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mjo2125
Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 248 Location: Dayton, OH
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Link Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:55 pm Post subject: Homebrew Steam Condenser |
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Ran across an interesting article in July's BYO edition. It mentioned that the most significant advance for homebrewers has been electric brewing. It cites Kal's website as a pioneer in the electric brewing evolution bringing the process indoors.
With brewing indoors comes the need to vent vapor outside. The article describes an alternative to building a vent hood - a steam condenser. Basically, it's a tee that mounts to the side of the boil kettle at the top. The top of the tee has a connection for a water spray nozzle. The water spray condenses the steam and the condensate is drained out the bottom of the tee. While boiling, the lid of the kettle stays on.
Reported advantages:
- Power to maintain rolling boil is reduced (as much as half)
- Boil off rate is less
- lower cost to build
Disadvantages:
- 7 to 10 gallons of spray water is needed and dumped (wasted)
- used spray water contains volatiles including DMS - not much use for the spent water except for watering the lawn
Supposedly there are no off flavors detectable from the lid being closed...
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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mjo2125
Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 248 Location: Dayton, OH
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Link Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:25 am Post subject: |
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It may be feasible to collect the condensate, pump it through an immersion chiller (in an ice bath) as pre chiller after the boil, then onto a wort chiller as make-up water for tap water used for wort chilling. This could be a way of using the 10 gallons of condensate rather than sending down the drain. Two pumps would be used for wort chilling - condensate pump and a wort pump.
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itsnotrequired
Joined: 15 Sep 2015 Posts: 177 Location: central wi
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Link Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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as i understand it, brundog wrote that byo article
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JSB
Joined: 17 Oct 2016 Posts: 125 Location: NE Ohio
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 11121 Location: Ottawa, Canada
Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter
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JSB
Joined: 17 Oct 2016 Posts: 125 Location: NE Ohio
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Link Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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kal wrote: | Good article indeed! I reviewed this one for BYO back in May and I had remembered seeing it on HBT originally...
Kal |
I would like to hear your thoughts....
I know the system you have used for 10+ years is proven. But bringing in large volumes of unconditioned outside air, is a valid point.
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 11121 Location: Ottawa, Canada
Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter
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mjo2125
Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 248 Location: Dayton, OH
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Link Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Brought the subject up in my home brew club meeting at the Warped Wing Brewery this evening. One of the club members has an electric system and built a steam condenser using BrunDog's design (w/weldless TC fitting) and he's had no issues with it or the beers. He drains the condensate to the sewer. I spoke with a brewer at Warped Wing - they use a steam-jacketed boiler to boil wort and simply vent the exhaust out to the roof.
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perogi
Joined: 12 Feb 2012 Posts: 850 Location: NH
Drinking: Perogi Pale, NEIPA, Nutter's Crossing Nut Brown Ale, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter Clone
Working on: Max's Maibock
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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Link Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2018 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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he has that steam inlet reduced to 1/2", I know its for quick release but it'll be interesting if thats big enough
_________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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Link Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2018 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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also his doesn't use a spray adapter, not sure about that
_________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
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mjo2125
Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 248 Location: Dayton, OH
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:38 am Post subject: |
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BrunDog's design would be the one I'd go with personallly
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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perogi
Joined: 12 Feb 2012 Posts: 850 Location: NH
Drinking: Perogi Pale, NEIPA, Nutter's Crossing Nut Brown Ale, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter Clone
Working on: Max's Maibock
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for linking those items especially the 1.5 TC TAPPED FEMALE NPT LOW PROFILE ADAPTER
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mjo2125
Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 248 Location: Dayton, OH
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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yep, I'd go with weldless too. There's how to videos on "welding" the connection but it takes some time because there's a larger area to heat up to avoid a heat sink...
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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my issue is sometimes my starting boil is all the way from the top of the brew pot in some brews 18 gallon starting brew so I would need to adapt my T to the lid not the kettle in that case
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mjo2125
Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 248 Location: Dayton, OH
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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yep, or a bigger kettle - still cheaper than a hood if you don't have one already. Otherwise off the top sounds good. A brewer friend did expressed a concern about hot break foaming with a closed lid and if that would be an issue - I haven't heard of any issues though.
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perogi
Joined: 12 Feb 2012 Posts: 850 Location: NH
Drinking: Perogi Pale, NEIPA, Nutter's Crossing Nut Brown Ale, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter Clone
Working on: Max's Maibock
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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I'm planning on making the hole in the lid just to minimize the "damage" if I decide to go back to my fan.
I was planning on creating a box outside to house the fan to keep the noise to a minimum but this seems like a better way to go.
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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Link Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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use this then attach the t and it should be the same
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15el.htm
_________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
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