Been brewing today - a stout - will probably be experimenting with 1 corny's worth with some vanilla extract. First brew with new setup incorporating a pump so that I don't have to kill myself lifting 40L of boiling wort to gravity feed CFC (didn't work very well anyway). Working well so far - pumping from HLT into tun and then HLT to spinny sparger. Currently boiling. Post pictures later. And first outing for new refractometer - very useful during the sparge.
Recipe (40L @ 80%):-
6kg Pale (organic Golden Promise)
750g Roasted Barley
500g Flaked Barley
250g Crystal
60g Challenger (90min)
50g Hallertau Mittelfruh (15min)
Target 1043
Mashed low and long (65C for 2 hours)
Brew Day 5/9/2006
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TheBigEasy
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jasonaustin
All done. Took a little longer than usual whilst I learnt how to use the new setup.
DaaB/Jon: the pump is a Stuart Turner RG550. Strictly speaking it's only rated to 80C, but it seems to be a common one for us homebrewers, and nobody claims to have any problems with running boiling wort through it for relatively short periods (eg, 15 mins today for the CFC). Having said that, the thermal cut-out did kick in just as the last of the wort was on it's way out of the boiler. I waited 5 mins and it started up again (phew!)
Another thing that caught me out was that I lost more heat going via the longer tubing and the pump. I had to quickly adjust my strike heat after I'd pumped into the tun as it was about 3 degrees lower than I wanted. But this can be built into my calcs next time out.
Some photos...
New setup - only 2 tiers now
Pump connections. Allows me to pump from 2 places (HLT and Boiler) to 2 other places (Tun and CFC) by switching the Y-splitters. Don't have to move tubing around, just set it all up at the start.
Nice'n'Warm
Beginning to run off (no HSA here!)
Sparge setup (I'd learnt from earlier and set the temp of the sparge water a bit higher than usual to account for heat loss through the pump)
Some nice hot break
CFC setup (took 15mins to pump 40L - took 50mins using gravity, not to mention a very dangerous lift). You can see the power controller for the pump just behind it.
DaaB/Jon: the pump is a Stuart Turner RG550. Strictly speaking it's only rated to 80C, but it seems to be a common one for us homebrewers, and nobody claims to have any problems with running boiling wort through it for relatively short periods (eg, 15 mins today for the CFC). Having said that, the thermal cut-out did kick in just as the last of the wort was on it's way out of the boiler. I waited 5 mins and it started up again (phew!)
Another thing that caught me out was that I lost more heat going via the longer tubing and the pump. I had to quickly adjust my strike heat after I'd pumped into the tun as it was about 3 degrees lower than I wanted. But this can be built into my calcs next time out.
Some photos...
New setup - only 2 tiers now
Pump connections. Allows me to pump from 2 places (HLT and Boiler) to 2 other places (Tun and CFC) by switching the Y-splitters. Don't have to move tubing around, just set it all up at the start.
Nice'n'Warm
Beginning to run off (no HSA here!)
Sparge setup (I'd learnt from earlier and set the temp of the sparge water a bit higher than usual to account for heat loss through the pump)
Some nice hot break
CFC setup (took 15mins to pump 40L - took 50mins using gravity, not to mention a very dangerous lift). You can see the power controller for the pump just behind it.
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jasonaustin
QUOTE (andy @ Sep 5 2006, 09:25 PM)That's one big CFC 
Thanks m8
QUOTE (andy @ Sep 5 2006, 09:25 PM)How does the pump power controller work ?
It's one of http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/ ... SKU=103852 controlling power to a double socket. Allows me to throttle back the pump.
Thanks m8
QUOTE (andy @ Sep 5 2006, 09:25 PM)How does the pump power controller work ?
It's one of http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/ ... SKU=103852 controlling power to a double socket. Allows me to throttle back the pump.
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jasonaustin
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eskimobob
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jasonaustin
QUOTE (eskimobob @ Sep 6 2006, 11:30 AM)I'd be interested to know how you go about sanitising things with this system?
i.e. what is your sanitation procedure when brewing?
Prior to brewing the whole system is flushed with water - the pump makes this very easy. I considered sanitising the post boil part of the system (ie, pump, CFC and connecting tubing) by recirculating some of the boiling wort through it (as I used to with the gravity fed system). However, I wanted to minimise the amount of time the pump was pumping liquid above it's rated 80C, so I flushed through with iodophor. Again, this is easy with the pump. I just put 5L in the HLT towards the end of the boil and pumped through the pump and CFC. I let this stand for a couple of minutes and then flushed through with water. When it came to pumping from the boiler through the CFC and into the fermenter, I redirected the flush water into another container until the wort started to come through.
I guess I needn't of flushed the iodophor out and possibly this was a 'sanitary mistake'. I could have just let the wort push the iodophor out into the other container. Thoughts anyone?
BTW this was also the inaugural brew for some new foodgrade, 100C+ rated silicone tubing. It certainly stood up to boiling liquid much better than the previous braided PVC hose (which is also only rated to 60). One thing I found though is that it is very 'sticky' - ie, it tends to pick up dust/dirt very easily - I shall have to store all the tubing in a much cleaner environment than my garage.
i.e. what is your sanitation procedure when brewing?
Prior to brewing the whole system is flushed with water - the pump makes this very easy. I considered sanitising the post boil part of the system (ie, pump, CFC and connecting tubing) by recirculating some of the boiling wort through it (as I used to with the gravity fed system). However, I wanted to minimise the amount of time the pump was pumping liquid above it's rated 80C, so I flushed through with iodophor. Again, this is easy with the pump. I just put 5L in the HLT towards the end of the boil and pumped through the pump and CFC. I let this stand for a couple of minutes and then flushed through with water. When it came to pumping from the boiler through the CFC and into the fermenter, I redirected the flush water into another container until the wort started to come through.
I guess I needn't of flushed the iodophor out and possibly this was a 'sanitary mistake'. I could have just let the wort push the iodophor out into the other container. Thoughts anyone?
BTW this was also the inaugural brew for some new foodgrade, 100C+ rated silicone tubing. It certainly stood up to boiling liquid much better than the previous braided PVC hose (which is also only rated to 60). One thing I found though is that it is very 'sticky' - ie, it tends to pick up dust/dirt very easily - I shall have to store all the tubing in a much cleaner environment than my garage.
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eskimobob
Thanks JA,
It certainly makes things look less of a physical effort.
Is http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rg550-Stuart-Turn ... dZViewItem the pump?
Where did you get the silicone tubing?
It certainly makes things look less of a physical effort.
Is http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rg550-Stuart-Turn ... dZViewItem the pump?
Where did you get the silicone tubing?
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jasonaustin
Yep, that's the one (a little cheaper than I paid earlier this year 
)
Silicone tubing is from http://www.altecweb.com/home.asp?cat=Subcategory1200h
)Silicone tubing is from http://www.altecweb.com/home.asp?cat=Subcategory1200h
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eskimobob