Howdy,
Apologies if this is in the wrong section, wasn't sure if I should put it in 'DIY' or not
So I was intending to get into brewing a few years ago, made some equipment then moved house and it’s been forgotten ever since.
I’m looking at everything with fresh eyes and to be honest can’t really remember what the plan was when I made the equipment. If you guys could have a quick look and make some recommendations that’d be much appreciated.
I think my intention was to have a one pot BIAB but I never got around to buying/building a mesh basket. Something like this:
What’s the main value prop of BIAB? I always thought it was a lot easier to clean up but looking at it now, it seems like it might be even more cleaning? I guess having it in a bag/basket keeps the grain off the heating element at the bottom?
I think it’s an 80L stainless pot with a lid.
I put in a ferrule for the heating element so it’s easy to get in and out for cleaning - 2000w or 2400w. In the pictures I think I have another (not quick fit) element in there.
I put a float switch into it so the element can’t run dry.
it’s got a thermowell.
It’s got two taps on it, one at the bottom and one maybe 1/5 of the way up the pot. I think I did this for recirculating?
I've got a cooling coil that fits in the pot pretty well (gallery at end of post)
I guess my main questions for the pot are:
I’ve got a bunch of magnetic drive pumps that might be too overpowered?
16/LPM
32/LPM
45/LPM
The heating element is running off an inkbird PID.
I’m going to rehouse and rewire everything because I apparently did a really disgusting job before.
I would like to work out the brew volumes I’ll be working with. Because I figure that’s what dictates the size of my fermenter, the size of the fermenting fridge I’m planning on purchasing and the amount of 20L kegs I should be aiming for in the also soon to come, keg and tap chest freezer.
I was thinking if I can do 60L brews without it being too crowded, I could get a 60L fermenter and have a chest freezer that’ll fit 4 or 5 20L kegs and in an ideal world everything would work.
Is a 60L fermenter a pretty standard size? I think I’d like to spend the money and get a big stainless from the get go and pump straight into it, only taking it out when it’s empty for cleaning. I’ve also heard of pressure fermenting which I don’t know much about.
I would like to know what sizes fridges/freezers to be looking for so I can start that search as soon as possible as it’ll probably take a little while to find the right one.
Am I right in thinking the best approach for a fermenting fridge is to get an ‘all fridge no freezer’ model?
I don’t know much but the term cold crashing has been thrown around and I guess a fridge wouldn’t be great for that? Also something about fridges getting more humid than freezers, which would be a bad thing.
And for the keg/tap unit, a chest freezer would be best so as I can put a bit of wood in there to fit taps on reasonably easily.
If I’m doing 60L brews, a 2000-2400w element might not cut it. Can I use a gas burner and the element together and maybe just turn the gas off once it gets to temperature and let the PID keep it where it needs to be?
More pictures: https://imgchest.com/p/o24agwl924l
Thanks heaps, I appreciate any sage advices you can offer!
PS: Is aussiehomebrewer.com the only big online brewing community in Australia?
Apologies if this is in the wrong section, wasn't sure if I should put it in 'DIY' or not
So I was intending to get into brewing a few years ago, made some equipment then moved house and it’s been forgotten ever since.
I’m looking at everything with fresh eyes and to be honest can’t really remember what the plan was when I made the equipment. If you guys could have a quick look and make some recommendations that’d be much appreciated.
I think my intention was to have a one pot BIAB but I never got around to buying/building a mesh basket. Something like this:
What’s the main value prop of BIAB? I always thought it was a lot easier to clean up but looking at it now, it seems like it might be even more cleaning? I guess having it in a bag/basket keeps the grain off the heating element at the bottom?
I think it’s an 80L stainless pot with a lid.
I put in a ferrule for the heating element so it’s easy to get in and out for cleaning - 2000w or 2400w. In the pictures I think I have another (not quick fit) element in there.
I put a float switch into it so the element can’t run dry.
it’s got a thermowell.
It’s got two taps on it, one at the bottom and one maybe 1/5 of the way up the pot. I think I did this for recirculating?
I've got a cooling coil that fits in the pot pretty well (gallery at end of post)
I guess my main questions for the pot are:
- Can I make this pot work
- Should I even pursue BIAB
- Is this a really weird setup I should just give up on and start again?
I’ve got a bunch of magnetic drive pumps that might be too overpowered?
16/LPM
32/LPM
45/LPM
The heating element is running off an inkbird PID.
I’m going to rehouse and rewire everything because I apparently did a really disgusting job before.
I would like to work out the brew volumes I’ll be working with. Because I figure that’s what dictates the size of my fermenter, the size of the fermenting fridge I’m planning on purchasing and the amount of 20L kegs I should be aiming for in the also soon to come, keg and tap chest freezer.
I was thinking if I can do 60L brews without it being too crowded, I could get a 60L fermenter and have a chest freezer that’ll fit 4 or 5 20L kegs and in an ideal world everything would work.
Is a 60L fermenter a pretty standard size? I think I’d like to spend the money and get a big stainless from the get go and pump straight into it, only taking it out when it’s empty for cleaning. I’ve also heard of pressure fermenting which I don’t know much about.
I would like to know what sizes fridges/freezers to be looking for so I can start that search as soon as possible as it’ll probably take a little while to find the right one.
Am I right in thinking the best approach for a fermenting fridge is to get an ‘all fridge no freezer’ model?
I don’t know much but the term cold crashing has been thrown around and I guess a fridge wouldn’t be great for that? Also something about fridges getting more humid than freezers, which would be a bad thing.
And for the keg/tap unit, a chest freezer would be best so as I can put a bit of wood in there to fit taps on reasonably easily.
If I’m doing 60L brews, a 2000-2400w element might not cut it. Can I use a gas burner and the element together and maybe just turn the gas off once it gets to temperature and let the PID keep it where it needs to be?
More pictures: https://imgchest.com/p/o24agwl924l
Thanks heaps, I appreciate any sage advices you can offer!
PS: Is aussiehomebrewer.com the only big online brewing community in Australia?
