Show Us Yer Kit

[orlando]

Bit after the Lord Mayor's Show after Golden Brewer's set up but this is my current line up.

Showing the basic 3V kit with mash tun under its insulation "hood". Brew/fridge to the left sitting under the Cedaronics STC 1000, brew fridge also contains the stir plate. Plate chiller set up just behind the boiler. The wire going into the HLT is the STC controlling the HLT temp, which will then go back in the brew/fridge to control fermentation.



Mash Tun and Solar pump with "Y" filter for recirculating. This set up is used for pushing wort through the plate chiller.




The main action station or brew bench, it was largely the floor up till building this. Now has a sink next to it.




Don't buy yeast anymore since I started the "Ranch" with this bad boy!





The most recent edition responsible for improvement.




Service set up uses 23l cornies.




In the end if you gave even this humble kit to the right brewer they would produce better beer than me so I make that "It's not about the kit, it's about the brewer". Discuss.

[darkonnis]

My old rig is in my signature, on my phone but ill post the pics in here too of the new one when i get a chance.

Orlando, i think its a combination of both, i think a good kit allows for consistency which shortens the learning curve, I also think that brewing is quite largely about recipe design rather than the actual brewing of beer. I made a fantastic black sheep clone that my friends couldnt tell the difference with, doesnt make me a good brewer i just took a recipe and got lucky. more and more i make my own recipes and ive had some spectacular beers, and even more spectacular failures. Going full circle, my kit allows me to get exactly what i intend and any cockups are purely my fault and not the rigs failings, that also means my best beers are my fault too

[Martin G]

Yep, I have a romantic idea of the old boy with basic stoneware and wood kit turning out excellent beer, using his experience and senses. The kit helps those of us without the experience and fine tuned senses to get close. Agree kit dosn't have to look pretty though.

[golden brewer]

I like building my brew gear and experimenting with different set ups as much as I enjoy brewing. I have a trade background in instrumentation and controls so I find that part of the hobby very easy. Thats why I have PID controllers and other stuff because to me, thats easy stuff. The brewing stuff is the hard stuff.

[WishboneBrewery]

wow, some really impressive breweries guys
All my kit and brewdays are here http://pdtnc.wordpress.com its next evolution is to be a 50L keg which just needs the hop-filter finishing and the electrics wiring up.

[Martin G]

My wife would kill me if I did that to our living room!

[orlando]

My wife would kill me if I did that to our living room!

I might concede the living room .

[Mike8578]

Some cracking setups! I think for me the tinkering with the setup will be just as much a part of the hobby as the brewing itself. I'm a frustrated engineer at heart, and as I no longer muck about with cars I have to get my kicks somewhere.

[bigrichlock]

Here is a link to my kit, its a blog type thing, not much in the way of blog posts mind, still in the work in progress stage but has some pictures.

http://retributionbrewing.wordpress.com/the-brewery/

Cheers

Rich

[darkonnis]

Rich am i correct in thinking you have a separate vessel for whirlpooling in?

[bigrichlock]

Darkonnis,

Yes there is, its a bit of an extravagance, but i have to say it works fantastically well.

Rich

[darkonnis]

Maybe it is, but if you have the space/funds why the hell not!
have you looked any more into a hop back/hop burster (that was you wasnt it?)?

[bigrichlock]

Darkonnis

The funny thing is i don't have the space the girlfriend is not impressed!

Yes i was on about a hopnik a while back, i have been experimenting with a 40L mash tun with a false bottom, works well so far but not very hopnik like, version 2 might use the morebeer conical as it can be completely closed, just need a tangential in let and a filter in the bottom.

Cheers

Rich

[WishboneBrewery]

Looking pretty funky

[Subsonic]

Here is my shiny one. I've got a big man shed too, but its so bloody hot here I usually brew outside.

3 Sankey kegs with stainless false bottoms made by muddydisco. Big Temp dials by valves online. I've usually got two in the mash tun but only one shown here. 2 MarchMay pumps, I 3KW RIMS with a Willis Heater and PID controller by ADM (Bloody brilliant), flexible high temp silicone hoses, I Bayou Burner propane burner for the boiler (got an intercooler in there too) and a wheely stand that a mate welded up. In hindsight I could have had the boiler at floor level and got away with 1 pump but hey ho. The burner is like a rocket and I use square 8mm steel plate as a heat shield. I need to re-look at this and get something permanent as these are just kind of rested on and one day one will fall off being red hot chop my toe off cos I'm always in flip flops! I also need to rewire the pumps and not use the extension lead but haven;t got round to fitting all French plugs and wiring hence the extension. Anyway, it works. Sub