Hazelwood Brewday

[Hazelwood Brewery]

With all of the new keg additions I am sure you will be looking at an expansion around the summer of 2021 or so

It's quite inspiring I have always thought a walk-in is the best way to go for us beer nuts. Refrigerators and freezers are so restrictive.

I hope I don’t need an extension! If 16 kegs isn’t enough I *may* have to consider whether I might have a drink problem!

I’ll obviously let you know how well (if!) it all works in case you want to take your inspiration further.

 

[Clint]

It does, should look even nicer with some varnish. Quite a long way to go still but you can at least see it moving forward.

There won’t be much room for any other hobbies though when all the kegs, cornys, gas bottle/regulators/lines are all installed - and the fermentation cabinet - and the heat exchangers.

I think the Kingspan will be worth the effort too, the shed was warming up with just my body heat. I’ll give this a test when I’ve finished.

Yes,running on the spot for one hour in corderoy trousers and a cable knit jumper should generate some heat...

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Yes,running on the spot for one hour in corderoy trousers and a cable knit jumper should generate some heat...

Running in cords would very likely cause a fire and shouldn’t be encouraged!

 

[Clint]

Yes...good point, especially if you have really fat legs..or trousers that don't fit properly.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Progress on the shed refit has been a bit slow with the wet weather - I need to cut the ply and varnish the panels in the open and need time for the varnish to dry.

I have made some progress. The panels I’d prepared previously have now had two coats of varnish and today I’ve managed to complete the ply panels for the walls (one small access panel to fit under the control panel). Still lots of varnishing and the ceiling panels to prepare.

 

[Clint]

Varnish...would waxoil be any good. I found it brilliant on my stairs.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

My worry with slow progress is my diminishing stocks. One good thing about the whole shed being temperature controlled is that I can run the entire shed as a huge fermentation cupboard and get a dozen beers on the go immediately - once it’s built!

I also have half a dozen pints of my English Pale Ale and several pints of sweet stout in the garage.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Varnish...would waxoil be any good. I found it brilliant on my stairs.

I’m using yacht varnish to make sure it’s waterproof. When the shed is running cold in the summer I expect there could be quite a bit of condensation. Wax oil might do the job, yacht varnish definitely will

 

[Clint]

Yeah...I recon you're tight there..

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

On October 8th I posted a picture of some Sea Fury yeast I’ve been culturing. He’s fattening up nicely so I think my first brew once the beer shed is ready will be a first attempt at something like Sea Fury.

That’s a 2-litre bottle.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

From freezer to gentlemen’s club!

Another forced break now until the next day when I can varnish the panels - probably Friday.

Also managed to do a bit more work on the python.

 

[Clint]

I hope you have some of those nuts on a picture of a nice lady...so you have to buy the nuts...

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I hope you have some of those nuts on a picture of a nice lady...so you have to buy the nuts...

I do in the summer along with a selection of crisps and a box of scratchings.

 

[Clint]

I do in the summer along with a selection of crisps and a box of scratchings.

Sounds like you have it knocked into a cocked hat!
Scratchings! Now you're talking!

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Latest update on the brew-shed.

I managed to varnish all the panels over the last week and even some shelves so today I was able to fit all the wall panels, fit some shelves (one will box in the chiller), and I finished the python.

 

[Clint]

Blinking heck it looks great!
Surely You deserve a beer....

 

[Pavros]

That's looking good, Hazelwood. I'm sure it will be satisfying drinking a pint at perfect temperature when its all finished.
'Running in Cords' is that the latest IPA from Verdant or Cloudwater?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Spent a little time at the business end of the brew shed today. The design of my previous fermentation cabinet worked well so this one will be much the same and will even use some of the same parts as you’ll see.

I started by building the heat box. The power sockets on the left are under the control of the temperature control system and I'm running a couple of small tube heaters to heat the fermentation cabinet. The green stuff is thermal underlay so I’m not just heating the concrete slab!

Next put a lid on. This will form the floor of the fermentation cabinet. The ply applies gentle warmth to the base of the FVs while the holes allow warm air to enter the cabinet.

Now it needs a frame for the heavily insulated door to hang off and to provide support for a shelf - again thermally isolated using 3 inches of Kingspan.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Mostly cutting and varnishing ply today so not much to see there - but a couple of other things might be of interest...

First, temperature control. I want to control the temperature of my fermentation cabinet and shed but I don’t want the motorised valves to be constantly cycling so this is the solution I’ve come up with.

It’s a small test tube filled with water and the temperature probe sits in the water. This should mean that transient air temperature changes (me opening the door to pour a beer from one of my kegs) won’t then lead to cooling being turned on and off in short cycles.

Second, carbonating bottles. I use forced carbonation to good effect with my kegs but bottles are a pain so I’m going to force carbonate them too. I saw a video that showed how to do it and I’ve bought the bits. This is the set up...

Schrader valves fitted to the bottles temporarily, Schrader chuck with a barbed adapter that fits 3/8 line from the gas supply. Pressurise the bottle to about 50psi, shake vigorously, repeat until no more gas goes in (about 7 or 8 times). Then put the carbonated beer in the freezer for a short time to chill down. Once chilled, swap the cap for a regular cap and top up the head space. Done.

 

[Clint]

Nearly there H!