High Gravity Custom eBIAB System

Yakima 728
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MX1 said:
I had Dave drill the holes just like he would for the Blichman, then install the spincycleView attachment 585420
It is the fitting to the left of the pickup tube, this is in a 15g Bayou Classic
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Have you had a chance to brew on your rig yet? Just wondering how you liked your setup. Was cost the primary reason for not getting the ss brewtech kettle? I like the volume markings in the kettle but realize after all that hardware in there those markings are off. I also like the trub dam.
 
zeptrey said:
Have you had a chance to brew on your rig yet? Just wondering how you liked your setup. Was cost the primary reason for not getting the ss brewtech kettle? I like the volume markings in the kettle but realize after all that hardware in there those markings are off. I also like the trub dam.
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I can chime in regards the SS Brewtech kettles since I have them with my High Gravity bundle - The trub dam is pretty nifty... simple and easy to clean, does a good enough job but doesn't get everything. Regards the volume markings I guess it's easy enough to just fill the kettles 1 gallon at a time and see where it ends up on the markings and just take note mentally in your head. Not really much else you can do about that, I don't think.

I went with the SS Brewtech kettles since I've been happy with their products in the past, was significantly cheaper than the Boilermakers, and not too much more than the Bayous. Not that it matters, but it's nice having lots of stuff branded similarly across the board. Guess it makes me a fan boy. :p
 
Nick Poggetti said:
I went with the SS Brewtech kettles since I've been happy with their products in the past, was significantly cheaper than the Boilermakers, and not too much more than the Bayous. Not that it matters, but it's nice having lots of stuff branded similarly across the board. Guess it makes me a fan boy. :p
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The brewtech 15 gallon kettles retail for $240... The 16 gallon bayou kettles are $140 each with ballvalve when I bought mine.. (I paid $105 shipped for open box kettles) Just to put things into perspective with numbers since "not too much more " can be subjective. :mug: I'm not saying they are or arent worth the extra $. That also subjective and relative to the brewers goals.
 
I wanted to ask about the temp. probe. I am confused on the placement. I thought on these recirc. systems the probe was to be placed in a tee outside the kettle.

I am currently in the process of building something like this, but I wanted an arbor fab basket. I want it to be as snug as it can, and I am thinking this may be difficult if I need to have a probe in the kettle.
 
radwizard said:
I wanted to ask about the temp. probe. I am confused on the placement. I thought on these recirc. systems the probe was to be placed in a tee outside the kettle.

I am currently in the process of building something like this, but I wanted an arbor fab basket. I want it to be as snug as it can, and I am thinking this may be difficult if I need to have a probe in the kettle.
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The probe has been moved to the kettle on these. But if you email Dave he may be able to work something out with you.
 
augiedoggy said:
The brewtech 15 gallon kettles retail for $240... The 16 gallon bayou kettles are $140 each with ballvalve when I bought mine.. (I paid $105 shipped for open box kettles) Just to put things into perspective with numbers since "not too much more " can be subjective. :mug: I'm not saying they are or arent worth the extra $. That also subjective and relative to the brewers goals.
Click to expand...

Oh totally. I didn't mean to say $100 is nothing. I guess my perspective came in to play when clicking around High Gravities customized options, they had default selections of: 15 gallons each Bayou HLT, Blichmann G2 Mash Tun, Bayou Boil Kettle. For the HLT, choosing the SS Brewtech over Bayou only added $12. Then with the mash tun, I downgraded Blichmann to SS Brewtech which saved $137, then the boil kettle for whatever reason adds $42 to move up to the SS Brewtech from Bayou.

So from my perspective I saw a total of about $60 added for the Brewtech kettles from Bayou. I know markup and customizing and all that plays in. I also know I could probably find all of these things cheaper elsewhere stand alone. Anyways, just wanted to explain myself a little more. :p
 
I've got my eye on HGB E-BIAB too and hope to make a decision soonish. I would probably opt for the SS BrewTech kettle as I've read (from a few only) that the Bayou doesn't handle a lot of wear well.

Dumb question but what keeps the basket from sitting on the element? Is that an add on?

I also may want Dave to add a whirlpool port but am not sure yet. Got lots to think about while I get prices on getting power run for the electrical. Definitely want the 15 gallon size and need to go high power.
 
zeptrey said:
The probe has been moved to the kettle on these. But if you email Dave he may be able to work something out with you.
Click to expand...

Cool. I saw on High Gravity's site that the steamer basket is 14 inches in diameter. That would work for me. I was just worried that my probe, and Brewhardware whirlpool would prevent the basket from fitting.

HG has different dimensions listed for the SS kettle, then SS's site - which I thought was a little weird.
 
I have brewed once, Monday, everything work amazingly well. The whirlpool was nice, it will still take a few brews to get it all worked out.

The temp probe comes down to choice, I have had them all over my systems, input...output... kettle...just depends on what works for you, I never saw anything that made me feel strongly one way or the other.

The Bayou Classic pot seems fine to me, not as thick as a SSBT, but should last long enough.

Last word....super happy with the money spent and the product received. Would do it again
 
Got my system in last week and got it up and running last night for leak check, pump test, and coil test. I still have one leak on the top spray valve that's being annoying. but it got too late last night for me to fool around with it. I'll get it fixed in the morning and then run through a mock brew to get a baseline on equipment loss and boil off rate.

Overall, it seems like a pretty solid little system. Looking forward to ditching propane and a couple extra vessels.
 
Think I am taking the plunge this weekend. Need to get it ordered before the wife changes her mind! Anything you guys would order different or upgrade if you had the chance? Also, what are you guys doing for GFCI protection? I wanted a simple inline product but don't think there is one out there that would work with this. Have a new house that and I had them install a 30 amp circuit in the garage...but instead of putting a gfci breaker on it they covered the plug to pass inspection and then put a regular L14-30 plate on there. And I didn't catch that like I should have....
 
I usually shy away from electrical DIY projects, but even I was able to swap out my non-gfci breaker for a gfci breaker. Super easy. I looked on my breaker box sticker for the right brand, bought it, cut the power, swapped a couple wires, and snap, all in.
 
All set up and ran it through a "dry" run. It took 18 minutes to get 7 gallons up to mash temp, then another 10 minutes from mash-out to boil. I ran it at 75% power for the boil and it boiled-off ~3/4 of a gallon in 30 minutes. I can't get over how quiet everything is.

8CpB3AC.jpg
 
Austin_ said:
Got my system in last week and got it up and running last night for leak check, pump test, and coil test. I still have one leak on the top spray valve that's being annoying. but it got too late last night for me to fool around with it. I'll get it fixed in the morning and then run through a mock brew to get a baseline on equipment loss and boil off rate.

Overall, it seems like a pretty solid little system. Looking forward to ditching propane and a couple extra vessels.
Click to expand...

that top leak is a PITA, found on my system the only way to stop it was to throttle back the pump. there is a flow restrictor in the fitting that I think makes to much back pressure combined with the fact that the threaded nipple on mine was a few threads to short.
 
The first thing I did when my system arrived was to go over each threaded connection to check for a tight fit. A few of them I ended up having to redo with teflon tape and retighten. But I'm more than happy with the High Gravity system and haven't had issues with it. Another thing to keep in mind is cleaning out your kettle with a mild 140F solution of PBW after each brewday. Especially important if yours came with a Chugger pump the cleaning will keep the shaft from binding up.
 
MX1 said:
that top leak is a PITA, found on my system the only way to stop it was to throttle back the pump. there is a flow restrictor in the fitting that I think makes to much back pressure combined with the fact that the threaded nipple on mine was a few threads to short.
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I was able to get it stopped by doing what ScrewyBrewer said and redoing all the fittings. The thread through the lid did not have any teflon tape on it. I wrapped it and tightened it. Seemed to do the trick.
 
Just pulled the trigger on this. I'll make sure to redo the fitting when it gets in. How much did you spend making up that brew stand? I like that setup, but I found a stainless table from Sams for around 139 at 48" W x 30" D X 37" H.
 
zeptrey said:
Just pulled the trigger on this. I'll make sure to redo the fitting when it gets in. How much did you spend making up that brew stand? I like that setup, but I found a stainless table from Sams for around 139 at 48" W x 30" D X 37" H.
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I bought a few 'John Boos' polished stainless steel tables for my brewroom. They ship knocked down in a flat box and take about 10 minutes to assemble.
 
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zeptrey said:
Just pulled the trigger on this. I'll make sure to redo the fitting when it gets in. How much did you spend making up that brew stand? I like that setup, but I found a stainless table from Sams for around 139 at 48" W x 30" D X 37" H.
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It was all leftover wood from a recent home renovation and then a couple old bedside tables with drawers. It's ugly and over-engineered, but the material had already been paid for, so I went with it. I'd guestimate about $100 after lumber, screws, bolts, and casters. It could be made with much less wood, but like I said, I had the wood and found a use for it.
 
Austin_ said:
It was all leftover wood from a recent home renovation and then a couple old bedside tables with drawers. It's ugly and over-engineered, but the material had already been paid for, so I went with it. I'd guestimate about $100 after lumber, screws, bolts, and casters. It could be made with much less wood, but like I said, I had the wood and found a use for it.
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What are the dimensions of your stand?
 
Oh yeah, I have more than enough room for the kettle - way more than I need, but that's how I wanted it. My old 3-vessel setup was cramped, so I made my new stand with plenty of room to work with. So much room for notebooks, scales, or whatever.
 
First brew on the new system in the books. The system worked great. I did not work great. I brewed a basic 5-gallon pilsner recipe as a sort of baseline beer that I've brewed a couple dozen times on my old system. The good news is I hit all my numbers. The not-so-good-but-not-bad news is that it's going to take me several brews to get my new process down. A decade of habits is hard to break.

As far as how the system performed, it worked great. I had a little issue getting the pump speed set during the mash, but I finally got it dialed in low enough and I know now where it needs to be. My hochkurz mash was awesomely easy compared to my old way of topping up with hot water. I found a good level on the boil around 70% power. Cleanup was much easier than m old system. First, it's less vessels, but secondly, I could pump warm pbw through the system.

The pilsner is fermenting away. We shall see how it turns out. I think I'm going to do a couple more 5 gallon batches before moving up to a 10 gallon batch.
 
Austin_ said:
First brew on the new system in the books. The system worked great. I did not work great. I brewed a basic 5-gallon pilsner recipe as a sort of baseline beer that I've brewed a couple dozen times on my old system. The good news is I hit all my numbers. The not-so-good-but-not-bad news is that it's going to take me several brews to get my new process down. A decade of habits is hard to break.

As far as how the system performed, it worked great. I had a little issue getting the pump speed set during the mash, but I finally got it dialed in low enough and I know now where it needs to be. My hochkurz mash was awesomely easy compared to my old way of topping up with hot water. I found a good level on the boil around 70% power. Cleanup was much easier than m old system. First, it's less vessels, but secondly, I could pump warm pbw through the system.

The pilsner is fermenting away. We shall see how it turns out. I think I'm going to do a couple more 5 gallon batches before moving up to a 10 gallon batch.
Click to expand...
Nice. And you step mashed right out of the gate, brave. Can't wait for mine to ship. Bought the table and I have the garage setup.

Does the rig come with some way to hang the basket for the wort to drain?

The table I bought has some dumb little light that kind of hangs over the top a bit. Which may interfere with the basket. 4 screws to take that bit off so shouldn't be a problem if it does get in the way. All in all the table was a pita to put together but seems like it will work well. 75 bucks not a bad deal.
 
I mounted an overhead pulley lag bolted into a ceiling joist on my setup. I found 23 pounds of dry malt weighs about 60 pounds or more after mashing them. A wall cleat is used to tie off the rope and hold the basket out of the wort as it drains.
 
I finally ordered and received my system last week. I opted for a whirlpool port which Dave set up very well. Like Austin, I went with the SSBrewtech kettle and Riptide pump. Did all the passivating and cleaning and leak test this weekend and all went well. Hope to brew my first bath in it this weekend. Sadly I have no way to set up a pulley but if I need too, I can just use a mesh strainer to remove some into buckets like I've been doing in my current system.

On a side note, I seem to have minor challenges with the Riptide pump which is uber easy to take apart but it acts a bit picky sometimes and I have to fool with the clasp a few times when it's put back together to stop minor leaks. Probably just me getting acquainted with it.
I'm very happy with the HG system and even more pleased with the service and communication with Dave and his great team at HGB.
 
zeptrey said:
Nice. And you step mashed right out of the gate, brave.

Does the rig come with some way to hang the basket for the wort to drain?
Click to expand...

I debated doing a single infusion mash the first brew, but since I'd done the step so many times on my old system and I knew what the recipe should taste like, I went with a step mash to keep things consistent and judge the final product.

I used a pulley, but the rig comes with an S-hook that hangs the basket on the side of the kettle, similar to a crawfish basket. Slip the hook in one of the holes on the basket, then slip the other end over the edge of the kettle.
 
Austin_ said:
I debated doing a single infusion mash the first brew, but since I'd done the step so many times on my old system and I knew what the recipe should taste like, I went with a step mash to keep things consistent and judge the final product.

I used a pulley, but the rig comes with an S-hook that hangs the basket on the side of the kettle, similar to a crawfish basket. Slip the hook in one of the holes on the basket, then slip the other end over the edge of the kettle.
Click to expand...
Odd ball question but what hochkurz temps/schedule do you use for your pils?

I tried step mashing a handful of times with my old setup. Never quite got the hang of it.
 
Austin_ said:
I debated doing a single infusion mash the first brew, but since I'd done the step so many times on my old system and I knew what the recipe should taste like, I went with a step mash to keep things consistent and judge the final product.

I used a pulley, but the rig comes with an S-hook that hangs the basket on the side of the kettle, similar to a crawfish basket. Slip the hook in one of the holes on the basket, then slip the other end over the edge of the kettle.
Click to expand...

What are the temp and times on your mash?
 
@ScrewyBrewer Yeah it's been tough with typical propane burner and my garage setup to do the stepped mashes. I've done a couple that went fairly well, but typically it was an under or overshoot crap show. Pretty stoked about getting the system setup. Really wanting to do some kettle souring too. Went ahead and bought a ratcheting pulley. I have a feeling this will make life that much easier brewing. Now just need to motorize my mill, and I'm pretty well set...for now....
 
So the hole at the top is for recirc for whirlpool? What fitting works there without getting in the way of the basket?
 
zeptrey said:
So the hole at the top is for recirc for whirlpool? What fitting works there without getting in the way of the basket?
Click to expand...
I got one on mine and it's listed as:
Kettle Whirlpool Return │ Blichmann NPT (Whirlpool-NPT)1@$ 49.99
He didn't charge me to drill the hole and in fact, it shipped attached. I've seen the same thing or something very close at brewhardware.com.
It hugs the side. Just google it and you'll see what I'm talking about.
 
Beer-lord said:
I got one on mine and it's listed as:
Kettle Whirlpool Return │ Blichmann NPT (Whirlpool-NPT)1@$ 49.99
He didn't charge me to drill the hole and in fact, it shipped attached. I've seen the same thing or something very close at brewhardware.com.
It hugs the side. Just google it and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...
Those items haven't made it in yet. They ship direct from Blichmann.

But I thought the hole to the left of the valve was for the whirlpool.
 
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