New 200L setup how does this sound?

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simon12
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New 200L setup how does this sound?

Post by simon12 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:04 pm

Am looking for some kit to brew 4 firkin batches and am thinking of buying 5 of these 4 x 200l for HLT, boiler and 2 fermenters and 1 x 150l for a mash tun https://www.en.sansonestore.com/product ... ita-lt=200 I especially like them for the bottom drain for easy cleaning and no dead space but am open to suggestions on anything.

Plan for using them is:

All vessels insulated advice on how very welcome

HLT

Add 2 standard copper immersion elements one keeping the built in thermostat one with out (so I can turn the one with thermostat on night before brew day) and a thromowell for a thermometer.

Mash Tun

False bottom and insulation for batch spargeing.

Boiler

Either 1 x 6Kw and 1 x 3Kw or 3 x 3Kw elements need ideas for hop filter preferably that can deal with leaf and pellets. Also can I boil enough in a 200L tank to get 180L into a fermenter, or should I get 300L or other options?

Fermenters

Cooling coil likely attached to lid using a maxi chiller, need ideas for heating or will fermentation keep it warm enough if theres enough insulation?

How does this all sound?

FermentedCulture

Re: New 200L setup how does this sound?

Post by FermentedCulture » Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:51 pm

There's a small guide on probrewer.com. If you look through Scotia's post on here you'll probably find some advice; he makes microbreweries. I think he linked to the type of insulation he uses. From what I've read you should avoid insulation which has high levels of chloride in it in case it gets wet then causes erosion. If you insulate the fermenters well enough then the heat of the fermentation should be more than sufficient to keep the temperature up.
I'll just post some questions in case you haven't thought of them yet.

Are you underletting or adding the grist from above? Are you getting a grant?

Will you use a lid on the boiler? How will steam get extracted? Will you use a steam condenser? (Scotia has talked about this a while ago but it's recently gotten traction - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/thre ... ed.636955/ ).

Are you planning on double/triple batch brewing (drauflassen), will you need more fermenter space for it?

Will you use coils or wine panels (like https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/latimerales/ ... 7675.l2562 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpWD9a ... shelf_id=0 ).

How will you empty the vessels and clean them, where will the waste go? Do you have drains sorted?

I'm sure you've seen https://www.polsinelli.it/en/ but there's others I've come across like fischer-lahr.de

simon12
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Re: New 200L setup how does this sound?

Post by simon12 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:33 pm

Thanks for the reply. I have not thought about underletting or the possibility of a grant but will look into them both. The boiler will use a lid with a chimney for steam extraction and will consider a condenser to use the water for starsan. I was planning to use coils likely the ones from brew builder. I was considering getting a setup half the size and double batch brewing but think I will just get the full 1BBL setup. Was planning to clean the vessels with the enzyme cleaner from murphys as its much safer than caustic and will be emptied into a sink as theres not much option. I had seen polsinelli but they only do bottom draining (and much thinner walls) for huge vessels the fischer stuff is interesting but nothing else so far looks like as good as the ones I linked to unless its 3 times the price. I am also considering buying a new or used ready to go setup.

FermentedCulture

Re: New 200L setup how does this sound?

Post by FermentedCulture » Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:58 pm

If I remember correctly I saw tanks were around £1/litre on that fischer site.

Bridgewater brewing also have pots up to 200 litres and they had an offer on, maybe it coupon code still works. You'd need to modify them though.

Siba and ebay will probably have stuff on it, I saw this guy advertising he's going to be selling his 204 litre kit soon - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/microbrewery ... 3086151279
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... ry&_sop=16 (sort by highest p+p).

Also just throwing this out there but I saw a small craft brewery in Ireland using 300 litre mcdonalds bulk syrup tanks as fermenters. Basically 300 litre sized corney kegs. They're probably mass produced so maybe they're cheap.

I believe kev888 got his kit from https://www.brouwland.com/en/our-produc ... m-with-lid thread here: viewtopic.php?t=79562

Secla
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
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Re: New 200L setup how does this sound?

Post by Secla » Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:30 pm

I have 200l brewbuilder triclamp pots. But no good for you if you really want bottom drain

simon12
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Re: New 200L setup how does this sound?

Post by simon12 » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:41 am

Thanks again the fischer flat bottom tanks are around £1 per L but thats only slightly cheaper than the coned bottom ones same issue with the bridgewater ones. Nothing on ebay that looks amazing at the moment but I have a while to keep an eye out. If I buy ready to go fermenters these look like a good option http://www.vigoltd.com/Catalogue/Braume ... cket-93034 but its so much more expensive than building them. kex888's setup looks amazing but beyond what I could do. I have considered getting all in brewbuilder tri clamp pots but would so much like to not have to lift the tanks for cleaning etc. The latimer ales you linked to his ebat listings is another option I went to see his place about 3 years ago and its likely the cheapest all ready built option.

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