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


10th batch complete

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Using Your Brewery
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
alex57




Joined: 21 Jun 2021
Posts: 13



PostLink    Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:06 pm    Post subject: 10th batch complete Reply with quote


        Register to remove this ad. It's free!
Quick report after brewing my 10th batch with the electric brewery.

1) First, thanks a lot Kal for all the instructions and parts. I love my electric brewery!

2) For the mash kettle, I pinched a few small holes in the last 10 inches of the return hose. It makes the flow less "circular" and I think it helps with sparging.

3) I made a couple additional smaller hoses (~1.5-2 feet) that I use between coil and mash kettle, pump and wort chiller, etc. Less "clutter" and easier to setup.

4) When heating mash kettle, I run the HLT +4-5F higher than mash temperature. This reduces heating time by a lot and I simply drop HLT to +2F after mash kettle reaches the mash temperature (this allows for heat loss in the tubes, etc).

5) Overall, I observe 92-96% efficiency which is absolutely fantastic (the higher expected OG, the lower the efficiency). Moreover, the efficiency is very stable for similar grain bills and after the first few batches I hit expected OG every single time.

6) I use air compressor to clean water from HERMS coil, chiller, pumps, etc. Initially, I was not able to drain the water completely and had bad smell from chiller and HERMS coil. With air compressor pumping air through coil, chiller, pumps, I don't have this problem anymore.

Hope this might be useful for others!

Best,
Alex
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 Apr 26, 2022 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's great Alex! Your mash efficiencies mirror my 95%. Makes a batch of beer require about 1/2 the grain of a typical BIAB setup. Cheers!

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)
alex57




Joined: 21 Jun 2021
Posts: 13



PostLink    Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
That's great Alex! Your mash efficiencies mirror my 95%. Makes a batch of beer require about 1/2 the grain of a typical BIAB setup. Cheers!

Kal


I never did BIAB actually. Previously I had 20 gal orange picnic cooler for mashing and I was at 70-80%. And it was very hard to hit the numbers. I used to have a very custom spreadsheet I built over years to estimate water vol/temp based on grain bill, outside temp, etc. I was usually close (within plus/minus 0.003). But it wasn’t a repeatable process. More luck than science Wink and I definitely use less grain nowadays Wink

BTW, do you also see efficiency drop for OG above 1.070 or so? Not really surprising except it’s very visible: 95-96% for OG less than 1.070 and then 92-93% above 1.070. Granted I had only 2 batches with high OG so not a lot of data and still learning.
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 Apr 26, 2022 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

alex57 wrote:
I never did BIAB actually.

Sorry, I just meant in general. Not necessarily you!

Quote:
BTW, do you also see efficiency drop for OG above 1.070 or so?

On any setup (BIAB to 3 vessel) mash efficiency will always drop as ABV goes up. That's normal. Take a look at my recipes on this site and notice how the stated mash efficiency goes from 95% on most beers below 8% ABV to about 86-88% for the 11-12% ABV beers. Completely normal as you're rinsing more sugars with less water.

Recipes: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/pages/recipes

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)
alex57




Joined: 21 Jun 2021
Posts: 13



PostLink    Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
alex57 wrote:
I never did BIAB actually.

Sorry, I just meant in general. Not necessarily you!

Quote:
BTW, do you also see efficiency drop for OG above 1.070 or so?

On any setup (BIAB to 3 vessel) mash efficiency will always drop as ABV goes up. That's normal. Take a look at my recipes on this site and notice how the stated mash efficiency goes from 95% on most beers below 8% ABV to about 86-88% for the 11-12% ABV beers. Completely normal as you're rinsing more sugars with less water.

Recipes: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/pages/recipes

Kal



Thanks, yeah I know it’s normal. I was just curious if numbers look the same for your setup. I plan to do a 12% barley wine soon so now I know what to plan for Wink
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 Apr 27, 2022 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, that barley wine's the one that will push your limits. Check out some of my other recipes if you want to see what I experience, but at the end of the day figure out how your setup works for how you brew on it as that's what matters most. Cheers!

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)
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Using Your Brewery All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1
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