My big fat shiny American Keg brewery build with pics

[rossi74]

I have 2mm holes in my false bottom in a keg and have no problems with grain getting through.

[setmash]

I think the issue is I didnt Vorlauf enough wort out of the MT and back in the top before i ran the wort in to the kettle. Im hoping recirculating with RIMs will solve this - if anyone has any feedback I would appreciate it - thanks

[setmash]

I got some feedback that RIMs will fix this...lets see when the kit comes in

[setmash]

My dog kennels are ready for delivery But youve seen these babies somewhere before They look literally the dogs boll*cks. Im hoping to get a good portion of the upcoming weekend to work on the brewery. If my polishing gear comes in I will start polishing the kegs to a mirror finish and then i need to start cutting holes. Ive also heard my RIMs tube is in the country....going to be an exciting weekend hopefully......

[floydmeddler]

Nice!

[willb]

They look very tidy

[setmash]

Started polishing the kegs on Friday night, I used a hand drill and it was very hard indeed and the drill is on its way out. Need to change tactics and use an angle grinder....trouble is an angle grinder operates at 9000 RPM and thats too fast for polishing (3 to 4000 RPM)....I know I can use the BCS PWM PIDs to slow it down ....best be getting on with my control panel then !!



SSRs now drilled and mounted on the heat sink with power cables



Initial debug under way - very limited wiring so far and it will be uber neat when i have finished it (i hope)...



Control box powered up for the first time - all worked great (you can see the left hand SSR firing in the box - red LED), i decided to control an electric drill at first - all done via laptop. Ive ordered a polishing spindle for my grinder so I can crack on with the polishing at the weekend once i have figured out how to program the PWM on the BCS properly. So im going to control the speed of the angle grinder via my mobile phone its a push button World

[setmash]

RIMs tube is here. You can see all the parts in the first photo - second photo shows it assembled including the element. I have gone for a 4500W Ultra Low Watt Density element - removing as much possibility of scorching as possible. The RIMs will perform two functions. First is to raise the strike liqour to temperature - will be powered at 4500W for speed - second is as traditional RIMs (I will reduce the power of the element to under 1Kw using PWM from the BCS). Plan is to mount the RIMs up the side of the MT. Im looking for a suitable flow switch. Anybody know of a good one to use ?



Assembled

[cqout]

Hi

Nice builds

Where did u get ur rims from

Cheers

[setmash]

Thanks hopefully it will take more shape in the next few weeks. As ever, time is the issue. I got the RIMs tube from : http://www.brewhardware.com/

US shipments take about 10 days, duty is payable - i paid £11 plus £8 collection rip off from Parcelforce. But $ rate is good right now so defo time to buy from US IMHO

These guys sell some nice kit. I got the element from Amazon.com - just search Camco elements and they come up (240V). I choose an American element to fit the RIMS but actually it looks like the RIMs would take a UK one.

The RIMS come in two sizes, 12 inch and 18 inch - i got the 18 inch as i needed a big powerful element to raise the strike liquor. Choose the 0.5 inch NPT thermometer fitting option. 0.5 inch NPT is compatible with 0.5 inch BSP threads.

Good luck

[setmash]

Its raining so hard we need an Ark, so its Friday night in and time to start polishing the kegs with the angle grinder via the control panel...after messing about with a few settings Ive manged to get the angle grinders speed down and polishing begins....my god it takes some effort. Hours later Ive managed to polish two out of the three kegs and im absolutely knackered, the back kitchen is filthy and the angle grinder hates me. Anyway a couple of shots of the work...the kegs do look lovely. If I manage to polish the other one tomorrow I may just end up starting to get some drilling done. This project is taking a long time....

[rossi74]

Love them shiny kegs

[scotia]

I like the satin look better.......! You are going to be popular with her indoors with all that fluff and wax floating around from polishing.. God help you! I picked up an old school polishing machine from fleabay a lot less effort than using a grinder.

[setmash]

You really do have all the best kit !! What I would of given for one of those today lol. Spent most of the day polishing my final keg (short break for the rugby, ahem ). The back kitchen looks like its been hit by a bomb, Im less than popular regarding the mess, my angle grinder is on its last legs, I look like I've been down a mine and the bloody dog has taken a fancy to eating metal polishing bars (she likes the green best, followed by the gray, not keen on pink or yellow). Its been a long day and I cant say ive enjoyed this part of the build that much, but i have to say the kegs look fecking amazing....anything i should put on polished stainless to keep it A1 ??

Working on the last one whilst the other two watch on....



Standing to attention





Im in bother



Dog's handy work - eaten half the green bar...she seems fine

[scotia]

Nothing that will keep the shine I am afraid, just make sure you wash down properly after cleaning or the polished surface will become streaky. They do look great I admire your effort but a pain in the erse to keep that way. I have used bright annealed stainless (bad mirror) to clad mine but the only reason that i did was because it was left over from a job.