BeerBorg

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.

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.

So freaking jealous. Can't wait to hear more of how you get along with this.

That's great Vince, looking forward to postings of your first brew day.

Wowsirs!

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.

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"

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!

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

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.

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!!!

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.

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

That is pretty cool. Seems to do what Braumeister does but less spendy. Less pretty... but less spendy.

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.