What are you doing with homebrew today?

Already have an Inkbird ITC1000F to go with it, but still need to build a control panel for it. That should solve some temperature problems during mashing. One would think an electrical engineer would have gone electric from the get-go. I could probably use the one I built for the fermentation chamber, and just reset the temperature setting. But since most mashing temperatures are about the same, figured I’d just splurge on a separate controller. I prefer isolation relays to avoid large currents through control devices, especially on bang-bang type systems. Might give me some incentive to do a couple batches to let mellow while me and the missus go to the southern hemisphere for a few weeks. May order some 4 and 8 liter mini kegs between now and then too.
 
RoadRoach said:
Already have an Inkbird ITC1000F to go with it, but still need to build a control panel for it. That should solve some temperature problems during mashing. One would think an electrical engineer would have gone electric from the get-go. I could probably use the one I built for the fermentation chamber, and just reset the temperature setting. But since most mashing temperatures are about the same, figured I’d just splurge on a separate controller. I prefer isolation relays to avoid large currents through control devices, especially on bang-bang type systems. Might give me some incentive to do a couple batches to let mellow while me and the missus go to the southern hemisphere for a few weeks. May order some 4 and 8 liter mini kegs between now and then too.
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How many watts is it? I find that 500-700 watts works really well, above 1500 watts it boils in the tube unless you have insane flow rate

+1 on the relays. Easier to replace if they fail than the ones on the inkbird.
 
Im planning out a rims myself. Sold off some equip to reduce footprint. Going to do 1v full volume biab, then use the mash tun and a rims tube for bigger beers and 10 g batches.
 
Got the Pinot Grigio out the fermenting bucket - now on the most physically demanding stage of work I ever do with homebrewing: Degassing wine manually (one more day of that).

Started a 21 Litre batch of budget Sweet Apple Cider yesterday afternoon. This is probably going to be my last cider until some time after renovations in 2025.
Airlock was going when I checked on 16 hour mark this morning - oh sweet bubbles :)
 
Minbari said:
How many watts is it? I find that 500-700 watts works really well, above 1500 watts it boils in the tube unless you have insane flow rate

+1 on the relays. Easier to replace if they fail than the ones on the inkbird.
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1100 at 110V. I have a pretty decent pump. If it's too high, I may have to go to a PWM version of the Inkbird. They're not really very expensive. Gonna do some experimenting with water first to see how quick it'll heat up the strike water volume. One thing I like about this is that it's pretty much self-sanitizing. Probably going to still have to take it apart for a good scrubbing sometimes because of scale (hard water), but that looks to be a really easy chore with the tri-clamp setup.

The additional contacts on the pilot relays also let me do things like run a chamber fan if the heating or cooling is on without using two fans. Keeps the air temperature in the chamber more uniform. If within deadband, nothing is running except the inkbird. Another little project I need to finish off ......
 
WesBrew said:
Im planning out a rims myself. Sold off some equip to reduce footprint. Going to do 1v full volume biab, then use the mash tun and a rims tube for bigger beers and 10 g batches.
Click to expand...
I'm doing it primarily to get a grip on my mashing temperatures. I can boil hell outta something in a few minutes with a 400,000 BTU burner, but it ain't wort diddly for trying to control mash temperature. Poor temperature control I think is one of my main problems with the efficacy of the yeast and why some of me batches tasted way too sweet. Right now the plan is to kick the strike water temp up to about 150, then switch over to the RIMS until it's at strike temperature, then set the temperature down for mashing temperature. I'm also going to eventually add a secondary cooling system that I can use to finish chilling down to pitch temperature in summer when our water temps are too high. Hoping all this effort and expense improves my brewing. It'll certainly bump the learning curve and give me new things to try.
 
RoadRoach said:
1100 at 110V. I have a pretty decent pump. If it's too high, I may have to go to a PWM version of the Inkbird. They're not really very expensive. Gonna do some experimenting with water first to see how quick it'll heat up the strike water volume. One thing I like about this is that it's pretty much self-sanitizing. Probably going to still have to take it apart for a good scrubbing sometimes because of scale (hard water), but that looks to be a really easy chore with the tri-clamp setup.

The additional contacts on the pilot relays also let me do things like run a chamber fan if the heating or cooling is on without using two fans. Keeps the air temperature in the chamber more uniform. If within deadband, nothing is running except the inkbird. Another little project I need to finish off ......
Click to expand...
You can get outboard pwm module from amazon too. For 10,000 watt 240vac for like $25
 
RoadRoach said:
I'm doing it primarily to get a grip on my mashing temperatures. I can boil hell outta something in a few minutes with a 400,000 BTU burner, but it ain't wort diddly for trying to control mash temperature. Poor temperature control I think is one of my main problems with the efficacy of the yeast and why some of me batches tasted way too sweet. Right now the plan is to kick the strike water temp up to about 150, then switch over to the RIMS until it's at strike temperature, then set the temperature down for mashing temperature. I'm also going to eventually add a secondary cooling system that I can use to finish chilling down to pitch temperature in summer when our water temps are too high. Hoping all this effort and expense improves my brewing. It'll certainly bump the learning curve and give me new things to try.
Click to expand...
Im going to do something similar. Heat up strike water in the kettle, switch to RIms with a 3500w element, controlled with BrewCommander. I was using a herms tank that worked fine but a bit of a hassle. I sold off some vessels to reduce footprint and make brewing easier.
 
WesBrew said:
Im going to do something similar. Heat up strike water in the kettle, switch to RIms with a 3500w element, controlled with BrewCommander. I was using a herms tank that worked fine but a bit of a hassle. I sold off some vessels to reduce footprint and make brewing easier.
Click to expand...
how has that been working? I have a 3500 watts rims element, but I have found in my setup, anything more than about 1500 watts and it tends to boil in the tube. not what you want for the mash stage.
 
Minbari said:
how has that been working? I have a 3500 watts rims element, but I have found in my setup, anything more than about 1500 watts and it tends to boil in the tube. not what you want for the mash stage.
Click to expand...
Gonna ask a DAQ (dumb a$$ question). Where is your temperature probe for your RIMS tube? It needs to be as close as possible to the exit port of the tube to best regulate the hottest wort temperature and farthest from what ever is taking away the heat to display the coldest temperature.

If I’m reading things right, a lower temperature in the grain bed is a lot less important than the highest temperature of the wort, i.e. the wort in the RIMS tube. I can see where a large heating element may have some hysteresis and overshoot issues with a bang bang controller. The hot liquor rinses the starches from the grains, but the actual breakdown of the starches to sugar happens in the wort where enzymes also released from the grain do the deed. Hot spots in/under the grain bed are what I think are causing most of my issues. Increased flow rate can be used to homogenize the temperature, but will certainly affect temperature correction. My thermometer on my kettle is nearly a foot from the bottom of the kettle and nearly the same from the top of the mash bed. I can’t count the times I’ve found caramelized sugar on the bottom of the kettle, which is a sure sign that I scorched the batch. It makes less difference in a stout than a blonde, but it certainly makes it harder to get a good fermentation.

I may yet add another probe and some digital thermometers to help find the sweet spot for mashing. It’s going to vary a lot on different systems, but I gotta do something to improve my process.
 
WesBrew said:
Im going to do something similar. Heat up strike water in the kettle, switch to RIms with a 3500w element, controlled with BrewCommander. I was using a herms tank that worked fine but a bit of a hassle. I sold off some vessels to reduce footprint and make brewing easier.
Click to expand...
Oof. Just looked at the BrewCommander. They don’t give those away. A gas model is hella pricey. Hope you got a good deal on yours. Then again, Blichmann seems to target upper end brew systems with most of their products. The cost can probably be justified if the beer is for something to be sold or used in competition, but I can’t for what I’m doing.
 
RoadRoach said:
Gonna ask a DAQ (dumb a$$ question). Where is your temperature probe for your RIMS tube? It needs to be as close as possible to the exit port of the tube to best regulate the hottest wort temperature and farthest from what ever is taking away the heat to display the coldest temperature.

If I’m reading things right, a lower temperature in the grain bed is a lot less important than the highest temperature of the wort, i.e. the wort in the RIMS tube. I can see where a large heating element may have some hysteresis and overshoot issues with a bang bang controller. The hot liquor rinses the starches from the grains, but the actual breakdown of the starches to sugar happens in the wort where enzymes also released from the grain do the deed. Hot spots in/under the grain bed are what I think are causing most of my issues. Increased flow rate can be used to homogenize the temperature, but will certainly affect temperature correction. My thermometer on my kettle is nearly a foot from the bottom of the kettle and nearly the same from the top of the mash bed. I can’t count the times I’ve found caramelized sugar on the bottom of the kettle, which is a sure sign that I scorched the batch. It makes less difference in a stout than a blonde, but it certainly makes it harder to get a good fermentation.

I may yet add another probe and some digital thermometers to help find the sweet spot for mashing. It’s going to vary a lot on different systems, but I gotta do something to improve my process.
Click to expand...
I have mine right at the exit.

getting it just right is balancing act for sure. you dont want your wort getting hot enough in the tube to denature the enzymes
 
Minbari said:
how has that been working? I have a 3500 watts rims element, but I have found in my setup, anything more than about 1500 watts and it tends to boil in the tube. not what you want for the mash stage.
Click to expand...
Im waiting on parts to arrive. Ill be reducing the cycle time to 1 or two seconds, reducing power , then do a bunch of water testing to find the sweet spot. Temp probe will be at the exit with a good flow
 
Minbari said:
how has that been working? I have a 3500 watts rims element, but I have found in my setup, anything more than about 1500 watts and it tends to boil in the tube. not what you want for the mash stage.
Click to expand...
I have mine set up with a 3500 watt and the probe at the end but I have a pid set to turn turn the element off when the set point is reached so it never boils
 
Ozarks Mountain Brewery said:
I have mine set up with a 3500 watt and the probe at the end but I have a pid set to turn turn the element off when the set point is reached so it never boils
Click to expand...
ya but if your kettle (mash tun) is less than the set point the element would still be on. without enough liquid volume, it literally boils in the tube before it can get out. that is where the conundrum is. fast enough flow to keep the delta in the tube low enough and it pumps out under the grain bed, slow enough flow speed and the delta in the tube is too high. at least my system .

I just need to set a limiter so that it cant heat the tube beyond about 150F
 
What I mean is the pid only measures the rims tub not the mash, I have a display showing the mash, although I'm not using it now that I bought 2 - 6000 watt elements, heats very fast
 
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