61 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

i get not wanting to do 10 gallons but 5 gallons is a pretty nice minimum for your standard batches.  I could rip through 2.5 gallons pretty fast and it would pretty much take just as long as a 5 gallon batch.

[No Party JKor]

i get not wanting to do 10 gallons but 5 gallons is a pretty nice minimum for your standard batches.  I could rip through 2.5 gallons pretty fast and it would pretty much take just as long as a 5 gallon batch.

 

 

My thought is I'd build a system around 20 qt kettles that would produce 3 gal of finished beer.  I would double mash and ferment 6 gal at a time.  Yeah, it's a pain, but I'm trying to keep the system small.  I'd love to be able to just throw on the kitchen counter and go.  I've double mashed with my 10 gal system, it does take a while, but I figure with a 3 gal system everything goes so much faster it won't be too bad overall.

 

I think I'm still going to finish my new 10-20 gallon system, but I'll probably only use it on a rare occasion. 

[No Party JKor]

I ran it last night, seemed to hold temp pretty easily.  I had it set for 50 overnight and down to 45 this morning.  Worked out pretty well.  No freeze ups.  I put 13 full or partial kegs in there this morning.  Probably 35-40 gallons of beer.  l'm going to try to take it down about 5 degrees a day to 35.  Should be a pretty good torture test. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mya]

you are going to beergun 13 Cornies of beer             

[djinkc]

In about a month those window units will be on sale.  Good time to pick up a spare.

[Mya]

In about a month those window units will be on sale.  Good time to pick up a spare.

good tip

Edited by miccullen, 27 July 2013 - 11:11 AM.

[positiveContact]

you are going to beergun 13 Cornies of beer             

 

I hope he is using bombers at least.

[No Party JKor]

I'm going from a house with no AC to a condo with central AC, so I now have four window ACs available. :)This beer has been sitting around for 18 months, minimum. I figure half of it will be drain worthy. A few cornies will go to friends with dispensing setups And the rest will go to bottles. I thinking ill get 10-15 gallons into bottles.

[Mya]

I'm going from a house with no AC to a condo with central AC, so I now have four window ACs available. :)This beer has been sitting around for 18 months, minimum. I figure half of it will be drain worthy. A few cornies will go to friends with dispensing setups And the rest will go to bottles. I thinking ill get 10-15 gallons into bottles.

 

I'm going from a house with no AC to a condo with central AC, so I now have four window ACs available. :)This beer has been sitting around for 18 months, minimum. I figure half of it will be drain worthy. A few cornies will go to friends with dispensing setups And the rest will go to bottles. I thinking ill get 10-15 gallons into bottles.

that's a lot more reasonable

[No Party JKor]

In about a month those window units will be on sale.  Good time to pick up a spare.

 

 

That is a good tip.  Aside from the big window unit in the master BR, the other 3 ACs I have cost me a combined total of $25.

Edited by JKor, 28 July 2013 - 05:43 AM.

[Mya]

That is a good tip.  Aside from the big window unit in the master BR, the other 3 ACs I have cost me a combined total of $25.

pawn shops?

[No Party JKor]

Two free from friends, one for $25 from CL.

[No Party JKor]

It's got down to 40*F without much trouble.  I'll go for 35 tomorrow.  Crossing my fingers...

[Clintama]

I wish you luck, but I'll bet the coils ice up.

[No Party JKor]

I wish you luck, but I'll bet the coils ice up.

 

 

I dropped it down to 37 this morning.  Small steps.  I'll go for 35 tonight.  I'm going to add more insulation to the currently uninsulated areas, as well.

 

If 35 goes off without a hitch I'll try 33.

[Clintama]

I dropped it down to 37 this morning.  Small steps.  I'll go for 35 tonight.  I'm going to add more insulation to the currently uninsulated areas, as well.

 

If 35 goes off without a hitch I'll try 33.

That's good. I'm surprised you can get it that low. Are you running the fan continuously?

[ChefLamont]

Nice project.

 

 

I built a chamber-type setup here and the humidity/condensation was a constant problem with it.  Hopefully your humidity is lower. 

[No Party JKor]

That's good. I'm surprised you can get it that low. Are you running the fan continuously?

 

 

I haven't bothered to decouple the fan from the compressor.  It has yet to be an issue, but I've just relocated from a very small fermentation chamber (~10 cu ft) to this larger chamber (~50 cu ft).  It may be necessary to decouple them to keep it from freezing up.  It had frozen up in the past with the smaller chamber when the humidity was very high, but that chamber was also very poorly sealed.  This bigger chamber is extremely well sealed.  Undoubtedly the worst seal in the internal separation between the hot side and cold side of the AC.

 

The humidity here is still pretty high, at least in NE terms.  I'm actually a little surprised it hasn't frozen up.  I'm pretty happy about it, though.  I'm going to insulate further just to keep the duty cycle down.  I'll probably add some desiccant in there, as well.

[No Party JKor]

Nice project.

 

 

I built a chamber-type setup here and the humidity/condensation was a constant problem with it.  Hopefully your humidity is lower. 

 

 

Yeah, I'm sure my humidity is lower than Hell...erm...Atlanta. 

[No Party JKor]

I had it at 37, then went down to 35.  It *seemed* like maybe it was running excessively to get down there, but I didn't have much time to check in on it.  No freeze-ups, though.  I increased the set point back to 37 until I can get the rest of it insulated.  Hopefully tonight.  The outside of the uninsulated areas are noticeably cool.  I'm sure it's making it a little tough on the AC.