Fothie's New Rig

[JaseH]

The last few weeks I've been gathering bits and pieces to build an electric 3 vessel AG brewing rig. Its not yet complete but its at stage currently where I could brew on it finally! I decided to do a dry run today to check everything out - was bloody hot in Melbourne, high 30's, but it went pretty well. Here are some pics!

The rig pre dry run:

Mash Tun false bottom:

Looking through the lid of the boil kettle:

Inside HLT with Keg King element:

My Mash Tun false bottom using male camlock fitting - works well, almost drains the mash tun completely.

During the 'dry run' with the Mash Tun wrapped in an old camp mat for insulation.

My high tech Blirkmann Bathometer/Evaporometer device:

Was bloody hot work slaving over an electric brew rig today! My brew partner struggled:

...then had to go cool off:

I cooled off in my own way

Cant wait to grab some grain during the week and give it a real run next weekend! :kooi:

 

[kelbygreen]

looks good frothie

 

[QldKev]

Good looking set, it looks like the original style of 3V systems.

Should make plenty of good brews

 

[JaseH]

I've got a few questions after the 'dry run' for the experienced AG'ers, before I dive into my first actual AG brew with it.

Firstly my temp losses over an hour in the mash tun were considerable. I started at 67.5c and after 1 hour it was down to 63.5? Thats 4c over an hour. Does actually having grain in the mash help hold some heat or is what I'm seeing here likely to be the same for a proper mash?

I insulated the bottom and the sides with the camp mat but there was considerable 'dead space' in the vessel(
21.5L in 50L keg) and just the glass lid on top.

 

[bradsbrew]

Grain will help keep temp stable. That mash tun with a camp mat and a towel shoved on top of the lid should only lose 1-2 degree over an hour tops.

cheers

 

[razz]

Nice set up Frothie, well done!
You're on the money, the grain in the mash will slow down the temp loss. You could try some insulation sitting on top of the lid just to prevent a bit more loss. Most people don't worry to much. Down the track you can look at recirculating the mash liquor to maintain temp. RIMS, HERMS etc.
Good luck

 

[NickB]

Looks great mate! However (and not to be one of 'those people'...) might consider blurring out the branding on your 'keggles'. Don't want this hobby to turn into one that actively encourages use of 'formerly loved' kegs. In fact, the forum rules (unless I'm mistaken) strictly forbid it..... Just sayin'... Don't hate me!

Great work going electric I say (though may be biased as an apprentice Sparky). Just (finally) converted my kettle to electric (95L stainless, 2 x 2200w Keg King Weldless Elements) and extremely happy with the maiden brew on it... Time now to convert the old gas-fired kettle (60L aluminium) to the new Mash Tun. Have also recently (3 brews ago) christened a new HLT (again, 95L stainless, but with 1 Keg King Weldless Element).

Good luck with future brews!


Cheers!

 

[fergi]

frothie are you pumping wort from your mash tun to your kettle, just wondering how you do that with one pump.
fergi

 

[Crusty]

frothie are you pumping wort from your mash tun to your kettle, just wondering how you do that with one pump.
fergi

I've only got one pump on my 3V. Hook up suctiuon to mash tun, pump outlet to ball valve on the kettle.

 

[kelbygreen]

yep one pump here. I use a 2 lt jug for fly sparging just pour it in manually. Only gotto pump from hlt to mt then mt to kettle

 

[JaseH]

You're on the money, the grain in the mash will slow down the temp loss. You could try some insulation sitting on top of the lid just to prevent a bit more loss. Most people don't worry to much. Down the track you can look at recirculating the mash liquor to maintain temp. RIMS, HERMS etc.

Good to know, I thought it was strange as I'd seen similar systems reporting only a 1-2 degree loss over an hour. Yeah RIMS is on the future wish list. Want to get a bit of experience with the basics first!

Looks great mate! However (and not to be one of 'those people'...) might consider blurring out the branding on your 'keggles'. Don't want this hobby to turn into one that actively encourages use of 'formerly loved' kegs. In fact, the forum rules (unless I'm mistaken) strictly forbid it..... Just sayin'... Don't hate me!

Great work going electric I say (though may be biased as an apprentice Sparky). Just (finally) converted my kettle to electric (95L stainless, 2 x 2200w Keg King Weldless Elements) and extremely happy with the maiden brew on it... Time now to convert the old gas-fired kettle (60L aluminium) to the new Mash Tun. Have also recently (3 brews ago) christened a new HLT (again, 95L stainless, but with 1 Keg King Weldless Eleement).

Names have now been suppressed to protect the guilty. h34r:

I have a single 2200w Keg King element in my HLT and a 3600w in the kettle. They work great, the 2200w keg king is such a simple neat install, but just a bit low on wattage for a good boil of 25+ litres. I've also got a control box coming along with switches for the pump and elements, and an STC 1000 for temp control on the HLT. Just waiting on some parts to arrive before I wire it up.

frothie are you pumping wort from your mash tun to your kettle, just wondering how you do that with one pump.
fergi

With lots of hose swapping! I was planning on just batch sparging by swapping hoses around after transferring from MT to kettle then back to HLT to MT, but dump the water through the top of the MT via the hose onto the grain bed. But kelbygreen's method of using the 2liter jug to fly sparge actually sounds a bit simpler and possibly less messy? The outlet of the pump I have rigged for two outlets with valves but I only have one rigged up at the moment, this should help reduce some hose swapping, I may need to rig dual inlets as well.

 

[wakkatoo]

looks good. I'd suggest changing your clamps tho - it may be nothing but having the plastic bits sitting in a hot mash may impart flavours you dont want.

 

[goomboogo]

In addition to the other suggestions, you could try a piece of alfoil on the top of the mash. This may help reduce some of the temperature loss.

 

[fergi]

putting allfoil on top of the mash helps reduce temp loss heaps, this is where the most heat is lost, through the top,

now a question on pumping from mash tun to kettle,i can see this being ok when there is plenty of wort to pump, but what about when the mash tun is getting near empty, doesnt the pump cavitate when there is a lack of wort as the last bit of wort filters through the grain bed.

fergi

 

[leiothrix]

looks good. I'd suggest changing your clamps tho - it may be nothing but having the plastic bits sitting in a hot mash may impart flavours you dont want.

yeh -- and you should probably make sure they are 100% stainless. not nickel plated anything, or brass, or whatever else.

 

[kelbygreen]

putting allfoil on top of the mash helps reduce temp loss heaps, this is where the most heat is lost, through the top,

now a question on pumping from mash tun to kettle,i can see this being ok when there is plenty of wort to pump, but what about when the mash tun is getting near empty, doesnt the pump cavitate when there is a lack of wort as the last bit of wort filters through the grain bed.

fergi

I find it no different to gravity feeding as you dont want to pump the wort out at full speed (well not when fly sparging) so it will pump till the wort reaches the pick up or manifold. You will see air being drawn into the hose and I stop there and let it rest for 10 mins and see if it will drain any more but usually not much more comes out.

I used to use styrofoam on top of my mash but with new esky I get bugger all heat loss being double batch helps to. I do use alfoil ontop of the mash when fly sparging I poke holes in it with a fork and tip the water on there from least height as posible so it wont disturb the grain bed

 

[JaseH]

For those using converted kegs, whats the deal with weldless bi-metal thermometer placement? I want them vertically inline with the taps, which basically means they have to be placed above the ring/bulge in the keg. For those that have them positioned there do you find you any problems with this, are your readings fine?

This will just be for the HLT and MT. I cant see myself wanting to do anything smaller than a 24L batch so am thinking this should be fine? What level does your mash sit at in the MT for a typical 24L brew?

 

[JaseH]

Fitted some thermometers from Keg King. Then decided to put some water in it.

...then some of this:

...and some of these:

...and whatddya know! Beer came out!

Well ok, it wasn't quite that simple! Had some problems hitting mash temp but I think it worked out in the end, the equipment performed well, I just need to get used to it. :drinks:

 

[booargy]

Good ****.
BTW there is some nice rock on your website.

 

[tanukibrewer]

Nice setup Frothie
Checked out your website.I too have a few Japanese knives,mainly from Sakai and Miki.have you been over there?
I lived there for four and half years.Had a nice brewery not far from my wifes hometown.
http://www.akashi-beer.com/index.html#
Sorry Japanese language only,but pictures don't need translation