Calling on the Hawkes Bay brewing fraternity!

[Max Ballbagz]

I'm relatively new to the bay and keen to establish a network with fellow Brewers in the area.

Does anyone know of any existing groups local to Havelock, Hastings, Napier etc.? Or are there any solo Brewers looking to share notes, knowledge, beers, brew days, recipes etc?

chur in advance!

Daniel

[Daniel]

I'm doing all grain 20L batches in the shed.  Recently moved from chilli bin mash tun to a keg with heat exchanger controlled by a PID.  Working out some teething issues that I should post up a thread about.  Just did a larger 25L (34L boil) APA on labour day thats bubbling away now.

[Max Ballbagz]

Sounds like a good set up! The mash tun heat exchanger sounds interesting as it is something that I have thought about building myself.

I hear ya on the teething issues front, I'm 3 brews into my 3 keg system with electric HLT, insulated mash tun and gas BK, only running one pump at present but looking to introduce a second.

My mash tun seems to hold temp within a few degrees without the need for applying additional heat however I'd like it to be more precise!

Did you have any pics of your set up? As I wouldn't mind researching an electronic heat exchange option!

Cheers

Daniel

[Daniel]

Don't have any pics yet, i'll take some tomorrow and make a thread for some input.

Its based on this though https://byo.com/mead/item/2799-build-a-heated-mash-tun-projects

I'm currently using 2 50L kegs. 1 is the mash tun with the copper heat exchanger coil on top of a false bottom with a dip tube running from a tap. The exchanger fits to the wall of the keg with compression fittings rather than through a half lid like the link. I've got taps off that. 2nd keg doubles as HLT/BK. Gas burner heats up strike water. Put that in the mash tun and then keep the HLT hotter than the desired temp in the MT. MT has a temp probe linked to a PID which turns on a pump to pump water from the HLT through the coil and back.  When its within temp it cuts the pump. After mashing the HLT is used for a BK.

Bit of a blurb but the pics in the link will explain the gist of it. I've got another keg so i can separate HLT and BK but it has some holes in the bottom somehow.  I need to get some one to stainless weld it up. Then get a second burner.  It's way overkill really but I didn't have a car project to fill my time with so built this.

Anyway sorry to hijack the thread

[Max Ballbagz]

All good, it's great to hear about other peoples set ups as you can certainly learn a lot!

Who do you use to source your grain/hops etc?

[David Grant]

there are two other Hawkes Bay groups on RealBeer for a start and there is also the HB Amateur Winemakers and Brewers Club details at wine-and-beer-hb.org.nz. They cater to kit, malt and grain brewers as well as all the other fermenters and distillers. Monthly tastings. See their notice each week Napier/Hastings Mail. Don't be shy!