3 Tier, Small Batch, Electric Brew System

[Dale Kirkwood]

EDIT: Sorry I had to split over 2 posts here for some reason

After well over a year using stockpots, an oven and a gas ring for small batch brewing I am finally going to upgrade. I want to make temperatures more controlled and accurate as well as making life a bit easier on a brew day and during fermentation (more automated etc.), therefore I've decided to make a 3 tier electric system.

I do small batches at my house partly due to space and partly because I like to experiment with ingredients, processes and recipes before doing a big batch at my Fathers. The small batches mean I am not wasting a lot of money on ingredients when something goes wrong.

I have been searching through books, websites and the forum and added several posts. Thanks to your help I have plan, which is below. However there are still a few areas I am not sure on that would be good to get your help and thoughts on.


General

• HLT, Mash Tun and Boil Kettle made from Wilko 12l stockpots
• I will add pumps once I know exactly what I am working with and what space I have in the garage etc., but for now I will just stack and use gravity to flow between vessels. Then I will create a user panel.
• Fermentation from another stockpot but housed in a homemade 'chamber' made from wood and insulated that will have heating and cooling (more info below).

Mash Tun

• Wilko stockpot
• 2.4kw kettle element - example
• false bottom (will try and make in work - solid base with holes and maybe a handle, then a fine mesh to go on top of it)
• Sparge arm, something like this
  • Question - has anyone used one of these and what were your thoughts? Any better alternatives?
• thermowell
• PID Temperature controller - Inkbird ITC 308 in that a heat source and a cool source are both controlled by it?
• Ball valve and pipe using gravity to drain to boil kettle

HLT

• Wilko stockpot
• 2.4kw kettle element as above
• thermowell
• either PID controller as above or standard inkbird
• Ball valve and pipe using gravity to drain to Mash Tun

 

[Dale Kirkwood]

Boil Kettle

• Wilko stockpot
• 2.4kw kettle element as above
• thermowell
• either PID controller as above or standard inkbird
• Ball valve and pipe using gravity to drain to the fermenter
• I would like to add a trub dam like the SS Brewtech one however I am not sure where to buy one or if there is a better option for extracting the wort and keeping the trub/hops away
  • Question - any other options or links for a trub dam (or DIY one)? Would it just be easier having a simple mesh style filter in the kettle and would it be effective enough?
• Question - I have not been needing to create a whirlpool due to pouring through a sieve, but how would I create a whirlpool in the kettle if the thermowell is sticking out into it? Do you just stir or are there any gadgets like drill attachments or something?
• Cooling coil - either make out of copper or just buy a stainless steel one
• Keeping steady boil - there seems to be different opinions on here in different posts. Would the 2.4kw element being on full time be too much for this small batch? If I used an inkbird would this stop the boil from being continuous from turning on and off? A dimmer switch like on lights may be the best option?

Fermentation
Below is my plan for this but it may change slightly:

• wilko stockpot
• homemade wooden chamber (insulated)
• Thermowell and then a temperature controller connected to a heater in the chamber and a cooling system to allow me accurate temperatures in all seasons.
• Cooling:
  • I am planning on making a basic version of a glycol chiller. Maybe something like a fridge with a bucket of water in it or an electric cool box (low enough for lagers) with a pump running water through a pipe coming through the fridge to a cooling coil and back to the fridge
    • Any thoughts on this? Anyone attempted something like this? Would there be an issue with drilling and bringing the pipes through the fridge or coolbox? Any other options for the chiller?
  • I am unsure at the minute if the cooling coil will be inside the FV submerged in the wort (probably amalgamated with the lid) or wrapped tightly around the outside of the FV making a kind of cooling jacket.
    • would there be any issue with the coil submerged in the wort (as long as it is sterilised beforehand)? I saw an SS Brewtech set up like this.
  • The plan is to have several chambers and FVs so I can ferment several beers at once. Therefore the glycol style chiller will have to big enough to take a big enough bucket of water and the pipework

ITC-100VH PID controller isn't that much more expensive than the standard inkbird so I might just get this for all 4 vessels.

 

[ChrisA]

Did you get anywhere with this? Sounds like a good little project :)