I dont understand HERMS - but I want to

[eldertaco]

A sidegrade in terms of quality of beer it could produce, but definitely an upgrade in terms of complexity and amount of shit to clean haha :lol:

 

[CoxR]

If I don't upgrade from my single recirculation vessel, what am I going to do with all these pots.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

BIAB......partials......heaps of things

 

[Camo6]

If I don't upgrade from my single recirculation vessel, what am I going to do with all these pots.

You're wasting your time. It won't add anything but time to your brewday (when you could be watching Matlock reruns) and scars to your hands from errant hole saws.
Send them to me so we can cleanse your soul from the sinful desire of free will and enlightenment. Goddam hipster. Stay offa my lawn.

 

[droid]

If I don't upgrade from my single recirculation vessel, what am I going to do with all these pots.

6v ? bitchin'

 

[CoxR]

BIAB......partials......heaps of things

I have never done anything other than AG, but have done gas heated BIAB and the very first brew (Tony's Bright ale) is still one of the best I have ever managed.
In saying that it was very hard work, the system I have now (similar to QLD Kevs) makes for a very easy brew day. Bugger all work as it does it itself, I have a controller from Lael's group buy and even though it has been wired for months I still have yet to use it and manually drive the temp on the PID temp controller if required.
I would be more than happy to keep using this system as it is so easy to use and makes good beer, however I can only do single batches so the logical step next is to upgrade the batch size I can produce. I was going to build a RIMS then a Brau clone then a HERMS then a RIMS then a HERMS again I don't really know what I want it a system like I have now that is easy.
I have the gear and resources so why not.
The pots I have are 1 really good quality 304 stainless 100L pot with a thick base.
And then a 98L, 78L 56L, 30L and 22L or whatever they are see link for brand
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-LARGE-56L-STAINLESS-STEEL-STOCK-POT-SAUCE-SET-/182064174219?hash=item2a63ded48b:g:ODUAAMXQRPRTHXPc
So my question is what size pots would people who run a External HEX hang onto if I want to knock out 3 cubes per brew? I will be buying a hermit coil next week and already have some heating elements for heating sparg water.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

We will have you back to an esky wrapped in a sleeping bag in no time....

 

[droid]

Keep 100, 98, 78
HLT, KETTLE, MASH

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

So my question is what size pots would people who run a External HEX hang onto if I want to knock out 3 cubes per brew? I will be buying a hermit coil next week and already have some heating elements for heating sparg water.

Surprisingly it doesnt have to be that big. A smaller HEX can allow you to ramp temps up quicker

 

[CoxR]

Surprisingly it doesnt have to be that big. A smaller HEX can allow you to ramp temps up quicker

I think a new kettle with a Herm-it will be fine, I was just wondering if the good quality thicker stainless pot was better for the mash tun or the boil?

 

[Camo6]

In your instance CoxR, using my own limited (layman) advice, I'd keep the biggest pot for the boil (this will always dictate your final boil volume) the second biggest as your mash tun (allows you to produce bigger beers at higher ABV) and the third biggest as your HLT. The reason being, if you run an external heat exchanger then you can heat your strike water independently using the herms and really only need a HLT for sparging and cleanup. My HLT gets set to mashout from the time I turn my system on.

Forget RIMS. Too easy to ruin a brew from a glut of protein or lack of cleaning. HERMS, while less efficient, is far more tolerant due its constraints.

A Hermit coil will work although a longer coil might be more efficient but the main thing to consider seems to be HERMS element size as this is where the real work is done. While I haven't bothered with time trials, I'm using a Hermit coil in a 4l HEX with a 3.6kW element with a 50-60l final boil volume and am getting roughly 1-1.5* celsius ramp speed per minute. Quick enough for me mind you my element is mounted vertically through the core of the coil and overshoot is not quite sorted yet ( almost a degree swing ).

You'll easily smash out 3, if not 4, cubes with what you have planned. If you can, up your element wattage to reduce ramp times. Whatever you decide, be sure to post the results to keep this forum vibrant. It would be a welcoming accompaniment to spice up my All-bran and prunes.

 

[philistine]

So my question is what size pots would people who run a External HEX hang onto if I want to knock out 3 cubes per brew? I will be buying a hermit coil next week and already have some heating elements for heating sparg water.

I have absolutely zero experience here, but after reading the hex modelling thread , i did manage to pick up some useful info (after my eyes stopped bleeding)
I'll need to read it again to get a better understanding of the concept, but my interpretation is - a 10L pot stuffed with as much copper/steel tubing as you can get in there is going to be the ideal HEX for most situations. Any bigger and it becomes inefficient and too easy to overshoot and the smaller you go from there the less it will perform (ie. slower to ramp etc.) but still good enough for most situations.
Pump flow rate also needs to be considered.
I could be wrong, but like I said, my eyes were bleeding

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You sort of want the least amount of water you need to run it. To much water and it will take to long to heat up/ramp up....but.....to little water and it wont hold temp as well

 

[CoxR]

Agree on this mate. The only chance I get to research this sort of thing is when kids and wife are sorted and a few pints consumed. So eyes bleeding or for me brain melting.
I just want to make as much wort as I can per brew day. My wife will tell me in no uncertain terms if it is not too her taste or shit, so if it keeps me fuzzy nd her ha[[y then that's a win



I could be wrong, but like I said, my eyes were bleeding

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

**** science and math

Trial & error wins some of the time B)

 

[MartinOC]

Bleeding eyes? Here's a piccie of my rig that I just went outside to take.



Ignore the disarray - I haven't brewed in a long time due to a serious car accident.

Wait! There's a pot missing! Now who the hell did I loan it to????

When I planned this rig, it was with multiple possibilities in mind.

I can do:

1. Single temp infusion double/triple batches. The HERMS coil maintains the temp.
2. Stepped mashes - Double/triple batches. The HERMS coil does it for me.
3. Decoctions
4. Parti-Gyle's with/without stepping.
5. Infusion or stepped mashes on the main rig AND do a concurrent BIAB.

I want to add a 2nd HLT (top-left, which is why the frame is high on that end & has a platform) & control the HERMS with a PID at some point.

Tinkering.......

EDIT: Maybe I should've just put this in the "Show us your brew-rig" thread...

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Bleeding eyes? Here's a piccie of my rig that I just went outside to take.

Thank god it was a brewers rig

 

[kevinj]

I can't stop thinking about the lawnmower, in stu's pic
was it part of the rig?
if so just what dose it do?
was it there accidentally?
or was it a decoy, part of some conspiracy to throw the boss.

 

[Yob]

This is not helping my obsessive procrastination over which system I'm going to build.
Probly just start with a 3v then downscale to a 1v like everyone else eventually does.

no plans to do so..

HERMS = RAD

I get degrees of automation I really enjoy.. mash in cold on friday night, set timers for 4am kick on for HEX.. by the time I look a it, Im at mash out.. HLT also on timer so all I need do is run off, and flood for batch or if I feel like it, set system to fly and walk away..

I know my system, I know my volumes so I can almost total my on system presence to about 1.5 hour if desired.. and most of that is at the cube end..

1V = beer
2V = beer
3V = beer
4V = beer

Im soon to be heading to a 5V system specifically for ultra high gravity reiterated brews..

just for simplicity.. mostly ist because of the output volumes I desire.. and thats what you need to consider, what you want out of the system.. I desire volume and gravity than other systems cant provide.

If you want single batches, and you have the time.. just get going.. for me vourlaf gave me the shits and I wanted to pump recirc.. as soon as you think that, you need heat.. HERMS was a natural progerssion and Ive never looked back..

other outcomes and desires will result in different needs...

all of the possibilities = beer...

 

[TheWiggman]

Philistine, don't be concerned about making the heat exchanger too small. Cram 3m of coil (or a bit less, or more, no biggie) into as little volume of water as you can. You can tune your PID to your system later.