simple electric set up?

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

Is there such a thing as a simple electric set up?

The propane brewers all seem as easy as buying a $50 turkey frier and setting a pot on it. But I would like to move my operation indoors in the winter where I have easy access to a slop sink and running water. It seems that the only option to do that is to go electric to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

However as I paruse the threads on this site all I see are immensely complicated custom builds that involve drilli g holes in pots. I can not seem to find an electric stove capable of 10 gallon batches. So to drill a hole in a pot and mount a 4500w element would not be too tough but then I need a separate pot to heat sparge water in. I cannot afford two pots. I am also intimidated by all these gray boxes with buttons, switches and wires.

I have two different 240V oulets in the basement. So some of the work is done for me. I just wish there was a monster 240V hotplate I could just "plug-n-play" so to speak.

Does anyone know of such a beast?

 

[alien]

For me this was a good place to start. Admittedly I have some familiarity with electrics and plumbing.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electric-brewing-system/

The closest thing to a jumbo hotplate with properly controllable power is an electric induction cooker, but they are generally not that powerful and you can't just use any old pot on them.

Someone will probably chime in and recommend a heatstick. Personally I would rather rub sticks together to generate heat.

 

[jeffmeh]

The simplest electric set-up would be a single vessel e-BIAB. If you want to go that way there are plenty of threads on here documenting builds.

 

[alien]

That is a good point, although indoor BIAB for me always involved more mopping than I would have liked.

BIAB is basically your only 1 pot operation. Although a cooler for a mashtun is not a huge investment.

 

[jeffmeh]

That is a good point, although indoor BIAB for me always involved more mopping than I would have liked.

Heheh. I'm usually pretty good at keeping the wort over the kettle when draining the bag, and at worst have had a minor spill. I slide a grill grate over the kettle under the bag, then twist the bag pretty tight so that it does not expand past the rim of the kettle. A sky hook would be better, but I usually do it outside.

 

[alien]

There is definitely a knack to it. My knack involved taking it outside and hosing down afterwards.

 

[jCOSbrew]

I have seen at least one setup with a commercial grade 240v induction cooktop. You will want 4500-5500W for 10 gallon batches.

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

You can always look into a heat stick and a simple PWM - it's probably the easiest way to convert electricity from your wall into heat in your kettle. Limited parts, no holes in the kettle, and probably the cheapest way to go (short of plugging / unplugging the element yourself)

 

[mrwizard0]

You could start with the heatstick and then build up from there if you like it. Once you start indoors, you probably wot want to go back outside

 

[TheModestMeader]

I like my simple set up with a variable voltage ssr and a pot + all the other various connections

 

[hustlebird]

I dont understand your post really. You normally do 10 gallon batches, but you don't already have a 3 vessel system? I guess I don't understand this part:

I need a separate pot to heat sparge water in. I cannot afford two pots. I am also intimidated by all these gray boxes with buttons, switches and wires

What gear do you already have OP, and what is your end state goal? Do you do all grain, partial mash, extract? I see 10 Gallons as a requirement, but you say you don't have any Tun's/Kettle's yet?

Don't worry about all the gray boxes, those are the coolest of the electrics, and they certainly leverage ALL the advantages of electric with those, but they're not needed.

 

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

Hustlebird,

I am currently doing 5 gallon batches. But I am looking into getting set up for 10 gallon batches. I currently use a 21 qt graniteware canner for heating mash water and a 33 qt canner for boiling. And I've got a 48 qt cooler for a mashtun.

I figure I can just switch the 33 qt pot to heat mash/sparge water in and have a 15 gallon pot for boiling. I can't afford to buy two big SS pots, one for heating mash/sparge water and one for boiling, and I don't think that porcelain canner would tolerate getting perforated for a heating element.

Once everything is in the cooler tun I start heating sparge water in the 21 qt canner. Then I draing the wort into the 33 qt boiler; after draining, I dump the sparge water into the cooler. Then drain it into the boiler.

It looks like my cooler has plenty of room for twice as much grain/water. So I figure all I need for 10 gallon batches is a bigger boiler, more potent heat source, and more fermenter buckets.