Jim's Beer Kit

Hi Bruce, thanks for that - could be useful. Think i may have a go without extra washers first, as the copper walls are softer than stainless and seem quite thin too, but if it doesn't work then your o-ring idea could be ace. My weekends are a bit full for a few weeks so there probably won't be inst...

Makes sense to me =D> Yes, the series approach could be easier and cheaper - I made a few power amps a while back and went with higher voltage FETs over transistors simply because (for the same power) the higher voltage/lower current transformers and smoothing capacitors were all so much cheaper. Yo...

Thanks! Hmm. yet another idea for the future i think then :-) Yes I guess those PSUs are powerful but a lot of that is for the 5v line - so as you say, two would be better if you need to multiply the peltiers. I'd have thought 100w would be enough for a normal FV but i guess it depends on all the lo...

This has spurred me on to have a go at using one for a HLT (my current burco is great, but a bit small). Anyway, I just won a used 117l copper cylinder on ebay, complete with the moderrn sprayed-on insulation, for less than the cost of a blue plastic bin :shock: Seem to be quite a few of them up for...

Looks cool! Nice to see another bit of modern technology being taken up by homebrew bods.

Was the peltier expensive?

Cheers,
kev

Station wrote:Yes, he really did ferment 240litres in a wheelie bin. I think the wheelie bin was sourced direct from the factory, so although not food grade it hadn't yet been used as a bin.

Well I guess at least he didn't use his bath..

I just pushed the beer line over the barb on mine, no other fitting needed (if its the same tap anyway). With a black disconnect on the other end of the line your 'out' system is set to go. I notice the 3/8ths connectors (same as norman supplies on his disconnects) could be screwed onto the tap inst...

Hi, I've been using cornies for a little while now. You can prime or you can force carbonate with C02, its your choice. It may depend on how happy you are to use more gas, but personally I find the ability to force carbonate to be one of the advantages of going to cornies, there is no sediment creat...

Hi, The main concern I'd have is that they're not designed to be for food use, so you wouldn't necessarily know if they'd release anything harmful or bad tasting into the beer. The airtight thing probably wouldn't be a problem though, some people ferment beer in buckets with just tea-towels covering...

Hi Dave, glad it went well! Yep, it was probably a good idea to stick with the recipe to start with - you'll know the quantities were okay and it'll also give you something to compare future alterations back to. Generally speaking to change quantities by a few litres I tend to just multiply or divid...

Hi all, I moved into cornies recently and am finding the process of keeping nasties from my beer line and tap a step backwards in convenience, so I'm looking for a quick and easy way to do this. I thought the easiest thing would be to have a cornie of star san on hand to just squirt through the line...

I have a demijohn that I will be using for the actual fermentation but I was going to use the metal pot for the 'stewing' of the flowers before fermentation,if you know what I mean? That sounds good to me. I guess most food-use buckets or pots designed for liquids should do for that (I always start...

Yes I agree with naich too I think - i've used top taps for a long while and they've been fine, but like he said some people don't get on with them at all. The problem is until you try it you won't know if they work for you or not, so if you want to go that way then i'd second what he says about try...

Hi, Assuming the enamel isn't porous then the metal shouldn't be a factor, so I believe it should be fine. I have heard of lead glazes in the past, but modern enamel shouldn't cause any health risks that I'm personally aware of - though give it a while in case someone else knows something i don't. Y...

Hi, its difficult to be certain without more info, but if it was designed as a brew bin (i.e. for food use) then it shouldn't in theory impart plastic flavours. If it were new I'd recomend soaking in a combined steriliser/cleaner over night to get rid of 'new plastic' aromas, but it sounds like you'...