[majorvices]

Hope this doesn't ruffle any one's feathers but, after brewing on one for about 2 years I'd recommend against an all electric system. I never want to brew on one again. Not that I hated it, I just think that the element creates some different flavors with the hops when you are doing IPAs. And if you get any scorching at all the batch is ruined. And it is a PITA to clean the element. Direct fire (or steam) all the way. Now, electric HLT is preferable.

Instant hot water heaters rock, especially if you can get industrial ones that pump out 170-180 degree water. Grain mills that turn grinding grain into a task of minutes are awesome (MM 3.0 is just a friggen kick ass mill.). Spiedel tanks kick ass, so easy to clean and rack and hold an entire batch and easy to carry. These are all the types of upgrades I have made for my 12 gallon home brew system. I like to save time during the brew day. That's the best way to spend your money IMO.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

So then you're saying using instant hot water heaters and reg kettles vs electric kettles? No feathers ruffled here just looking for ideas and what's going to work best for me.

[rjharper]

I'm boring when it comes to spending bonuses.  The first things that came mind were:

1) Pay down son's college loans
2) Extra principle payment on the mortgage
3) put in savings account or IRA

I'm sure you can come with something more fun.   

Paul

I am the same way Paul.

But back to OP, you can build yourself a nice little E-Brewery for $2k. Notice I said "build yourself". That $2k would be the parts to build one without a full control box. High Gravity out of Tulsa sells 'dial type' switches for electric elements, which would bring down the cost of going electric considerably. Dave Knott is a great guy and will probably be who I go to when I break down and convert the Sabco to electric.

good info, thanks.

Big +1 for High Gravity. I've known Dave and Desiree for years, judged with them in FOAM Cup, and shopped there many a time back when it was my LHBS.

[majorvices]

So then you're saying using instant hot water heaters and reg kettles vs electric kettles? No feathers ruffled here just looking for ideas and what's going to work best for me.

xur]\52ds

[Wort-H.O.G.]

So then you're saying using instant hot water heaters and reg kettles vs electric kettles? No feathers ruffled here just looking for ideas and what's going to work best for me.

xur]\52ds

Keith- what does that mean?


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[JT]

There are more options than using a hot water heater element though.  The low watt BoilCoils will not scorch your wort, and they're stainless. 

[majorvices]

So then you're saying using instant hot water heaters and reg kettles vs electric kettles? No feathers ruffled here just looking for ideas and what's going to work best for me.

xur]\52ds

Keith- what does that mean?


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I honestly don't know what happened there. Sorry. I think I started to reply and one of the kids jumped on the computer to do their home work.

The instant hot water heaters are really awesome, assuming your tap water is good. The ones I have at the brewery put out 180 degree water right out the tap. We put our filters in front of the heaters.

I also have one at the house. It is exactly the same as the ones we have at the brewery. The difference is that the one at the house only goes up to 140, but the guy who installed it said that they are the same, the difference is that the industrial ones don't have the safety feature to keep it from getting hot enough to cook a small child.

This may all be crazy talk, I dunno, but the fact that you don't have to bring several gallons of water to temp a couple times during the brew day (dough-in and sparge) shaves hours off the brew day and really makes the brewday simple. I bet you could find an industrial strength one on Craigs List if you looked for under a grand. I think ours costs $1200 new and then installation.

The only problem is (and this all might be for naught) you really need gas because I have hard they are not very efficient if they are electric. At the house I have a filter in front of mine and use it at 140 when I want hot water for bits and bobs. I only brew 2 gallon batches at the house and only a few times a year, but if I went back to brewing 12 gallons at home the first thing I'd upgrade would be my instant hot water heater. Because, if you can't tell, I love it.

All that said, it may end up being cheaper and just as simple to jjust have an electric HLT that you set up the night before and have hot water on demand that way. But the other thing is that, having it at the house, you literally can take a shower or fill a bath tub and never run out of hot water. They save thousands of dollars because the water is on demand and not just sitting there being heated when no one is even in the house. OTOH you wouldn't ever want to fill a tub with 180 degree water.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

So then you're saying using instant hot water heaters and reg kettles vs electric kettles? No feathers ruffled here just looking for ideas and what's going to work best for me.

xur]\52ds

Keith- what does that mean?


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I honestly don't know what happened there. Sorry. I think I started to reply and one of the kids jumped on the computer to do their home work.

thats funny. i thought it was some type of model code for instant hot, so im googling all over to find it 

i hear you on the benefits of instant hot-not just for beer but whole house. Im getting close to needing a new hot water heater anyway, so might give a look at the gas versions. They use these a lot in europe and they are pretty cool. just have to get the hang of mixing the hot and adding cold to get your desired strike water temps.

[majorvices]

The 180 degree setting is really closer to 174 by the time it hits the MT and when thermal mass is all calculated I usually hot dough in temps no problem at 1.25 qts per pound. Might need a splash of cold water to adjust down cause it is usually a little hot. But I can grind my grain in seconds with MM 3.0 and dough in a 12 gallon batch in less than 10 minutes. Takes longer to measure the grain than it does to dough in.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

im just wondering if the 120v blichmann boilmaker has enough power to boil wort in quick fashion. seems like 240v would be the way to go-perhaps someone can chime in on boil times they experience.

[JT]

im just wondering if the 120v blichmann boilmaker has enough power to boil wort in quick fashion. seems like 240v would be the way to go-perhaps someone can chime in on boil times they experience.

240v BoilCoil Ramp Rate in °F/minute = 0.0068 X Watts / gallons
I need to do a better job at timing but I recall roughly 4 degrees/minute when I was watching it.  This was for 8 gallons using the 240v. 
I emailed their support team about the 120 vs. 240, and they stated the 240 would give a more vigorous boil (I do 5 gallon batches).  It is so vigorous that I actually back the power down to 88% using their controller.
If you are doing 10 gallon batches, I think 240 is the only option. 
Brewing inside is so convenient once the initial setup is done.  I actually did a batch every weekend for the past four weeks, a new record for me.  When I had to haul junk up to the garage, I was lucky to do a batch every month. 

[AmandaK]

im just wondering if the 120v blichmann boilmaker has enough power to boil wort in quick fashion. seems like 240v would be the way to go-perhaps someone can chime in on boil times they experience.

240v BoilCoil Ramp Rate in °F/minute = 0.0068 X Watts / gallons

This. For any electric setup. You can find the wattage here (http://www.blichmannengineering.com/products/boilcoil) and use math to figure out how long it'll take to get from any temp to any temp.

For 10 gallons batch size, I would need a 240V, 5000W element in my BK to make boiling palatable to me. It would take 25 minutes to get from 148F to 212F with 13.5 gallons of pre-boil with a 5000W element. It would take a half hour to heat up my strike water from my normal starting water temp to a normal mash temp. Blichmann doesn't make anything that size, so I'd have to do DIY with stainless welding - which is a pain... so I still run propane. 

[JT]

im just wondering if the 120v blichmann boilmaker has enough power to boil wort in quick fashion. seems like 240v would be the way to go-perhaps someone can chime in on boil times they experience.

240v BoilCoil Ramp Rate in °F/minute = 0.0068 X Watts / gallons

This. For any electric setup. You can find the wattage here (http://www.blichmannengineering.com/products/boilcoil) and use math to figure out how long it'll take to get from any temp to any temp.

For 10 gallons batch size, I would need a 240V, 5000W element in my BK to make boiling palatable to me. It would take 25 minutes to get from 148F to 212F with 13.5 gallons of pre-boil with a 5000W element. It would take a half hour to heat up my strike water from my normal starting water temp to a normal mash temp. Blichmann doesn't make anything that size, so I'd have to do DIY with stainless welding - which is a pain... so I still run propane. 

Maybe I'm misreading your post, but the BoilCoil comes in 10, 15, 20, 30 and 55 gallon sizing.  What size is your kettle?

[quattlebaum]

I'm leaning towards 3 inline 20gal blichmann electric kettles and adding the herms coil for mash tun. No hurry so exploring at this point.


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[/quote]

That's what I did but use a 15 gal mash tun






The high gravity fellas are awesome



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[AmandaK]

It is a keggle. The dimensions of the one that fit it are the limiting factor, and the biggest one that fits is 3750w (I believe... That's from memory).