For those with RIMMs/HERMs; do you find it was worth it (time+money)

[t_met]

Let me start with explaining what I have, experiences, & where I think I may end up.

I've been brewing for just shy of 20 years. Most of this time was all grain with a simple system (batch sparge, cooler mashtun, keggle+turkey frier). I've added a pump in the last year or so to minimize any moving of pots & improving the flow rate through my counterflow chiller.

For those that have gone automated (semi or full), is it something that you found was worth the effort + money? Is there something you would do differently in your setup if you were to start over?

I enjoy working on gadgets, but usually don't have the time with tinkering to just get it to work. I found early on that people were usually biased on their gadget they invented, but they fell short when I tried to recreate them. I think that RIMMs/HERMS have stood the test of time. I'm just curious to hear what people have to say.

I see myself adding some automation. The key aspects that stand out to me is being to use such a system to sneak up to the mash temp. I'd conservatively undershoot my mash by a few degrees and use the RIMMs to bump it up to the goal mash temp. The other aspect would be to use the alarm when the kettle is about to hit boiling. I always seem wait patiently when the kettle is between 170-180, but turn my head when it gets to the boil and it overflows

 

[Yooper]

My system isn't automated, and I like it the way it is. I have a HERMS and I maintain the temperature with a PID in the HLT (the HEX is in the HLT).

I can ramp temps, or hold temps, easily with my electric system and the HERMS. I don't really want any degree of automation except for the ability to hold the temperature anyway, so I"m all set.

The bulk of the cost for me was going all electric, and not in the HERMS set up, since I had the pump and the copper anyway. The HEX coil is an old immersion chiller, so no extra $$$ was needed for that.

 

[cfrazier77]

I have a RIMS and I like it for the same reason that you are thinking of. I would always undershoot or overshoot my mash. Now I undershoot on purpose and bring up the mash to exactly were I want it. And it is repeatable!