Buying a house....and more importantly a brewery

JimC · Post by **JimC** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 2:41 pm

Make sure you size the stick(s) right or you will be waiting a long, long time for water to heat. I'd want around 3000watts for that, on an old stove controller at the very least.

dutchcanuck wrote: a. This is going to be heated by a a heatstick.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 8:56 pm

JimC wrote:Make sure you size the stick(s) right or you will be waiting a long, long time for water to heat. I'd want around 3000watts for that, on an old stove controller at the very least.

dutchcanuck wrote: a. This is going to be heated by a a heatstick.

Search the homebrew forums... I think people go with 4500 W.

I still say it scares me.

If you've got a clothes dryer plug nearby, you could use that & skip the crazy electrician fees.

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 11:51 pm

I do have access to a dryer plug and its one of the things I'm considering. I was also promised a chest freezer for free today. So I am thinking, is it easier to turn something like that into a kegerator or lagering area by using an external thermometer than a bar fridge?

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:58 am

dutchcanuck wrote:I was also promised a chest freezer for free today. So I am thinking, is it easier to turn something like that into a kegerator or lagering area by using an external thermometer than a bar fridge?

Yes.

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:40 am

Haha thanks Mark!

Any tips on the type of device that I would need to purchase to regulate the temperature?

phat matt · Post by **phat matt** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:56 pm

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php ... 178_40_366

you would need something like these. i dont know where to get them in canada thiugh.

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:49 pm

That's exactly what I was thinking, but like you said I have no clue where to get the equipment. I was hoping that my friendly neighberhood bartowler might know. I have done online searches at Home depot and Home hardware and found nothing. Lowes doesn't even have an online search function.

JimC · Post by **JimC** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:13 pm

4500w is enough for 1 gallon batches (a touch to slow for my tastes, I have 5500w in my hlt and kettle). ~3000w should suffice for 5gal, but if there is a GFCI'ed clothes dryer plug nearby 4500w will just speed things up.

But for god sakes don't just use the dry plug without replacing the breaker with a GFCI.

Derek wrote: Search the homebrew forums... I think people go with 4500 W.

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 7:51 pm

Thanks JimC, and everyone.

I'm getting a very good idea of all the equipment I need. Now the problem is how to source all this stuff at a reasonable price. That will be the real test.

I think a heat stick is going to work really well, especially if I can find a way to install a 'device' between the heat stick and the outlet to control the current. I'm thinking If I can control the water temperature it will make things a lot easier.
Thanks for all the advice everyone!

JimC · Post by **JimC** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 9:54 pm

Get a PID and SSR, set the temp and let it go.

An old stove element controller will work too, but isn't nearly as cool. You will -need- something to control the power to the element.

dutchcanuck wrote:Thanks JimC, and everyone.

I'm getting a very good idea of all the equipment I need. Now the problem is how to source all this stuff at a reasonable price. That will be the real test.

I think a heat stick is going to work really well, especially if I can find a way to install a 'device' between the heat stick and the outlet to control the current. I'm thinking If I can control the water temperature it will make things a lot easier.
Thanks for all the advice everyone!

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:55 pm

Hi JimC,

I really wish you lived in Niagara so I could invite you over to my place (after I take possession), share some beer, and get your help on setting up my brewery. I've looked at PID and SSRs and really questioned if I needed something that heavy duty. Anyone have any experience that could provide further input?

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:09 pm

phat matt wrote:http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php ... 178_40_366

you would need something like these. i dont know where to get them in canada thiugh.

http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=589

You have to wire these yourself. I also have one of these, but not sure of anyone selling them in Canada:

http://www.rancoetc.com/ranco-etc111000 ... -p-87.html

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:20 pm

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the find! As the costs have mounted for putting together my brewery, I am thinking of where I can cut costs. I can get a free freezer,but my fiancee poo-pooed the idea of getting just ANY freezer since it might be upwards of 20 years old and not very energy efficient. I am still thinking of a lagering freezer down the road.

I am going to reign in my ambition and get back to basics. However, I think this thread will be helpful for the next bartowler he goes into homebrewing.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys, and again, if you have know where to get some corny kegs or other key supplies post your thoughts

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:47 pm

dutchcanuck wrote:Hi Mark,
I can get a free freezer,but my fiancee poo-pooed the idea of getting just ANY freezer since it might be upwards of 20 years old and not very energy efficient. I am still thinking of a lagering freezer down the road.

I'd like to see a real cost analysis of that. For the price of a new freezer, how many years could you run an old one?

And if you're an environmentalist, what's the environmental cost of disposing an old one and producing a new one?

It's like the misguided cash for clunkers program. It was an economic stimulus, but I'm not sure it was really good for the environment. The energy cost of producing an entire new car may be far greater than the amount of fuel it would burn in its lifetime.

I don't have an old freezer either... I need these numbers for MY wife!

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:11 pm

I'd bet a newer freezer would be at least twice as energy efficient as an old one (15+ years) when you consider better pumps, more efficient heat exchangers, better insulation plus the wear on an old unit. If you save $20-40 year in electric costs, you're probably looking at a 4-7 year payback depending on the size and age of a unit you buy.