Brew P0rn...brutus 10

[DoctorBob]

Well the obsession seems to be growing nicely....first kits, then extract with a bit of grain, a garage with 2 fridges and 200 tallies aging on the shelf, tropical fruit wines ( Jaboticaba & Mango) and now I have my sights firmly on all grain for 2011. Even got permission from her who likes to be obeyed to extend the shed to incorporate "man world".....ie the brewery and a bar.

Lots of lurking and reading on the net, and I really like the BRUTUS 10 set up Lonnie Mac has done .....

I am quite happy to spend the time and money to set up properly over the next 2 years, and have looked at quite a few articles / links re Brutus 10 and others.

It would be great to hear from aussie brewers who have set up a brutus 10. Was it worth the work? Good results? Any advice?

 

[komodo]

Dunno if anyone has setup a brutus10 as such but many guys on here have 3V mash brewing setups.

Check in here
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...showtopic=42248

 

[Bribie G]

I can picture that with three bags hanging there. Triple batch :icon_cheers:

 

[Cocko]

Then they might have some trophies too, to lay out in the back ground! h34r:


:lol:

 

[Bribie G]

Then they might have some trophies too, to lay out in the back ground! h34r:


:lol:

Yes comp time again, I sent the perpetual trophy back to BABBs today for the start of the new season - may the best Bribie Islander win

 

[kevin_smevin]

BYO mag did a bit on how to build your own.

Check out this link if you want to buy the back issue.
http://www.byo.com/photos/category/13

 

[Fourstar]

I dont know if i'd build a brutus in its entirety, espeially the ones with hard plumbing of gas, controllers etc. Quite an expensive venture that will have little value added return in the quality of the beer you will get out (like most over engineered brewstands). My plan for a 3V system is going to be brutus inspired but modified to suit my situation and how i want to approach my brewing (not really interested in automation). The only real inspiration is the layout and single tier setup.

For instance

- HLT heated by Electric element. Single ball valve drain, temp proble hardwired for temp display(eventual setup) (use my current 40L kettle for this)

- A basic insulated Mash tun (keg or pot based for longevity) Im also thinking of an idea to add a HERMS recirc via an immerison chiller that can be placed in the HLT and to be used as a dual purpose heater/chiller coil. So, the mash tun may have a return valve somewhere mid pot or simply a hose dumped ontop of the mash (probabaly the method i will use). A temp probe (not controllable, just temp display) also hardwired into Mash Tun for HERMS solution, otherwise Digi probe will suffice for the time being..

- Kettle, simple Keggle/pot setup w/ beerbelly pickup tube, direct fire heated.

The benifit of the pickup tube is i can utilise it like the JZ Whirlpool immersion chiller. draw from the top of the kettle and return via pump to the wort out valve. while this is recirculating i can also use an aquarium pump to chill the wort with the immserion chiller/heater coil to speed up the process. :icon_cheers:

So really the extent of the setup is:

Build a stand
Two extra vessels (already have a kettle to become HLT)
Few ball vales
Few welded nipples/sockets
Few hosetails
Pickup tube
Pump
A few lengths of Silicone hosing
Immersion coil

 

[kevin_smevin]

Another thing about the brutus setup is that you will need 2 march pumps to run it - one to sparge and one to transfer runnings to kettle which adds quite a bit of cash. It does look nice and it would be great to have all of your vessels at one level so you dont have to climb step ladders etc. If you have a 2-tier stand you can stick you HLT on the top and gravity feed your hot liquor so you dont have to use 2 march pumps.

 

[Fourstar]

Another thing about the brutus setup is that you will need 2 march pumps to run it - one to sparge and one to transfer runnings to kettle which adds quite a bit of cash. It does look nice and it would be great to have all of your vessels at one level so you dont have to climb step ladders etc. If you have a 2-tier stand you can stick you HLT on the top and gravity feed your hot liquor so you dont have to use 2 march pumps.

You can do it quite easily without the two pumps if you batch sparge. Topup from HLT to mash tun, disconnect HLT and connect to mash tun for liquid out and recirc, then connect to kettle and transfer. Sure you are d/c hoses everywhere but its doable and not that much of an issue. (unless you want it to be!)

 

[kevin_smevin]

You can do it quite easily without the two pumps if you batch sparge. Topup from HLT to mash tun, disconnect HLT and connect to mash tun for liquid out and recirc, then connect to kettle and transfer. Sure you are d/c hoses everywhere but its doable and not that much of an issue. (unless you want it to be!)

True. Always forget about batch sparging.

 

[Fourstar]

True. Always forget about batch sparging.

pfft.. who fly sparges these days?!

 

[DoctorBob]

Dunno if anyone has setup a brutus10 as such but many guys on here have 3V mash brewing setups.

Check in here
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...showtopic=42248

Thanks

 

[cdbrown]

There are march pumps with dual pumps on them....

But I'm planning something like fourstar, just will try to have everything valved rather than disconnecting hoses

 

[DoctorBob]

I dont know if i'd build a brutus in its entirety, espeially the ones with hard plumbing of gas, controllers etc. Quite an expensive venture that will have little value added return in the quality of the beer you will get out (like most over engineered brewstands). My plan for a 3V system is going to be brutus inspired but modified to suit my situation and how i want to approach my brewing (not really interested in automation). The only real inspiration is the layout and single tier setup.

For instance

- HLT heated by Electric element. Single ball valve drain, temp proble hardwired for temp display(eventual setup) (use my current 40L kettle for this)

- A basic insulated Mash tun (keg or pot based for longevity) Im also thinking of an idea to add a HERMS recirc via an immerison chiller that can be placed in the HLT and to be used as a dual purpose heater/chiller coil. So, the mash tun may have a return valve somewhere mid pot or simply a hose dumped ontop of the mash (probabaly the method i will use). A temp probe (not controllable, just temp display) also hardwired into Mash Tun for HERMS solution, otherwise Digi probe will suffice for the time being..

- Kettle, simple Keggle/pot setup w/ beerbelly pickup tube, direct fire heated.

The benifit of the pickup tube is i can utilise it like the JZ Whirlpool immersion chiller. draw from the top of the kettle and return via pump to the wort out valve. while this is recirculating i can also use an aquarium pump to chill the wort with the immserion chiller/heater coil to speed up the process. :icon_cheers:

So really the extent of the setup is:

Build a stand
Two extra vessels (already have a kettle to become HLT)
Few ball vales
Few welded nipples/sockets
Few hosetails
Pickup tube
Pump
A few lengths of Silicone hosing
Immersion coil

Hi, and thanks for the ideas,

I like the idea of an immersion chiller sat in the HLT. Clever way to avoid using 2 pumps. Why draw from the top of the boil vessel? What benefit does that give?

Have you looked into hose / fittings yet? Wondering what bore valves & pipe & also how to get cheap quick fit fittings. The local hydraulic place wants $100 for a stainless steel male & female pair. I can get brass air line quick connects for about $15 a pair but they are fairly small bore, about 6mm. I have thought about a brass garden hose fitting. It would have a good bore size, be pretty corrosion resistant. It may need the seal replacing for a temp resistant one but that would be easy. Likewise I would need to find a heat resistant pipe.

I was aiming at 3 x 60L pots to allow 46L batches, ie 2 x 23 fermenters that will both just fit in my brew fridge. Anyone know of a cheap source of ss pots. The local catering supply wants $350 for a 70L. Good quality, but expensive. What's the going rate for a ss keg and what volume do they hold.

I probably wouldn't automate initially, but it might be an add on later.

Gas burners......hmmmmm another world of options. BCF do a 4 ring for $55. Any good? or will a single ring for $20 do the job. There is no rating on them which makes it a little difficult for me to do the calcs.

Lots of questions.......

 

[DoctorBob]

There are march pumps with dual pumps on them....

But I'm planning something like fourstar, just will try to have everything valved rather than disconnecting hoses

The dual head pumps are neat. Thanks for that. I presume that if you only want one running, you just dead head the other, with it being a mag drive it should do no harm.

I liked the hose disconnect idea from a cleaning perspective. Easy to back wash heat exchangers, sterilise h/e occasionally in chemicals, drop hoses in steriliser etc.