the_gntlmn
New Member
- Joined
- 1/11/15
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Hello, first timer here! This will be long; grab a beer and strap yourself in:
I spend a goodly amount of money drinking cheap(ish) beer accepting that cans are cheaper than bottles per vessel and just living with it. I used to drink Cooper’s all of the time as a younger man when it was $35 a carton (and it would last a fortnight!); however, I rarely fork out for it anymore. God forbid a stout or anything different like a Vienna lager et al! I wish to change this and to also enable me to broaden my education in style and type while eventually saving money in the longer term.
With that in mind, and the following goal and design limitations, I am currently working on designing a brewery concept having attempted with a Cooper’s kit a couple of years ago with horrendous result. Having read How to Brew, The Complete Joy of Home Brewing, and Brewing Classic Styles in the last week and a half after watching a fair bit of YouTube and reading a significant volume of AHB’s threads, I have arrived at the following conclusion: controlling the fermentation process is the most important aspect of production aside from the standard considerations of sanitisation/quality ingredients et cetera.
Goal
AG capable system with the ability to simultaneously ferment and condition ales and lagers with a view to self-reliance. I want to be able to brew great beers for the future while drinking good beer in the present, if that makes sense.
Design limitations and generic assumptions
- Portable—Must be conducive to a rental lifestyle
- Multi-purpose—I have been advised to pursue AG straight up; however, the ability to smash together a quick and easy extract batch remains appealing
- Sustain 1x keg/batch per fortnight output minimum
- Fit in a standard ‘two’ car garage with a permanent vehicular resident and other tooling/equipment
- All refrigeration units will need to be purchased second hand
- I will go through ales at twice the rate of lagers due to the conditioning periods—generally—associated with each type
- Function comes before form
- Various ales will be fermented and conditioned at the same temperature (a trade-off for the quest of self-reliance…)
Brew system
One vessel BIAB, incorporating the Big W pot a la QLDKev
- 50L SS pot with appropriate accoutrement and a sight glass
- QD fittings
Solitary pump (1-1.4A draw)
Gas powered
Fermentation and conditioning system
NB: Current intent is to no chill/cube ferment
- 2x upright freezers with a 4x20L jerry capacity minimum (1 for lagering, 1 for fermenting/conditioning ales)
- 1x bar fridge/freezer for primary fermentation of lagers
- 1x STC-1000/heating mat per unit
Distribution
Higher gravity beverages to be bottled post-conditioning for subsequent bottle ageing. 1x ale and 1x lager on tap at all times (with excess bottled for science/history), with 4x keg capacity in a keezer.
Discussion
I move pretty regularly with work, which means I cannot guarantee what kind of circuit I’m going to get in what kind of space which, for my mind, rules me out of going with a RIMS or even a modified HERMS 2V set up to simply extend the 1V concept, but still be able to heat and pump sparge water then replace with ice/cold water to facilitate a rapid chill. As I currently live in sub-tropical environment or could move to tropical or temperate climates, the ability to control fermentation and conditioning is most important to me. I was unable to do this two years ago which, probably along with sanitation, was my greatest downfall. A barely insulated single car garage, doors east and west facing, in summer did not set me up for a good start (I was not allowed inside).
I see the production of ales and lager as asynchronous and things which need to be managed separately, hence the requirement for separate conditioning vessels and an additional vessel for lager fermentation. I also see the production of lagers as an expansion to the production of ale due to the extra equipment required, though something I definitely wish to pursue.
With the keezer/kegging, it will remain basic and be the last component of the system to be considered aesthetically. No collar, no SS hardware; just an STC-1000 with party nozzles. More kegs would be purchased before more taps in order to condition in the final vessel and reduce the risks of racking, but I don’t see a way around it at the moment.
I acknowledge that this is probably way too into it for someone who hasn’t attempted a brew for two years, but I would like to plan properly so that I can basically buy once and cry once. Please tear my reasoning apart; this is my sanity check before I started buying equipment! Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
I spend a goodly amount of money drinking cheap(ish) beer accepting that cans are cheaper than bottles per vessel and just living with it. I used to drink Cooper’s all of the time as a younger man when it was $35 a carton (and it would last a fortnight!); however, I rarely fork out for it anymore. God forbid a stout or anything different like a Vienna lager et al! I wish to change this and to also enable me to broaden my education in style and type while eventually saving money in the longer term.
With that in mind, and the following goal and design limitations, I am currently working on designing a brewery concept having attempted with a Cooper’s kit a couple of years ago with horrendous result. Having read How to Brew, The Complete Joy of Home Brewing, and Brewing Classic Styles in the last week and a half after watching a fair bit of YouTube and reading a significant volume of AHB’s threads, I have arrived at the following conclusion: controlling the fermentation process is the most important aspect of production aside from the standard considerations of sanitisation/quality ingredients et cetera.
Goal
AG capable system with the ability to simultaneously ferment and condition ales and lagers with a view to self-reliance. I want to be able to brew great beers for the future while drinking good beer in the present, if that makes sense.
Design limitations and generic assumptions
- Portable—Must be conducive to a rental lifestyle
- Multi-purpose—I have been advised to pursue AG straight up; however, the ability to smash together a quick and easy extract batch remains appealing
- Sustain 1x keg/batch per fortnight output minimum
- Fit in a standard ‘two’ car garage with a permanent vehicular resident and other tooling/equipment
- All refrigeration units will need to be purchased second hand
- I will go through ales at twice the rate of lagers due to the conditioning periods—generally—associated with each type
- Function comes before form
- Various ales will be fermented and conditioned at the same temperature (a trade-off for the quest of self-reliance…)
Brew system
One vessel BIAB, incorporating the Big W pot a la QLDKev
- 50L SS pot with appropriate accoutrement and a sight glass
- QD fittings
Solitary pump (1-1.4A draw)
Gas powered
Fermentation and conditioning system
NB: Current intent is to no chill/cube ferment
- 2x upright freezers with a 4x20L jerry capacity minimum (1 for lagering, 1 for fermenting/conditioning ales)
- 1x bar fridge/freezer for primary fermentation of lagers
- 1x STC-1000/heating mat per unit
Distribution
Higher gravity beverages to be bottled post-conditioning for subsequent bottle ageing. 1x ale and 1x lager on tap at all times (with excess bottled for science/history), with 4x keg capacity in a keezer.
Discussion
I move pretty regularly with work, which means I cannot guarantee what kind of circuit I’m going to get in what kind of space which, for my mind, rules me out of going with a RIMS or even a modified HERMS 2V set up to simply extend the 1V concept, but still be able to heat and pump sparge water then replace with ice/cold water to facilitate a rapid chill. As I currently live in sub-tropical environment or could move to tropical or temperate climates, the ability to control fermentation and conditioning is most important to me. I was unable to do this two years ago which, probably along with sanitation, was my greatest downfall. A barely insulated single car garage, doors east and west facing, in summer did not set me up for a good start (I was not allowed inside).
I see the production of ales and lager as asynchronous and things which need to be managed separately, hence the requirement for separate conditioning vessels and an additional vessel for lager fermentation. I also see the production of lagers as an expansion to the production of ale due to the extra equipment required, though something I definitely wish to pursue.
With the keezer/kegging, it will remain basic and be the last component of the system to be considered aesthetically. No collar, no SS hardware; just an STC-1000 with party nozzles. More kegs would be purchased before more taps in order to condition in the final vessel and reduce the risks of racking, but I don’t see a way around it at the moment.
I acknowledge that this is probably way too into it for someone who hasn’t attempted a brew for two years, but I would like to plan properly so that I can basically buy once and cry once. Please tear my reasoning apart; this is my sanity check before I started buying equipment! Your assistance is greatly appreciated.