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kytro

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Over the next few months I am looking to put together a new system capable of AG, and prefer something that is fairly low maintenance and compact.

Due to living in a share-house and up some steep stairs I need something I can run in a bathroom for boiling and ferment in my bedroom.

This means:

  • All electric, standard socket (required)
  • Single SS brew vessel (preferred)
  • SS fermenter (preferred)

I'd also like:

  • Support for fermentation temperature control (electric)
  • Support for BeerBug (just so it fits)
  • Automated brewery (enter recipe, system controls temp and time and cooling etc)

I also have a distinct lack of tools, so drilling and modding things myself is limited. I want to brew at least 20-25 L at a time, but not too big as I have limited space.

Any idea? I'd be willing to pay someone to put something together as well, as long as the cost is fairly reasonable.
 
What would you define as a reasonable cost? I think you've just described a Braumeister and they're not cheap. :lol:

I was hoping to not have to spend quite that much, but it's not out of the question entirely, it means I have to save for a bit longer.

It's a pity no-one sells the entire[Grainfather set (yes, it's not quite automated) like this :http://www.grainfather.co.nz/#!onli...te-Brewery-Setup/p/39751579/category=10615032

They offer the 6 monthly payments, but alas only in New Zealand.

Frankly I'd like to keep everything under about £1000 (excluding BeerBug), and if I can buy the tools and mod it myself for less money than having someone else do it I'd consider that too, but usually the price of tools soon adds up.
 
Have you looked at The Grainfather? Not my cup of tea, but sounds like it would fit your bill.

Briefly. It seems pretty close, but I think I need a additional HLT? It also does not support the automation I'd like such as do X for Y time, I still have to manually set temperatures and use timers - not the end of the world, but there is nothing like automation for consistency
 
Briefly. It seems pretty close, but I think I need a additional HLT? It also does not support the automation I'd like such as do X for Y time, I still have to manually set temperatures and use timers - not the end of the world, but there is nothing like automation for consistency

You don't need a HLT, although it would make things easier - without one you pre-heat the water to about 90, then transfer it to something insulated and start the brew.. when you get to sparging the water you put aside should be about the right temperature.
 
You don't need a HLT, although it would make things easier - without one you pre-heat the water to about 90, then transfer it to something insulated and start the brew.. when you get to sparging the water you put aside should be about the right temperature.

I'll put it on my short list, but I'm not sure when it will be available? I won't be buying this month, but hopefully next. It's certainly a reasonable price for what it is, but I want to explore all reasonable options.

If I had my own place I would have the space to do something bigger, but currently my free space is outside - and not protected from the elements
 
for the control side of things there are very few off the shelf solutions there is the aussie lael option, but u will probable be on a waiting list for the next batch now, tho its a steal at the price curenty set.. http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/6...’s-controller-buy-thread/page-49#entry1252382

there is also the brewpi spark and the hacked version of the stc1000 controller for herms/rims control.

otherwise its a case of making your own, the ARDUINO controller at the heart of the leal offering would be the choice of many
lots of arduino solutions out there detailed for 'easy' copying, check out Jims and search for Jabba's brewery programming thread for at least 3 systems to copy.. (one being leal's aka Matho's first draught for the controler linked to above..)

the actual brewery build is simply a case of cutting holes and fitting elements and plumbing in to seal, liberal wraps of ptfe tape will seal almost anything and if needed silicone baking sheet(ebay) or cake molds(£shop) make the ideal heat/foodsafe donar material for cutting soft diy washers from, and if nothing else seals there is the ferrenox lsx silicone thread sealer which once cured is passed for use with hot/cold pottable water, tho it is nasty stuff till cured ....

places like the malt miller, homebrewbuilder, and powell brewing , ive used the first 2 , not the 3rd... will sell you everyting from basic pots to custom built brew vessels..

however the ebay.fr seller of ss stockpots is now again shipping to the UK, so the basic pots can be sourced a lil cheaper now..

cutting holes in SS is best done with qmax punches some of us have em allready and are happy to lend em to folk who pop by for a 1/2 hour to do the job,, return postage on em costs 2/3rds of the price of a new sharp punch so not worth the risk imho..

afaik there is only one system u load program and forget about like a counter top breadmaker and thats made by a group of style over function yanks from a set of cattering trays that u need an iphone to control..

imho the brewing of beer needs a hands on approach as no 2 brewkits will behave the same, using basic controllers to hit target temps and maintain them is one thing, expecting a good beer after loading a machine and hitting the big red brew button is still a fantasy option..
 
for the control side of things there are very few off the shelf solutions there is the aussie lael option, but u will probable be on a waiting list for the next batch now, tho its a steal at the price curenty set.. http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/6...’s-controller-buy-thread/page-49#entry1252382

there is also the brewpi spark and the hacked version of the stc1000 controller for herms/rims control.

otherwise its a case of making your own, the ARDUINO controller at the heart of the leal offering would be the choice of many
lots of arduino solutions out there detailed for 'easy' copying, check out Jims and search for Jabba's brewery programming thread for at least 3 systems to copy.. (one being leal's aka Matho's first draught for the controler linked to above..)

Cheers, I will take a look at the options. When I was back in Australia I used a BrewTroller in FermTroller mode to maintain my fermenter temperature with good results.

the actual brewery build is simply a case of cutting holes and fitting elements and plumbing in to seal, liberal wraps of ptfe tape will seal almost anything and if needed silicone baking sheet(ebay) or cake molds(£shop) make the ideal heat/foodsafe donar material for cutting soft diy washers from, and if nothing else seals there is the ferrenox lsx silicone thread sealer which once cured is passed for use with hot/cold pottable water, tho it is nasty stuff till cured ....

I'm not so great with ... building stuff. It ends up a mess most of the time, so while I don't mind simple tasks anything too complex is an issue.

places like the malt miller, homebrewbuilder, and powell brewing , ive used the first 2 , not the 3rd... will sell you everyting from basic pots to custom built brew vessels..

however the ebay.fr seller of ss stockpots is now again shipping to the UK, so the basic pots can be sourced a lil cheaper now..

I'll look into these options as well.

cutting holes in SS is best done with qmax punches some of us have em allready and are happy to lend em to folk who pop by for a 1/2 hour to do the job,, return postage on em costs 2/3rds of the price of a new sharp punch so not worth the risk imho..

afaik there is only one system u load program and forget about like a counter top breadmaker and thats made by a group of style over function yanks from a set of cattering trays that u need an iphone to control..

That's the brew bot, I think. I have seen a couple of others (including one that had a grain mill convenor and hop dropper ), but they either custom or rather pricey.

imho the brewing of beer needs a hands on approach as no 2 brewkits will behave the same, using basic controllers to hit target temps and maintain them is one thing, expecting a good beer after loading a machine and hitting the big red brew button is still a fantasy option..

Oh don't get me wrong - I just find some tasks are much better left to a computer (like maintaining temps). The part of home-brew I want to focus on coming up with interesting and delicious beers! I guess more sensors are needed to measure sugar conversion and hop isomerisation, but I'm not sure how practical such thing are at the moment
 
I'm not so great with ... building stuff. It ends up a mess most of the time, so while I don't mind simple tasks anything too complex is an issue.

not a lot to the basic pots really, once you have decided what you want to fit, elements, valves, thermopockets? and found the bits suitable, spend a bit of time with masking tape wrapped round the pots and measure where u want the bits put..

a shiny thermopot tun with a bottom drain is the hardest diy job imho, and i managed it with a lot of hand holding from guys in here and similar sites..



That's the brew bot, I think. I have seen a couple of others (including one that had a grain mill convenor and hop dropper ), but they either custom or rather pricey.



Oh don't get me wrong - I just find some tasks are much better left to a computer (like maintaining temps). The part of home-brew I want to focus on coming up with interesting and delicious beers! I guess more sensors are needed to measure sugar conversion and hop isomerisation, but I'm not sure how practical such thing are at the moment

think you need to derive such things rather than measure them in real time
your experience will provide you with a conversion rate you can expect, and hop utilisation can be derived from the alpha % on the pack used..

the variables needed to work out through experience are your conversion rate and evaporation rate, as the final goals should be hitting the target gravity and volume. without knowing what these rates are you can still hit the target gravity Or target volume, by boiling for longer/shorter.. but imho its unlikely to hit both
 
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