Brewology Brew Rig.

[brewologist]

Looking good mate.

Apparently those alarms are quite loud. Im going to keep mine inside the box once I get it, and cover it with some blue tack to quieten it down a bit.

Yeah, I have been programming/testing the PID in the lounge room at ambient temps setting the alarms and other functions on the PID. I have noticed that it is quite loud, nothing to extreme though, but I brew out side so it shouldn't be to bad. At the moment I'm planning to have the alarm sound only after mash out. That could change as it might be good to have the alarm indicate when each of the mash steps are reached (soaking) so I can manually do a pump rest to settle the grain bed and give it a stir to redistribute the grain.

I've also got to program how long the alarm sounds for. I haven't really looked into this but when setting the alarm it might be better to set it a couple of degrees below target temp so the alarm sounds just before rests/mashout etc.

Where's your sense of adventure?

Haha... I still need to program the ramp/soak PID. I could just program what others have done and go for it I suppose. Knowing my luck, better safe than sorry, I'll do a water test first.

Cheers Guys.

 

[Truman42]

You can set your alarm to run for a set time such as 1 min in the example below

C08 77 T08 -39 Set al2 and jump to step 9.
C09 77 T09 1 Hold alm2 for 1 min
C10 77 T10 -161 Al2 off and jump to step11.
C11 77 T11 0 PAUSE

Or you can do this which is what Ive done.

C08 77 T08 -39 Set alm2 and jump to step 9
C09 77 T09 0 PAUSE and alarm continues indefintely until you press run again
C10 77 T10 -161 Alarm2 switches off and jumps to step 11
C11 77 T11 0 Pause. (Transfer first runnings, transfer sparge water then hit run again)
C12 77 T12 10 10 min batch sparge
C13 77 T13 -44 Set alm2 and jump to step 14
C14 77 T14 0 Pause and alarm continues until you hit run
C15 77 T15 -166 Alarm2 off and jump to step 16
C16 77 T16 -121 STOP

 

[brewologist]

Thanks for the info Truman.

I will definitely put this to good use when I program the PID.

Cheers mate.

 

[brewologist]

Ok Brewers,

I'm almost at the point were I can get this Brew Rig wet.

Still need:
25A Power - Electrician promised me this week is the week
Computer Fan, Silicone tubing, stainless 1/2" helical spray nozzle - On the slow boat from China.

I ordered the last of the plumbing bits from Geordi in Melbourne during the week. Arrived the next day. Thanks Craig. I wasn't going to wait a month and buy from China as I have no beer in kegs or fermenter at the moment. -_-

So today I drilled my last hole, this time in the lid, and completed the plumbing for the recirc system. Time will tell is this works out well.

All stainless rig bar the (yet to be installed) silicone tube.

This is were the wort will return under the lid, minus the spray nozzle attachment at the moment. This extends 200mm into the pot. I'm hoping the spray nozzle will disperse the wort and avoid channeling of the grain bed.

Finally, a pic of the plumbed up pump. The 90 degree elbow only goes on the inlet with a couple of turns. Hopefully thats enough to create a seal. Surprisingly the ball valve screws on all the way.

There you have it for the moment.

If anyone has any suggestions/advice I'd be happy to hear it.
As this is my first eBiab rig I'm hoping it all works out and I can make great/repeatable beer on this rig.

Cheers and Beers Y'all.

Edit: Just made mini Mash status with that post. F#@k Yeah!!!

 

[QldKev]

You can change that 'mini mash' status to 'brew god' under your settings...

edit: Just set mine to 'ultimate brew god' :lol:

 

[brewologist]

Thanks Kev.

Isn't that just for Pro Members?

 

[QldKev]

Not sure?

If you have access to it, It's under
Click your username above next to signout, then My Settings, under the default tab Profile Settings its just above My Birthday

 

[Truman42]

Mate that looks awesome. Love all the stainless bling. Getting seriously hard over all that brew porn. Well done mate.

 

[brewologist]

Cheers Truman,

It has been a challenge tracking down all that SS. I've only found one shop in my town that sells stainless fittings and they don't have a huge range.
Although Man Emporium (eBay) is local and I've got a bit of stuff off Gav.

If the last remaining parts turn up and the electrician can install the power I'll be brewing next Sunday.

An IPA will be the first brew. Something along the lines of a Hop Hog I'm thinking. Thats all I've been able to drink lately. Nothing else I can get around here comes close.

Not sure?

If you have access to it, It's under
Click your username above next to signout, then My Settings, under the default tab Profile Settings its just above My Birthday

I don't have that setting.

I read somewhere on here that is for pro members only. I may have to subscribe to the forum. I don't mind rising through the ranks paying my due's though. That's all part of the fun of this forum.

Cheers,

 

[brewologist]

Hi Brewers,

Well, I have finally finished the project for the moment or at least I'm ready to start brewing on the new brew rig. Last night and today I programed the PID's for the step mash and boil. I'm happy to say that with a water test it is hitting mash temps spot on. All the plumbing is hooked up and works great (Thanks for the extra cams Gav). The little green pump can really push some water through the system. I've run it at boiling and didn't have any issues with it.

I get around 2 degree's a minute when ramping temps with the camco element, so I am also happy with this and it will hopefully save me a bit of time on brew days.

Here is how its looking at the moment.


Ghetto brew stand. Salvaged BBQ Trolley. Upgrading this is the next project.


I switched the RTD and the Weldless Thermo position. Couldn't control the boil temps properly the way I had it set up to start with.


Wort return into the kettle. I may look at changing this but I'll see how the first proper brew goes.


Thanks for all the advice from you lovely folk on this forum. It is great that people are so willing to help out and I hope I can help others with builds like this in the future.

Cheers and happy brewing.

 

[Edak]

Noice!!!!!

Great job brewologist Can't wait to see/read about your first proper brew and that everything went to schedule .

 

[Truman42]

Looking good mate, well done. And a great build thread also. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Parks]

Those photos give me tingles in my special place.











... the brewery.

 

[sponge]

Redtube has just been pushed down the list





h34r:

 

[breakbeer]

Impressed!

Love the ghetto brew stand too, great idea. People throw them out all the time

 

[brewologist]

Cheers fellas,

I have to tune the 2352 PID for the boil. I'll try changing settings to P=1 and t=2 and run in manual mode at around 65% output (give or take) to keep it at a rolling boil. Mash PID works great but haven't nailed the boil yet as it was very inconsistent pulsing on and off.

It'll get broken in Sunday with a hoppy APA.

Bring on the weekend.

 

[brewologist]

Hello,

Bit of a bump for the Brewology Brew Rig.

I just got home from work and sampled my first beer from the new rig.

I'm calling it Strawberry Blonde Ale. 27 IBU's

It was going to be an APA but I missed one of my hop additions due to an epic brew day. Keg hopped for 36hrs (impatient) with 15g each of citra and mosiac. I can taste the berry notes from the mosaic.




Edit: Side photo fixed.

 

[Truman42]

Ok well since you asked I will Pm you my address so you know where to send some samples to. Just because you think its good doesnt mean it is...

Actually my first beer on my new rig was bloody awesome also. (Even though I didnt score well in the wort Hogs pale ale mania comp, it was only bottled a week so still green and I took the chance) But nice from the keg.

 

[brewologist]

Yep this beer is quite green. 10 days grain to brain. 7 day ferment. 36hr CC/keg hop - cold filtered. Force carbed.

It does taste very good though. IMHO

The other half of this batch is in keg number to with 10g citra - 10g mosiac and 15g motueka flowers.
I'll look leave it there for another day or two.

 

[mash head]

Nice work.
I wish I could use controllers on my rig.