225's Brewery Build 2.0

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

A few years back (more like 5-6 years ago), I built a brewery based off Kal's design.

Then, I lived in New Orleans. Since then, I moved to Asheville, NC, aka Beer City USA. With 80 breweries in a 40 mile radius, yes, 80, I haven't felt the need to start brewing again.

Living in Asheville, I've made friends with a few head brewers. And I've spent more than a few days watching and helping them during brew days.

Next year, we are moving to Louisville, Ky., and I would like to try to start a pico brewery there. So for the next year, I'm going to build a 50A panel, but only use a 20 gal setup with one burner. Then later on upgrade to bigger kettles. Eventually, I would like to be on a 3.5 BBL system.

I'm starting to order parts now to get ready to start building the kettles. Until then, here's a pic of my van LOL....

**kal** · Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:23 pm Post subject:

Looking forward to your build!

Nice van! Wink

Kal

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

**kal** · Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 1:29 pm Post subject:

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

**kal** · Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:18 pm Post subject:

Can certainly travel well if you need something resilient! Stainless growlers work really well too if you need something that won't break and you want to re-use (no need for a canner either and they're less work). Like this: https://amzn.to/2HoaJQN

That's what I use but I use glass growlers instead as my beer doesn't get bumped around when travelling (it's usually in coolers).
Chill them, then fill at lower pressure right from the tap, close the flip top lid on foam. The beer is good for months, though I usually do it right before it's to be consumed. Sometimes not all is and it'll sit in the fridge for months and months (no worries).

If I gave away a lot of beer than I do today then cans would make sense but the cost of the cans plus the canner doesn't make sense for the way I consume / give away beer. Eveyone has different needs!

Kal

P.S. Thanks for sigining up to our forum club membership - it's appreciated!

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

**kal** · Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:17 pm Post subject:

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Stopped by a local home brew shop and they had a Blichman 20 gal false bottom for $85. I picked it up:

Since I live in Beer City USA,

Catawba has a passport program. They come out with a small batch once a week. If you drink all of them, every quarter you get prizes, and at the end of the year they throw a big party.

Hi-Wire Big top:

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Stopped by a local home brew shop and they had a Blichman 20 gal false bottom for $85. I picked it up:

Since I live in Beer City USA,

Catawba has a passport program. They come out with a small batch once a week. If you drink all of them, every quarter you get prizes, and at the end of the year they throw a big party.

Hi-Wire Big top:

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Kinda brewery related...

We have a tiki bar we bought at a flea market a while back. It doesn't fit anywhere really right now. But we have plans to buy next year and have a tiki bar / brewery basement. Like really go all out on it. This bar will probably stay upstairs.

We were at a flea market type place and picked up these barstools for $10 a pop. I recovered one without using the sewing machine. We didn't like the tucks, so I did it over.

Before on the right.

What the original seat cover looked like:

Both done. Excuse the mess. It's kind our catch all until we move lol.

Tiki bar:

I'd like to fit a keezer under the bar, but I think I'll put it next to it. My week project is to organize everything and work on making room for a keezer.

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Kal,

I was gonna send you an email, but decided to ask on here for Google search reasons.

I ordered the Greenlee 1 1/4 punch. I just need the 9/16", 13/16" punch, and 1 3/8" step drill bit?

Also, can you check my orders and make sure I have every silicone o-ring and shim for everything?

Thanks!

EDIT:

Also, I've read your article on oaking beer for barrel aging.

Last time I was in Louisville, I went to Barton Distillery and they had used whiskey barrel bungs and I bought a few bags. I used one bag for smoking a pork butt.

But I wanna either save these for a beer or get more for oaking. When you open the bag, the smell is incredible.

Now I'm working in Alabama, so I visited a few places around here.

Newly opened Braided Rivers Brewing, Mobile, Al. They still have some refining to do to their beers.

And Fairhope Brewing in Fairhope, Al. This place was cool. And the beer is good. I love what they do with their pelican logos:

Fanny pack pelican lol:

Star Wars pelican:

They have a 30 bbl system in this building w/ 60 bbl fermenters:

Bar:

Yummy IPA:

**kal** · Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 2:44 pm Post subject:

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Ahhh... I haven't got to the control panel yet, and I need that punch for that.

Thanks for the info.

My plans are to build a 50A Panel, but just run 20 gal kettles right now. I'm just future proofing because I will wanna run 55 gal kettles eventually.

I'm following the plans, in order, step by step. I ordered the temp probes complete. I learned my lesson about those last time. Kettles will be ordered once I have everything to assemble them.

I'm going to do everything right and not cut corners. I want this system to last years.

**kal** · Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 2:00 pm Post subject:

Good luck! Any specific questions let me know!

Kal

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

I snagged a deal on a Eagle timer. $75 on eBay. Says it's been tested and works. I've looked at PID's everywhere and the Electric Brewery store has about the same price, so I'll be ordering them from there. Same with all the panel switches. Even tho I'm a long way from getting to that. First, I have to finish the pumps / kettles / hoses.

Went with the Brew Hardware HERMS coil:

And on the boat, one of our power supplies went out. I was able to salvage the heat sink off of it. It's around 10" long and 5" wide and beefy. Free! I'm so stoked.

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Tower of punches...

Everything for the heating elements came in. Time to build those.

Timer:

Shiny coil:

Temp probes should be in tomorrow.

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Kettles and the rest of the hardware ordered. Once I have everything together, time for pumps / hoses next.

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

Heating elements are done! Still waiting on the kettles to come in. And I have everything else I need to assemble them.

225 · Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 103 Location: Asheville, NC.

I ordered these valves on Amazon (through affiliate link) and they're outright garbage. I'm returning them. So I ordered new valves with Adventures in homebrewing. I went ahead and picked up the pumps and wort chiller also.

Thin, and not full port.

The temp probes are bottoming out on the tee's. Kal, can I trim the end of the temp probes? Or will that mess with the temp readings?

Or maybe run it like this?

How much would that restrict the flow? I dunno.