Yet another Brewery build, just may be a bit shinyer?

[bigrichlock]

Like lots of people at the moment i have been planning a big upgrade of my equipment, well after months of planning it looks like im making slow progress, so here is a taster.

What im hoping to achieve from the build is:

- All stainless
- RJT or Tri clover where ever possible
- RIMS system with all vessels controlled with Pid's mounted in a specially constructed control box
- Maximum brew length 120L or 80L at 10%ABV
- Ability to use pellets in the main brewing vessel (need to invest in a whirpool for this)
- Move towards CIP

Here are some pics so far of the vessels (you have to love the purple carpet, not my doing)

Boiler 150L ish

2 elements 3 KW each

Mashtun 120L ish

Stainless false bottom

The mother of all RIMS tubes 6KW 30inch element

Will be getting the threaded nipples on the RIMS tube changed to RJT at some point, the top of the RIMS tube will have a tee with the temp probe in one end. The RIMS is a fair size as i want to use it for stepped mashes and to mash out when doing 100L brews.

Panel under construction and upside down

The panel has 3 Pids, 1 timer, a Amp meter, and various switches to control the elements and pumps. all elements will be controlled by either 20 or 40 Amp contactors. All hardware inside the control box will be mounted on din rails

Ive got a stainless 200L immersion boiler that i will be using for a HLT, pic of this to follow.

So whats to do? well for starters

- finish the control panel in the next week or so
- finish the stainless frame/table its all going to sit on
- mount the 2 March 115 pumps i bought when i was over in the USA last month
- Get some more shiny stainless stuff fabricated
- Get something to ferment 100L+ of beer in, shiny conicals are on the horizon + temp control

Its going to be a good few months before its all finished but should keep me out of the pub most days till atleast late afternoon!

Will keep the pics coming as i progress.

Rich

[darkonnis]

Did you make that boiler yourself? If so, not gonna lie, possibly the best bit of beer porn I've seen in forever!
Excellent job mate!

[bigrichlock]

Got the boiler and Mashtun fabricated by ES fabrication, i can weld but no where near as well as those chaps. I originally looked at trying to buy 150L posts and convert them myself but by the time i priced it up there was not enough cost difference to make it worth while in my opinion.

The HLT im converting myself from a immersion boiler i found in my living room the morning after a drunken night out, all the control panel and everything else i will be knocking up myself

its all good fun

[darkonnis]

The HLT im converting myself from a immersion boiler i found in my living room the morning after a drunken night out

I laughed. Where does one, "randomly" find one of those! gj
Cooky

[bigrichlock]

Just an update on the build, the control box is coming long


Just need 5 more switches, which are on order


The top rail has the breakers and earth and neutral blocks, the lower rail has the contactors which will turn on/off the elements in the HLT, RIMS and Boiler. 3 SSR's yet to be fitted will be mounted on the heat sinks at the top, the idea being i can then select the number of elements running of each of the PID's

The big join now is a bit of wiring to get the hole thing working but this may have to wait till after Christmas.

[stu-le-brew]

that control box is a thing of real beauty, congrats real good work

personally with a project that interesting I would consider cancelling christmass -

[bigrichlock]

Christmas is canceled, I have to got to work for 4 Weeks so will be spending the next 4 weeks floating round in the Gulf of Mexico on a dry boat with no beer! ;-(

Rich

[Befuddler]

I feel inadequate.

[darkonnis]

ooof very nice! a boat in mexico, one of my mates works over there doing seismic testing, jammy bastards the pair of ye!

[far9410]

I might bin all my gear now!

[bigrichlock]

I've made some pretty good beer out of nothing but plastic since i started brewing, this is just be stainless build to the extreme as i have noting better to spend cash on have caught the brewing bug big time, tho i am having to think long and hard about the cost Willis jacketed fermenters!

[bigrichlock]

Well its continuing slowly the control box is coming on, have underestimated the amount of wiring required to get power and control to every thing.

Still needs finishing up and tidying but not a bad afternoons work along with brewing a Belgian Triple, it has been a good day!




Note for next time, get a bigger enclosure!!

Rich

[ivanmalley]

Very nice build.

It you still need the RJT stuff I can help you out with some good prices.

I run a company that sells this sort of stuff and can offer advice.

I assume you know RJT has to be welded?

[dean_wales]

Just WOW.

[bigrichlock]

Very nice build.

It you still need the RJT stuff I can help you out with some good prices.

I run a company that sells this sort of stuff and can offer advice.

I assume you know RJT has to be welded?

Cheers for the info, i can weld, i.e. stick things together but sanitary welding is beyond me so i get ES Fabrication do all the bits and bobs i need

thanks

Rich