Category Archives: eHERMS Build

eHERMS Build, Uncategorized

Panel Issues and Upgrades

After brewing for the first time after a while the HLT PID controller (Auber SLY-2352) would no longer power up. Some of the temp probes seemed off too. The connections and wires for the probes needed to be cleaned up with some de-oxidizer. The PID was going to need to be replaced.

I had a few options. I could replace it with another SYL-2352. I could upgrade to a wifi enabled version of the same PID. It would be nice to monitor and control it from the house. The third option would be to replace it with a new product called the Ezboil. This is a power regulator that also has a PID like function. It was specifically made for this use case and has some benefits. Two of the most interesting to me is the much smoother power regulation vs the On/Off functionality of the PID controllers the second is the interface is a nob which seems like it would be nicer then the small clicky buttons on the PIDs. I decided to try something new and replaced both the boil and HLT controllers with Ezboils.

I used a DSPR-320 for the HLT which has support for automated step mashing. For the boil kettle I used a DSPR-300 which does not have the multi event support that the 320 does. They also have a new product (SYL-2802B) that would have been nice to use for my mash in and out temp. It has two temp displays in a 1/16 DIN space.

Auber three vessel recommendations

Hot Liquor Tank (HLT): EZboil DSPR320 is recommended for step mashing. For single infusion mashing, DSPR300 is recommended. 

Mash Tun (MT): One thermometer is needed for MT. For HERMS system, DSPR120 is recommended (similar price to standard PID, similar look to other EZboils). If you need to use external alarms for MT, you can use DSPR300. For two channel readout thermometer, SYL-2802 is recommended. 

Boil Kettle (BK): DSPR300 is recommended. If you need multi-event timer for adding different hops, DSPR320 is recommended.  

Barn, eHERMS Build

Time to Vent and Brew

Life has been busy but I finally got around to overhauling the kegerator and doing a permanent install of my ventilation solution. It is basically the same as the temporary setup I have been using but now uses ridged pipe and is vented through the wall and outside. I will update how the moisture management works out. In the past the angle on the bowl let me catch any drips on the low side. The new setup may require some tweaking.

Update – First brew done. Moisture did build up but I did not notice alot of actual dripping. I did put the lid on the kettle as best I could after flame out to avoid any cold side contamination. I may tweak it some more but I don’t see it as a big issue going forward.

eHERMS Build

Pump Care and Feeding

I use two stainless steel center inlet chugger pumps. They have been great but there are issues that can happen. The wort pump is pumping grain material and tons of pellet hops around so there is more abrasives running through it. It also deals with boiling wort regularly. This causes the thrust washers to wear. I recommendation checking on your thrust washers on your wort pump if it is acting different then your water pump. They are not a big cost so I have stocked up on a few. Bobby M at brewhardware has a good video on youtube. Below is the state of the thrust washers on my wort pump (4+ years) compared to new. The front washer had worn through. The water pump was still in fine shape. Bonus shot of a sight glass I picked up from brewhardware.

Barn, Brewing Log, Recipes

Falconer’s Rye and some organization

Brew two! This is likely my most brewed beer. I am increasing the percentage of rye to 25%. I am a fan of falconers flight and it is easy to find in stock. Brew day was smooth and hit my OG exactly again. Efficiency to the kettle has been dead on 85%. I may ditch the flameout addition. I get down to whirlpool temp so fast they happen almost back to back.

Estimated
OG: 1.071
FG: 1.013
ABV: ~7.5% 
IBU: 94
SRM: 9.5

18# 2-Row Malt
7# Rye Malt
2# Crystal 60L Malt

2 oz Nugget Pellet – 60 min
2 oz Nugget Pellet – 30 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – 10 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – 0 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – Whirlpool @ 170* for 20 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – Dry Hop Fermenter

Mash @ 152 for 1 hour

Fermentis SafAle US-05

I also got around to some organization.

  • Measurement tools
  • Salts, etc
Mash pH
Nice color heading to the boil kettle
10 minute whirlpool after pulling chiller + hop dam
Barn, Brewing Log, Recipes

New Brewery and Baby!

The first beer in the new brewery will help clean out some old supplies and celebrate my baby boy. I am using a modified version of the Kal’s Electric Hop Candy NEIPA.

Results: OG 1.065 / FG 1.015 / Grain to keg in 10 days. Looks good, tastes great, but the aroma is a little low I think.

OG 1.065 / FG 1.016 / ABV 6.3% / IBU 104 / SRM 6.1

8# 2-row
8# Maris Otter
3.5# White Wheat
3.5# Flaked Oats
1.25# Honey Malt

1oz Warrior First Wort Hops/60min boil
2oz Citra @ 5 min
2oz Mosaic @ 5 min
2oz Amarillo @ 5 min
2oz Citra Whirlpool @ 180° for 30 min
2oz Mosaic Whirlpool @ 180° for 30 min
2oz Vic Secret Whirlpool @ 180° for 30 min
2oz Citra dry hop @ high krausen
2oz Mosaic dry hop @ high krausen
2oz Amarillo dry hop @ high krausen
2oz Citra dry hop @ day 4
2oz Mosaic dry hop @ day 4
2oz Amarillo dry hop @ day 4

Water target – Ca 75 – Mg 5 – SO 150 – Na 10 – Cl 50

Mash at 154° for 60 minutes then raise to 168° and hold for 10 minutes.  Collect 14 gallons and boil for 60 minutes. Produces 12 gallons at the end of the boil and 11 gallons in the fermenter.

White Labs – Dry English Ale Yeast WLP007

Finished beer not fully carbonated
eHERMS Build

Oxidation…

I did not feel great about my racking procedures on my batch of NEIPA. NEIPA very vulnerable to oxidation and any beer can have its shelf life compromised by oxidation. To deal with this I am going start doing closed transfers. This means using CO2 to push the finished beer between fermenters and kegs.

Bellow is a 5# CO2 tank with gas ball lock disconnect. The racking cane has a ball lock post for input and a gas ball lock disconnect as the output. I find that the gas disconnects fit on both gas and liquid posts. This is not the case for the liquid side disconnects. Adventures in home brewing sell a ball lock disconnect that has a 3/8″ barb which is convenient for this setup.

  1. Put some starsan in the keg and sanitize as normal.
  2. Purge and pressurize with CO2.
  3. Put racking cane in a bucket and connect to liquid post on keg.
  4. Push starsan out of keg and into bucket.
  5. Use starsan now in bucket to finish sanitizing the outside of racking cane.
  6. Vent all pressure out of keg.
  7. Place racking cane in fermenter.
  8. Turn CO2 regulator all the way down.
  9. Connect CO2 tank to racking cane input.
  10. Open and twist keg vent to stay open.
  11. Turn regulator just enough to start pushing beer. Less then 1psi.
  12. Do not allow pressure to build up in the carboy (I use plastic carboys for safety). Speaking of carboys I also picked up some 7g Fermonsters.

I am also going to try using brewhardware’s Cold Crash Guardian. This allows for CO2 not oxygen to be pulled into the keg during cold crashing.

  • Racking Cane
  • CO2 Tank
Fermonster
eHERMS Build

Dead space

After moving and cleaning the brewery I did another check of dead space.

In a HERMS system you need to tweak your water volumes for most brewing software. Most software will accommodate your dead space under your dip tubes (add your pumps and hoses if you use them). Most do not understand the loss from the false bottom and HERMS coil. The main thing you will need to account for is the increase of mash water and decrease in sparge water.

  • The water needed to fill the MLT to the top of the false bottom while recirculating through the HERMS coil with the wort pump. This tells me how much water is in my MLT to get to “zero” before I add grains and mash water. I must take my basic water volume calculations and add this volume to my mash water. I have my volume markers on the MLT start at this “zero” point so I can ignore the added mash water unless I am adjusting my mash with salts or acids. I also use this full volume when calculating estimated mash pH.
  • The water needed to fill the HERMS coil and hose to MLT. This needs to be added to the sparge volume as this much water will be required before any sparge water enters the MLT.

HLT dead space = 1.5qt  + Water pump & hoses = 2qt
MLT dead space = 2qt + Wort pump & hoses = 2.5qt
Boil Kettle dead space = 1.25qt + Wort pump & hoses = 1.75qt
Water pump & hoses = .5qt
Wort pump & hoses = .5qt
HERMS coil & hose to MLT = 1.5qt
MLT under false bottom = 8qt

Water added to mash volume = MLT under false bottom (8qt) + Wort pump & hoses (.5qt) + HERMS coil (1.5qt) = 10qt / 2.5 gallons

Water subtracted from sparge volume = MLT under false bottom (8qt) + Wort pump & hoses (.5qt) = 8.5qt / 2 gallons.

The net of all this is I subtract 2 gallons from my sparge water. Some systems allow you accommodate this difference now. For example beersmith now has an option for “recoverable dead space” which would be the volume under the false bottom less the MLT dead space. It would then reduce the sparge as necessary. Since my MLTs volume markings only start after this recoverable dead space it is easier for me to just subtract 2 gallons from my sparge water and move on with my brew day.

Barn, eHERMS Build

A new brewery is born

Updates have been slow because my old brewing space is now a office/playroom for myself and my daughter.

The brewery is being relocated to to a framed off area in a barn we built. It’s been a long time in the making but all that remains is to  install my vent.  The brewing space is approximately 12′ x 12′  with a 6′ x 8′ storage closet.

A very nice addition to the brewery is a commercial sink with pre-rinse sprayer and pot filler. This should help cut down on cleaning time and effort and shorten the brew day some.

I have a lot of brewing to do! Bellow are my style goals.

  1. Rye IPA
  2. NEIPA
  3. Doppelbock
  4. Stout
  5. A lagger

Brewing Log, eHERMS Build, Recipes

Falconer’s Rye and National Homebrew Day

In 1988 Congress declared May 7th as National Homebrew Day. It’s also my sisters birthday so I have two reasons to celebrate with a brew day.

This beer is a re-brew of a beer that was I brewed three years ago.  The malt bill is based closely on Denny Conn’s Wry Smile IPA. The hops bill uses Nugget and Falconers flight.  Falconers flight is not a single hop but a blend of different west cost hops. I remember it being awesome. I did make a few changes from my last brew. I dropped the Carapils malt and added some whirlpool hops.

Estimated (Actual)
OG: 1.074 (1.076)
FG: 1.013
ABV: ~8%
IBU: 80
SRM: 9.5

22# 2-Row Malt
6# Rye Malt
2# Crystal 60L Malt

2 oz Nugget Pellet – 60 min
2 oz Nugget Pellet – 30 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – 10 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – 0 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – Whirlpool @ 160* for 20 min
2 oz Falconer’s Flight Pellet – Dry Hop Fermenter

Mash @ 152 for 1 hour

Fermentis SafAle US-05

Here is a shot of the new dual return for my HLT re-circulation. I am now maintaining a zero or one degree delta between HLT temp and Mash In temp.

Brewing Log, eHERMS Build

Baby beer update and Whirlpool Hop IPA

I racked the baby brew to a new carboy for some bulk aging. I am really happy with the flavor it has developed and it has dried out nicely.  With an OG of 1.135 and a FG of 1.023 that puts it at 14.7% ABV.  The strength will hopefully let this beer age gracefully.

On the IPA front I brewed the fresh squeeze clone. I cooled the wort to 180° and let the hops steep for 10 minutes before cooling to pitching temp.  The OG for this beer came in at 1.066.

I also tried using my hop dam for the first time. I think it kept the pickup for my kettle clear without being a major new thing to clean.
IMG_20160417_122535

Lots of whirlpool hops!
IMG_20160417_145658

Shot of the brew bag
IMG_20160417_090555

Baby beer ready for bulk aging
IMG_20160417_131430_1