jyo
No Chillin' Like a Villain.
Keep it coming, mate. I like a happy ending! :icon_cheers:
Evolution Of A Brewery
- Thread starter gwb
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Thanks for the encouragement. Bit more to go yet.
I've had a few requests for more detail on the motorised mill, so here's a couple more pics.
I can't take any credit for this work. I was lucky enough to score it as a handmedown.
Let me know if this isn't clear enough and I can pull it apart and take a few more pics to show how it's put together. Didn't want to do it yesterday. It was needed. Also I remembered to time the crush. A bit over 15 minutes for 5kg of 50/50 wheat/pils no not as bad as I remembered. ~35 minutes for 10kg.
Enjoy,
gwb
I've had a few requests for more detail on the motorised mill, so here's a couple more pics.
I can't take any credit for this work. I was lucky enough to score it as a handmedown.
Let me know if this isn't clear enough and I can pull it apart and take a few more pics to show how it's put together. Didn't want to do it yesterday. It was needed. Also I remembered to time the crush. A bit over 15 minutes for 5kg of 50/50 wheat/pils no not as bad as I remembered. ~35 minutes for 10kg.
Enjoy,
gwb
Well I finished wiring up the 240v side of the controller. Decided to seperate the high voltage and the low voltage and so placed the relays and power points in another box. They're connected by a standard cat5 cable into a couple of rj45 ports. All worked as it should first time it was plugged in, so I was a happy chappy 
Heat exchanger is now fully operational.
I used the system in this configuration a couple of times before rearranging the plumbing with some brass connectors and hose clamps. I did a simple single temp mash + mash out. All went well although the mash temp inside the pot managed to get 1 - 2 degrees above the exit on the heat exchanger. Checked the sensors and they seemed ok. Read the same all the way up to boiling. So don't know. Will have to scratch my head some more... or read some more ahb threads.
I also did a full weizen stepped mash as per zwickle's recipe. All good. Both beers now in fermentors awaiting a taste test, so stay tuned.
:icon_cheers:
I used the system in this configuration a couple of times before rearranging the plumbing with some brass connectors and hose clamps. I did a simple single temp mash + mash out. All went well although the mash temp inside the pot managed to get 1 - 2 degrees above the exit on the heat exchanger. Checked the sensors and they seemed ok. Read the same all the way up to boiling. So don't know. Will have to scratch my head some more... or read some more ahb threads.
I also did a full weizen stepped mash as per zwickle's recipe. All good. Both beers now in fermentors awaiting a taste test, so stay tuned.
:icon_cheers:
thelastspud
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I'm enjoying this thread too mate keep it up
Not too many changes to report this post. Modified the plumbing as mentioned previously. A couple more brass disconnects added. Would like to go stainless, but was too impatient to wait for the cheap ones and too tight to pay local prices. Works nicely as is. I placed the return in the lid of the pot as per Brutus design (so thanks to Loni for this idea if he should ever read this). Used a piece of copper bent 90 degrees with some silicon tube to add the wort gently back into the pot. Seems to work well... and it's simple and flexible too. Sorry I don't have any pictures of this at them moment, but if anyone is interested I'll make it so.
There was a taste test of the first two beers brewed with this is unit today. Pretty good from the fermentor. Now kegged and chilling / gassing.
Another two brewed and in the fermentors to replace them in the fermenting fridge. Another Hefeweizen and a Dunkelweizen of sorts. Should be interesting.
With all this "testing" of brewery mods, I now have a bit of a backlog of beer. I'll have to lift the pace a little. All this warm weather helps, but I may need assistance from some friends soon. :icon_chickcheers:
There was a taste test of the first two beers brewed with this is unit today. Pretty good from the fermentor. Now kegged and chilling / gassing.
Another two brewed and in the fermentors to replace them in the fermenting fridge. Another Hefeweizen and a Dunkelweizen of sorts. Should be interesting.
With all this "testing" of brewery mods, I now have a bit of a backlog of beer. I'll have to lift the pace a little. All this warm weather helps, but I may need assistance from some friends soon. :icon_chickcheers:
Afraid I haven't been doing much brewing or constructing the last few weeks. Kinda lost some interest in brewing the product due to the heat. Switched to consuming. I can report that the Monstermill I've had since new year now sits on a base and has a hopper of sorts (same plastic water bottle) in place. Performed a test brew Saturday. Went pretty well. Only problem I encountered was sg of 1060 into the fermenter. Oh well never mind.
Also managed to keg the last two brews. They've been in the fermenter now for 2 weeks. I normally keg my weizens after 1 week. The hefe was very tasty. The dunkle was ok but I should really find myself a proper recipe.
I'll get a few snaps together and post some info on my new monster mill.
Cheers and beers
Also managed to keg the last two brews. They've been in the fermenter now for 2 weeks. I normally keg my weizens after 1 week. The hefe was very tasty. The dunkle was ok but I should really find myself a proper recipe.
I'll get a few snaps together and post some info on my new monster mill.
Cheers and beers
Cocko
Oh Dear..
I read that like you wrote it as a disheartened man, who has just run up eight sets of steps and you smoke a pack a day!
Is that the tone you were portraying or am I miss reading this?
Either way - come on man! Up and at 'em! - a lot of brewers here will kill for the kit you have at disposal, get busy already!!
:icon_chickcheers:
Hi Cocko... disheartened? Noooo not at all. Tired? Yes, a little. After all, it is late on a Monday of a long weekend 
Quite happy to consume product instead of brewing ( I don't mix the two normally), it's almost as much fun as building stuff Even happier now I've fired the brewery up over the weekend.
Re-reading my earlier post I can see how it could be seen as downbeat. Lacking in a little zip and not a smiley to be seen anywhere. Maybe because I was attempting a quick update (while sobre) in between family duties. I shall return and I will do better.
Glad you like the kit. I think with sites like ahb available and the people that post on them, something like this is within the reach of most of us. That's really why I started this thread. Somebody may be inspired as I was. Others may just enjoy the read. My modest effort didn't cost a whole lot actually, not untill I went for the pump and the new mill. Did cost a bit of time researching / reading though.
btw my poor 600w 2 speed bosch drill didn't seem to like the new mill much, so I'll be out to get an Ozito 1050w 134Nm 550rpm(max) beast :super: (those specs are from memory so could be a little out)
Quite happy to consume product instead of brewing ( I don't mix the two normally), it's almost as much fun as building stuff Even happier now I've fired the brewery up over the weekend.Re-reading my earlier post I can see how it could be seen as downbeat. Lacking in a little zip and not a smiley to be seen anywhere. Maybe because I was attempting a quick update (while sobre) in between family duties. I shall return and I will do better.
Glad you like the kit. I think with sites like ahb available and the people that post on them, something like this is within the reach of most of us. That's really why I started this thread. Somebody may be inspired as I was. Others may just enjoy the read. My modest effort didn't cost a whole lot actually, not untill I went for the pump and the new mill. Did cost a bit of time researching / reading though.
btw my poor 600w 2 speed bosch drill didn't seem to like the new mill much, so I'll be out to get an Ozito 1050w 134Nm 550rpm(max) beast :super: (those specs are from memory so could be a little out)
As promised an update on the Monstermill...
An Ozito spade handle drill has now been added to the arsenal courtesy of one of those big green sheds. Didn't break the bank at $89 and has grunt to spare. Bit hard to control and judge the speed of the mill but it went though 5kg of grain with a gap of 0.88mm in just a couple of minutes with the "gate" wide open.
Support for the plastic bottle hopper was fashioned from some ply I had lying around and was rather quick and dirty but works really well so it will probably stay that way for some time now
The drill is low speed high torque with max speed of 550rpm and 119nm of torque.
The crush looks pretty good to me but then I'm no expert. I'll bang it through the system tomorrow and see what comes out the other side. Lovely, lovely beer I'm hoping.
Also upgraded the firmware on the Brewtroller and started to match it up to my 1 vessel HERMS system. Not that easy since the Brewtroller is capable of so much more than I am at the moment. The stepped mash for the weizen is programmed in now though so I'll take that out for a spin the next chance I get.
Note to self... must get more 'spare' cash together and start buying stainless steel actuated valves... and that Braubushka thing looks interesting too
An Ozito spade handle drill has now been added to the arsenal courtesy of one of those big green sheds. Didn't break the bank at $89 and has grunt to spare. Bit hard to control and judge the speed of the mill but it went though 5kg of grain with a gap of 0.88mm in just a couple of minutes with the "gate" wide open.
Support for the plastic bottle hopper was fashioned from some ply I had lying around and was rather quick and dirty but works really well so it will probably stay that way for some time now
The drill is low speed high torque with max speed of 550rpm and 119nm of torque.
The crush looks pretty good to me but then I'm no expert. I'll bang it through the system tomorrow and see what comes out the other side. Lovely, lovely beer I'm hoping.
Also upgraded the firmware on the Brewtroller and started to match it up to my 1 vessel HERMS system. Not that easy since the Brewtroller is capable of so much more than I am at the moment. The stepped mash for the weizen is programmed in now though so I'll take that out for a spin the next chance I get.
Note to self... must get more 'spare' cash together and start buying stainless steel actuated valves... and that Braubushka thing looks interesting too
Well, it's been quite a while since I updated this thread, but the good news is the evolution continues. The bad news is that another LARGE project has been monopolising my time and I haven't had much spare time for the brewery or brewing. Also, more bad news, I've been guilty of impulse buying.
Yes, the impulse buy was a 20L Braumeister and so the brewery isn't as interesting as the original, but I still have plans for that once that 'other project' is complete. The other upgrade you can see there is the 12v motor from motiondynamics. Both I find are excellent and highly recommended. I used the motor on the mill for the first tome today in fact. The mash is on the go as I type.
Yes, the impulse buy was a 20L Braumeister and so the brewery isn't as interesting as the original, but I still have plans for that once that 'other project' is complete. The other upgrade you can see there is the 12v motor from motiondynamics. Both I find are excellent and highly recommended. I used the motor on the mill for the first tome today in fact. The mash is on the go as I type.
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