E-BIAB with Recirculation.

[Crusader-Rob]

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/biab-recirculating-rig-first-brew-2...

I've been doing alot of research in the downtime not brewing. (It's been 3 months sicne an actual brew day). I've ahd an ongoing Shoulder issue for awhile, and am post op surgery for about 6 weeks.

So I've been working on alot of different project for my "Brewery". I have a small garage, which I have installed power into, properly, running underground cables etc. I will be going live on the weekend, with switches, lights and plug sockets in the garage.

I have 2 fridges already for fermentation and conditioning, both with STC-1000's fitted.

So, I've finally made a decision, which I think is a pretty good one. As it will give me room to expand/add vessels, should I need or want to.

The link is something similar, and wondered if anyone has had any experience building such a system?
If so, parts list and sourcing would be helpful, in this country anyways.

Will be sourcing a new Pot as well. I'd love a Blichmann, but it's just too expensive at this stage I think, unless someones got them in good condition. a 15 gallon one would be good, for those big beers.

I'll be doing 23 Litre batches, and wanted to know what sized element would give a good rolling boil? not too vigorous, but solid. I'll need a re-circulation pump, and disconnects. 

the other big issue is lifting the bag out etc.  I have purchased a pulley system, but need to install it, and I'd like to run it on a slider type system. to lift the grain slide out and dump in a bucket or the bin etc. any suggestions for this?

I was thinking a square steel bar, about 2m long, steel on steel with no runners... to slide, attached to the struts of the garage. 

And lastly the bag, I have something that works currently, although it's not fantastic, because theres no real way to lift it out. Suggestions required for where I can get a good bag with handles for pulley lifting, if anyone has a design, that'd be good too.  I was actually think of putting a Zip in one for grain removal as well.Steel of course.

any help is appreciated. thanks guys.

[Ralph]

You can tell how much the grain is likely to weigh by the amount of water your grain volumes have been soaking up in your brews... For a rough guide, double the weight of the grain. With BIAB it is usually more like 1.5 times the weight at the end, but I would think on the initial lift it will be close to double the weight of the grain.

[Crusader-Rob]

Yeah fair point, If I allow say 20kgs I'll be on the right side of it I reckon. The question now is how do I tell whether my rafters will handle it for period of time, should I just hang upside down on it for 10 minutes, lol. Its mainly a central pivot point I'm looking at, so to distribute the weight around, I'll need to make a wider and longer plater to mount the arms to? Thats my assumption anyways.

[Hamish Jones]

I had 12 KG of wet grain hanging from my shed rafters and trust me its not a solid looking shed, easy way to test would be to just put weight on the area you are going to hang the grain by and if it sags or looks dodgy go to plan B,

the other and probably easier option is something like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/tools-repair-... that way you can use it anywhere inside or out and then it can stack away in the corner, 1 ton lifting so you could do massive grain bills and you don't have to mount anything

[Crusader-Rob]

So the 12kg stood up ok? So basically jump up and down on it and see what happens. if it looks dodgy buy an engine hoist. This one doesnt swivel does it. not ideal, but a definite option now that you point it out. and its in christchurch, which is a bonus.

I'll be doing some testing this weekend i think.

Any thoughts on the Grain bag with a bottom zip? Sounds like a good plan?

[Ralph]

Sounds like it might be a good idea, but I am unsure how well it would work... the grains may jam the zipper? and whether it would hold 10kg ok or not?

[Hamish Jones]

the beauty of this one is it doesn't need to swivel, just pump it up out of the pot then pull it as it's on wheels that way you can drag it in any direction,

I use a stainless basket to house my grain bag so there's no weight on the fabric, kind of like a fish n chip shop basket but bigger and with a handle to hook it on my stand, I don't know if I'd trust a bag with 12kg in it, imagine the fabric letting go and dumping the grain onto the floor or worse still back into the wort, and the thought of boiling wort being splashed around the room doesn't sound too good either

[Crusader-Rob]

Fairpoint. Did you have the basket made? I guess I could get hold of one of those Bayou pot withthe basket in it.

Yeah all that weight on the zipper was my main concern, It's hardly on top of my list anyways, and could try it later on if i feel the need.

Tested my Rafters last night... With great difficulty, bloody shoulder. 

Seems to be ok with around 24kg on that, inlcuiding a small kayak hoist system, seems to be ok. So that test is out of the way.

[Hamish Jones]

the basket is the only really ugly thing about my system as it was going to cost $350 to get one made out of perf so I got stainless mesh and bent it up myself and go a mate to spot weld the top of it and put a handle on it, its functional shall we say and its bloody hard to clean

[Grant R Baker]

Maybe something like this could be modified... Link

They do 25ltr and 50ltr ones.

[Crusader-Rob]

Nice find grant!

Definitely interested in that one, that'll ease the pain of trying to find something, sounds like he can custom make as well?

I;'ve messaged him to see what the dealio is.

Hamish who did you contact for building a perf basket? $350 is pretty steep.

[Hamish Jones]

off the top of my head, I can't remember, the perf was pretty darn expensive when I priced it up so I went the cheap way as the wife cottoned onto how much it was starting to cost

[Hamish Jones]

I enquired about that sort of thing when I did mine, spoke to a fish n chip shop basket maker apparently the plating only really stays on with chip fat, he was concerned that the plating wouldn't last very long and would rust