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Author Topic: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com  (Read 12255 times)

Offline kal

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    • TheElectricBrewery.com ... A step by step guide to building your own home brewery
My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« on: April 13, 2011, 03:47:35 pm »
Hi everyone!

My Electric Brewery uses 20 gallon Blichman kettles, a HERMS coil in the HLT to maintain heat, and a control panel I custom built myself to run the show. 

My build criteria for system:

- 100% electric for indoor brewing
- Safe, easy, and enjoyable to use
- Not limit the brewer in any way
- Provide for extremely repeatable and consistent results
- Use industrial quality parts that last (all stainless steel, limit the use of plastics)

I also have complete instructions on how to built it from scratch available for free on my website: TheElectricBrewery.com

Some pictures:





















Happy brewing!

Kal
« Last Edit: April 13, 2011, 03:52:17 pm by kal »

Offline weithman5

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2011, 04:00:03 pm »
looks cool with the exception of that wine stuff in the background ;D
Don AHA member

Offline kal

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2011, 04:23:31 pm »
looks cool with the exception of that wine stuff in the background ;D
If it's any consolation, I don't make wine anymore... :) The bottles are slowly being consumed and then that's it!

Brewing's much more creative/interesting. In winemaking 99% of the work is in growing good grapes. Once you have those the work is basically done.

Kal

Offline BarleynYeast

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2011, 04:29:48 pm »
I heard you on the BN last week and checked your site after hearing the interview. Wow that is one fantastic site! I am in the process of adding temp control to my brewery and I am going to incorporate some of your ideas. The detail on your brewery is incredible, I am sure it will save me a lot of headaches!
Thanks for taking the time to document your setup!!!
Matt

Offline kal

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2011, 05:27:02 pm »
Thanks Matt. Took me a long time to design my setup so I figured the I should document it all so that others that were interested could follow and built the exact same thing. People think I'm crazy giving it all away for free but charging for information wasn't really something I felt was right. It's not the right spirit.

That said, had I known how many 100's of hours it was going to take to document it all, I probably never would have started. It was a crazy amount of work. Once I haad started however I couldn't stop... I was getting emails every day asking when the "next section" would be up.

Kal

Offline EHall

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2011, 05:59:40 pm »
I came across your site a couple years ago, I'm surprised you're just now coming here to show it off... very impressive.
Phoenix, AZ

Offline tonyp

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2011, 07:56:59 pm »
that control panel is ridiculously awesome, nice work!

cheers!
Tony
Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline resto3

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2011, 07:25:35 am »
Very impressed!!  I love your setup. 

Question.  Does the heating element in you kettle scorch or caramelize or whatever the term I am looking for you wort to any difference than say a direct fire  kettle operation does?

Richie

Offline kal

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2011, 07:35:22 am »
Question.  Does the heating element in you kettle scorch or caramelize or whatever the term I am looking for you wort to any difference than say a direct fire  kettle operation does?
Hi Richie,

No, not at all.The wort is in constant movement from the boil and the elements don't get hot enough in one spot to caramelize sugars.

Kal

Offline bluesman

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2011, 07:49:00 am »
Very nice setup. Very clean and practical looking. Congrats!  8)
Ron Price

Offline resto3

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2011, 10:15:50 am »
That's really good to know.  That was my concern with electrical systems.  Never thought of the fact that as the wort boils it is in constant movement.  I've always wanted to move my set up to the basement and I think this is totally the way to go.  Thanks for posting.  Spectacular job, really!!

And thanks for posting!!

Richie

Offline kal

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2011, 11:02:45 am »
That's really good to know.  That was my concern with electrical systems.  Never thought of the fact that as the wort boils it is in constant movement.  I've always wanted to move my set up to the basement and I think this is totally the way to go.  Thanks for posting.  Spectacular job, really!!
Ask other electric brewers too and you'll find that there's really no issue that anyone has reported. I've made the lightest of lagers (basically bud/miller/coors clones) and have zero issues.

Kal

Offline beersk

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2011, 09:24:30 am »
Absolutely amazing.  I'd love to have a setup like that someday, but man, I don't think I'll ever have the money for that kind of equipment.
Jesse

Offline pyrite

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2011, 10:04:55 pm »
Faaaaaaaaak :o..WOW!
If you don't get in over your head, how are you ever going to know how tall you are.

Offline resto3

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Re: My setup: TheElectricBrewery.com
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2011, 05:12:36 am »
Kal,

is it practicle to have a similar system when the volumes get bigger?  For example the Blichmann 55 gal Boilermakers.  Would those require 2 heating element?

Richie