The Ultimate Brewing Rig

[argon]

To pick up on a few of your points;

6. As compact as possible so as to take up the least amount of space in the brewery (Sherman Mk1 and Mk2 were way too big and cumbersome)

For a compact rig (If you don't want a Braumeister) i'd be looking at a similar setup to a Blichmann Brew Sculpture. I'm assuming you mean compact as in, not taking up much floor space? Otherwise something like franko's setup with 70L vessels would do the job.

7. Full electric rig.

I just a had a chat with my electrician neighbour on the weekend and was asking what it would take to upgrade my system to full electric. My current board is 80amp and has maybe 40amp spare room if i want it. Naturally i asked about 20amp outlets... he said not worth it... why not just put in a 32amp circuit with 3 10amp outlets in for the brewery? That way run 3 x 2200w elements (in my case 1 for the HLT and 2 for the kettle) I'd imagine with herms you could just switch between HLT, Herms and Kettle as required on a 32amp circuit. If i had the coin too, i'd make myself double SS vessels... ie one pot inside a bigger pot and fill/insulate the gap in between.

8. All areas and plumbing easily accessible to fix on the fly or clean when needed.

Go with all silicone tubing with camlocks for ease of breakdown and cleaning.

One thing i think you may have left out when considering the new brewery is, where are you going to brew? I actually find that my brew rig is the thing that takes up the least amount of room in the brewhouse. I have a single tier 3V double batch keggle setup on a slotted angle frame so probably 500 x 700 footprint. It's the fermenting, kegging, grain storage, cubes, fermenters, bottle, bits and pieces, etc, etc that take up the most room around my place.

One of the best things that i have done in my brewhouse is brew in a location where everything is at hand and give everything it's dedicated place. Obviously (as above) somewhere where there's plenty of power at hand, but also somewhere with hot and cold water service. Perhaps a stainless bench, with over and under storage, activity trough and flexible tap. Almost build yourself a nice compact kitchenette setup dedicated as a brewery.

Look forward to see what you come up with... i'm always looking to improve the spatial efficiency of my setup.

 

[.DJ.]

View attachment 46236



Seriously...

If I knew then, what I know now... this is what I'd be purchasing...

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

pretty good ideas here chap chap: linnnnkkkkkkyyyyyy


What kind of volumes are you chasing?? whats on offer power-wise where your living?? :lol:

 

[brettprevans]

Do u guys know chappo? He's building the 3iteration of his rig, he's not going to buy one. Now if ur suggesting he copy it, that's slightly diff. My bets are chappo could build it better.

 

[chappo1970]

Yep agree on all counts there Argon. I guess what I am after is the smallest foot print without compromising function. As you stated there is a whole heap of other brewing equipment that needs space in the brewery as well.

pretty good ideas here chap chap: linnnnkkkkkkyyyyyy


What kind of volumes are you chasing?? whats on offer power-wise where your living?? :lol:

42lt Final vols for doubles and 21lt for singles. I am happy to put a phase or two on if needed but would depend on situation.

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[Supra-Jim]

Better than camlocks are these items:

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/pr...D2%22-BARB.html

and

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/pr...7D2%22-MPT.html

They will handle the heat (provided they are not over an open burner flame) and make for easy one handed operation when it comes to hoses. Camlocks can get hot and require two hands.

The link I posted earlier uses stainless disconnects, which I have been looking to source, however I am now leaning towards the above items due to the heat factor (and me most likely to forget to wear gloves).

As mentioned above a 32A circuit should give you enough juice to boil a double batch no worries.

Copying something like the brew sculpture should give you a nice small foot print and if you run the herms coil back through your HLT you only need three pots.

Cheers SJ

 

[chappo1970]

Do u guys know chappo? He's building the 3iteration of his rig, he's not going to buy one. Now if ur suggesting he copy it, that's slightly diff. My bets are chappo could build it better.

Agree CM2. There has been one constant source of inspiration for me to build the ultimate home brewery and it's this brewery

BEST HOME BREWERY IN THE WORLD AND IT"S UNDER YOUR NOSES!

I reckon Jonno has done one of the best ground up fabrication jobs I have ever seen. I don't need to look oversea's when it's home grown!

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[fraser_john]

Better than camlocks are these items:

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/pr...D2%22-BARB.html

and

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/pr...7D2%22-MPT.html

I have had these for ten years and though good, beware the use of caustics with the o-ring. It will distort them. Also ensure you use either silicone spray lubricant or some other food grade lubricant as the o-ring can "roll" out of its groove on one side, allowing air to be sucked in on the pump inlet side, or wort to leak on the outlet side.

Camlocks are better and I am 20% through the process of swapping them out!

 

[Supra-Jim]

I have had these for ten years and though good, beware the use of caustics with the o-ring. It will distort them. Also ensure you use either silicone spray lubricant or some other food grade lubricant as the o-ring can "roll" out of its groove on one side, allowing air to be sucked in on the pump inlet side, or wort to leak on the outlet side.

Camlocks are better and I am 20% through the process of swapping them out!

Interesting feedback, thanks FJ. I was aware of the need for lub, not about caustics.

Cheers SJ

 

[chappo1970]

Interesting feedback, thanks FJ. I was aware of the need for lub, not about caustics.

Cheers SJ

+1 SJ

I was seriously going to go down this line till FJ's post. I trust his feedback and judgement.

Chap Chap

 

[fraser_john]

+1 SJ

I was seriously going to go down this line till FJ's post. I trust his feedback and judgement.

Chap Chap

Hehehe, more fool you Chaps

There is another problem I forgot to mention, the little lip on them can crack and break off or get real rough if you take your kettle outside and clean it and it scrapes on the ground etc, so I have to be real careful with mine.

The o-rings are easily replaced, I bought a bunch of them for less than $5 and just replace them every year, so not really a big deal, but if you got Giordi stainless, the camlocks are about the same prices as the Rebel Brewer stuff and you don't have the huge postage costs from the USA.

 

[chalky]

Hi Chappo,

Did you end up going down the brewtroller path with Sherman Mk2?

--Chalky

Fellow Brewerhood,

Whilst I know this topic will be a how long is a piece of string, how much money is too much money to spend on a rig and completely subjective to the individual brewer, I love full automation, I hate the idea of automation, I imagine, I am curious as to what you think would be the ultimate brewery? Anywho lets get started....

I am in the throws of planning Sherman Mk3, and whilst I was busily sketching schematics for plumbing, electrical, vessels, rig layout and a like it dawned on me that I am really starting from scratch, a blank canvass as it were. You see when I built my last two rigs they were just a progression from K&K to AG to more advanced AG brewing techniques. I more or less scavenged parts and bits as I went on from previous rigs, junk yards, other brewers and bought what I needed (sometimes what I didn't need either). I also had no real preconceived idea's when I was upgrading. Sure I researched and asked questions but now I am faced with knowledge. No only from what I learned along the way previously but also from what I seen, a lot of your rigs in the flesh, brew days etc. And I can say not one rig is the same as the other. Many brewers employ many different bits and pieces as well as methods and processes to get to basically the same result. Good Beer. But if you had the chance to start from a blank page what would you do?

I guess from my point of view some of the things I have jotted down as a design brief to myself for my ultimate rig are:

1. 3 vessel system capable of single and double batches
2. Easy to clean, pull down and set up
3. Incorporates HERMS (nothing against RIMS fella's it's just a little finicky for me)
4. Automated mashing incorporating the HERMS
5. All Stainless
6. As compact as possible so as to take up the least amount of space in the brewery (Sherman Mk1 and Mk2 were way too big and cumbersome)
7. Full electric rig.
8. All areas and plumbing easily accessible to fix on the fly or clean when needed.
9. Plug and play. In other words plug in the power and water, tip in the grains and way I go.
10. Bomb proof consistency.
11. Anti boil over device ( :lol: that would be the most over used part of the rig)

Anyway those are my thoughts to date but would be interested in hearing yours.

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[chappo1970]

Hi Chappo,

Did you end up going down the brewtroller path with Sherman Mk2?

--Chalky

No chalky but I have been in deep conversations with Kirem and he has me convinced to have a shot. I will however more than likely in the first instance go PID SSR's and then update when the BT is fully functional.

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[bradsbrew]

Short memory Chappo, you seen the ultimate in brewing rigs on sunday. Also if you need a hand with the welding I am your man. As you witnessed not many people could fabricate the same type of welds i have on my rig.
Cheers

 

[raven19]

Chap Chap,

Do you have a location in mind? Does it need to be portable to brew days all over the place

Tiled floor area maybe in a shed?

Love my all electric, so easy. +1 here for sure. Do you have enough power in the brewhaus?

I run doubles easily with a serarate 15A & 10A supplies.

How compact? 1 tier, 2 or 3?

Re cleaning - some days when cleaning my current brewery, I fondly think of my buckets and esky mash tun... life was so simple back then!

 

[chappo1970]

Short memory Chappo, you seen the ultimate in brewing rigs on sunday. Also if you need a hand with the welding I am your man. As you witnessed not many people could fabricate the same type of welds i have on my rig.
Cheers

Sorry Brad I should have acknowledged that not only are you the best welder in the entire world you have the best rig as well! As for the kind offer to help me to weld, as great as that privilege would be, you know I like to stuff things up all on my own.

Ravs

Still pondering over single or double tier. Sherman being 3 tier was a PITA. DEFINITELY put a decent set of castors on it so it can be all terrain.

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[kirem]

who is doing the welding?

View attachment 46238

 

[raven19]

Still pondering over single or double tier. Sherman being 3 tier was a PITA. DEFINITELY put a decent set of castors on it so it can be all terrain.

Go big on the castors mate, my current setup's castors are too bloody small and get stuck on hoses etc when wheeling it around.

Looking forward to the build thread on this bad boy.

 

[schooey]

BEST HOME BREWERY IN THE WORLD AND IT"S UNDER YOUR NOSES!

I reckon Jonno has done one of the best ground up fabrication jobs I have ever seen. I don't need to look oversea's when it's home grown!

Cheers

Chap Chap

Agrred Chappo, but it doesn't exactly tick all the boxes you put up does it?

You need a forklift to move it, stripping it down to clean would be a days work and there's a shitload of moving parts that are herd to fix/replace on the fly...

Sounds to me like you really need to decide between the practicality and other functions on your list or if you're just gonna go nuts and build a full on go go gadget micro...

My bets are on the latter and you'll just go '**** the footprint and cleaning'

 

[mr_tyreman]

Hey chappo, good thread mate, im all over this as im also sizing up for a new brewery, i reckon... next time you brew keep a pen and paper handy and write down everything you do and why its hard or easy and then after your done brewing sit down and go thru every step and come up with ways to improve each process....

hahaha yeah right!!! just get that credit card out and start buying ****, im sure at least 1/4 of it will come in handy

I've got so much **** laying around the house that i will never use, but **** it looks so bling!!!