Small home brewery

[chefgage]

Did you get yours up and running yet? I just bottled my 5th batch the other day.

Not got anything brewed yet as i have been busy with other projects. But am now going to concentrate on getting some beer in the many empty bottles i have!

[chefgage]

Right now for an update on my brewery. As i said i decided to remake the control box. The bits arrived as follows.



I then set about designing how it would all fit in the box. Using my extensive engineering skills and CAD knowledge I drew up the schematic (only joking)


As usual the pictures are upside down???

[chefgage]

Another picture of the probes connections


I then filled the hot liquir tank with 32 litres of water and set one of the PID controllers to 75'c. The idea being I could see how long it would take the water to reach 75'c and also if the PID controller would do its job of keeping the water at 75'c.

The HLT and control box connected together looked like this.
And i have managed to get the picture the right way up!!!!

[chefgage]

And here is the HLT filled with water heated up to 75'c and controlling at that temperature.



The PID controller on the right is the mash tun temperature but that probe is not connected.

[simon12]

I am drinking a pint of my 5th batch as I type and its amazing how a total amateur can make a better beer then anything I have tried thats made commercially with the most basic equipment. Since my initial setup I have added a second £5 kettle element and (immediately after my 1st brew it cuts off 2 hours at least) a £34 wort chiller on ebay. Next on the list is a bigger mash tun as I am limited to 5.5% ABV for full 23L batches and I what to try some strong stout and IPAs.
Do you need a temperature controller for the HLT or mash tun? I just turn it off the HLT when it hits the required temp and my mash tun with a duvet over it looses well under 1c in an hour or is your mash tun heated electrically?

[chefgage]

you can get away without a temperature controller as you already do
i just wanted to be able to have a specific temperature of water for both the mash and sparge. The mash tun has no heating just insulation in the form of loft thermal blanket (the silver stuff like bubble wrap)

I seem to be spending all my time on the equipment coming up with new ideas instead of actually brewing!!

Next weekend I am giving it is first run so hopefully everything will turn out ok and I will finally have some beer to show for my efferts

[chefgage]

I am drinking a pint of my 5th batch as I type and its amazing how a total amateur can make a better beer then anything I have tried thats made commercially with the most basic equipment. Since my initial setup I have added a second £5 kettle element and (immediately after my 1st brew it cuts off 2 hours at least) a £34 wort chiller on ebay. Next on the list is a bigger mash tun as I am limited to 5.5% ABV for full 23L batches and I what to try some strong stout and IPAs.
Do you need a temperature controller for the HLT or mash tun? I just turn it off the HLT when it hits the required temp and my mash tun with a duvet over it looses well under 1c in an hour or is your mash tun heated electrically?

Just been sat pondering your problem of not being able to do anything stronger. could not see why you could not do this using your current mash tun. Obviously I can see why now. Must be all the commercial lager I have had today, has knackered my brain

[simon12]

I am going to put together a temp controller for a fermentation fridge and have everything (using an STC-1000) except a box to put it in, where did you get yours from and what is it?

[chefgage]

Got the box from cpc. They have a good range of different sized ones made from poly carbonate i think. Size wise it is approx 300mm x 280mm

[the big lebowski]

hi all,
petep im looking into making moonshine so please let me no how you get on,i`ve got a few books and am now getting the equipment i need ,if you have a spare 2 hours then go on utube and look up "popcorn suttons this is the last dam run of likker i`ll ever make" also does anyone no of any brew courses in bedford or the surrounding areas ,cheers

[simon12]

I watched that moonshine video unfortunately it doesn't show the recipe for what he ferments but still a good watch, thanks for that.

[the big lebowski]

i`ve got a couple of shine recipies if your interested,cheers

[chefgage]

Bottled my first batch at the weekend. Did a Belgian amber ale consisting of 5.4kg of munich malt II, 23g of northern brewer hops, 970g of dextrose. OG was 1060, FG was 1008 giving ABV of 6.8%. Will post some pics of the brewday later

[simon12]

@ lebowski cheers, I don't want a recipe as I don't even have a still was just interested in what he used.
@ chefgage nice one, I am up to 13 AG brews now but have never done a belgian so far. Le tus know how it is when its done.

[chefgage]

Will do. I have of course tried it before bottling. It was very good but with no carbonation of course