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Subject: Version 2.0 AG Brew System Author: TimO |
Jul 1st, 2009 11:53 pm |
Thought I'd share this with you (some of you have seen this). I broke it in last weekend.
As I mentioned a few months back, I've been rebuilding the AG set up over the last few months to go from single HLT, kettle and mash tun to a unified system on a single stand instead of on separate burner stands and tables. I've considered going back to 3 tier but wanted a chiller plate and didn't want the hassles of chiller plate and only gravity to get the gunk out of it. Pumping is the way to go for me. I'm getting a little older and can't lift kettles of wort higher up for draining so I needed to do something.
I found an old die cart a year back and figured I knew exactly what it was good for. Lots of found objects 'found' their way onto the system. I just got a few control valves from a friend's old grill I'll add next week for controlling the burners.
What I wanted to do was change to either batch sparge (normal mode for me) or fly sparge (I've done many times) at a whim. I wanted to pump the wort around, and wanted to lauter with the pump. I wanted to oxygenate in-line while pumping thru the plate chiller. Lautering is done thru a manifold in the lid and the wort sprays over the grain bed to maximize extraction the way its done in a major brewery. I bought a SS stone with 1/2"NPT for aeration and will add that (T'd into the outlet of the chiller plate) once I get the O2 manifold for the medical tank a friend gave me.
I purposely used the kettle as a grant so I only have two vessels. The beauty part is I will experiment with heating the wort in the kettle quickly and pumping it back into the mash for step mashes and even mashing out.
Its a 12g system with the 165 Qt mash tun I mentioned a few months back. The mash tun has a digital thermometer with probe so I can track temps without lifting the lid. Every fitting is SS quick disconnect for hoses. I can clean in place ( CIP) with hot water at 180F for a few minutes to cleanse the hoses for next use. This is just like they do it in the local brewery.
I also decorated it with beer coasters from around the world....hey, I gotta have my stamp on it, ya know?
Nothing here is new, its been done in various ways by guys who have RIMS and HERMS and variations of the two. It just fit my style and projected a view of how I could do it in a way that pushed experimenting with certain methods (fly/batch sparging, heated non-heat assisted mashing...etc.). Its the typical engineer in me I guess.
With all due respect to Rob, I posted this over at NB, my other hangout, first since I could show pics there. Here is a link to the pictures and discussion.
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=76334
TimO
As I mentioned a few months back, I've been rebuilding the AG set up over the last few months to go from single HLT, kettle and mash tun to a unified system on a single stand instead of on separate burner stands and tables. I've considered going back to 3 tier but wanted a chiller plate and didn't want the hassles of chiller plate and only gravity to get the gunk out of it. Pumping is the way to go for me. I'm getting a little older and can't lift kettles of wort higher up for draining so I needed to do something.
I found an old die cart a year back and figured I knew exactly what it was good for. Lots of found objects 'found' their way onto the system. I just got a few control valves from a friend's old grill I'll add next week for controlling the burners.
What I wanted to do was change to either batch sparge (normal mode for me) or fly sparge (I've done many times) at a whim. I wanted to pump the wort around, and wanted to lauter with the pump. I wanted to oxygenate in-line while pumping thru the plate chiller. Lautering is done thru a manifold in the lid and the wort sprays over the grain bed to maximize extraction the way its done in a major brewery. I bought a SS stone with 1/2"NPT for aeration and will add that (T'd into the outlet of the chiller plate) once I get the O2 manifold for the medical tank a friend gave me.
I purposely used the kettle as a grant so I only have two vessels. The beauty part is I will experiment with heating the wort in the kettle quickly and pumping it back into the mash for step mashes and even mashing out.
Its a 12g system with the 165 Qt mash tun I mentioned a few months back. The mash tun has a digital thermometer with probe so I can track temps without lifting the lid. Every fitting is SS quick disconnect for hoses. I can clean in place ( CIP) with hot water at 180F for a few minutes to cleanse the hoses for next use. This is just like they do it in the local brewery.
I also decorated it with beer coasters from around the world....hey, I gotta have my stamp on it, ya know?
Nothing here is new, its been done in various ways by guys who have RIMS and HERMS and variations of the two. It just fit my style and projected a view of how I could do it in a way that pushed experimenting with certain methods (fly/batch sparging, heated non-heat assisted mashing...etc.). Its the typical engineer in me I guess.
With all due respect to Rob, I posted this over at NB, my other hangout, first since I could show pics there. Here is a link to the pictures and discussion.
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=76334
TimO
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Subject: Re: Version 2.0 AG Brew System Author: Paul White |
Jul 2nd, 2009 12:38 am |
thats pretty sweet. I'm planning on building something simular but I have two keggles and a 10 gallon cooler. I plan on having the HLT and Mash Tun on one level and use a pump to do that water transfer from the HLT to Mash Tun so I can fly and batch sparge and then gravity drain to the boil kettle and brew. I can then switch the pump and pump the wort through my CFC for cooling while recirculating in the brew kettle until the temp drops and then into the fermenter.
I have everything but the pump and tubing needed to build the frame. I have ZERO electrical ability to wire ti and use love controls but I have a guy at work that can do the welding for me and he has said if I buy the tubing he will weld whatever I need.
I have everything but the pump and tubing needed to build the frame. I have ZERO electrical ability to wire ti and use love controls but I have a guy at work that can do the welding for me and he has said if I buy the tubing he will weld whatever I need.
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Subject: Re: Version 2.0 AG Brew System Author: BeerCzar (AKA j) |
Jul 2nd, 2009 3:50 am |
TinO, How much liquid is left in the keggle?
With the dual ported dip tube it looks high on the wall....
j
With the dual ported dip tube it looks high on the wall....
j
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Subject: Re: Version 2.0 AG Brew System Author: Arin |
Jul 2nd, 2009 5:38 am |
Sweet.
Paul, I am in the process of building a similar setup. I just bought a March pump for $105 of ebay (check the recent March pump sale post) and silicone tubing...I'm on my way!
TimO, you said you have all SS quick disconnects? Where did you get them from? can you post pics of them?
Paul, I am in the process of building a similar setup. I just bought a March pump for $105 of ebay (check the recent March pump sale post) and silicone tubing...I'm on my way!
TimO, you said you have all SS quick disconnects? Where did you get them from? can you post pics of them?
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Subject: Re: Version 2.0 AG Brew System Author: TimO |
Jul 2nd, 2009 1:38 pm |
j,
I have about 3/4 gallon left over in the kettle when its done. That is accounted for on my dip-scale, a piece of 2"PVC with gallon measurements. It looks higher up than it really is.
Arin, I bought all of them from B3. There are different types, but all for 1/2" tubing and 1/2" NPT. They are not cheap by any means, but well worth it in my book. I use the H503A and B fittings going into NPT pipe fittings and I use the H507A nad H507B fittings for the tubing disconnects. These latter ones stay on the tube.
http://morebeer.com/search/102348//2
It makes for easy disassembly of hoses from the system. They are not valved so they are really easy to clean / sanitize.
I have about 3/4 gallon left over in the kettle when its done. That is accounted for on my dip-scale, a piece of 2"PVC with gallon measurements. It looks higher up than it really is.
Arin, I bought all of them from B3. There are different types, but all for 1/2" tubing and 1/2" NPT. They are not cheap by any means, but well worth it in my book. I use the H503A and B fittings going into NPT pipe fittings and I use the H507A nad H507B fittings for the tubing disconnects. These latter ones stay on the tube.
http://morebeer.com/search/102348//2
It makes for easy disassembly of hoses from the system. They are not valved so they are really easy to clean / sanitize.