Slappy Brewing Brewhouse

[Matt F]

Well after acquiring and then rebuilding a new brew stand, my new brew house is up and ready for the first batch. I integrated most all of my old brewery with an old More Beer Brew Sculpture. I had some challenges with re-wiring the control panel to function the way I wanted, but finally finished. I am really excited with the final product. Should be brewing a bunch of beers soon. I will invite the club over for a brew session if I ever get an open spot on the calendar. Most of my brew sessions are during busy weeknights. The automation helps keep me brewing while still attending to my other responsibilities.


Slappy Brewing Brewhouse

Modified More Beer B3-1550 Tippy Dump Brew Sculpture. Propane burners removed, natural gas burners installed for boil kettle and upper HLT. Upper hot liquor tank was my first boil kettle purchased many years ago. It is mounted where a mashtun use to reside. It is heated with 120V electric heating element controlled by Johnson PID and/or natural gas burner for manual heating. It also has a false bottom so can be used as a mashtun (but never has been). It is also used as the tank for my homemade keg washer (false bottom keeps keg washer from sitting directly on heating element). This maintains heat for the cleaning solution during long cleaning sessions. Lower hot liquor tank is More Beer kettle that came with the stand with a Blichmann HERMS coil added. Has been modified with a 5,500 watt, 240V heating element that is controlled by the Ranco controller that was used to run the automatic propane burner. The controller runs to a solid state relay in a spa panel to control the 240V electric element. The mash/lautertun is an Ss Brew Tech 20 Gallon InfuSsion Mash Tun. It is located separate from the main brew stand on top of a stand that was a former turkey fryer burner. No burner in use, just the stand. Mash temperature is controlled by another Ranco controller from the main brew stand. It turns the pump on and off to run wort from the mashtun through the HERMS coil in the LHLT. Makes step mashing very easy. The pump is an old March pump with a Blichmann upgrade kit. This kit makes for easy cleaning of the pump with easy disassembly. It also offers better flow control than a standard ball valve. The boil kettle is a Stout 21 gallon boil kettle heated by a Hurricane burner running on natural gas. Chiller is your typical larger copper immersion chiller.

System configuration allows for many different uses. The two HLTs help speed up brew day because do not have to wait for sparge water to heat up from single infusion temp. Step mashes are easy to execute via the HERMS coil. Also makes back to back batches very simple as can already have strike water heated up to mash in as soon as mashtun is clean and while still boiling another batch of beer. Can split a batch after the boil and drain portion of wort to LHLT to run two different whirlpools to make two different beers from same boil with different whirlpool hops. For a really huge beer could use UHLT as a second mashtun. Kettle sours are also easy to maintain heat using the insulated mashtun and/or using the pump and electronics to run wort through the HERMS coil as needed.

Boil Kettle/Whirlpool: Stout-21 Gallon Brew Kettle, flat bottom, trub dam, tangential inlet, laser etching volume markers, thermowell, thermometer, pickup tube with sight glass, tri-clamps, and butterfly valves, heated by Hurricane burner with natural gas

Mash/Lautertun: Ss Brew Tech-20 Gallon InfuSsion Mash Tun, 1” thick insulated side walls and lid, 5° sloped floor with center drain, gasket sealed false bottom, etched volume markings, manometer, no dead space, Blichmann Autosparge

Upper Hot Liquor Tank: 14 gallon converted wine tank from St. Patricks in Austin, TX (my first boil kettle from 2003), Keg King 1,600 watt 120V heating element, Johnson PID, Superb Burner natural gas burner, false bottom

Lower Hot Liquor Tank: More Beer 14 Gallon HLT, 5,500 watt 240V heating element, Blichmann HERMS coil (large), float switch to turn off heating element when water volume too low

Pump: March 815 fitted with Blichmann Riptide pump upgrade kit

[bf514921]

ha open spot on your calender

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[daryl]

While I'm sure you're in for some tweaks, but it's obvious from your description that you have been thinking this out for quite some time.

Awesome system Matt.

[carrisr]

Noice!

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[Matt F]

The new stand was found by my neighbor and occasional brew assistant on Craigslist in Coralville. Free if came and hauled away ASAP. It had been unused in the garage for 5 years, had some broken parts and needed cleaned. It fit what I wanted to do perfectly. The kettles were even identical to the one I have been using since 2003 so I knew it would fit. I am basically brewing same as I have been with more bells and whistles that speed up the brew day, add consistency, and flexibility. And I did not spend much to get there.

Joel was next in line if I did not pick up. Joel, talk to me Thursday, I may have some pieces for you. Free of course since was free to me.

[Schwerkraftbrauer]

Joel was next in line if I did not pick up. Joel, talk to me Thursday, I may have some pieces for you.

Sounds good, your a hell of a man!
You probably put it to better use than i could have!
Looks nice!

[Matt F]

First brew on the fully operational rig yesterday. Made a smoked porter and the brew day was great. Loving the upgrades!

[bf514921]

nice!

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