Bennachie brewery new build

[pantsmachine]

Hello guys,
I am planning my new brewery, so far i have a 450ltr stainless steel kettle and a 165ltr igloo mash tun. I plan on using a NO stainless pot for a sparge tank and food grade biodiesel conicals as fermenters. If you would all be so helpful and take a look at my drawing and pick it to bits. Much appreciated.

[subsub]

Looks monstrous Pants very much like mine although I cut out the recirc and use manual switches and pumps. 450l copper! You're getting into my territory now good luck with it m8

[pantsmachine]

Thanks subsub,

I have the luxury of time as my wee 5 gallon brewery is still chucking out good beer. This one is in part an exercise in what i can make and how well it will work. Got a couple of pubs want to take in bottles of my brews so we'll see how it all goes. I can see much reading and sussing out online before i start in earnest. I do enjoy a good mental challenge!

[edit1now]

Good luck with it

Are you getting it to a state where it will pass food hygiene inspections, i.e. the right kind of stainless fittings, cleaning-in-place, that sort of thing?

[arturobandini]

Any pics of your setup subsub?

[subsub]

Any pics of your setup subsub?

Unfortunately no (being a paranoid militia type of bloke) needless to say it's all hpde in lovely blue and can brew up to 900 litres if needed although none of my locals will sell that much until late July/early August. It's all housed about 200 yards from the house which my wife hates as she can't stand the smell of boiling hops (especially Boadicea)

[pantsmachine]

Got a conical fermenter for 80 quid, nice wide access at the top for cleaning.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 2759.l1259

Edit, sorry about not answering, yes i intend for it to be clean in place and will be using 316 s/s fittings.

[Aleman]

Any chance pics of that conical when it arrives . . . particularly the threading . . . I am looking to have some stainless 'tank connector' type bulkhead coupling made to isolate the internal threading from the beer. . . . Just want to see if that is a better conical that the ones sold by Smiths of the dean .. . although with a 16" access way its looking good already

[pantsmachine]

No problem, will do. Don't know if you have a Hydrasun in your area? Big hydraulics supplier for the offshore industry up here in the N.E. Worth tracking down and checking before you go to the machine shop. The stock they carry is amazing. Or how about a 2 part epoxy adhesive(food grade of course). You could cut the thread flush inside and then apply a epoxy bead to give a smooth finish. Don't know if there is such a beast out there.....

[adm]

That sounds awesome.


450L.....I'm really jealous.

[pantsmachine]

I think i'll keep a tally of costs as i go.

So far,

stainless copper £96 incl delivery
igloo mash tun £110 incl delivery
conical fermenter £92 incl delivery
3 of 3mtr lengths 22mm copper pipe £20
Total to date £318

When i get back onshore i think i'll buy some carbon steel box section and flat bar, weld myself up a conical fermenter stand, mates got a stick welder i can use. Probably spray paint it smoothrite black.

[adm]

Where the hell did you find a 450L stainless copper for £70 ????

[pantsmachine]

A kind fellow JBK member posted a ebay link a few months back(May). The guy had a buy it now price of £40 on it so i jumped at it. I have started to use Shiply for transporting larger items to my home. I think the vessel had been used for milk or similar. They guy was selling it as a fancy water butt with a wooden stand from his granny's house(convex bottom on the vessel). It will cost me a few quid to get it welded to my satisfaction. Guess i was lucky and it shows there are still bargains on the Bay! Just checked on Shiply, i was wrong in my pricing, turns out it cost me £56 to ship it. I still think that's a good price since it travelled over 600 miles to get to me. Photo below from bay sale, a bit rough looking. Once the tops gone and the work i want done is completed it will be a proper shiny thing again.

http://www.shiply.com/photo.php?photo_id=26302

[pantsmachine]

Photos of the conical fermenter as it arrived

Bottom thread as seen from the outside


Bottom thread as seen from the inside


Top port from the inside, its 1"bsp, you can also see where the lid screws on


Close up of sealing area around top external. Won't be using this


Overall shot with volume markers highlighted in black ink


Pretty happy with this fermenter, looking forward to turning it into a working beer fermenter.

[pantsmachine]

Made grain filter yesterday.
22mm copper, will be 50mm in from side of mash tun on all sides, its huge!