PPB groans into life - needs understanding wife, no budget!

[CJBrew]

I had to wait to get home to see that. Amazing

[befuggled]

Blimey! What a reception, I am honoured and somewhat .
All I did is nick a load of your ideas and put it together. The "afford" bit is, as I explained in the intro, down to age, mortgage paid off, no kids etc, so if you can't do it now, you should be able to in the future!
I look at it this way, at the rate I drink, the payback is between two and three years!

Thanks for all your kind comments, some specific responses:

Scooby, I had to go out and count them, took me four goes before I got the same number twice! - and no beer tonight, it's out there boiling up to get rid of the chalk ready for tomorrow...

Pdtnc - That is exactly what I thought as I was doing it, but I am no Dibnah - shame.
I cleaned off the flux, then I wire wooled, then I thought what then hell, out with the Brasso and some of her dusters and soon realised that I did not want to do it again. So I lacquered it.

Lukesharpe - I thought about a clacks based controller, that would not have minded the water!
As it is, the panel meters have gaskets, the switches are IP65, they have little sealing booties, the case top is sealed with PVC tape and there is a steel plate shrouding the IEC ins and outs and the sensor connectors. It's all on a separate ring main with ELCB (well that's what they used to be called...).
The burner is very much WIP. I might change to immersion heater or kettle elements like the HLT.
The wall is glazed ceramic tiles on plasterboard, then fibreglass, no wood behind it. Even then, after boiling up 40 L from 14C and boiling for 30 mins, you can still put your hand on the tiles, so about 60C I guess. Now after a one and a half hour boil I might be having second thoughts!

Mixbrew - the duff joint I did have was my own stupid fault; I put the tee on the wrong way round and then re-made it. Rule number one with solder-ring - never remake the joint, usually ok with end-feed.
I really should have done it all with end-feed, much shineyer! (and much more like a steam engine).

Flything - It is very small, but you would not want to brew with the door shut! That extractor gets a hell of a blast through door - I just have to prop it open, otherwise it bangs like an outdoor sh*** house.

[kfm]

Top drawer

[dave-o]

Could you give a rough estimate of what all this kit cost?

[befuggled]

Give me a couple of days, dave-o, and I will be able to tell you within a few quid, most of it is on a spread sheet - yeah, I know, sad sod ent I!
The biggest investment has been time, I have not had to do a lot of "proper" work for a while, though I suspect that is about to change....
Now I am desperately trying to make some Beer with it all to get some stock in!!

[likesbeer]

top shelf porn well done that man
I'm sure the first pint will be a best ever brew
Looks well built and I'm in envy

[grmills]

Love it, but reckon you might want to switch to gate valves for better control of sparge water in / wort out flow-rates if you fly-sparge. (I found that just the one gate valve on the sparge line wasn't sufficient to easily maintain a constant level in the MT).

Also it's relatively easy to minimise wort left in pipework by rinsing it through with water, until it starts to run clear.

Still love it though

PS What's your intended cleaning regime? I'm sure the sanitary police are dying to know...

[edit1now]

[CJBrew]

One thing my SWMBO has been saying regarding my recent equipment re-fit project is "but you've been making really good beer for years with your existing stuff. Why do you need new stuff"?

And of course one of the silliest things (to a SWMBO, especially) is that thousands of pounds worth of kit isn't necessarily going to make your beer any better AT ALL! *

But that kit is definitely gorgeous and something to aspire to

* (unless, perhaps, you add a fermentation fridge -- something I am not going to get away with purchasing until I have a garage to put it in )

[triggertrevor]

hi befuggled i've been looking at your setup as i'm interested in setting up a rims/herms system but as yet i dont really know enough about the 2 systems to be able to build one so was wondering were you did your research.?

Do you know of any good books on this subject.

cheers Kev

[befuggled]

Sorry Kev, virtually only here and guesswork I'm afraid.
http://www.philrobins.org.uk/ might help, that was where my HERMS ideas came from.
I have only allowed for this in the layout, I have not even fired it up yet!
The biggest breakthrough came from Garysmiff who mentioned Cartridge Heaters - this made it a damn sight easier to turn into a practical idea than kettle elements inside a purpose built box etc.

CJBrew - if they don't know that you NEED to spend lots of money.....
Trouble is, you have been too successful already - mine is awaiting Stella and Summer Lightning!!
Luckily I have the garage, but have not even seriously considered dispensing yet - now Stella would NEED a fermentation fridge wouldn't it? (yes, of course, my dear.....)

Grmills - you are dead right - I have found that out in the last couple of days! The flow through a ball valve is sensitive to set up AND very temperature sensitive: design review!
Cleaning - wot cleaning!! It is quite easy if you only do a single brew a day, it all flows with the sequence - but I dropped a bollock when I did not consider a dual brew day

Dave-o, I am too busy trying to see if it will work at all to stuff the rest of the numbers into excel at the mo; I will try to do this over the weekend (when I run out of pale malt!!!)

[triggertrevor]

thanks for the link but i've already read this site.

when are you cranking up the system as i'm very interested in how it all goes.


cheers Kev

[pantsmachine]

Wow, i just got wood.

SWMBO being SWMBO says 'that looks really good. Oh look, he's got a rope to hang himself for when it all becomes too much'. She is now locked in the cupboard.

Right, so its bullet biting/money & mouth time, so with to CJBrew here goes.





From the Outside:




And yes, I am certifiably insane .

Your system looks great. On the off chance that you decide to upgrade your burner years down the road i use one of these Manufacturers burners. Can't remember the boil time for 5 gallon but its quick.Not in any way tring to rain on your parade but ken fit like you never know.
http://bayouclassicdepot.com/propane_burner.htm

A quick look showed me this is the one i use.
http://bayouclassicdepot.com/sp10_propane_burner.htm

[befuggled]

Dave-o:
Total cost of building temperature controlled room with shelves £750
Plumbing, valves, Spec pumps, racking £950
Shineys, counterfow cooler, electronics, cartridge heater £750
I've got more details if there is anything in particular.

Kev:
I had hoped to do a Stella by decoction on Sunday (for the wife - now don't be rude...) but having got the re-circulating heater tested, it developed an earth leak and took out the RCCD - bugger!
Replacement heaters are on order; I will let you know how it goes.
I am particularly keen to be able to control the initial mash temperature; I am getting very variable results doing 25L in a 70L tun, and with grains from 3kg to 7.5kg. Some of the initial brews will be a bit "dry"!! Efficiencies are all over the place!

Pants:
It might be about time to let Hawkeye out of the cupboard now...
That bit of rope was to hold up the gates while I painted them; I had forgotten all about it!
But I did have a reasonable look at that piccy in case it contained anything incriminating...

That is a nice looking burner, and that end is definitely WIP.
I used about 18kg of propane last week so it might even save on running costs.
Like you, I am only too pleased to pick up on (or in my case, steal, nick, thieve, swipe, filtch, lift, appropriate) anyone's ideas and experience

[turbomad2b]