[brewspark]

Hey folks!

So I am looking to upgrade to a 20 gal system sometime in the near future and I've been looking at SSBrewtech ebrewing setups as well as some solutions for Spike. I'm not particularly tied to gas/Electric but I was curious if there were companies I was overlooking. I checked out blichmann but it seems a bit steeper than the others, although I could be just configuring things wrong.  I'm mostly aiming for a good balance between cost/function.

Ideally I would like to run a 3 vessel setup with a dedicated HLT, MT, BK with a HERMS or RIMS type heating for the MT. I'm less of a go to home depot and DIY it simply due to time constraints, so I'm primarily looking for turnkey-ish.  Would love to hear any suggestions on this.

For now, I will be splitting batches between 2x 7 gal conicals and blend in a brite tank later, but in the mid term I plan move to something larger like a CF15 from spike.

Longer term, I have a goal to make it legit and do very limited small batch stuff as a side business hobby and this system would later become a pilot system. (Not looking to go big or do volume, just to recoup costs essentially..)

Thanks in advance for any questions/feedback/suggestions!

[Kevin]

Take a look at what you can do at High Gravity Brewing... https://www.highgravitybrew.com/store/pc/Electric-Brewing-Systems-c269.htm They have single kettle, two vessel and 3 vessel systems. I bought my 3 vessel electric HERMS system from them and they make it somewhat customizable. You can choose (or delete) each component from a list of available options. I had a budget and wanted to spend more on Rip Tide pumps so I bought the less expensive Bayou Classic kettle for my HLT and BK but kept the Blichmann Boilermaker mash tun. They have good customer service also. I had a question over a year after buying my system and they got back to me with an answer right away.

[PacificElectric]

Do you want to brew big beers ever? If so, are you ok  doing a ‘half batch’? I have a 3 vessel electric system - 10 gallon vessels for 5 gallon batches. I wish I had gone bigger. My brew kettle sits at 7.5-8 gallons for most boils and needs to be monitored for boil overs. I also can’t do big big beers without a bigger mash tun.

[waltsmalt]

I built my 3 vessel system all based on The Electric Brewery.  I ordered a pre-assembled panel from The Electric Brewery and then assembled my own kettles from Northern Brewer's 20 gallon kettles.  I had a welder weld in couplers and tri-clamps for the electric elements.  I really like the control panel as it's all constructed from readily available parts and I don't believe I'll ever be beholden to some proprietary technology and code.  If my house burned down tomorrow, I would rebuild my brewery around this control panel.  Pretty short learning curve as I was already brewing on a 3 vessel system.  It's not set it and forget it, but I'm one who enjoys being part of the brewing process.  Not right, nor wrong, just me. 

For kettles, I would look to Spike, SS Brewtech, etc. to have something that was ready right out of the box for the HLT, Mash Tun and Boil Kettle.  I like the idea of SS Brewtech's mash tun, but I still have concerns about the flow through the mash tun when continuous recirculating the mash.  I probably would lean towards Spike based on what I've read and watched online.   With what's available today, there's really not a reason to build out the three vessels from scratch like I did unless you just enjoy the tinkering aspect as I found it tedious.   

Wherever you plan to brew, I think it's equally important to think through the process.  There are layout issues I wish I could change today, but I was restricted by the basement layout and where plumbing previously existed. 

Happy to answer any other questions.

[ynotbrusum]

Hard to say what is the best approach with a 20 gallon arrangment - for my 10 gallon batches (I could push to 15, if I wanted to go that big), I have an 18 gallon Stout Tank boil kettle with a Slingblade element, a 20 gallon InfuSSion Mash Tun (using a Locline halo for re-circ through a side port near the top of the tun) and the HERMS system from Stout Tanks (9 gallon with basic 3500 Watt Tri-clover element and HERMS SS coil).  It serves my purposes pretty well as I ferment in a 13.2 gallon Kegmenter under pressure.

I think the big thing to consider is heating time and chilling time when you go up in volume.  I still chill my large batch with a CuSS immersion chiller, so it takes a little longer than it would to use a plate chiller.  With no chill brewing taking hold, I am thinking of giving that a try - perhaps breaking out two 5 gallon cornies for this to allow overnight chilling to reach my desired pitch temp on a 10 gallon batch.

[HopDen]

I have a Blichmann 20 gallon electric HERMS 3 vessel. Kettles have a 30 gallon capacity. It is turnkey. Keep in mind that you will need a 30 amp breaker for the kettles and 20 amp for the pumps. Needs vented outdoors with make up oxygen, so a good size hood w/ a properly sized exhaust fan is a must. Of course that is if you are brewing in an enclosed setting. I really don't have any regrets other than I wish I would have purchased the 1BBL system. Blichmann is quality throughout, in my experience, and would not hesitate to buy from them again. Although it was expensive, I am a buy once, cry once kind of fool!!

[DeeKay]

Take a look at some BrewBuilt stuff.