[kylekohlmorgen]

http://www.bargainfittings.com/

GREAT deals on fittings, QDs, tubing, etc. etc. Highly recommended.

[klickitat jim]

Thanks!

[Jeff M]

Maybe you should contact a club that is near your area and ask them if anyone has the system you are thinking about that would mind walking you threw a brewday.  at least it will dispel some of your fears, and you just might get a few homebrews of a style you dont brew yourself while hanging out:)

[Jimmy K]

Even without a RIMS or something, you can transfer liquids without needing height, so vessels can be lower. Less lifting, easier stirring, etc.

[AleForce]

I'm still considering getting rid of my little 3/8"x25' IC and stepping up to the 1/2"x50' with whirlpool and March pump. I'm wondering about making that pump serve more purposes. What are the benefits of a direct heat recirculation mash tun compared to just old fashioned mashing?

You could introduce a RIMS module into your system, like one from Glacier Tanks http://www.glaciertanks.com/TriClamp_Product_304_316-Rims_Tube_Kit.html .  Put the march pump between the RIMS module and mashtun spigot.  Put in a hot water heating element into the RIMS module, and control the temp in the RIMS module using a Johnson Digital controller.  With the pump on and the johnson controller turning on/off with your temps dialed in, you can recirculate your wort and keep the mashtun heated.   I've been using a BCS 460 system for over 3 years, but before I had that I used a RIMS module w/temp controlled by a johnson controller.

[klickitat jim]

Maybe you should contact a club that is near your area and ask them if anyone has the system you are thinking about that would mind walking you threw a brewday.  at least it will dispel some of your fears, and you just might get a few homebrews of a style you dont brew yourself while hanging out:)

Great idea but the nearest club is an hour away. I don't think its very active anymore.

[klickitat jim]

I'm still considering getting rid of my little 3/8"x25' IC and stepping up to the 1/2"x50' with whirlpool and March pump. I'm wondering about making that pump serve more purposes. What are the benefits of a direct heat recirculation mash tun compared to just old fashioned mashing?

You could introduce a RIMS module into your system, like one from Glacier Tanks http://www.glaciertanks.com/TriClamp_Product_304_316-Rims_Tube_Kit.html .  Put the march pump between the RIMS module and mashtun spigot.  Put in a hot water heating element into the RIMS module, and control the temp in the RIMS module using a Johnson Digital controller.  With the pump on and the johnson controller turning on/off with your temps dialed in, you can recirculate your wort and keep the mashtun heated.   I've been using a BCS 460 system for over 3 years, but before I had that I used a RIMS module w/temp controlled by a johnson controller.

This might be in the distant future. Especially if I went to 10-15 gallon batches. Some day around retirement I might build a shop dedicated to brewing and a fixed somewhat automated system would be fun.

[AleForce]

You could also use a bucket heater http://morebeer.com/ct/?idx=1500723&i=28584&u=/products/electric-heater-1000w.html in your mashtun - of course hooked up to something like a Johnson controller and use your pump to recirculate...  The bucket heater can get a bit messy - especially compared to using a RIMS module which is much easier to clean.

[micsager]

Maybe you should contact a club that is near your area and ask them if anyone has the system you are thinking about that would mind walking you threw a brewday.  at least it will dispel some of your fears, and you just might get a few homebrews of a style you dont brew yourself while hanging out:)

Great idea but the nearest club is an hour away. I don't think its very active anymore.

Well Jim, if you ever get to Port Angeles, I'll have a cold one for you. 

[tschmidlin]

Maybe you should contact a club that is near your area and ask them if anyone has the system you are thinking about that would mind walking you threw a brewday.  at least it will dispel some of your fears, and you just might get a few homebrews of a style you dont brew yourself while hanging out:)

Great idea but the nearest club is an hour away. I don't think its very active anymore.

Are you talking about the Yakima club or Brewer's of the Gorge (BOG)?  I know some of the BOG guys live in White Salmon and Bingen, that is a lot closer than Yakima.  Then again some of the Yakima folks may live closer to you, who knows how far they travel for meetings.

Here is some info for BOG
http://www.wahomebrewers.org/community/105?task=view
Here is a link to the Yakima club
http://www.wahomebrewers.org/community/115?task=view

Either way, I think it is worth getting in touch with a club.  Even if they are too far to visit on a regular basis, they may know someone closer to you.  You're about 4 hours for me though . . .

[ibru]

Jim,
I sent you a PM.

Bruce

[klickitat jim]

Thanks a ton guys. Next year might provide a few opportunities to visit a club function. Part of the problem is distance, the other is schedule. I rotate day swing and night, and it's been over a year since I've had weekends off.

[thatgeekguy]

Here's a picture of my recently built recirc system, awaiting its maiden voyage. It's basically a clone of the plumbing portion of the Blichmann ToP, I'll add the Blichmann controller somewhere down the road for hands-off burner control and programmable mash schedules.

[klickitat jim]

Wow!  I'll have to start with whirlpool IC first and probably use the pump for vorlauf and wort transfer, but I think RIMS is a couple years out for me.

[thebigbaker]

Here's a picture of my recently built recirc system, awaiting its maiden voyage. It's basically a clone of the plumbing portion of the Blichmann ToP, I'll add the Blichmann controller somewhere down the road for hands-off burner control and programmable mash schedules.

Wow, looks great!  May I ask how much you spent to put this plumbing together and do you have a parts list ?