Electric BIAB System

[JohnSant]

Went to the LHBS today and placed my order for this http://www.highgravitybrew.com/store/pc ... 9p4647.htm, should get it in 7-14 days. Have to go and talk to Dave Friday and pick some items I want which is Black Friday at 15% off with a $5 off coupon. Really can't wait to get this and start brewing. I do need to put in a GFI plug in the kitchen and the only place I've found is with the dishwasher oh well I'll figure it out.

[Beer-lord]

Maybe one day when I grow up and become rich I can get a system like that. If I had an ounce of sense, I'd try to build one but time and money are not in my future.
Good for you John. I've heard alot about this system and look forward to hearing more about your brewing travels with this nice system.

[JohnSant]

Thanks Beer-Lord I had to have one after Screwy gave his review on his 220V system. With it being built in my town and not that far and Dave being a member of our Local Home Brew Club I felt I couldn't do much better than this. I'll keep you all posted on my brewing and if I can figure out how to post pictures I'll do that as well. As for the money that was my first SS check that I used and now with that money coming in I can brew any time.

[Inkleg]

SWEET John and happy brewing! Looking forward to all the follow ups.

[RickBeer]

All your kitchen outlets should be GFCI, usually all are wired off one outlet. Try each outlet and pop the GFCI and you will see.

[JohnSant]

Your right Rick but my wiring is kind of messed up some the connections are with the family room and morning room and some goes to the computer room which has a freezer in it(kitchen is connected with everything or to much draw). I don't want to pull to many amps. while brewing, so I'm looking for a place that has a small amount of pull. Also being an electric system Dave recommends a GFI outlet to plug into which won't hurt even if the breakers are GFI.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Congratulations John, I'm sure you're gonna love your new eBIAB system and can't wait to try it out. The accuracy, and ease of use, of the Electric Brewery Controller-Single Vessel (EBC-SV) make brewdays a whole lot more enjoyable. You'll be waking up and thinking about brewing on your new system too, if you aren't already. Here are a couple of suggestions, based on experience using my system.

Take some time and check all of the connections before filling the system with water. Re-taping and tighten any potential loose factory connections if needed.

Never run the heating element without it covered with a few inches of water or wort. You don't want to burn it out.

Make sure the temperature probe is connected to the wort spray nozzle during the boil. Disconnecting it to clean the lid had me calling Dave on a Saturday morning.

Get your grains double crushed. This will give your new system the biggest increase in brewing efficiency.

Mash for 90 minutes. If time permits, or just add an extra half pound of base malt.

Be careful not to poke holes in the grain bag if stirring the mash. Loose grains can clog up the quick connectors. (especially the auto-shutoff type)

Pump 2 gallons of 140F oxi-clean mix through the system, dump then rinse with 140F clean water, dump and repeat. (to prevent the chugger pump from binding)

The first brew or two you find yourself juggling numbers, in order to zero in on the volume of grain and water to use. But once you have those dialed in there really is no need to do all the math again. For instance 23 pounds of grains and 12 gallons of water fit nicely in my 62 quart kettle when mashing. There are no issues with spillovers and the beers come out in the 5.5 - 6.0% ABV range. Tools like ezBIAB Calculator© helped me to quickly run the what-if scenarios needed to come up with those volumes. For higher gravity beers either add sugars or reduce the volume of beer, for example my +8% ABV Wee Heavy brewed as a 5 gallon batch.

PS. Please say hello to Dave for me.

Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy!

[JohnSant]

Thanks Screwy for all those great tips and be sure I'll follow them, I've followed you with your eBIAB and was impressed with your write up. Your right that I'm really looking forward to getting the system broke in and getting my first wort out of it. I've got BeerSmith so it going to be a few days once I get it home to brew (I'll need to set up my equipment section and boil off and kettle lose).

[JohnSant]

And yes I'll tell Dave Hello for you.

[Whamolagan]

All your kitchen outlets should be GFCI, usually all are wired off one outlet. Try each outlet and pop the GFCI and you will see.

Unless your house was built and wired in the 40's like mine. Also in my house, I would have to run the wires on the surface, due to the fact my house is built out of WW2 wooden ammunition boxes.

That looks like a cool setup.

[JohnSant]

Hay Whamo Its was built in 92 its a double wide mod. home. So yes I'm a red neck got cars, boats and RV's all around the yard. My wiring is ok but everything seems to be interconnected one room to the next I did get the outlet in yesterday and we're ready to go as far as power. This is why I had to use the Dish Washer to hook up a GFI outlet, not a problem because won't be washing dishes while brewing. I did check High Gravity order and says it will be ready for pick up on this up coming Friday. Really looking forward using the 120v system.

[Whamolagan]

Sweet nectar of the gods

[JohnSant]

Got a call from Dave said the system was ready for pick-up, now that was fast! I didn't expect to get it for at least a few more days, but when you live at the source you can get good service. Started to put it together expect to finish tomorrow, then clean and do a test run to dial it in and set up BeerSmith. If I could figure out how to post pictures I would, maybe get the son to help posting when I start to brew with it.

[JohnSant]

Did a quick run to clean system I found that the thermometer was moved to the bottom of kettle between the coil. at first had trouble on heating then saw the probe was touching the heating element. did a cleaning now and got my trub reading now need to do my boil off to set up BeerSmith. Not sure what temp I'll have to program in to get the boil I'll want, that's the purpose of getting to play with it before any actual brewing goes on

[Whamolagan]

Bitchen, can't wait to see it in action as I am an equipment fiend