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Author Topic: How automated is your system  (Read 7578 times)

Offline oscarvan

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #30 on: February 09, 2011, 07:03:16 pm »
I think you should add a retroencabulator. I sell those, cheap.

























Sorry, that was a bad joke.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline cheba420

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #31 on: February 09, 2011, 08:04:45 pm »
All manual. Would like to have a pump to do the heavy lifting. Other than that, I like to get my hands dirty! :)
Matt
Mesa, AZ.
#197645

On Tap: Vanilla Porter, Belgian Blonde, Saison, Black IPA, Punkin Porter
Primary: Pale 31 Clone, Raspberry Cider
Secondary: Vanilla Porter
Conditioning: Brett IPA
Bottles:Mosaic Wheat
On Deck: Flanders Red, Berliner weisse, Punkin Saison, Saison Brett

Offline tygo

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #32 on: February 09, 2011, 08:32:53 pm »
All manual. Would like to have a pump to do the heavy lifting. Other than that, I like to get my hands dirty! :)

Yeah, every time I heft my SS 15 gallon kettle full of 8 or 9 gallons of wort onto the burner I think about a pump.  It's not far but damn that thing is heavy. 
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline oscarvan

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #33 on: February 10, 2011, 06:07:45 am »
All manual. Would like to have a pump to do the heavy lifting. Other than that, I like to get my hands dirty! :)

Yeah, every time I heft my SS 15 gallon kettle full of 8 or 9 gallons of wort onto the burner I think about a pump.  It's not far but damn that thing is heavy. 

That's why I have a three tier gravity system..... it's all down hill....
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline richardt

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #34 on: February 10, 2011, 07:12:06 am »
"Single tier" works just fine.  No pumps here. 
I do use gravity to collect the runnings into the grant and to transfer the wort into the fermenters, so it could technically be viewed as "two-tier" for some aspects of the brewing process.
You just need to use plastic scoops or pitchers to transfer hot water into the mash tun and to perform vorlauf. 
2 quarts at a time, but I don't mind.  By the time I would have my pump and hoses in place, I'm already done manually. 
And it is one less thing to clean.

I use a 5.5 gallon (22 quart) SS pot as my "grant" to transfer the runnings into the 20 gallon SS kettle sitting on top of the banjo burner which sits on the same sturdy patio table as the two round 10-gallon Rubbermaid coolers. 
The patio table is made of steel and tile and weighs >200 pounds.  It won't melt or break and it is easy to clean off afterwards.

There's minimal bending over or standing precariously on stools or ladders.  And less clutter--the 5.5 gal SS pot and the two fermenters and the 5 gallon bucket of Starsan remain out of the way until needed under the table.

There's no need to heft anything more than 4 or 5 gallons at a time during brew day.
Be it pouring the RO water from the plastic carboys into the boil kettle or transferring the first (or second) runnings into the boil kettle (via the 5.5 gallon SS pot) or straining the wort into the fermenter via the BK spigot.

There's no need for me to build a Brutus, IMO.  But they sure are sexy, I'll admit.

Offline dean

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #35 on: February 10, 2011, 11:06:06 am »
Gravity, it's automatic. I deal with severe automation on various professional and not so professional levels..... The LAST thing I want to hear myself say when brewing is: "What's it doing?"

Simple, organic: Heat water, soak grains, boil....done. Ooooohm.

I like that.  My life used to be uber complicated.  Brewing was the release from that nonsense.

Several years ago, I fully automated my brewing. I gradually came to hate brewing so I took my system apart and was ready to quit the hobby because the only thing I really did was clean the equipment - I hate cleaning.  I ran out of beer brewed a batch the old fashioned way just to finish off my grains/hops and haven't looked back. Brewing is again fun and relaxing now that I am the brewer.

I might work on an automatic cleaning system one day.

You're a good egg, I like you.   ;D

Offline cheba420

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Re: How automated is your system
« Reply #36 on: February 10, 2011, 08:35:53 pm »
All manual. Would like to have a pump to do the heavy lifting. Other than that, I like to get my hands dirty! :)

Yeah, every time I heft my SS 15 gallon kettle full of 8 or 9 gallons of wort onto the burner I think about a pump.  It's not far but damn that thing is heavy. 
Thats all I'm sayin. ;)
Matt
Mesa, AZ.
#197645

On Tap: Vanilla Porter, Belgian Blonde, Saison, Black IPA, Punkin Porter
Primary: Pale 31 Clone, Raspberry Cider
Secondary: Vanilla Porter
Conditioning: Brett IPA
Bottles:Mosaic Wheat
On Deck: Flanders Red, Berliner weisse, Punkin Saison, Saison Brett