. The bonus is that you can actually do without a PID. You run both elements to heat and only one to maintain a boil.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I've done indoor batches using a cooler mash tun and a $20 stainless pot from Walmart, doing step mashes by necessity. Heat 4g of water, dough in, heat 4g of water, raise temp, etc. For the boils, with Fermcap-S, you can boil 3.5g of water in a 4g pot, so doing two boils yields 6g of wort.
It's a long brew day, and a hassle, and I don't recommend it, but it is very cheap in terms of equipment, especially if you don't put any value on your time.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I would reconsider the grain father or robo brews etc with your situation. I built a 1/2 barrel 3 vessel eherms in my basement but am considering buying one of the small systems for experimental stuff in the kitchen with easier clean up

 

[bleme]

In a single vessel, one 110v element won't do it alone. You will need two.

One 1650 watt element can do it, you are just looking at an hour to get to mash temp, then an hour to get to boil. That can be cut down some with insulation.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

One 1650 watt element can do it, you are just looking at an hour to get to mash temp, then an hour to get to boil. That can be cut down some with insulation.

Wow...that's along time. I guess in a pinch or on a budget, that would work. Would you use a PID with the 1650?

 

[aprichman]

This is the cheapest 240v controller I've seen:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K5KB3DS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[kh54s10]

I don't know the electronics needed but if you can find a schematic of that it looks to be about $50 in parts.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I know nahthing about N American electrics - but if you wanted thermostat control of 240V up to 15A, why not just import a Europe/UK spec Inkbird? Would cost about US$40 plus shipping, plus some new plugs or travel adapters.

 

[vance]

If I did 110V I would use it in combination with my gas stove - still not a fast boil, but it would get there faster than just the element.

I've looked at some schematics, and the only thing I learned was that I have no clue what I'm doing with wiring. I want to get my hands dirty at least a little bit with this, since my DIY skills are pathetic and I want to learn how to do some things on my own, which is why I'm not too interested in a Grainfather, but I know enough about electricity to not mess with it without knowing exactly what I'm doing.

 

[aprichman]

If you limited yourself to a 3500W element you could use this PID

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WD6X17V/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Actually that's only rated for 12 amps at 240v.

I think all the other Inkbirds are rated at 10 amps at 240v.

 

[ccous]

Does anyone else do natural gas? I’m using natural gas to brew in my basement with proper ventilation. It’s pretty cheap and easy.

 

[imasickboy]

So here's one that does 3-4 gallon batches. If you threw it on your stove for additional heating, you could likely do full 5 gallon batches with it.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/countertop-brutus-20.131411/

 

[mj1angier]

You don't have to have a controller to start. Just unplug when you are 3-5 degrees from target temp. Or add a on/ off switch https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-30-Amp-Industrial-Double-Pole-Switch-White-R62-03032-2WS/100356941.
Later add a controller. You can fab up an extended collar the size of your pot to help with the mess when lifting out the bag

 

[kevkev5]

If a magnet sticks to the bottom of your current kettle all you need is $180.

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/av...MIw_i1odSQ3AIVBwppCh0grwXkEAQYAiABEgKckfD_BwE

 

[dyqik]

I don't know the electronics needed but if you can find a schematic of that it looks to be about $50 in parts.

You can buy an almost identical thing in kit form from StillDragon - here - for $41. Add the switch linked above, and you have power control on the kettle, pretty much as for gas.

Add the Brew Hardware weldless TC port kit, and a stainless element, and you are pretty much there.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

My stock pot came with a basket. I put the bag in that and lift that out with a pully attached to a step ladder with carabeaners. Very little mess if you go slow. Then I press the bag within smaller pot lid.

 

[dmtaylor]

I've brewed up to 6 gallons on my stovetop. It ain't pretty with 4 kettles going at once, but it works. I can post a picture later if you're interested, but it's been known to make people laugh loudly.

 

[brewbama]

I recently moved inside. I added a 3500w induction cooktop, an overhead vent, and a 1650w RIMS to the equipment I used outside.

I use the brew kettle on the induction cooktop to heat water, pump it into a cooler for the mash, recirculate using the pump and a RIMS, pump to the brew kettle, boil on the induction cooktop, and use the pump to whirlpool and cool with an immersion chiller. I do this in my laundry room using the dryer electrical circuit for the induction cooktop and reg 110v household plug for the RIMS controller.

 

[philjohnwilliams]

I recently moved inside. I added a 3500w induction cooktop, an overhead vent, and a 1650w RIMS to the equipment I used outside.

I use the brew kettle on the induction cooktop to heat water, pump it into a cooler for the mash, recirculate using the pump and a RIMS, pump to the brew kettle, boil on the induction cooktop, and use the pump to whirlpool and cool with an immersion chiller. I do this in my laundry room using the dryer electrical circuit for the induction cooktop and reg 110v household plug for the RIMS controller.

I am curious to know which induction cooktop you use, and how long does it take to bring your wort to a boil (assuming 5 gallon batches)