[narcout]

All of my gear as well as the kegerator and fermentation freezer currently lives in the garage (picture below) which is one floor below the kitchen where I brew.  That means on brew day I have to bring everything upstairs, set it up, tear it down, carry a full fermenter down a narrow staircase, etc.  It's not a huge deal, but yesterday I started thinking about whether I could make things a bit easier on myself.

This is what I'm considering: move the chest freezer and kegerator about one foot further to the left, install a utility sink about where the kegerator is now (this will require a pump because the drain line runs across the ceiling of the garage), buy some shorter 3-tier shelves and move them under the wooden shelf where my kid's bike is currently sitting, get a stainless utility table and put it where the shelving currently resides, and have a 220v outlet installed on the back wall.

I could get a 220v induction plate which would allow me to use my current boil kettle.  If the steam becomes an issue, I can either brew with the garage door open and the fan running or get one of those steam condenser lids from Spike Brewing (my kettle is from Spike so I know if will fit). 

I also want to set up a RIMS, which I think I can do pretty easily.  I already have the pump and an insulated, stainless mash tun.  I would just need to add the heater and control box (I've been thinking about the SS Brewtech offerings, which are pretty reasonably priced and run on 220v).

Anyway, I have a plumber coming tomorrow to advise on whether installing a utility sink there is feasible.  This plan isn't going to work without it.  And I'm trying to schedule an electrician for Wednesday to advise on whether 220v service is a possibility.  For the RIMS, it needs to be 30 amp GFCI.  I assume that it's doable, but I don't really know.   

https://spikebrewing.com/collections/npt-kettle-accessories/products/steam-condenser-lid

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/ebrewing-components/products/ebrewing-rims

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/ebrewing-components/products/econtroller-1v

What am I not considering that I should be? 

[BrewBama]

I used to slog all my equipment up from the basement each brewday so I know the hassle you are experiencing. So, I set up in the laundry room for the same things you are considering: water, sink, drain, electricity.

The convenience of brewing where the equipment is setup cannot be overstated. The 220v 3500W induction cooktop works like a charm for exact power control.

I started with RIMS but moved to HERMS. In fact I have a 12” tube with mount clamps for sale if interested: https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/rims12_cam.htm  It uses this element (not included): https://www.amazon.com/Dernord-Tri-clamp-Stainless-Immersion-Electrical/dp/B07BXK5JWG



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[denny]

20 years ago I talked my wife into remodeling our detached garage so I could have my equipment permanently set up.  It certainly was a revelation and I'm sure it will enhance your brewing experience.

Have you considered an all in one unit to make it even easier?  My Grainfathers changed everything about how I brew.  Made it so much easier and more fun.

[erockrph]

20 years ago I talked my wife into remodeling our detached garage so I could have my equipment permanently set up.  It certainly was a revelation and I'm sure it will enhance your brewing experience.

Have you considered an all in one unit to make it even easier?  My Grainfathers changed everything about how I brew.  Made it so much easier and more fun.

I'm still a kitchen brewer, and moving to an Anvil has been a big improvement in simplifying my brew day. That includes less trips to the basement and less time in setup/breakdown.

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[majorvices]

Like Denny, I do love my all-in one system. The convenience of easy set up and clean up and small storage footprint can not be understated.

[narcout]

I used to slog all my equipment up from the basement each brewday so I know the hassle you are experiencing. So, I set up in the laundry room for the same things you are considering: water, sink, drain, electricity.

The convenience of brewing where the equipment is setup cannot be overstated. The 220v 3500W induction cooktop works like a charm for exact power control.

You have a nice setup; I definitely took some inspiration from it.  Which model induction cooktop are you using?  I don't know anything about them.

I started with RIMS but moved to HERMS. In fact I have a 12” tube with mount clamps for sale if interested: https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/rims12_cam.htm  It uses this element (not included): https://www.amazon.com/Dernord-Tri-clamp-Stainless-Immersion-Electrical/dp/B07BXK5JWG

I appreciate the offer, but I think I'm going in a different direction with this.

Have you considered an all in one unit to make it even easier?

I have, and I owned one for awhile.  I don't think it's what I want to do here though.  A two vessel system is still pretty easy to deal with (and it'll be even easier if I can have everything in one location).

[BrewBama]

I bought the Mai Cook Stainless Steel 3500W Electric Induction Cooktop. Mark has the same one. Mine has performed flawlessly since Apr 2018.

Someone asked about performance so I timed a brewday for him:

Strike from room temp: 9 gal (~32 liters) from 68.3*F (~20* C) to 155*F (~68* C) took 45 min @ 3500w.

Boil from mash out: 7.5 gal (~28 liters) from 155*F (~68* C) to boiling in 22 min @ 3500w.

I then lower to 2400w to sustain the boil. I have two wraps of Reflexit insulation on the kettle.

The boil off is very predictable when I do this.

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[Kevin]

You plan sounds fine to me and should work as desired. Pumping discharge water from a sink or even toilet from a basement is not a problem. Wiring a 220v circuit will probably cost less than you think. You have a very good space for a basement brewery.

[narcout]

Someone asked about performance so I timed a brewday for him:

Strike from room temp: 9 gal (~32 liters) from 68.3*F (~20* C) to 155*F (~68* C) took 45 min @ 3500w.

Boil from mash out: 7.5 gal (~28 liters) from 155*F (~68* C) to boiling in 22 min @ 3500w.

I then lower to 2400w to sustain the boil. I have two wraps of Reflexit insulation on the kettle.

That is super helpful, thank you.

45 minutes to heat strike water is no problem, that's the time when I'm milling grain, etc.

22 minutes from mash out to boil is fantastic.  I wouldn't even have time to fully clean out the mash tun (which is what I'm usually doing while waiting for wort to come to a boil).

Is the kettle insulation required to maintain the boil? 

[BrewBama]

That’s what I do. I put on the brewhaus liquor, then go make a pot of coffee, weight and mill grain, hook up hoses, get the mash tun ready.... just a bunch of little prep tasks.

While waiting for the wort to boil I clean the MLT and hoses, valves, temp probe, etc...

I don’t think insulation it’s required per se. ...I just think it helps by reducing convection heat loss from the kettle walls. I never used it when using propane outside but when I began researching induction it seems like everyone recommended it. It’s pretty cheap (~$15) and easily obtainable at Lowe’s so I grabbed a roll as I passed by. I didn’t make a special trip for it.



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[chinaski]

I use a 3500W induction cooktop as well and love that it, with the addition of a Brundog condenser, put my brewing indoors.  My cooktop is a commercial-grade unit (I can look up the brand if you care) that I bought used on Ebay.  It's pretty basic- just a single knob to turn power up or down but it heats quickly and does just fine for 5 gallon batches.  It that unit ever s**ts the bed, I might then move to an all-in-one unit.  I hesitate to drop hundreds of dollars on equipment when I know the beer will be the same though.