Stymingersfink basement build

Stymingersfink · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:40 am Post subject:

**kal** · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:04 pm Post subject:

Stymingersfink · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:43 pm Post subject:

**kal** · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:45 pm Post subject:

For HT seating I’d ask over at my CurtPalme.com home theater forum. I know there have been many seating discussions over the years. Try AVSforum too - there have definitely been some horror stories about theaterseatstore.com over the years.

I don’t have any glycol vs Coolbot suggestions either - both can work, it really depends on how you implement.

Good luck!

Kal

Stymingersfink · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:48 pm Post subject:

**kal** · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:44 pm Post subject:

Not sure. There's probably some cutover / volume amount where one makes more sense than the other. It may also depend on how it's implemented. It's not really a subject I know a lot about. Lots of research would be required... Wink

Kal

Creepy · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 5:23 am Post subject:

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 12:40 pm Post subject:

**kal** · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 12:59 pm Post subject:

Creepy has some good points. Thinking about it some more, I'd probably only want one large cooled storage area if it was just about freezing for conditioning/lagering/storing kegs of finished beer.

When I ferment the temperature is never consistent. It'll usually start off lower but then it's often raised over time, possibly for things like a d-rest. I'll often do split batches too with different yeasts and require different fermentation temps. I never brew enough to fill an entire room full of wort either. Wink

Kal

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 1:09 pm Post subject:

I am starting to smell what you guys are stepping in. Flexibility is key. I am going to have two different tap setups in the house. One where you see it just outside the brewery, and another upstairs in the great room. So, if I divide that alcove into two spaces and cool the back one to serving temp and run my serving lines all from the same spot. It could also be used for conditioning. I could also put the glycol recirculator in a liquid bath in that room, then use that to individually manage the temps of all the fermentors in the front area.

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:36 pm Post subject:

I posted about the walk-in on another forum and got some good feedback. I want keep my serving kegs in the walk-in, but that will require a long set of lines to get to my Great room. For that I am going to need a glycol chiller. So I'm going to divide the space into 2 rooms with the back one being about 1/3 the size of the front. I will cool the back to 38 f and use it for serving and cold conditioning. The front will be unrefrigerated and I will use fermenters will chill coils in them. I will use the glycol chiller to cool them to whatever temp is required and use a heating pad if I need them warmer than ambient. I think this system will give me maximum flexibility while keeping all thing beer centrally located.

Thoughts?

Creepy · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:54 pm Post subject:

If you are talking about fermenters with a coil inside it sounds like you are considering conicals. If so, I personally wouldn't want to tuck them away in a closet. They are a really nice show piece. Kal's fridges with the LED lights and brewbuckets are a prime example of showing off the bling... with all the effort (ahem, money) you'll be putting into this, I'd be biased to keep it on display in your brewery. That is the great thing about controlling their temp internally and individually, no closet required. The cold storage still remains as a great solution to bulk aging and such. However, I'd do everything I could to keep the trunk line length manageable. I'm not the most savvy on balancing a draught system, but you could start to have issues with lines that are exedingly long (i.e. Lots of wasted product...). Just a few thoughts.

On another note, what are you using the space under the stairs for? Could that be a potential place for cold storage as well? Lines would certainly be shorter. However it would require moving your brewery door to the left side there. Just thinking out loud.

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:15 pm Post subject:

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:45 pm Post subject:

Here is the updated plan.

Creepy · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:50 pm Post subject:

Here is a link to Kal's fridges...
http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/ferment-and-package

As for the glass door, I really like that idea. That could look very cool. The one thing I would ask myself is, how much fermentation space do I need? Most folks using conicals don't have more than 2 or 3. Kal uses those two brew buckets and that's all the fermentation space he needs. A half barrel Ss Brewtech conical is only 18" wide I believe, so that room of yours could fit quite a bit in there. Either that room can serve another purpose as well or it's oversized for fermenting alone. My conicals are right on the wall next to my brewstand so I can rack off to them right in place. No casters, no moving. If you'll be rolling large conicals around I would at the very least ensure you have a smooth, level surface from the brew stand into the room.

Micromatic is pretty terrific. Great equipment and nice folks in sales that will put together a great package for you. I love not too far from them and still need to get over there to pick up my order. They will set you up. However, the one thug I would consider is getting a smaller glycol power pack. Theirs are all rather large for in-home applications. The one from Ss Brewtech is a good bit smaller and might fit your application. It's at least worth digging into a bit. Linked below is one I found that is the same model as the Ss Brewtech one only not modified and branded Ss so the cost is a bit lower. I've not ordered it yet but will likely do so down the road.
http://rapidswholesale.com/3-gal-glycol-unit-1-3-hp-120v.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwyum6BRDQ-9jU4PSVxf8BEiQAu1AHqsVECZbJWGY4BOSEJ-buJOL8OJEjoqmAVDR7JfcbVogaApaB8P8HAQ

As a side note, thanks for helping me procrastinate on some work I should be doing. Brewery talk is always way more fulfilling.

Cheers!

**kal** · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:17 pm Post subject:

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the link, those are pretty cool.

I am thinking the glass door idea would be pretty awesome. As far as how much space I need, I am not really sure. I am coming from a position of having always brewed in my kitchen and then fermenting in whatever space I can carve out in the small and overcrowded basement we have now. One of the things I am dealing with is that the layout of the space is largely dictated by the required dimensions of the home theater. So, I end up with that 4'6" alcove at the back. If I don't use it for fermentation, am not sure what else to use it for. I suppose I could just put some shelving along the wall and use it for storage, but it sort of begs for some better use.

I have been looking at the Unitank from SS Brewtech.

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/home-unitanks/products/14-gal-unitank

I like the idea of being able to use it a a brite tank as well. If I had enough space (and money) I could put in enough of those for everything including serving. I would like to put some fittings in the wall so I can rack to the fermenters in place without having to bring them into the main room.

I think having everything well plumbed and installed looks way sexier.

I think ultimately a lot of that space will be initially unfinished and it will evolve as I brew and learn how my brewery wants to work and what my workflow wants to be. I just want to be sure that I design the infrastructure to be ready for whatever I decide to do with it. Since my walls floor and ceiling are all concrete, its much more difficult to do after the fact.

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:25 pm Post subject:

Stymingersfink · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:35 pm Post subject:

Here is a little broader view. The speaker is spaced 24" from the back wall and is 142 degrees off centerline.

The other option would be to put them in a cabinet below the screen or somewhere in that area.

**kal** · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:45 pm Post subject: