High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Although you don't need a mash ton or other things to do BIAB, you still need the right sfuff to brew it right!

Moderators: BlackDuck, Beer-lord, LouieMacGoo, philm00x, gwcr

User avatar
ScrewyBrewer
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1544
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:11 pm
Location: Monmouth County, New Jersey
Contact:

High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by ScrewyBrewer »

After months and months of researching electric brewing systems while waiting to move in our house, this morning I finally pulled the trigger on a High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System for my new brewroom. I liked it's small footprint as opposed to the three vessel systems and the idea that the 220 volt controller and pump can maintain temperatures accurately. It takes them about 2-3 weeks to ship the system and in the meantime that'll give me time to hang the exhaust hood and route the ducting over the spot in the garage I plan to brew.

I have a dedicated 220 volt 30 amp GFIC to power a 4 wire 30 amp receptacle located near the brewing area, because this system uses a single 4500 watt heating element. Hopefully I'll be brewing again in about a month it seems like its been forever since I had my own dedicated brewing space, but in fact its only been about a year. Somehow I'm beginning to feel like myself again, no more lawyers, buyers, real estate agents, deliveries, movers and best of all feeling unsettled. If anyone's moved recently I know you share my pain, so this new system is really a gift to myself for dealing with all of the challenges of the past year.
ezRecipe 'The easy way to awesome beer!'

'Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour, teach him to brew beer and he'll waste a lifetime'
User avatar
RickBeer
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 3099
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 1:21 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan (Go Blue!)

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by RickBeer »

Sounds interesting. Have you done any calculations of the operating cost, i.e. electricity usage, as compared to using a burner with propane or a stove with natural gas? Just curious. You could figure it on 4,500 watts, but you don't know how long it's running and whether it's at full tilt or not.
I have over 9,000 posts on "another forum", which means absolutely nothing. Mr. Beer January 2014 Brewer of the Month with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with it...

Certificate in Brewing and Distillation Technology

Sites to find beer making supplies: Adventures in Homebrewing - Mr. Beer - MoreBeer
My Beer - click to reveal
Currently using 6 LBKs.

Beers I regularly brew:
Bell's Best Brown clone
Irish Hills Red - I call this "Ann Arbor Red"
Mackinac Island Red - I call this "Michigan Red"
Oatmeal Stout - I call this Not Fat, Stout - Oatmeal Stout

Bottled 5 gallons of Ann Arbor Red on 4/18/17. Bottled 5 gallons of Michigan Red on 5/8/17.

Brewed in 2017 - 22.13 gallons (19.91 in 2012, 48.06 in 2013, 61.39 in 2014, 84.26 in 2015,46.39 in 2016)
Brewed in lifetime - 282.14 gallons
Drinkable beer on hand -  13.58 cases, with 6.11 cases ready in May and early June.
Average cost per 12 pack through all beer brewed - $6.27(ingredients only)
User avatar
Beer-lord
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9634
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:48 pm
Location: Burbs of the Big Easy

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by Beer-lord »

So freaking jealous. Can't wait to hear more of how you get along with this.
PABs Brewing
Planning
Brew good beer and live a hoppy life
Fermenting

Drinking
Disfucted
Smelly Hops
(split batch) A Many Stringed Bow
Up Next
Men In Black
User avatar
Inkleg
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4582
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:44 pm
Location: Lilburn, GA

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by Inkleg »

That's great Vince, looking forward to postings of your first brew day. :clink:
Naked Cat Brewery On Tap
Yazoo Sue Smoked Porter
Octoberfest
Le Petite Saison
Czech Pale Lager
A Toast to Big Fuzzy Russian Imperial Stout at 10%
Belgian Blond
Flower Power IPA
4 Kilts Clueless Belgian Strong
One Wort Two Yeast with Wyeast 2206
One Wort Two Yeast with WLP940
Shipwreck Saison
User avatar
DaYooper
Braumeister
Braumeister
Posts: 919
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:09 am
Location: Motownish, Michigan

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by DaYooper »

Wowsirs!
Silverleaf Vineyard & Winery / Old Mission Hops Exchange / Porchside Vineyard / The North York Brewing Company
User avatar
ScrewyBrewer
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1544
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:11 pm
Location: Monmouth County, New Jersey
Contact:

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by ScrewyBrewer »

RickBeer wrote:Sounds interesting. Have you done any calculations of the operating cost, i.e. electricity usage, as compared to using a burner with propane or a stove with natural gas? Just curious. You could figure it on 4,500 watts, but you don't know how long it's running and whether it's at full tilt or not.
Honestly I have no idea. Natural gas isn't an option in my current location and I ruled out propane early on because electric brewing has been something I've been interested in for quite some time. I do know that electric brewing is nearly 100% efficient and requires a lot less ventilation than gas fired systems. The kettle is 15.5 gallons so the ability to produce more beer per brewday will also effect the operating costs somewhat. Either way I'm very excited and thankful that I'll have this system setup for brewing soon.
ezRecipe 'The easy way to awesome beer!'

'Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour, teach him to brew beer and he'll waste a lifetime'
User avatar
braukasper
Fully Fermented
Fully Fermented
Posts: 465
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:08 am

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by braukasper »

I am jealous. Show it to my wife and she asks "when am I going to get off your ass and build your brewery instead of just talking about it"
Lebe das Leben. Um in vollen Zügen. Trinken zu Hause brauen!
Live life. To the fullest. Drink home brew!!
User avatar
Beer-lord
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9634
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:48 pm
Location: Burbs of the Big Easy

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by Beer-lord »

braukasper wrote:I am jealous. Show it to my wife and she asks "when am I going to get off your ass and build your brewery instead of just talking about it"
Need help with that? Just call, I'm cheap!
PABs Brewing
Planning
Brew good beer and live a hoppy life
Fermenting

Drinking
Disfucted
Smelly Hops
(split batch) A Many Stringed Bow
Up Next
Men In Black
User avatar
braukasper
Fully Fermented
Fully Fermented
Posts: 465
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:08 am

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by braukasper »

Beer-lord wrote:
braukasper wrote:I am jealous. Show it to my wife and she asks "when am I going to get off your ass and build your brewery instead of just talking about it"
Need help with that? Just call, I'm cheap!
With the cost of keeping you in beer?? let alone the travel expenses :lol: :lol: :lol:
Lebe das Leben. Um in vollen Zügen. Trinken zu Hause brauen!
Live life. To the fullest. Drink home brew!!
User avatar
John Sand
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4310
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:01 pm
Location: Long Island NY

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by John Sand »

Pretty cool, SB.
I know how it feels to miss your passion. I didn't sail for eight months this winter, and it made me really cranky.
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
User avatar
DaYooper
Braumeister
Braumeister
Posts: 919
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:09 am
Location: Motownish, Michigan

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by DaYooper »

braukasper wrote:I am jealous. Show it to my wife and she asks "when am I going to get off your ass and build your brewery instead of just talking about it"
Now THAT woman is a keeper!!!
Silverleaf Vineyard & Winery / Old Mission Hops Exchange / Porchside Vineyard / The North York Brewing Company
User avatar
ScrewyBrewer
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1544
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:11 pm
Location: Monmouth County, New Jersey
Contact:

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by ScrewyBrewer »

Just got my FedEx confirmation via email, the system has shipped and should be here on Tuesday. Once it's unpacked I can start finalizing the layout for the kettle, exhaust hood and some sort of lifting mechanism to raise the wet grain bag out of the wort. Some brewers simply screwed an eye hook into a ceiling joist and used a rope to help lift the wet grains out. I'm thinking about using some sort of light metal cable with a pulley arrangement just to be safe.
ezRecipe 'The easy way to awesome beer!'

'Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour, teach him to brew beer and he'll waste a lifetime'
User avatar
FrozenInTime
FrozenInTime
FrozenInTime
Posts: 2807
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:19 pm
Location: Frozen Tundra

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by FrozenInTime »

That is a cool unit! I'm so jealous. What's your current address, what's the best time to visit (when no one's home... LOL) j/k
Life is short, live it to it's fullest!
User avatar
mashani
mashani
mashani
Posts: 6743
Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:57 pm

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by mashani »

That is pretty cool. Seems to do what Braumeister does but less spendy. Less pretty... but less spendy.
User avatar
ScrewyBrewer
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1544
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:11 pm
Location: Monmouth County, New Jersey
Contact:

Re: High Gravity BIAB Electric Brewing System

Post by ScrewyBrewer »

I came home from work last night and saw FedEx had delivered the new High Gravity brewing system! Right on time as they had promised in their delivery verification email. I'm looking forward to unpacking it later today, I was too tired to open it last night but today's a whole 'nother story.
higrav-1sml.jpg
higrav-1sml.jpg (63.5 KiB) Viewed 6357 times
ezRecipe 'The easy way to awesome beer!'

'Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour, teach him to brew beer and he'll waste a lifetime'
Post Reply