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Author Topic: My all electric brewing system  (Read 24424 times)

Offline redbeerman

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #15 on: February 19, 2010, 01:15:01 pm »
That system is way cool.  I'll be going electric hopefully this year (after the deck gets built) and I plan on doing something similar to what you have there only mine will be inside (basement).  Very good job on that.  Inspiring to say the least.
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Offline tankdeer

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #16 on: April 29, 2010, 11:38:15 am »
Curious, what does it cost you (or other electric brewers) to run something like this? I'm contemplating the idea of going electric, but seeing as how gas is usually so much cheaper than electricity, I've had my doubts.

Either way, sweet system
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Offline Kaiser

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2010, 02:33:32 pm »
Looks very nice and professional.

Do you have to run this on 240V b/c of the 5500W element? Are there any problems with scorching the wort during boiling?

Kai

Offline babalu87

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2010, 05:49:21 am »
Looks very nice and professional.

Do you have to run this on 240V b/c of the 5500W element? Are there any problems with scorching the wort during boiling?

Kai

Kai, that Pils of mine that you had was boiled on my electric kettle.

I havent experienced any scorching whatsoever and have to say the biggest advantage I have found by going electric is noise............actually lack of.

Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead

Offline Kaiser

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2010, 09:45:57 am »
I havent experienced any scorching whatsoever and have to say the biggest advantage I have found by going electric is noise............actually lack of.

The kind of electric element I'd love to see is a long spiral (just like a small immersion chiller) that sits in the center of the kettle. This would allow a very nice flow where the bubbles rise in the center. This creates even movement of wort that rises in the middle and falls down on the sides. I was looking for such an element when I was thinking about an electric system but I came up short.

Kai

Offline babalu87

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #20 on: April 30, 2010, 09:49:52 am »
I havent experienced any scorching whatsoever and have to say the biggest advantage I have found by going electric is noise............actually lack of.

The kind of electric element I'd love to see is a long spiral (just like a small immersion chiller) that sits in the center of the kettle. This would allow a very nice flow where the bubbles rise in the center. This creates even movement of wort that rises in the middle and falls down on the sides. I was looking for such an element when I was thinking about an electric system but I came up short.

Kai

Might have to make one of those if you wanted it.

Mine looks like this................. I wonder how much bending one could do to it before it failed?



For the $20 or so it might be worth it

Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead

Offline tankdeer

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #21 on: April 30, 2010, 10:04:57 am »
Babalu, do you know how much yours costs to operate? Vs propane for instance.
No TV and no beer make Homer something something...

Offline babalu87

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #22 on: April 30, 2010, 10:11:56 am »
Babalu, do you know how much yours costs to operate? Vs propane for instance.

Less

I never really figured out exactly how much the propane was because my gas stove, dryer and gas grill all run off a giant tank outside my house and I tapped into that system but suffice to say deliveries were more regular and more volume.

I havent even noticed a bump in my monthly electric bill since I went to the electric boiler.
Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead

Offline tankdeer

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #23 on: April 30, 2010, 10:19:47 am »
Wow. I'm actually shoked to hear that. Thanks - something to keep in mind.
No TV and no beer make Homer something something...

Offline Kaiser

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #24 on: April 30, 2010, 10:40:42 am »
to boil off 1l of water it takes about 0.6 kWh. If you have 5.5 gal batch and an evaporation rate of ~15% you boil off about 3l or 0.75 gal. This takes about 1.5 kWh and should cost about 20 - 30 cents depending on your cost of electricity.

You'll also need energy to heat water, mash and wort. So in the back on the envelope I think a 5 gal batch would cost you between $0.5 and $1.5 when using an efficienct electric brew system. This is a crude estimation w/o actually runnin the numbers. I had done this at some point to get an idea what it takes to make electric brewing work. One of the main problems is that you'll have to used 240V in order to get sufficient power unless you want to wait a long time for the water/wort to heat. Even worse than that would be a sub-optimal boil-off b/c you don't have a large enough boil element.

Kai


Offline babalu87

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #25 on: April 30, 2010, 10:52:51 am »
Kai, your about right.
I remember a thread on HBT about a system that was all electric, he was doing 10 gallon batches.

Something like $1 a batch but he was in Texas and electricity comes a third cheaper than ours does.

Electric rates by state:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html

Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead

Offline Kaiser

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #26 on: April 30, 2010, 10:57:05 am »
The main reason why I was looking into electric was that it is safer to work with indoors. It is also much more easily to automate and I know how to work with electricity. The same level of comfort does not esist for LP or NG.  The main problem for me is being able to build a system that can do decoctions and heat the mash directly.

Kai

Offline tankdeer

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #27 on: April 30, 2010, 10:59:25 am »
Very cool. Thanks.

Kai, that is the same reason I am looking at it. We just bought a new house with a basement and I am contemplating moving the brewery down there. Of course I do enjoy brewing outdoors so who knows. One thing I hate is having to buy tank after tank of propane.
No TV and no beer make Homer something something...

Offline babalu87

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #28 on: April 30, 2010, 11:00:21 am »
Very cool. Thanks.

Kai, that is the same reason I am looking at it. We just bought a new house with a basement and I am contemplating moving the brewery down there. Of course I do enjoy brewing outdoors so who knows. One thing I hate is having to buy tank after tank of propane.

Odd  ;D

Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead

Offline tankdeer

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Re: My all electric brewing system
« Reply #29 on: April 30, 2010, 11:04:39 am »
Har har.  :D
No TV and no beer make Homer something something...