Stovetop brew kit – Massive Brewery

😀

A woman once drove me to drink. And I never even had the decency to thank her.

(Not mine, but WC Fields)

Yes! Good man.

I’ve just bottled my 9th batch (a Russian Imperial Stout with espresso and cacao weighing in at 10%) a couple of weeks ago, all using the massive brewery kit.

Already considering some kit which will allow me to do 25 or 50 litre batches when I find a recipe that turns out really well on the smaller kit (i’ve had one in particular so far that has been amazing and worthy of a big brew)

It’s great having the ability to brew such a wide range of beers every week or two.

🙂

Didn’t see this post first time around. Seriously tempted.

I did a brewing course recently with a couple of friends and we have been talking about going in together on all the kit to do big batches and then brewing it up in someone’s garden (cos of the steam), splitting it into thirds and taking it away separately to ferment.

However, the small volume of this kit really appeals. I don’t actually drink that much and am interested in experimenting with recipes more than anything, which will be more difficult if brewing with mates.

How much steam/stink is given off doing this indoors? We have an open plan kitchen/living room with no external extraction so would be ideal to minimise that. Could potentially invest a couple of hundred quid in an external extractor hood if that would help.

you’re boiling a sugar syrup (effectively) with smelly hops (think sprouts*) for a minimum of 1 hour. Before you get to that stage, you’re steeping a few kg of malt for a minimum of 1 hour. And then you need to get from 67degC to boiling. Absolute minimum of 2hr15mins of ‘aroma’ and steam…

* ok the raw hops smell waaaay better than sprouts, but I’m not a fan of their aroma during the boil phase

Beware, i started with 20 litres then 50 then 1500 !

thanks for the reply. The smell wasn’t my sole concern (can always get the missus to go shopping for a few hours) moreso the amount of steam given off and condensing on the ceiling, etc. Is that likely to be a problem without proper extraction?

Reading back through this thread it seems the ambient temperature is pretty critical? I’m in central Spain, and I don’t have aircon – from April-October the daytime temperature is pretty much guaranteed to be over 20, and in July/August it hits closer to 40.

Is the temperature limitation something that is only critical at the beginning of the process, or does all the fermenting have to be sub 15C (roughly)? How sensitive is the process – if you get a couple of weeks of low temps, but then suddenly have a couple of days of 20C – would that be a problem?

I’ve never noticed a problem, been brewing BIAB for about 2 years now. Yes there’s a fair amount of steam but I run the cooker hood when doing the boil, and I keep a window or two open (the more the merrier in summer!)

I’ve now switched to a digital electric boiler & built a new brewhouse shed to use it in – but since I built it, I’ve only had time to do 2 brews and both of those have been demo brews at my LHBS!

mogrim – ambient temperature is more of a problem during the ferment – lager yeast prefers 15deg or lower, ale yeast can tolerate up to about 25-27 but above that you can start getting odd flavours.
if 20deg is your peak temperature then it’ll be fine for ales and for some lager yeasts but not for all lager yeasts; the yeast will say on the pack what temperatures are ideal.
at 20deg an ale will be fermented out in at most 2 weeks. at 15deg a lager will take a bit longer. at 10 degrees you’ll need twice as much yeast to start and it will take quite a bit longer…

For brewers in warmer climes, a brewfridge is a good tool. I don’t know the full details, but basically any old fridge, with cooling and/or heating inside, thermostatically controlled to a temperature of your choice…

😆

A mere 50 litre setup 😉

Two ales ready for the festivities, a malty traditional English ale and a hoppy Citra pale ale. Finished work now until the New Year so the supping starts soon.

Is the temperature limitation something that is only critical at the beginning of the process, or does all the fermenting have to be sub 15C (roughly)? How sensitive is the process – if you get a couple of weeks of low temps, but then suddenly have a couple of days of 20C – would that be a problem?

Very. A stable temperature will do more for your beer than anything else. The best investment a brewer can make is a cheap freezer, a heat pad and a digital controller. Dial in your preferred temp and leave it. Means you can also do stepped fermentation. This is crucial for consistent brews i.e. doing the same beer exactly the same twice or more, not something most home brewers need to do but if you produce then you have to.

Cheers john_drummer and NZCol, although if I need a new (2nd hand) fridge as well the investment has suddenly gone up a bit!

Although playing around with digital controllers and heat pads could be fun 🙂

I aim for just under 20 degC fermentation temperature. Depends on what yeast strain you’re using really. Some benefit from higher temperatures but for the ales I brew and the yeast strains I use (Danstar Nottingham or Fermentis Safale S04) then I find about 18degC to be best.

Sub 15 degC and you might find your yeast works slowly or not at all.

unless it’s a lager yeast – yes it will take longer but they are more tolerant of lower temperatures

That is some good info. I definitely want to do it properly if I do it at all, so temperature controlled fermentation seems the way to go.

I take it in the UK at this time of year cooling is not a consideration so something like a heat belt around the fermenter (attached to a controller) would be sufficient? My only concern is that having such a heater on a lot would be quite expensive in terms of electricity? Or not really?

depends where you do your fermenting. If it’s in one of your living rooms it should be fine. I’m sat in the kitchen/diner with a FV full of porter on the worktop behind me. temp at the moment is about 21deg. More of a concern about keeping the temp down in summer TBH.

If you really do feel the need to keep it heated, an aquarium heater is the most commonly used option – use a bigger bucket than the FV, drop the FV in, fill the outer bucket with water & then drop the aquarium heater into that. reduced chance of infection.
But I’ve never felt the need to heat a FV indoors in the UK

You do need to get the wort down to 20ish from boiling, but whether you choose to use an immersion or plate chiller, leave to chill naturally, or simply put the FV in a sink full of ice, is up to you…

Cheap freezer off eBay, heat pad, controller – not a massive investment.

Its not keeping it hot or cold it’s about stability of temperature. Fluctuations affect lots of things in your brew. Even splitting a brew and fermeting 1 or 2 degrees different can massively change a beer. I mean, it’s not essential but a well controlled fermentation with a good clearing chill before kegging will really improve your beer.

EDIT: oh and in terms of cost your digi controller just cycles the heat pad or freezer compreessor as required. In actual fact as the freezer is well insulated it needs a tiny amount of power.

Thanks guys. I’d definitely want to be able to replicate a beer if I made a nice one so sounds like temp control is key. Unfortunately I just don’t have room indoors for a fermenting fridge but I could do it in my workshop.

I also have access to an old fridge as my sister got a new one a few weeks ago and hasn’t got rid of the old one yet. NZCol: I notice you keep writing “freezer” not “fridge”. Is there a reason for that i.e. is a freezer better for some reason? And heating-wise, do you just get a heat pad, put it at the bottom of the fridge/freezer and stand the FV on it? Good point about the fridge keeping heat in too (insulation works both ways!)

Would there be any issue with brewing up in one location then transporting the FV somewhere else for fermentation?

Would there be any issue with brewing up in one location then transporting the FV somewhere else for fermentation?

Are you an engineer by any chance zilog? A lot of fretting about extraneous bullshit from someone who’s yet to brew ale in their abode.
Just get the stove-top kit and take it from there. You get good at brewing, like anything else, by making mistakes – temp controlled fermentation is a good idea for the accomplished amateur, but it’s about #32 on the list of things to be concerned about when you’re starting out brewing.

I also have access to an old fridge as my sister got a new one a few weeks ago and hasn’t got rid of the old one yet. NZCol: I notice you keep writing “freezer” not “fridge”. Is there a reason for that i.e. is a freezer better for some reason? And heating-wise, do you just get a heat pad, put it at the bottom of the fridge/freezer and stand the FV on it? Good point about the fridge keeping heat in too (insulation works both ways!)

A Fridge is fine, as you say it works equally as well. I said freezer as its easier to fit fermenters into a chest freezer !
Yep you basically put the heat pads in the fridge and sit the fermenter on top. The digi controllers i use have power for the controller then two female plug outputs – one for the fridge as it has a compressor sympathetic circuit on it and one for the heat pad. Plug both in (put a nick in the bottom of the fridge seal for the heatpad wire), dial in your temp and have a beer to celebrate. I also have a kegerator which i can use to clear the beer – once secondary is finished stick your fermenter in there for 48 hours and all the suspension will drop, filter out from the top into keg/bottles.

I use these http://djsbrewingsupply.co.nz/page1.php?view=productPage&product=22&category=5

DOUBLE EDIT: what the man above said. Just do some brewing, a badly made grain beer will still be drinkable unless you have an infection. Do a few, enjoy it then think about the process more

Ok, I’m sold! Ta guys, will order the kit up tomorrow hopefully in time for Xmas!

Noooooooo they are sold out!! 🙁

zilog6128, stick with it! It’s a start up, one man band outfit, and I know’s he’s busier than a long tailed cat in a rocking chair showroom!

They will be a great way to get interested in brewing your own
but beware it gets a bit addictive like biking.

my shed brewery started last xmas when my daughter pought me a kit for youngs bitter ( it was a terrible brew ) which started me on the road to building a three vessel setup

yes is certainly possible to brew and transport the wort for fermenting
my bro did an old Peculiar in my shed and fermented in his workshop 210 miles away .

A money saving tip is see if you can get into a group buy of the base malts with other brewers in your area for instance Fawcetts Marris Otter 25 kg bag from homebrew shop £28 plus shipping £18 direct from fawcetts but min order is 10 bags for collection

It’s a start up, one man band outfit, and I know’s he’s busier than a long tailed cat in a rocking chair showroom!

Tell him to pull his finger out then, I want to get a brew on in the new year! 🙂

bearnecessities – Member
Mrs CFH bought me a brewery. Which is nice.
Sorry, but what?? This needs a thread!

And lo, there already was a thread! 😀

Oh 🙁

For someone that receives £95 fart mufflers as a ‘present’, I was hoping something for more like:

😆

trout’s brewing shed there is bordering on mcmoonter levels of wonder from me. Nicely done!

Nice stuff.

Does anyone want a Chest Freezer? Free for collection from Exeter area.
Does work, but keen to get rid.

Let me know.

That brewery ^ is about a mile from my house. Must arrange a visit

I have made beer and cooked steak. All tonight needs is a Dutch oven for the man hat trick of awesomeness.

Italian Job on C4+1.

Grand slam.

First brew is on…! 😀

Now, for my next – wondering what to aim for. Am thinking something like a Summer Lightning.

Also, if I happened to live close to the source of a fine river, I really should be getting my water from there, shouldn’t I? 🙂

How’s it all going flashy?

Immensely fun and satisfying isn’t it? 🙂

I just brewed a Bells Two Hearted IPA clone (for the second time) on xmas eve. Probably one of the best IPAs ever made and the clone is pretty special, after one bottle I knew I’d be brewing it time and time again.

Recipe is here

Also just brewed an oatmeal stout yesterday which went well.

Currently got 3 fermenting, 2 bottle conditioning which won’t be ready for a while and 7 currently being consumed (although stocks are getting low!).

If you want some help with Beersmith (which is very very useful for using and scaling other people’s recipes or creating your own), let me know. I have equipment profiles set up for the massive brewery kit which took me some time to dial in, which you are of course more than welcome to.

Actually, I’ve made a few tweaks to the kit to make life a bit easier, including one simple one which took my efficiency from 55% to 72% on bigger beers. Email me if you want to chat 🙂