Return to TheElectricBrewery.com
  [ Shop ]   [ Building ]   [ Using ]   [ Recipes ]   [ Testimonials ]   [ Gallery ]   [ FAQ ]   [ About Us ]   [ Contact Us ]   [ Newsletter ]

Log inLog in   RegisterRegister   User Control PanelUser Control Panel   Private MessagesPrivate Messages   MembershipClub Memberships   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   Photo AlbumsPhoto Albums   Forum FAQForum FAQ


The Clean Up - Maybe I need a How-To?
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Using Your Brewery
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
mjpeisher




Joined: 07 Feb 2015
Posts: 26
Location: South Carolina


PostLink    Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 11:46 pm    Post subject: The Clean Up - Maybe I need a How-To? Reply with quote


        Register to remove this ad. It's free!
Kal,
I would like to see a couple of additional videos posted on your website:

1 - a video, it can be in speed motion, of your entire brew day operation, start to finish. I would like to see how you do certain things versus how I am doing. You are obviously very experienced in your brew setup, and I bet a few of us could learn a few pointers just from watching it

2 - And this one is the real winner, I would like to see a video of you doing a clean-up session after brewing. It seems that this is a tremendous issue when brewing at my house, and I have to think that you have a better method for brewing than I do, because it feels like this is way harder than it should be.

think that is something you would be willing to share?
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 2:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check out the BREW DAY STEP BY STEP article for some some hints to your question (1).

I clean up as I'm brewing. The HLT doesn't need cleaning at all (only had water in it) and the HERMS coil is automatically cleaned during sparging because I sparge through it (See my BREW DAY STEP BY STEP article for complete details). The little bit of water that's left in the HLT (less than half a cup) is wiped up with a sponge.

When sparge is done and the boil is underway, grain is scooped out of the MLT, false bottom removed and sprayed in the sink. About 2 minutes. MLT then gets moved to the left of the sink and tilted 90 degrees into the sink and sprayed with my commercial spray arm. 5-6 mins. No soap is used - just water. A picture/video: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNcV1wtA_1D/?taken-by=theelectricbrewery

When the boil is done and fermenters filled, I tilt the boil kettle into the sink the same way (no wires disconnected) as the MLT but in its current location. Hop Stopper's removed and sprayed - some bits may get left behind inside but it's not a big deal (1-2 mins). The element gets cleaned with soft blue sponge, the whole kettle gets sprayed with the arm. About 5-10 mins. No soap is used usually, just water, but feel free to use OxiClean or PBW.

Wort pump and chiller get some hot water from the sink faucet pushed through. I hook up a hose from the faucet, run hot water for 30 seconds and it goes down the drain. If I feel like it, I squirt some oxiclean into the hose before hooking it up to the faucet, push the water through and let it sit for a few mins while I clean the boil kettle, and then it's rinsed with water. The water pump doesn't need cleaning as it only ever had water in it.

Standing water in the pumps, CFC, HERMS coil, valves, the MLT hose, and sight glasses are blown out with the compact shop vac (in blow mode): http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/compact-shop-vac
No need to get 100% of the water. It'll all dry (I brew indoors).

Hoses are hung up to drip dry.

I could make videos of this but I think it would be pretty boring? Wink What part of cleaning are you finding to be the most difficult/time consuming? What's your layout like? Having a good layout with the sink in the middle makes it easier. No requiring any tools to disassemble the Hop Stopper from the Blichmann kettle makes it easy too. The Blichmann sight glasses have a nut on top that comes out in 2 seconds so I that I can use the included brush - I keep the allen key nearby.

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0


Last edited by kal on Mon Jun 03, 2019 2:20 am; edited 7 times in total
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
SD Endorf




Joined: 24 Apr 2015
Posts: 88



PostLink    Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For those of us unfortunate to not have a sink next to the kettles, it seems to be slightly more work. I've only one batch under my belt but here's what I did:
After scooping the mash tun and removing as much grain as possible, dumped in 5 gallons of hot PBW and circulated it through the wort pump. Scrubbed it well with a soft nylon scrubbie. Transferred to the boil kettle and did the same. Drained through the chiller into bucket.
Then added 5 gallons of starsan to the mash tun and circulated through both kettles, wort pump and chiller the same way. Starsan is a bit of overkill but what the heck...the PBW needed to be rinsed.
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A good sink in a good location is definitely key - it's the first item that I planned for. It's the most used piece of equipment in the brewery.

FWIW I rarely use any soap/Oxiclean/PBW in the kettles. Just water. Once a year I heat a scoop of oxiclean in ~9-10 gallons of water in the boil kettle to 170F and recirculate for 30-45 mins through the boil kettle/MLT/CFC/wort pump/HERMS/all hoses to remove any built-up grunge, and then all is rinsed. This is not really required but it makes me feel better to have everything shiny again. Wink Why's it not required? It's because everything is on the hot side of the brewing process so it all gets boiled anyway, and it's not like the grain and stuff we put in the mash tun and boil kettle are sanitary anyway.

HLT and water pump don't need this cleaning as they only ever touch water. The HERMS coil probably doesn't need it either as in my brew day process I flush it with the sparge water so it's already "auto cleaned".

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0


Last edited by kal on Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:39 pm; edited 2 times in total
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
SD Endorf




Joined: 24 Apr 2015
Posts: 88



PostLink    Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well... Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi started in their garage.
As soon as I get some money I'll plumb the garage and add a floor drain.... Smile LOL
Back to top
mjpeisher




Joined: 07 Feb 2015
Posts: 26
Location: South Carolina


PostLink    Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the biggest difference then (based on your pictures) is the convenience of layout. I piped in a home depot sink in my garage, and ran PVC to the garage door so it drains to the street, so I can do rinses, but the sink is in a corner with no counter on the other side. So it is just difficult due to lack of layout convenience.

But on the upside, at least I have a sink, just not in a great place.
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having lots of counter space around the sink certainly helps. I had my sink in the corner in my first setup beside the boil kettle:



Because of this, I couldn't (easily) wash my MLT until after the boil was completely done and I had moved it out of the way. Washing big 20 gallon kettles directly *in* the sink doesn't work. they're too big, and you can't really rinse - all your doing is filling them. You also can't really lift them if there's any water in them at all. The best way to clean the kettles I've found is to have them 90 degrees sideways and spray them such that water runs out, so having two tables to either side of the kettle was something I really needed to be able to wash the MLT while the boil was going. I did try holding the kettle a few times in front of the sink (leaning it on the edge) and while that worked, it was awkward.

So when I redesigned my brewery in the new (now current) house I made sure to leave table space on either side of the sink:



This way I still wash the boil kettle like before, but this leaves me room to wash the MLT while boiling using the table on the left.

Good luck!

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
huhwha




Joined: 10 May 2013
Posts: 70



PostLink    Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is why, in my temporary setup, I have triclover fittings on my elements. I can easily unhook everything from the BK and get it over to my less than optimally placed sink for cleaning. Like Kal, when I build my new house next year, I will be sure to have an optimal setup. Can't wait!
Back to top
Josh




Joined: 02 Jan 2014
Posts: 26
Location: Centennial, CO


PostLink    Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kal,

I am trying to figure how to do CFC, BK, MLT, wort pump and HERMS with just the one pump. I keep coming up with needing 2 pumps and 6 hoses.
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Correct. I use both pumps when recirculating to clean and usually recirculate like this:

Boil kettle -> wort pump -> CFC -> Mash tun -> water pump -> Boil kettle

The HERMS coil I find doesn't need cleaning inside because of my brew day step by step process that rinses it out every time. If you feel it needs cleaning too, add an extra hose and put it in the loop somewhere. For example:

Boil kettle -> wort pump -> CFC -> HERMS coil -> Mash tun -> water pump -> Boil kettle

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
Josh




Joined: 02 Jan 2014
Posts: 26
Location: Centennial, CO


PostLink    Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Kal for the quick response.
Back to top
jphussey




Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Posts: 171



PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know cleaning seems trivial, but I find this to be very useful! Good stuff here!
Back to top
Joebrewing




Joined: 19 Jan 2014
Posts: 41



PostLink    Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 10:00 pm    Post subject: Pump cleaning Reply with quote

One time I didn't rinse the wort pump well enough and when I turned it on the next brew session, it just made this awful noise. I assume it was jammed. I used the water pump to pump hot water through it for a few minutes and it was fine. Scared me so much when it happened.
Back to top
JayBo




Joined: 23 Oct 2016
Posts: 35



PostLink    Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I start boiling, I empty my mash tun, bring it to the sink and clean with soap and water. When I chill, I collect the waste water back into my HLT and will use that with PBW to clean the kettle, pump and finally the chiller. I follow this up with the remaining hot water.
Back to top
ParadiseBrew




Joined: 09 Dec 2014
Posts: 83
Location: paradise, ca


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i clean as i go and during chilling i fill the HLT and MLT to reuse for cleanup. i find that two of these really HELP... i clean out the Mash and BK hops into them so they are not going down the drain or off the side yard.

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Strainer-Filtering-Biodiesel-Vegetable/dp/B003EDZONI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1485306156&sr=8-1&keywords=400+bucket+filter&th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=ecdb95c17d9e3c15edc7850cdb780344

pick two and you will find them to be useful!!!

also get yourself a pair of restaurant bus tubs..they are more then useful during brewing days.
Back to top
David_H




Joined: 13 Nov 2013
Posts: 139
Location: Savannah, GA

Drinking: Dry Irish Stout, Electric Pale Ale, American Amber Ale, Irish Red Ale


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I brew in the Garage and I don't have access to a sink. I used to carry the kettles outside to clean. A major pain, those 20 gallon kettles are heavy. I just "built" a dust collector (actually a trub / grain / water collector) for the shop vac. I used a 5 gallon bucket and plumb the vacuum hose in and out at the top. This way the water, grain, trub etc are collected in the 5 gallon bucket and NOT in the vacuum.
It worked like a charm. I sucked out most of the grain into 5 gallon buckets, then rise down the inside of the MLT, draining into 5 gallon bucket and then suck out the remaining water. A little scrubbing on the inside and wipe dry.
Did the same with the BK. Never had to lift a pot. I am very happy with the new cleaning process.

I'm thinking about adding a fitting in the lid to add a "sprinkler head" to spray the inside with PBW for a true CIP option.

_________________
David

Kal Clone Controller
20 gallon Spike Brewing 3-Kettle System
SS Brewtech 14 gallon fermenter w/ gycol chiller
4 tap keezer with Nitro Tap
Back to top
jimboh




Joined: 25 Mar 2017
Posts: 69
Location: Halifax NS


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't used my electric brewery yet but am now considering installing it in my garage. I do have access to cold water as there is an "outside tap" installed inside the garage unfortunately on the opposite wall to where I want to place the brewery.
I was thinking of building a mobile sink. Basically a utility room/laundry sink on casters and either rigging up a tap on the sink with quick connect to the outside tap, or just using a spray adapter on the hose.

Like mjpeisher I will have to run a long drain hose so I can dump waste water out the garage.

I am really keen on a CIP solution though and the shop vac/modified bucket idea sounds like a winner, especially if the vac can also be used as blow drier.

I have a large air compressor in my garage, I could also use that for drying.

@David_H can you post some pics of your vac setup?+
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FYI -

I did my yearly 'deep clean' on Sunday and posted a short summary video here on my Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSJ86zgAAom/?taken-by=theelectricbrewery

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
ParadiseBrew




Joined: 09 Dec 2014
Posts: 83
Location: paradise, ca


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kal, as most of us will agree cleaning is the least enjoyable part of brewing. As I said above I clean and I go and then spend another hour or more cleaning the with PBW/Starsan. So... my question is that on your normal brew days you just rinse with water and call it good and then every few months / year do the big PBW run? i am liking the sound of this... but what about all the little hop particles that are left everywhere (pump, CFC, etc). thanks for the advice, i wish i had a 21yr old Swedish girl to do the cleanup while i drank... hehe...
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ParadiseBrew wrote:
So... my question is that on your normal brew days you just rinse with water and call it good and then every few months / year do the big PBW run?

Pretty much.

HLT never gets cleaned, ever, as it only ever has water in it.

Mash Tun gets a quick rinse/scrub with a sponge or brush while I'm boiling. Rarely use anything but water, Oxiclean sometimes. Same with the boil kettle after the boil.

Quote:
but what about all the little hop particles that are left everywhere (pump, CFC, etc).

They all come out when I flush. Some bits may get left behind here and there, especially in the Hop Stopper but who cares? It doesn't do anything. This is the hot side of the brewery. We don't need to sanitize.

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0


Last edited by kal on Mon Jun 03, 2019 2:26 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Using Your Brewery All times are GMT
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum



Forum powered by phpBB © phpBB Group