New System Batch #1

[backyard brewer]

I have a lot of loose ends to tie up like mounting pumps and other stuff. Need dip tubes for the HLT and BK and need to weld in the whirlpool return on the boil kettle. Then there's installing the whole burner ignition stuff and hard mounting the electronics... Lots.

It went pretty good considering, actually really good right up to chilling and getting wort to the fermenter. Without the whirlpool return, I just dropped the hose end into the BK and with no way to direct it, just made a stirred up mess rather than a hop pile. Since I tried to recirc through the plate chiller and couldn't keep any hops out, I plugged the plate chiller really well, about 2/3 of the way through, so that sucked.

Next I realized I had robbed the transformer out of my glycol chiller and had no way to cool the conical really. So, I took a shelf out of The Big Fridge and stuffed the conical in there, dropped the temp sensor in the thermowell and called it good. Luckily there is not much else in there so nothing will suffer with a few days of 68* temps.

By then it was too late and dark to clean much else up so I just back flushed the chiller for about 30 minutes and will finish cleaning today.

[oc eric]

Looks good Derrin. Brewing for the first time in a long time or first time in a new location is difficult. Glad you were able to "Get 'er done." =)

[maltbarley]

That's some pretty fancy stuff!

[backhousebrew]

Wow, that's a great looking system. Congrats on the trial run.

[kevinham]

I hate you.

[brahn]

Wow, that is beautiful! I really like those valves you're using. It looks like it's all running off a single propane tank? That tank must go fast! Why not NG?

[backyard brewer]

Wow, that is beautiful! I really like those valves you're using. It looks like it's all running off a single propane tank? That tank must go fast! Why not NG?

The tank actually didn't go that fast, it's only a 10G system. This system is a prototype for stands I intend to sell, leading hopefully to turn-key systems. So far every one of my breweries that I sold the people wanted me to convert them from NG to propane I'll also want to be able to take it remote for demonstrations. When I settle on my own system, I'll go with NG. This stand will end up getting sold eventually.

[backyard brewer]

I hate you.

<Looking for the emoticon with the big giant kissy lips>

Love you back.

[brahn]

I hate you.

<Looking for the emoticon with the big giant kissy lips>

Love you back.

Where's JonGoku when you need him?

[gromitdj]

That looks awesome, Derrin!

I'm sad to see you ditched the iBrew, it inspired me to getting into the Arduino. I'm wrapping up my fermentation controller that "borrows" heavily from the code that you posted. I would have had a hard time programming for the rotary encoder without it.

Also, was just on the Brewer's Hardware site, and may I say it looks awesome.

[ArrogantDan]

Awesome set-up!!! It makes More Beer's BrewSculpture look like my 4 yr old daughter's PlaySkool kitchenette. I want one.....

[backyard brewer]

That looks awesome, Derrin!

I'm sad to see you ditched the iBrew, it inspired me to getting into the Arduino. I'm wrapping up my fermentation controller that "borrows" heavily from the code that you posted. I would have had a hard time programming for the rotary encoder without it.

Also, was just on the Brewer's Hardware site, and may I say it looks awesome.

Thanks for the complements guys. Like I said, still tons to do.

The iBrew was a really cool project and I really learned a lot. It also inspired the BrewTroller project as well. But once the BCS460 and BrewTroller came about, they were so much more capable than what I could do and more and more of my free time was drifting to Brewers Hardware; iBrew just sort of got left behind. Who knows, maybe I'll resurrect it one day.

[dhempy]

OK Derrin ... simply outstanding ... Brewer's hardware will be getting a bunch of my business!

Dan

BTW ... what kind of beer was Batch 1?

[backyard brewer]

OK Derrin ... simply outstanding ... Brewer's hardware will be getting a bunch of my business!

Dan

BTW ... what kind of beer was Batch 1?

Sort of an English Bitter. Marris Otter, handful of caramel 15, pinch of c60 for a little more color, EKG and Fuggles. 1.041 OG and about 28 IBU. Just used 05 yeast though since I didn't have anything "Englishy".