How to scale a HERMS set-up?

[dennisdk2000]

How do I scale a HERMS set-up? Not as in How do I climb up one... I mean, how do you work out what size HLT, mash tun and boiler you need? Also, how do you work out the necessary size of the HERMS coil? Any advice on choosing the size of plate chiller?

Dennis

 

[pittsy]

well if you want to brew a standard 23 ltr beer then you'll need to boil around 30/32 ltrs of wort (boiler around 40 ltr) and to get this amount you may use around 36 ltrs of water (hlt 40 ltr) and a mash tun of minimum 25 ltr but 30 ltr would be better . And a herms pot can be a kettle (2 ltr)or a 10 ltr pot ( your choice) and just use as much copper as you can to fit inside it .

 

[dennisdk2000]

Cheers! :thumb:

Dennis

 

[dennisdk2000]

Oh, and how about plate chillers? I have to be honest - I know VERY little about them other than they seem to be a very popular way to chill the wort. Or should I just go for the coil option - and how much is that likely to cost in comparison?

Dennis

 

[bobsbeer]

You can make an immersion chiller for about £20 or buy for about £35. Plate chillers tend to be double that, about £75. You would have to buy a plate chiller as it would be impossible to make unless you happen to own/work in a machine shop with panel press facilities.

 

[dennisdk2000]

I'm sure I've also seen a coil-type counter flow chiller? Can't find a picture right now - typical! Seems to work on the same principle as the plate chiller. Definitely not capable of make a plate-chiller myself!

Dennis

 

[Vossy1]

I like my ic in winter, not so good in summer when the water temps are higher at the tap.
I really liked my cfc, so easy to use and sanitise, though not as simple ae an IC but it cools the wort better in summer.
Plate chillers are great but require a bit more care not to get anything into them that won't come out.
Of all 3 options, if I had to choose one from scratch with hindsight it'd be the cfc.

 

[darkonnis]

I use a plate chiller and you do need ot be on top of sanitation but it isnt an issue.
For home use I think a CFC is the way to go, being honest I'd definitely consider a CFC if I had to start over as they're much easier to be sure its sanitised. Its also dead easy to increase the size of em (just make another one and attach until you have the cooling required) having looked into quite recently how bad sanitation in the brewing industry is, I'm looking for ways to fix that so I don't encounter the same sort of problems.