Bennachie brewery new build

[pantsmachine]

Tech dork eh? I first used flow meters when i was offshore in the early 90's. We used them to displace seawater with glycol which went to prevent hydrates forming in the subsea remotely operated lubricator stack. Only messing, although that is the reason i first used them and it just jumped out of the back of my brain one day.

You know when you see some sort of liquid containing vessel at all nowadays and your brain shouts'i could make beer in that' same thing except with flow meter!

Had a quick hydro sample pf my blonde and spicy and at 1.023 down from 1.040 in under 2 days which is good as temps have been about 10 degrees up here. Great hop aroma, wanted to eat the sample jar. Resisted manfully though! Fancy a beer swap once the postal strike has concluded. Inaugural beers'n'that?

[befuggled]

You lost me at lubricator stack!
(Sounds like a pile of full casks or crates of bottles, or maybe I am just hopeful ...)
I've got an idea for wort cooling coming from a previous life in power electronics, so I understand exactly what you mean, they used to call it lateral thinking

You think that anything I might produce in the first few weeks after a 27 year layoff might be drinkable? swoon.
And although this may be your latest setup, you have been regularly brewing all the time...
But if anything I have fermenting at the moment does actually turn out to be drinkable, I would be honoured!!!
Give me a few days to see if I kill myself with the sampling!!

[pantsmachine]

Come on now the way i look at it is you must have came up with some cracking recipes during a 27 year mull over...

Delabelled and sterilised my bottles today ready to bottle in the morning, reminds me of a song about bottles of beer and a wall..........

Its sitting at 1.009 which gives me a blonde ale at bang on 4.0% Abv. I've dropped a load of yeast out the bottom of the fermenter and will reuse in a IRS later in the week. Might have to age the IRS on oak chips in a KK for a bit as that's all my bottles gone, apart from the other 150 which are currently full!

[pantsmachine]

Well after a couple of months(or is it a few) my brewery has kicked out about 4 batches. I continue to play about and adjust bits here and there. The latest has been a sight level tube and a couple of kettle elements in the overback. This saves me the hassle of heating up the mash water in the copper and then pumping it into the mash tun. I am looking to add a temp gauge to the overback and was thinking about a floating sender unit with a wireless hand held digital receiver. This will let me monitor my mash water temp without climbing on a step ladder and dipping it. Anyone any ideas on this one? I'd also be happy to go analog with a threaded stainless temperature gauge. I could then source a sealing bulkhead connector and fit it to the overback. So if any of you guys know of a good quality threaded stainless temp gauge supplier let me know please.

Running total
stainless copper £96 incl delivery
igloo mash tun £110 incl delivery
conical fermenter £92 incl delivery
3 of 3mtr lengths 22mm copper pipe £20
Various copper fitting for manifold builds £20
Carbon steel flatbar & 25mm box section for fermenter tri leg stand stand(incl 4 adjustable feet)£16
SIlver paint,drill bits and bolts for above £25
Stainless 1" ball valve £10
2 of 80 ltr HDPE containers c/w lids £26
Temp kettle valve and hop filter fittings £20
Various fittings for mash tun and kettle connection £30
Stainless filter mesh £8
3 of Speck fluid pumps £129
SOLD 2 of pressure barrels
Barrel funds purchased 24V variable power supply to control the Speck pumps and a inline water flow meter so i can monitor volume used.
22mm end cap
2 of 2mm drill bits
wand mounting clips
Cutting disc £5
Paint £10
30mm box section 14mtrs,end plugs and adjustable feet for brewstand and overback mounting bracket £38
Pump control switches £4.20
Plastic box for transformer and switches(pump control) £12
Rubber grommets for sealing cables in JB £2.20
1/4 turn pump throttle valves and various related fittings(pump flow control) £20
soldering of and supply of 2.5 mtr twin core onto each of three pump switches £5!
4 big steel rawlbolts & 4 brass hooks to stop me killing myself with the overback £10
More fittings and a few bolts £14
Yet more fittings to get a brew on and Damn the RAF finish! £30
Sight level gauge kit £30
2 tescos cheap kettles and a holesaw for the elements £16
To date £804

[befuggled]

Hi Pants,
As discussed in PM, these are the bits I use to control the HLT:

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear ... 9&x=13&y=9
(if the whole link does not work their part number is 461-159)
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear ... &x=33&y=16
(PN 461-244)
You should not need an account with RS these days, postage should be free.

You could just as easily use one of the PID controllers from ebay such as:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PID-TEMPERATURE-C ... 45f0b167c1
or
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PID-TEMPERATURE-C ... 3caa1d2a92

I use this one (from Ireland) on my RIMS heater.
You certainly don't need PID on the HLT, but is is pretty much essential on the RIMS, it is a question of which is cheapest for your application!

I have a second kettle element on the HLT which is not controlled, to get it hot quicker...

Got to run, sparging needed!

[aceface57]

Brilliant thread. You will certainly have to tell me when I'll be able to purchase a bottle from you as your not that far away! One day I aspire to do something like this.

[pantsmachine]

Thanks mate,

You are on the right site for advice. I won't sell you i will give you.

[pantsmachine]

Hi Pants,
As discussed in PM, these are the bits I use to control the HLT:

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear ... 9&x=13&y=9
(if the whole link does not work their part number is 461-159)
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear ... &x=33&y=16
(PN 461-244)
You should not need an account with RS these days, postage should be free.

You could just as easily use one of the PID controllers from ebay such as:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PID-TEMPERATURE-C ... 45f0b167c1
or
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PID-TEMPERATURE-C ... 3caa1d2a92

I use this one (from Ireland) on my RIMS heater.
You certainly don't need PID on the HLT, but is is pretty much essential on the RIMS, it is a question of which is cheapest for your application!

I have a second kettle element on the HLT which is not controlled, to get it hot quicker...

Got to run, sparging needed!

Thanks Befuggled. I had originally been thinking about a simple stainless temp gauge on the overback and i would manually turn off the elements when the water got to 76 deg or so. Now though, looking at the gear on RS i could run temp probe and control to the elements in the overback and also run in a heating element probe and control to the fermenter. Jus thinking heating at the moment not cooling. If it gets too hot to brew i will either stop or do a Hefe weissen!SWMBO will not be happy, think i'll have to build up a control system slowly under the radar!

[befuggled]

I've got a mate down here just like that!
I have to buy all his bits from places like eBuyer, CPC, eBay etc and he takes them home and slowly brings them out over a few weeks, telling her that they have "been in the garage for ages" or "Dave was chucking these out"!

It could be worth a look at CPC for some of your lecky/lecktronic needs as well. http://www.cpc.co.uk
It is part of Farnell and holds a very wide stock. Even little things like 40x alkaline AA for £9.98 + vat. Free (usually) next day delivery over £45+.

Watch out though, on the first page they are doing a GPS/GSM based personal tracker for £89.47+, you could find that SWMBO might insist on clamping one round you ankle....

If you might look at cooling in the future, make sure that the controller has that ability. The N2006P will do heating or cooling depending on setup and wiring, other controllers are available which will switch both heater and/or cooling compressor.
I think I have seen some of them in use in other posts here, but I can't remember who's or what right now.

[pantsmachine]

Had a look through the online electronic shops. Ran away in horror when my brain caved as it does with sparky stuff. Decide to go with a gauge from Cewal with a 10cm probe(ooer Mrs).
http://www.cewal.co.uk/downloads/p29c.pdf
Mash liqour temps will be controlled by a Metal/organic control system with liquid backup properties(me with my glasses on and a cup of coffee).

Cheers for the links though Dave i will be back to look again.

[pantsmachine]

Got home last night, fitted gauge to the overback this morning and the 2 three pin leads to run the elements. Had a test heat up for a few minutes. All good , no leaks. Will be brewing tomorrow hopefully. A few pics of the result and a couple of the bar in Delerium tremens in Brussels coz i knew you guys would want to see it!











Running total
stainless copper £96 incl delivery
igloo mash tun £110 incl delivery
conical fermenter £92 incl delivery
3 of 3mtr lengths 22mm copper pipe £20
Various copper fitting for manifold builds £20
Carbon steel flatbar & 25mm box section for fermenter tri leg stand stand(incl 4 adjustable feet)£16
SIlver paint,drill bits and bolts for above £25
Stainless 1" ball valve £10
2 of 80 ltr HDPE containers c/w lids £26
Temp kettle valve and hop filter fittings £20
Various fittings for mash tun and kettle connection £30
Stainless filter mesh £8
3 of Speck fluid pumps £129
SOLD 2 of pressure barrels
Barrel funds purchased 24V variable power supply to control the Speck pumps and a inline water flow meter so i can monitor volume used.
22mm end cap
2 of 2mm drill bits
wand mounting clips
Cutting disc £5
Paint £10
30mm box section 14mtrs,end plugs and adjustable feet for brewstand and overback mounting bracket £38
Pump control switches £4.20
Plastic box for transformer and switches(pump control) £12
Rubber grommets for sealing cables in JB £2.20
1/4 turn pump throttle valves and various related fittings(pump flow control) £20
soldering of and supply of 2.5 mtr twin core onto each of three pump switches £5!
4 big steel rawlbolts & 4 brass hooks to stop me killing myself with the overback £10
More fittings and a few bolts £14
Yet more fittings to get a brew on and Damn the RAF finish! £30
Sight level gauge kit £30
2 tescos cheap kettles and a holesaw for the elements £16
87mm temperature gauge £25
To date £829

[befuggled]

I like the look of your front room Pants!
We had quite a set up at xmas, but that looks like heaven!

Very interested to see your ongoing developments, I have only added a cold water feed to wash out the tun and an extra drain from it so that I can clean out while the boiler is going (and get a second mash on for a two brew day!).

However, although I started keeping note of the costs, I gave up
I have got all the receipts, but they are hidden away

[pantsmachine]

I like the look of your front room Pants!
We had quite a set up at xmas, but that looks like heaven!

Very interested to see your ongoing developments, I have only added a cold water feed to wash out the tun and an extra drain from it so that I can clean out while the boiler is going (and get a second mash on for a two brew day!).

However, although I started keeping note of the costs, I gave up
I have got all the receipts, but they are hidden away

My front room i wish! Its available to anybody willing to fly to Brussels and find delerium tremens bar. Beware, its hard to leave once you are in there! I was very glad that my hotel was a 20 minute walk away from the centre. It gave me the excuse to finish up and walk back relatively sober!

Its good that your brewery is working away fine. It gives us the time to do the little bits to the set up that make the difference. I was looking at adhesive heat pads to stick on around the outside of the fermenter but they are expensive. I will keep it in the back of my head for an ebay search!

[pantsmachine]

Got back home yesterday and carried out a couple of small jobs on the set up. Ran in and repositioned my mash recurculation line so the recirc returns to the mash tun at the opposite end from the draw off point to the copper. Decided that it was time to make up a new cooler. The old one served well but it just wasn't up to the job in the new copper(its in the photos and was formed round a 16kg propane tank once upon a time). I'm sure it has shrank! Parts of it went into the new cooler so it lives on.

Ready to breed



Breeding complete and a new animal is born

Spiralwrapped copper as a support. Also copper wrapped S's at 5 points on the coils themselves to add some rigidity.


Enjoyed doing this. Had the bits lieing about in a couple of locations. Total pipe length of cooler is 22mtrs in 10mm. I'm brewing tomorrow(overnight mashing at the moment but that's another story)so looking forward to seeing how it performs. Will be trying the whirlpool effect when cooling soon. Also redid the copper to FV transfer line and the waste line from the copper post brew. Tidied my cabling as well and anchored the mash tun and overback more securely. Felt good as its the small things that build up into big ones eventually.

Running total
stainless copper £96 incl delivery(Sept 2009)
igloo mash tun £110 incl delivery
conical fermenter £92 incl delivery
3 of 3mtr lengths 22mm copper pipe £20
Various copper fitting for manifold builds £20
Carbon steel flatbar & 25mm box section for fermenter tri leg stand stand(incl 4 adjustable feet)£16
SIlver paint,drill bits and bolts for above £25
Stainless 1" ball valve £10
2 of 80 ltr HDPE containers c/w lids £26
Temp kettle valve and hop filter fittings £20
Various fittings for mash tun and kettle connection £30
Stainless filter mesh £8
3 of Speck fluid pumps £129
SOLD 2 of pressure barrels
Barrel funds purchased 24V variable power supply to control the Speck pumps and a inline water flow meter so i can monitor volume used.
22mm end cap
2 of 2mm drill bits
wand mounting clips
Cutting disc £5
Paint £10
30mm box section 14mtrs,end plugs and adjustable feet for brewstand and overback mounting bracket £38
Pump control switches £4.20
Plastic box for transformer and switches(pump control) £12
Rubber grommets for sealing cables in JB £2.20
1/4 turn pump throttle valves and various related fittings(pump flow control) £20
soldering of and supply of 2.5 mtr twin core onto each of three pump switches £5!
4 big steel rawlbolts & 4 brass hooks to stop me killing myself with the overback £10
More fittings and a few bolts £14
Yet more fittings to get a brew on and Damn the RAF finish! £30(Oct 2009)
Sight level gauge kit £30(March 2010)
2 tescos cheap kettles and a holesaw for the elements £16
1 of 22mm gate valve, various yorkshire fitting. £12
Copper for cooler £0 as it was 'in stock in the shed from a house project'.
To date £816

[awalker]

My front room i wish! Its available to anybody willing to fly to Brussels and find delerium tremens bar. Beware, its hard to leave once you are in there! I was very glad that my hotel was a 20 minute walk away from the centre. It gave me the excuse to finish up and walk back relatively sober!

Its good that your brewery is working away fine. It gives us the time to do the little bits to the set up that make the difference. I was looking at adhesive heat pads to stick on around the outside of the fermenter but they are expensive. I will keep it in the back of my head for an ebay search!

Hmm cant wait going over in August for my birthday.
Driving so will also be going to Brouwland, so may be taking some orders!

Any more photos pantsmachine?
They will help me decide were to go, so far its Cantillon and Delirium Tremens bar!