First outing for shiny boiler tomorrow!

crow_flies · Post by **crow_flies** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:14 pm

Looks like it went well Jim.....

I was wondering about how easy it would be to fit some insulation around the shiny? maybe wooden cladding, with a copper band to hold it in place? would certainly keep heat in and start to look like a real brewery - what do you think?

/CF

Post by **Jim** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:54 pm

crow_flies wrote:Looks like it went well Jim.....

I was wondering about how easy it would be to fit some insulation around the shiny? maybe wooden cladding, with a copper band to hold it in place? would certainly keep heat in and start to look like a real brewery - what do you think?

/CF

Ah, but then it wouldn't look so shiny!

SOme more pics:

I have a feeling I don't usually get so much trub - not sure why I did this time. I also misjudged the evaporation and had to top up the fermenter.

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:15 pm

That looks brilliant.

Where did you get the big stockpot again?

Post by **Jim** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:18 pm

maxashton wrote:That looks brilliant.

Where did you get the big stockpot again?

Ebay.

Get bidding!

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:20 pm

I'm skint! just got stung for 166 quid in council tax!

prodigal2 · Post by **prodigal2** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:35 pm

Jim, its good to see your new boiler being put to use (Oh and toping up your dwindling stocks

).
How have you found the switch to gas? (~EDIT) Hybrid power brewing should I say

Post by **Jim** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:43 pm

prodigal2 wrote:Jim, its good to see your new boiler being put to use (Oh and toping up your dwindling stocks ).
How have you found the switch to gas?

Well, I'm using dual fuel, actually.

One thing's for sure, I can get a much more vigorous boil with this boiler, partly due to the extra capacity and partly due to using electric on full blast and a low gas burner.

The time taken to get up to boil is also very short (full gas + full electric) - I've taken about 1/2 hour off my brewing day.

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:23 pm

Perhaps the very short boil is what caused all the trub, Jim?
From what i understand, the trub is all protien and goo and randomness from the malt... if the "hot break" causes some of the protiens to come out of suspension, maybe this really really hard hot break makes MORE come out?

eskimobob · Post by **eskimobob** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:27 pm

That sure does look good Jim

Thanks for the links to the manufacture/modification pages.

Post by **Jim** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 4:26 pm

DaaB wrote:
I have a feeling I don't usually get so much trub - not sure why I did this time.
Possibly down to a more vigerous boil precipitating more proteins out of suspension

That was my first thought.

Another interesting thing was that I measured the sg of my last spargings for the first time (I had enough wort by then, so I just put some in my hydrometer jar and put it aside to cool off). It surprised me to see that it was around 1.010!

Efficiency was OK, though, at around 77% based on 5 gals - considering I collected maybe 5 1/2 gals, that's reasonably healthy.

Just for completeness, my hop schedule was as follows-

45g of 5.6% challenger (20 EBUs) after 15 mins

10g Goldings last 15 mins

15g Goldings right at the end (soaked for 20 mins during the stand, and presumably during the run off as well)

The last addition is a new thing for me, I'm hoping it ups the hop flavour for the beer engine.

Post by **Andy** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:00 pm

DaaB wrote:What would the cost of a 10% reduction in effiency cost anyway.

Serious loss of face on American brewing forums

eskimobob · Post by **eskimobob** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:25 pm

DaaB wrote:More recently i've been thinking that it's worth taking a hit on efficiency for a noticably better quality beer. What would the cost of a 10% reduction in effiency cost anyway.

Good point. I generally get high efficiencies (over 80%) but I currently do not check SG during sparge therefore I must be lucky. I keep promising myself I will buy a refractometer so I can more easily take SG measurements. I will probably find that I have been oversparging

SteveD · Post by **SteveD** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:43 pm

Nice job Jim. It looks like the boiler performed admirably

I have yet to convert the two I have (100L and 33L) I shall be drawing upon your collective wisdom

Scooby · Post by **Scooby** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:26 am

No need for cooling samples or firing up the pc to convert brix readings

Refractometers

The mobile phones of home brewing

SteveD · Post by **SteveD** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:37 am

Scooby wrote:
No need for cooling samples or firing up the pc to convert brix readings
Refractometers The mobile phones of home brewing

Naaa can't play games on them yet

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First outing for shiny boiler tomorrow!