Show us your brewrig

[NickB]

woohoo, where abouts mate?

Assuming the bank does what it's supposed to, Collingwood Park

 

[browndog]

How come you don't just energise your HX element based on the outlet wort temp from the HX? You seem to have overcomplicated the whole temp-controlled recirculated mashing thing. Thirsty Boy sent me a very enlightening PM after I chucked up a post saying I wanted to control a HX via mash temp and not wort temp.

Also on the topic of kettle draining, I'm looking into getting one of THESE

As you can see by the photos you can get a 100% kettle drain with negligible hop and break matter through a chiller and into a fermenter even with 650g of hops in one batch! I'll be ordering a custom one based on the outlet height of my ball valve on the kettle.

Thanks for the link, that does seem to the ducks nuts but I think the trade off would be a fairly slow run off, there's always a trade off. Regarding the HX, now I have a probe inside the HX that keeps the HX and the exiting wort at the temperature I want. I reckon I have created an ideal system and I am more than happy if people can shoot holes in it because I've tried and can't. For starters, if you are only measuring the outlet wort temp then you really have no idea what is happening inside your mash, you can't tell because you don't have a probe in there measuring the temperature right. All your nicely heated wort (which I assume you would have your HX set to your mash temp) so you are assuming all the wort exiting the HX at say 66C is making your mash a homogenous 66C. By having a probe in the center of the mash I know exactly the temperature in the center of the mash, no guessing, and with the added benefit of knowing the temperature of the HX, there is no worry that the wort could be heated to enzyme denaturing temperatures. All in all, it is just an extra level of control and rather than overcomplicate things, just makes it easier to control the process.

 

[browndog]

All these years and I still read every one of your posts Tony! There's always something to learn! Have made many alterations to Inspectors Pocket Brewery over the years also. The proof is definitely in the pudding eh!!!!!

Regards,

Screwy

Indeed Michael and we are well overdue for a beer or two mate.

 

[pike1973]

Assuming the bank does what it's supposed to, Collingwood Park

It would be great to get another brewer in our great little club, I'm sure you would be welcome.
Adz.

 

[NickB]

Yeah, I'd feel like a traitor to BABBs though.....

Maybe I can be in both. And GOLDClub....and PUBs... And....

 

[sponge]

Looking good Tony! Keen to try a beer from your system in the new year! Might even have to join the IBUs as I'm moving out that way soon.....

Assuming the bank does what it's supposed to, Collingwood Park

There's another IBU's...?

Who wudda thunk it?!

 

[NickB]

Ipswich Brewer's Union I believe....

 

[Adam Howard]

Thanks for the link, that does seem to the ducks nuts but I think the trade off would be a fairly slow run off, there's always a trade off. Regarding the HX, now I have a probe inside the HX that keeps the HX and the exiting wort at the temperature I want. I reckon I have created an ideal system and I am more than happy if people can shoot holes in it because I've tried and can't. For starters, if you are only measuring the outlet wort temp then you really have no idea what is happening inside your mash, you can't tell because you don't have a probe in there measuring the temperature right. All your nicely heated wort (which I assume you would have your HX set to your mash temp) so you are assuming all the wort exiting the HX at say 66C is making your mash a homogenous 66C. By having a probe in the center of the mash I know exactly the temperature in the center of the mash, no guessing, and with the added benefit of knowing the temperature of the HX, there is no worry that the wort could be heated to enzyme denaturing temperatures. All in all, it is just an extra level of control and rather than overcomplicate things, just makes it easier to control the process.

Well the way I had it explained to me is that measuring the 'mash' in a recirculated system is only measuring the temperature of the grain bed. Once the enzymes are solubilised they are in the wort and not the grain/mashbed. Due to the recirculation the temperature of the mash will always lag behind the temperature of the wort coming out of the HX and because the enzymes are in the liquid that is recirculating you want the outlet temp of the wort to be the governing controller of temp because heating that to the required step temp will be ensuring the enzymes are operating at the temp you want. For instance, basing the energising of an HX on mash temp will overheat the wort coming out of the HX much higher than your desired step.

I have a Mashmaster thermometer in my tun but control my HERMS vessel via wort out temp. I find that when it ramps to the next step the temperature of the grainbed lags a few minutes behind the temperature of the wort, this isn't a big deal because I've made sure that the hottest the wort is going to be is my desired mash temp.

Not saying what you're doing is the wrong way at all, it just seems overly complex.

 

[mxd]

Fridgemate will end up running the HLT.

hey Adam,

becareful with the fridgemate running the hlt, I released smoke from mine as they "may" not be made to switch 10 amps, you may need to put a SSR between the fridgemate and the hlt power point.

 

[QldKev]

Well the way I had it explained to me is that measuring the 'mash' in a recirculated system is only measuring the temperature of the grain bed. Once the enzymes are solubilised they are in the wort and not the grain/mashbed. Due to the recirculation the temperature of the mash will always lag behind the temperature of the wort coming out of the HX and because the enzymes are in the liquid that is recirculating you want the outlet temp of the wort to be the governing controller of temp because heating that to the required step temp will be ensuring the enzymes are operating at the temp you want. For instance, basing the energising of an HX on mash temp will overheat the wort coming out of the HX much higher than your desired step.

I have a Mashmaster thermometer in my tun but control my HERMS vessel via wort out temp. I find that when it ramps to the next step the temperature of the grainbed lags a few minutes behind the temperature of the wort, this isn't a big deal because I've made sure that the hottest the wort is going to be is my desired mash temp.

Not saying what you're doing is the wrong way at all, it just seems overly complex.

This is my understanding of the process too. I control the heat exchanger by the temperature of the exit of the HERMS. I also have a probe in under the false bottom at the end of the pickup. When performing bigger steps (say 66 to 77) I've seen a lag of up to 5c. So in my case if I was using the probe under the false bottom to control the output temp I could potentially see 77+5=82c wort temps pouring into the mash. When it hits the mash bed I assume it would drop back to a more reasonable temp, but some grain is constantly being pushed to 82c and that's astringency country. I assume the mash bed half way up would be warmer than the bottom during ramping, but I still think there would be the same effect.

QldKev

 

[winkle]

Yeah, I'd feel like a traitor to BABBs though.....

Maybe I can be in both. And GOLDClub....and PUBs... And....

:icon_offtopic:

OMG you are turning into BribieG!
(just more proof that nature abhores a vacume)

 

[NickB]

Not quite, I'm not moving further south that's for sure!

 

[Adam Howard]

hey Adam,

becareful with the fridgemate running the hlt, I released smoke from mine as they "may" not be made to switch 10 amps, you may need to put a SSR between the fridgemate and the hlt power point.

Cheers bloke. Haven't bothered to hook that circuit up yet. Seems unnecessary now with the HERMS. I use the thermostat of my urn to get pretty close to my exact strike temp and then let the HX do the rest once I start recirc'ing.

 

[squirt in the turns]

Cheers bloke. Haven't bothered to hook that circuit up yet. Seems unnecessary now with the HERMS. I use the thermostat of my urn to get pretty close to my exact strike temp and then let the HX do the rest once I start recirc'ing.

If that works for your system then all good - no need to fix it if it ain't broke. That said, it's just more satisfying to control all your temperatures from one panel, don't you think?

The relay in the MashMaster Fridgemate is rated to 10A: http://mashmaster.com.au/UserFiles/2321-Fi...eMKIIColour.pdf

I'm pretty sure at some point I've used one to control a 2.4 KW element without issue. Like many others, I use an STC-1000 for my HLT, which like the Fridgemate is going to have a tiny 10A relay in it for the heating circuit, but never complains (smokes). Could be mxd got a bad sample?

I wouldn't bother with an SSR for the HLT, it's just not going to switch that fast. Also, AFAIK (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) you can't get an SSR that can take a 240v AC signal, only DC. You'd have to crack the Fridgemate open and solder additional connections from its DC relay output to the SSR. If you really want to use a beefier relay it'd be far simpler to get a relay with a 240v coil like this one.

 

[Yob]

Really feckin glad I came back to do some finishing touches the other day on the new brew rig, I came back and siliconed all the joins around the STC controller section...


today I looked the other way fro a few seconds too long when re-filling the HLT and yep.. waterfall.. managed to save the phone which was just sitting there and thankfully the rivulet coming off the brewstand all missed the keggle (currently boiling my Imperial IPA)

a lucky escape... but a good test of the waterproofing dry as a nuns poonani where it matters B)

 

[braumiesterblake]

Whhhooeee some fancy stuff on here! Here is mine. My brewbuddy welds and I get to betatest stuff, but I liked this design enough to keep it. In the dead of winter the top burner is a little meek, but otherwise, this runs like a champ. 80% Efficiency is typical.

I just changed my plan to allow my plate chiller to be in my basement where i have access to water and a drain all winter long. This also saves my back.

My other new toy is that NOR-CAL false bottom. It was pricey, it is overbuilt.

Next up is a pump for recirculating and speeding the cooling.

 

[davo_03]

Thought it about time I try n start posting more. Here's a quick snap of my 3 tier gravity system running. Should be getting a lil brown pump adden to it when I get back home, just to aid the vorlof (hmm no idea how to spell that one) n maby even chilling after boil.

 

[lukiferj]

Here is a brew stand I whipped up on the weekend for my BIAB in an urn setup. I have holidays next week so will be taking it for it's maiden run. It will be my first AG. Still have a few things I would like to do with it but will give it a run and see how we go. My 19 litre Big W extract special looks so small next to a crown urn.

 

[BPH87]

Here is a brew stand I whipped up on the weekend for my BIAB in an urn setup. I have holidays next week so will be taking it for it's maiden run. It will be my first AG. Still have a few things I would like to do with it but will give it a run and see how we go. My 19 litre Big W extract special looks so small next to a crown urn.

Nice job mate! Mine just sits on a milk crate.

Is that laminex or ply? If you have not done so already you might need to seal it otherwise the steam will bugger it.

 

[lukiferj]

Nice job mate! Mine just sits on a milk crate.

Is that laminex or ply? If you have not done so already you might need to seal it otherwise the steam will bugger it.

I did think about that. It's laminex. If I get a chance I will seal it this week, otherwise as long as it does the job next week I will get to it in the next couple of weeks. Cheers for the feedback.

 

[Camo1234]

OK... It's time to post up my 4v Herms Rig that I am in the middle of building!

I have all the gear and having its first brew tomorrow in a bodgy set up to see how I want to set it up permanently.

The rig consists of the following gear:

HLT: 100 ltr pot from CB with 2 x 2000W Elements

Mash Tun: 100 ltr Mash Tun from Beer Belly

Herms: 5 ltr Birko Urn with Herm-IT coil from Nev and Herm-IT Controller

Boiler: 100 ltr pot from CB with Itailian Spiral Burner and high pressure reg.


I scored a stainless bench from work so that will be the bench that it will all eventually be mounted on.

At the moment I will just use the boiler on the ground as I havent mounted it to the bench and don't have the pump mounted yet either.

Plenty to fine tune here and mount permanently but plenty of fun ahead.... Here comes bigger batches! (massive step up from my BIAB in an Urn days!)

 

[MastersBrewery]

OK... It's time to post up my 4v Herms Rig that I am in the middle of building!

I have all the gear and having its first brew tomorrow in a bodgy set up to see how I want to set it up permanently.

The rig consists of the following gear:

HLT: 100 ltr pot from CB with 2 x 2000W Elements

Mash Tun: 100 ltr Mash Tun from Beer Belly

Herms: 5 ltr Birko Urn with Herm-IT coil from Nev and Herm-IT Controller

Boiler: 100 ltr pot from CB with Itailian Spiral Burner and high pressure reg.


I scored a stainless bench from work so that will be the bench that it will all eventually be mounted on.

At the moment I will just use the boiler on the ground as I havent mounted it to the bench and don't have the pump mounted yet either.

Plenty to fine tune here and mount permanently but plenty of fun ahead.... Here comes bigger batches! (massive step up from my BIAB in an Urn days!)

Gear.jpg

Herms.jpg

lookin smick there, more pics when yer done!

 

[Crusty]

OK... It's time to post up my 4v Herms Rig that I am in the middle of building!

I have all the gear and having its first brew tomorrow in a bodgy set up to see how I want to set it up permanently.

The rig consists of the following gear:

HLT: 100 ltr pot from CB with 2 x 2000W Elements

Mash Tun: 100 ltr Mash Tun from Beer Belly

Herms: 5 ltr Birko Urn with Herm-IT coil from Nev and Herm-IT Controller

Boiler: 100 ltr pot from CB with Itailian Spiral Burner and high pressure reg.


I scored a stainless bench from work so that will be the bench that it will all eventually be mounted on.

At the moment I will just use the boiler on the ground as I havent mounted it to the bench and don't have the pump mounted yet either.

Plenty to fine tune here and mount permanently but plenty of fun ahead.... Here comes bigger batches! (massive step up from my BIAB in an Urn days!)

Gear.jpg

Herms.jpg

Wow Camo....... :icon_drool2:
Great looking set up mate.
Will be following this thread.
The Herm - It controller is supposed to be pretty good.
Post plenty of pics of all the gear, especially some close up shots of it all in action.
I can feel myself getting pulled back into re circulation.......... h34r: No must resist, yes do it, no, get out of my head...............AARRGGHH!!................Help.

 

[Camo1234]

This is the 5th rebuild of my brewery, and I have told myself it will b the last. For at least a week or two.
The upgrade is the control box and less recently, a new mash tun which turned this:

To this:

The PIDs are ridiculously accurate, fairly happy with my testing results so far. Can't wait to brew on it.

Hey Mate.... Where did you get the casters from? I am looking around for some for my brew stand and they seem to be bloody expensive! I need 6 casters but not sure what load capacity I need to go for... I have a 100ltr 4v system so should could have weights around 200kg in theory but not sure if I really need casters that heavy duty?

 

[Crusty]

This guys calling it Rims, directly heating the wort I guess.
Anyone see any problems running a Rims this way. It seems a pretty easy way to set one up.
Just have your temp probe measuring the outlet from the kettle.

 

[Yob]

potential for oxidization? There is a fair surface area on that... isnt that why they general have an enclosed tube type thing AKA Punkin's RIMS tube and a HERMS system also has an enclosed coil..

FK Knows man, just thinking out loud here, happy to be corrected if'n my thinking comes out my ass

 

[pk.sax]

There must be a really good element in that kettle!
I remember my dumb housemate that put milk straight into the kettle.... That was a kettle wasted and the housemate shortly got rid of.

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

Hey Mate.... Where did you get the casters from? I am looking around for some for my brew stand and they seem to be bloody expensive! I need 6 casters but not sure what load capacity I need to go for... I have a 100ltr 4v system so should could have weights around 200kg in theory but not sure if I really need casters that heavy duty?

Got the stand made up by a professional, couldnt tell you bro, however there are shops that only stock castors, I think there is one in geebung.

 

[bonj]

I bought my castors from supacheap. Just figure out the maximum weight you'll be putting on the stand (including the stand, and don't forget the MLT/HLT/kettle contents), and divide by the number of castors you want and round up to the nearest load rating.

 

[cat007]

Does anyone have any genius and simple ideas to raise/lower a corner of their brew rig? My garage isn't flat and has ridges all over the show - so when I move it around the garage, or in summer when I brew outside, I'd like to be able to make sure that all 4 corner castors are adjusted so the rig is flat and level....

For my workbench I just used some M20 bolts and welded nuts to the legs so the head of the bolt is the foot - and I screw it up/down to make the bench level.

Not sure if this is the best way, or if it'll even work with castors though....??

Thoughts?