Brew Day What Have Ya Got - 2023

[Red devil 44]

21 minutes ago, ozdevil said:

gosh man thank goodness you didn't black out at boil stage in brew and dive head 1st in to boiling wort 

hope the blackouts dont continue for you  

Thanks @ozdevil, was totally out of character for me. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Converting the kitchen & getting the equipment ready for Brew Day, a bit of cleaning & sanitising to do but that's all part of it.

In case you are wondering the Brew Zilla doesn't sit on the table, it sits on the metal stand on wheels & I assemble a step-up platform with milk crates & heavy planks for sparging. 

 

Here is my makeshift step-up platform 'thingo' I use to get high enough to lift the malt pipe & secure it, I would rather have the Brew Zilla lower but it's a bugger bending down to see the control panel, being 6'2" helps but goes against you bending down.

 

[ozdevil]

27 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Here is my makeshift step-up platform 'thingo' I use to get high enough to lift the malt pipe & secure it, I would rather have the Brew Zilla lower but it's a bugger bending down to see the control panel, being 6'2" helps but goes against you bending down.

 

this was one reason i went the gen 4 35l while 3.1.1  did the job getting down  to fiddle with the temps etc was painful for me when having back issues

but doesn't matter what your stand looks like there  and it works phil its a bonus   to you 

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 minutes ago, ozdevil said:

this was one reason i went the gen 4 35l while 3.1.1  did the job getting down  to fiddle with the temps etc was painful for me when having back issues

but doesn't matter what your stand looks like there  and it works phil its a bonus   to you 

At the time I got mine the Gen 4 wasn't available, however down the track who knows what might happen, this works OK, but it is still a bit tricky & you have to get it right. 

I am going to build a stand to fit a small pulley system to, to make it easier.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Update on my over carbonated keg of IPA, I disconnected everything & removed the keg & left it for 24 hours to return to room temperature shaking it & used the PRV to release pressure a few times.

I re-connected & set the psi to 10 so hopefully it will return to normal pouring instead of a glassful of foam. I did try one, the taste is OK but of course the beer is somewhat flattish with little or no head but I am thinking a few days back on the CO2 will return it to normal.

It is also a bit cloudy, but I am sure it will clear up a bit.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Pilsner today while I watch the Masters in between brewing activities. Only changes are the first mash step out to 70 minutes and making the 80 minute addition up to 50g

[ozdevil]

2 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Pilsner today while I watch the Masters in between brewing activities. Only changes are the first mash step out to 70 minutes and making the 80 minute addition up to 50g

no golf ?

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

1 hour ago, ozdevil said:

no golf ?

 

Nah, 2 person Ambrose today and I'm playing tomorrow and Monday so I thought I'd give it a miss and make a brew instead

[kmar92]

English Bitter today.

88.3% Maris Otter, 5% light crystal, 3.3% Carapils, 3.3% wheat. Mash 65°@70 mins, mash out 76°@10 mins. 26g East Kent Goldings@60 mins, 25g Challenger@20 mins, 20g EKG hopstand 20 mins @ 80°. Dry hop will be 60g Fuggles and yeast will be Nottingham @ 19°.

Overshot the numbers by 6 points, probably as I am playing around with sparge and water volumes. In a cube and will go into the fermenter tomorrow.

[stquinto]

On 4/7/2023 at 5:44 AM, Classic Brewing Co said:

Here is my makeshift step-up platform 'thingo' I use to get high enough to lift the malt pipe & secure it, I would rather have the Brew Zilla lower but it's a bugger bending down to see the control panel, being 6'2" helps but goes against you bending down.

 

Blimey Phil! You going back to the army with that assault course?

[stquinto]

COPA for today’s brew day, @iBooz2 recipe. A 30 litre batch to use up the rest of my Marris Otter. Good rolling boil - the 16 amp set up was worth it, thanks for the tip @ozdevil

[stquinto]

All done. I’ll leave it overnight, or at least until it drops to 40 or so. Then into the pressure fermenters and wait until it drops to 25. Hopefully the yeast culture will be ready by then - 2 days on the go.

A final glass of the COPA before the keg blows (seems to be threatening to do so for the past 5 pints)

[Classic Brewing Co]

7 hours ago, stquinto said:

Blimey Phil! You going back to the army with that assault course?

It seems without a pulley system & given my height; it is too hard bending down to look at the control pad.

I am slowly gathering the material to make one of these, modified of course.

[Tone boy]

Big stout on the go today. Have made this recipe before and it was a winner.

Only difference today will be the yeast, couldn’t get M42 so using coopers yeast. Just looking up the R codes to see what yeasts I have!

[iBooz2]

1 hour ago, Tone boy said:

Just looking up the R codes to see what yeasts I have!

@Tone boy speaking of R codes, how did the racing go out at salt lake city?

[Tone boy]

9 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

@Tone boy speaking of R codes, how did the racing go out at salt lake city?

We had a ball Boozer. Great trip. Got this beemer up to 169.5 mph. Lots of wild machines out there too!

Some photos for you!

[iBooz2]

On 4/7/2023 at 1:44 PM, Classic Brewing Co said:

Here is my makeshift step-up platform 'thingo' I use to get high enough to lift the malt pipe & secure it, I would rather have the Brew Zilla lower but it's a bugger bending down to see the control panel, being 6'2" helps but goes against you bending down.

 

OMG!

With all due respect Phil, this setup is just plain dumb and dangerous. 

Why on earth do you put it up so high that you need a platform or step ladder to lift the malt pipe and do the sparge.  Yes I hear you re the lowness of the control panel and if you are having trouble reading the panel when its down very low just take a pic of it with your phone and look at that, your hands can reach down lower than your eyes and you would not even need your glasses. 

Its not as if the panel is like a 747 flight deck so you should be able to remember which buttons do what without looking at the labels (just like you do while driving your car).  You only have to make two or three adjustment during brew-day anyway,  1 set mash temp 2 set mash out temp (optional) and 3. set boil temp.  Bending down two or three times is far better that falling down and scolding yourself, the mid boggles.  If it were me I would have it just high enough for the silicone tube to come out of the outlet with just a nice radius bend when I am pumping the wort into the cube.

It would be better and more safe to have it at a low height so you can stand on the floor and lift the malt pipe up to the drain position.  I can lift a double batch of grains without using a pulley so you should be able to easily do a single batch just one handed (that's if you are not perched up on some structure like you have got).  

Edited April 10, 2023 by iBooz2
typo

[iBooz2]

4 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

It seems without a pulley system & given my height; it is too hard bending down to look at the control pad.

I am slowly gathering the material to make one of these, modified of course.

@Classic Brewing Co you already know my thoughts re this set-up, a cumbersome trip hazard.   Plus his system is gas powered so he can have his anywhere, you cannot.  Yours is 240 VAC and has to be within 2 metres of your chosen power point because if you run it off an extension lead you have to take into account the voltage drop across your lead.  Too long or too thin copper conductors and you may not get enough power to the unit to get it up to the boil.   JMO.

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

14 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

OMG!

With all due respect Phil, this setup is just plain dumb and dangerous. 

Why on earth do you put it up so high that you need a platform or step ladder to lift the malt pipe and do the sparge.  Yes I hear you re the lowness of the control panel and if you are having trouble reading the panel when its down very low just take a pic of it with your phone and look at that, your hands can reach down lower than your eyes and you would not even need your glasses. 

Its not as if the panel is like a 747 flight deck so you should be able to remember which buttons do what without looking at the labels (just like you do while driving your car).  You only have to make two or three adjustment during brew-day anyway,  1 set mash temp 2 set mash out temp (optional) and 3. set boil temp.  Bending down two or three times is far better that falling down and scolding yourself, the mid boggles.  If it were me I would have it just high enough for the silicone tube to come out of the outlet with just a nice radius bend when I am pumping the wort into the cube.

It would be better and more safe to have it at a low height so you can stand on the floor and lift the malt pipe up to the drain position.  I can lift a double batch of grains without using a pulley so you should be able to easily do a single batch just one handed (that's if you are not perched up on some structure like you have got).  

Yeah, well it works, the other way I have is to put it a lot lower & use a mirror angled to see the control panel easier, I am aware of taking a pic with the camera, we seem to do it every time you need a serial no from something like a TV or other large appliance. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

5 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

@Classic Brewing Co you already know my thoughts re this set-up, a cumbersome trip hazard.   Plus his system is gas powered so he can have his anywhere, you cannot.  Yours is 240 VAC and has to be within 2 metres of your chosen power point because if you run it off an extension lead you have to take into account the voltage drop across your lead.  Too long or too thin copper conductors and you may not get enough power to the unit to get it up to the boil.   JMO.

 

Al, as it turns out I have power points that I can plug straight in to in kitchen & laundry. Cheers for your input. 

The other thing is I had already decided to whack it down lower & just put up with the bending to look at the control panel.

[iBooz2]

19 hours ago, kmar92 said:

3.3% Carapils, 3.3% wheat.

Sounds like a good beer K. and it will no doubt have a nice head and head retention with that grain bill.  I have never made an EB, must do one someday.

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

@Classic Brewing Co you already know my thoughts re this set-up, a cumbersome trip hazard.   Plus his system is gas powered so he can have his anywhere, you cannot.  Yours is 240 VAC and has to be within 2 metres of your chosen power point because if you run it off an extension lead you have to take into account the voltage drop across your lead.  Too long or too thin copper conductors and you may not get enough power to the unit to get it up to the boil.   JMO.

 

OK, I have revised my brewing area, moved into the laundry, AL, note no extension cord (one of my neighbours is an electrician & he comes over for a beer & did mention that to me about that stuff) 

I will put up with the bending & just get on with it as I need more beer.

 

[kmar92]

10 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

OK, I have revised my brewing area, moved into the laundry, AL, note no extension cord (one of my neighbours is an electrician & he comes over for a beer & did mention that to me about that stuff) 

I will put up with the bending & just get on with it as I need more beer.

 

That looks a lot better to me @Classic Brewing Co. The other set up that you showed, well I was wondering how you would ever be able to sparge at that height plus the dangers of climbing steps holding hot water for sparging. Dealing with hot and boiling water temps I reckon you are better off operating from a firm level footing at ground level, your previous set up looked like an accident in the offing.

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, kmar92 said:

That looks a lot better to me @Classic Brewing Co. The other set up that you showed, well I was wondering how you would ever be able to sparge at that height plus the dangers of climbing steps holding hot water for sparging. Dealing with hot and boiling water temps I reckon you are better off operating from a firm level footing at ground level, your previous set up looked like an accident in the offing.

I do agree, but I was worried about my crook shoulder, but what the hell it is only for a short time to lift, twist & settle & of course after sparge it's going to be lighter anyway.

A beer usually fixes a pain anyway. Cheers.

[Cheap Charlie]

That second photo, is that a bath tub of sorts? seems perfect height to put the zilla on?