Going all-out - my proposed brewery

[AdamH1525226084]

Hey guys

I've been toying with some ideas since the weekend.

 

The HMI and Controller I can borrow from a demo system from my work - it's what I do, so that part is easy.

 

The HMI I will use to view what's going on in the process and make adjustments, set recipes etc.

 

Because my work is mainly safety I can't not put any in, so there are two valves for the gas supply (in case one doesn't turn off) and an Estop in case something goes bad.

 

The cost of the valves is a little prohibitive - $45 each for these ones, and with 8 of them makes the control side costly.

 

What do you think?

[Ramjet]

The HMI and Controller I can borrow from a demo system from my work - it's what I do

 

Can you confirm this really IS you? [biggrin]

[King Ruddager]

What is a hot liquor tun for? I never realised there was a step before mashing. Or is it just a staging area for water while it comes up to temperature and the grain is just sitting there in the mash tun?

[Hairy]

K-Rudd, the hot liquor tun is just the pot/vessel that heats the water for the mash and the sparge.

 

Sorry Adam, electronics are beyond me.

[King Ruddager]

Why not heat it up in the mash tun and then add the grains when it's at the right temperature?

[Hairy]

You can do that, depending on your mash tun. You can't sit an esky on a burner.

 

But you also need a vessel to heat your sparge water.

[Lotm]

Clearly You're missing the flux capacitor Adam.

[Hairy]

Clearly You're missing the flux capacitor Adam.

But he would need 1.21 gigawatts to power it. A lightning rod on the house may do the job.

[PhilbyT]

Adam, I noticed you are an electrical eng, I stalked you profile.[lol]

I am certainly no AG expert, but I am also an electrical engineer.[biggrin]

I guess you need to be careful of flow rates in the lautering process. I think you may have that covered manually by the hand valve out of the Hot Vessel.

 

Perhaps you can save yourself a few solenoid valves by doing away with the one entering the mash tun, the one entering the hot vessel on the recirculating side and the one on the kettle exit.

 

I suspect that the pump and valve remain in that order as you don't want any of the sparged wort ending up stuck in the pump, good wort will be wasted sitting in the pump and line unless they are above the height of the mash tun. I think it would be normal to have those two directing valves as is.

 

Don't forget the 1.21 jigawhats[cool]

[AdamH1525226084]

Pretty sure I saw flux capacitors at Jaycar last time I was there. But I'm not building a time machine, nor do I know where to get a Delorien, so I won't worry about that.

 

I'm still undecided on whether to use a pot or an esky for the Mash Tun.

 

I might remove those valves as a start Philby and add them later. I want it to be close to a set and forget so if I drink too much on brew day I don't mess things up [lol]

 

I also thought about if I use a valve on the water in line I should have someway to measure the amount of water in there - otherwise why bother with the valve.

 

And for the pump to the HTL - there should be another line if I am using a heat exchanger - don't want to mix wort with water.

 

Thanks lads [happy]

[AdamH1525226084]

FYI the pic of me at NASA is an old one, here's my Movember pic

[Beerlust]

Hi AdamH.

 

I don't have much to add as I'm not an All Grain brewer, but did spot the following among some of your thoughts & concerns...

 

I'm still undecided on whether to use a pot or an esky for the Mash Tun.

Given how much chatter All Grain brewers speak about hitting their strike temperatures accurately, wouldn't the decision to choose a pot or an esky then govern your ability to heat the liquid in the vessel if required? (i.e. the ability to use an external burner or be forced to use an immersion heater)

 

Maybe someone with All Grain experience on the forum can state whether that is even a relevant point that requires consideration. [unsure]

 

Good luck with the transition to All Grain brewing AdamH. [wink]

 

P.S. We don't know who you are in the photograph, but what have you done with AdamH? [lol]

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

[LordEoin]

You'll be broke on solenoid valves alone.

Why not just keep it all electric and double your HLT as a kettle?

 

[PhilbyT]

Adam.

I guess an important thing is a lot of control to take care of the mash process. i.e. flow rates and qtys in recirculating, sparging, etc. It would require good (something like PID) control if you want it to be set and forget. For example if you want to recirculate first runnings automatically, how do you determine how much liquid to strain off, how fast do you let it out and then back into the mash. This is just one of the steps that need careful monitoring. My guess is that some of process needs to be manual and some of it can be automated, without a lot of extra sensors, variable flow valves etc.

 

Are you AG brewing already?

[AdamH1525226084]

Hi guys, was away at a beer festival for the weekend and only just resurfaced.

 

Yes I am All-Grain already. The pot shown as my HLT is already in use for BIAB, as is the 3 ring burner shown on the kettle.

 

I do understand I will have to have some manual control [happy]

[PhilbyT]

Good luck with it. I'm sure that over time you will work out how to make it more set and forget, engineers always do.[biggrin]