General Homebrewing Equipment Recommendations

One of our readers left a comment on a recent post asking for equipment recommendations for new homebrewers.  I know this reader personally, as he attended the last all-grain training class I taught, and we discussed specifics off-line.  But, the core of his request remains an excellent post topic, as the variety of equipment options can be daunting to those just entering the hobby.  I have found some general maxims to keep in mind when considering homebrewing equipment that I hope others will find valuable.

The first, and arguably most important advice, is to carefully consider your purchases and "slow down."  You do not have to purchase ever possible piece of equipment right away.  New homebrewers can jump into the hobby with both feet and quickly spend a lot of money for little gain.  I would recommend that new homebrewers purchase the bare minimum of equipment at the beginning and then start to make beer, which is the end goal of this hobby.  Sure, if you know you want to go all-grain right away, do it.  But, by starting with the basics, new homebrewers can spend their money on ingredients and decide what they like about the hobby.  If they stick with it, then slowly upgrade things that can be effectively used in their process and their situation.  Following this maxim, equipment purchase decisions become more surgical in nature, and more effective.  Remember, people who have been homebrewing for a long time have also accumulated equipment over a long time.

Secondly, developing a process is of critical importance.  Arguably, it is more important to have a repeatable process that works in your environment, than to own all the latest gadgets.  Extract brewers with a solid process can make better beer than all grain brewers with varying temperature controls.  Get settled into a process and then upgrade one or two things at a time.  This more scientific method of equipment purchasing, allows the brewer to try things out and see if they actually work in that brewers process.  Overall, the process slowly changes over time, which allows the brewer to remain comfortable with it and for it to remain repeatable.  Adjustments can then be made that are not simply equipment related, but can be changes that save time, or increase control over critical values, focus on cleaning and sanitation, etc.

Third, when making equipment purchases, buy bigger than you need.  This maxim is particularly true of vessels that hold volumes of liquid (water, mash, wort, etc).  The increased size, to a point, provides increased flexibility, often for only a slightly higher cost.  For example, a new brewer could buy a cooler mash tun that is 5 gallons for around $25, while a 10 gallon version costs $45.  The 10-gallon cooler's capacity allows the user to make a normal 5-gallon batch, an imperial 5-gallon batch, or a normal strength 10-gallon batch.  The 5 gallon cooler only allows the brewer to make a normal 5 gallon batch.  The increased flexibility outweighs the increase in cost and the brewer can avoid the mistake I made by purchasing the smaller one, then a year later buying the bigger version.  The same sort of logic applies to boil kettles, conical fermenters, hot liquor tanks, etc.  As always, use common sense because purchasing a 55-gallon kettle when you would never use that volume is a waste of money.

Finally, exposure to new ideas and methods is positive.  I love attending group brew sessions, despite having to haul my equipment outside of the house.  I find the different ways other brewers tackle problems fascinating and have adapted the methods of others to my process numerous times.  Information comes from a wide variety of sources, including podcasts, books, magazine articles (BYO and Zymurgy are great), classes and more.  Homebrewing clubs are fantastic sounding boards for ideas and seeing what other homebrewers are doing.  When examining this information, do not accept it wholesale, but evaluate it to see if it fits well with your process and the knowledge you have accumulated.  If it fits, give it a try and see what happens.

Most importantly, remember homebrewing is about having fun.  Some people love gadgets and equipment.  If that is what excites you, go for it, and even look into what it takes to make your own equipment.

If you have suggestions about equipment for new homebrewers, or old ones, please leave us a comment.

Cheers,

TW

Homebrew Equipment Repair: Propane Burner

When I converted over to all-grain brewing about a year and a half ago, I was generously given a collection of second hand equipment by both my brother and members of my local homebrew club (RIFT). Several of these pieces have been upgraded and retired, but a few are still part of my brewing process. One of these in particular was my turkey fryer-esque propane burner.  Up until a few days ago, that piece of equipment was looking like it was quickly being destined for the obsolete list.

I should point out that the house we live in does not have a garage, or for that matter, much outdoor storage. As such, the propane burner tended to remain out in the elements where corrosion was able to tighten its grip. While the aesthetics of some rust was a non-issue to me, the corrosion of the burner head was becoming a problem. Instead of the efficient (and clean) blue flames, the burner had degraded into the inefficient, oxygen-starved orange flame. It not only burns excess propane, but it also kicks out a boat-load of soot and grime that coats the underside of all the kettles. Not ideal.


Originally my plan was to replace the entire propane burner setup when someone pointed me to a great spare parts website. ‘Why not just change out the burner head?’ Why not? What a great idea!  It made perfect sense: $17 for a new part vs. $68 for a whole new assembly.  So after a little searching, this is what I found:

Do Right Services

Boyce, LA

888.588.7267

BC-BG12

High Pressure Cast Iron Fry Burner

$17.00

Of course all the corrosion meant removing the old burner head was a challenge as the fixation bolt holding the burner to the frame was severely rusted over. In the end, a good pair of vise grips and some banging with a hammer allowed me to torque off the bold head, releasing the corroded part. With the new part installed, the problem was all fixed – no more orange fire and kettles covered with soot.

There was one frustrating watch-out I did come across. For some reason, these ‘Made in America’ turkey-fryer burner heads accept only metric bolts. I was scratching my head with angst when none of my existing bolts would fit. It took a drive to Home Depot with the burner head in had to find out that the part was tapped with a metric set. Go figure…

Slainte!

-JW


“My people must drink beer.”
-Frederick the Great

Wort Pump in a Toolbox #5 - Pump in Action

The previous post in our series on building a wort pump discussed creating the connections used by the pump on brew day.  This last post focuses on using the pump during an actual brew day.  The brew day in question was brewing a 10-gallon batch of American India Pale Ale (IPA) as part of a brewing demonstration at my local homebrew shop, The Fermentation Trap.

The wort pump tool box is not used until the end of the brewing process (typically for the transfer of hot wort).  However, when getting out all of the equipment for a brewing session, it is important to make sure your pump and hoses are clean, available, and in working order.

Fifteen minutes before the end of the boil, I hook my pump up to the kettle (connections noted in the image with red arrows).  The purpose of running the wort through the pump before the end of the boil is to sanitize the entire pump pathway before cooling begins.  Note how the pump is located below the kettle, which is important to prime the pump.  I first connect the ball-valve that exits the kettle to the pump's intake.  I connect the pump's exit port to another high pressure tube, but do not yet connect it to the quick disconnect on the "J" connection on my immersion chiller.  Holding the exit tube that will connect to the immersion chiller high in the air, I open both the kettle's ball valve and the pump's ball valve.  The wort will flow up through the pump and part way up the exit tube (this is important to prime the pump and get all the air out).  I then connect the tube to the immersion chiller and turn the pump on.  It should be fully primed and push wort through correctly.  If not, play with the throttle ball valve until it pushes properly.

At the end of the boil, add any flame-out hops and put a lid on the kettle.  Then, connect the cooling coils to your garden hose and slowly push cold water through them.  The "J" return on the immersion chiller will spin the wort past the coils and cool it much faster that normal.  On the brew day in question, the pump dropped the temperature of 13 gallons of wort from boiling to 75 F in about 45 minutes.  Once the wort temperature has reached its target cooling point (I like to switch to pushing ice water through the coils after the temperature is below 90 F), turn the pump off and let the wort sit, covered, for 20 minutes.  This allows the hops to settle in the middle of the kettle.

After the settling is done, close the ball valve on the kettle and switch the exit tubing to a sanitized line that runs into a carboy.  Then, open the valve slightly and turn the pump back on.  The goal is to fill the carboys slowly, so the hops in the center of the kettle do not get pulled into the pump intake and moved to the carboy.  I would estimate that I pump to the carboys at about 25% of the pump's maximum speed.

Once all the wort has been transferred to the carboy, make sure to clean the pump and hoses well.  I do this by immediately putting the emptied hoses into a tub of sanitizer.  I clean the pump itself by flushing cold water from the garden hose through the pump head, followed by pouring sanitizer through it as well.  The pump head does not need a extremely good cleaning, as it will have boiling wort move through it again on the next brew day.  But, it helps to flush it well when the wort has not had a chance to dry inside the pump head and hoses.

We hope this series of articles on building a toolbox-mounted wort pump has been useful.  Please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.  As a point of reference, the other posts in this series include:

• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #1 – Concept
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #2 – Parts List
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #3 – Build Steps
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #4 – Connections

Cheers,

TW

Wort Pump in a Toolbox #4 – Connections

The last post in our series on building a wort pump featured how to place the pump into the toolbox.  This next post describes the connections used to attach the pump to the kettle and whirlpool chiller.  The main purpose of the pump during the brew day is in chilling and moving the wort from the kettle to the fermenter.  A future post will focus on the specific pump uses during the brew day, but rest assured, it is necessary to connect the pump to different items during the session.

There are several important factors to be considered when planning connections for your wort pump:

• The pump connectors should be easy to change.
• The hoses must be able to withstand boiling wort temperatures.
• The hoses should be semi-transparent, so it is easy to see if they are full.
• The connections must assist the pump become immersed in wort before it is turned on, as it does not self-prime.
• The hoses and connections should enable easy cleaning.
• The pump should effectively assist in the quick cooling of wort.

After considering these factors, I elected to use brass quick disconnects (QD) attached to high-temperature silicone hoses.  The QDs allow a permanent male connection to attach to the actual equipment (kettle ball valve, pump in and output, etc.), while the open female end attaches to the hose.  This allows the hose to be open for air drying after cleaning.  The silicone hoses are semi-transparent, so it is easy to see if they are full.  The hoses are also flexible, which allows the user to squeeze and shake them to knock air bubbles out of the line, which helps maintain prime.

The connections I use for the pump, in order of flow, include:

• QD to hose out of kettle.
• Hose to QD to in port of pump.
• QD to hose out of pump ball valve that can throttle the pump’s flow.
• Hose to QD that connects to the whirlpool chiller.
• Long hose that connects to pump disconnect that runs to fermenter.

The pump attaches to a “J” shaped copper tube attached to my immersion chiller.  This design is based on the popular Jamil Zainacheff whirlpool chiller, which is now featured through MoreBeer.  The copper return tube directs the flow along the outside of the pot, which creates a whirlpool action.  This constantly moves wort by the cooling coils, which greatly enhances cooling, as well as funneling hops and break material to the center of the pot.

Selecting appropriate connections are very important to proper use of a wort pump.  It is important to remember that the pump will be moving boiling liquids around on brew day, liquids that have the potential to do serious injury if not managed properly.  Along this thought, the final post in the series will cover the actual use of the pump during a brew day.  As a point of reference, the other posts in this series include:

• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #1 – Concept
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #2 – Parts List
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #3 – Build Steps
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #5 – Pump in Action

Cheers,

TW

Wort Pump in a Toolbox #3 - Build Steps

After the previous post in our series on building a toolbox-mounted wort pump, the next post features the steps used to actually install the pump in the toolbox.  The steps outlined below are, in a large part, based on an articled entitled "Pumped-Up Toolbox" that appeared in the October 2009 issue of Brew Your Own Magazine.  The primary difference between that build and mine was that I included a functioning electrical outlet in the toolbox.  This allows the pump toolbox to function both as an extension cord, which can be used to power miscellaneous brewing equipment like a grain mill, and a protected wort pump.  The build also featured brass quick disconnects to allow the easy changing out of hoses during brew day.

The steps used to mount the pump in the tool box and complete the electrical circuit are presented below as a series of pictures with brief commentary.  Hopefully, this presentation will make the explanation of the steps clearer.  Please let us know if there are any questions with the presented information.

All of the parts are laid out on a work surface.  This allows us to make sure no parts are missing and to dry fit the parts to ensure the installation will go well.

Dry fit the pump against one wall of the toolbox.  Make sure that where the pump shaft goes through the toolbox wall allows enough room for the wort intake and return, which are mounted vertically.  In my build, I had to prop the pump up on some scrap lumber to raise it high enough.  Once this is done, mark the wholes and drill them out.

Dry fit the electrical boxes against opposing sides of the tool box.  Mark the appropriate holes and cut them out.  Then install the boxes in the resulting holes using the bolts, locking washers, and nuts.

Front view of an installed electrical box, which displays how the mounting brackets are used to hold the box in place.

Place any raising scrap lumber in the box and then slide the pump through the precut hole for the pump shaft.  Attach the pump to the lumber with zip ties or a long worm clamp.  Make sure that the wire coming out of the pump has enough room to avoid getting snagged on any tool box shelves.

Lock the pump in place by screwing in the pump shaft collar through the pre-cut holes and into the pump body.  These screws will tighten the collar against the pump body, through the side of the tool box, and make the whole assembly one unit.

Dry wire the electrical circuit in the following manner:  1) Extension cord comes into back of tool box and goes into the box that will house the plug.  2) Plug box wire goes into the switch box.  3)  Power cord from pump comes into the switch box.  Lock the cords down with electrical staples, zip ties, or any means possible, as this prevents things from coming loose later.

Complete the wiring at each box.  It goes without saying that you should not do this if you are not comfortable with working with electrical circuits.  ELECTRICITY CAN KILL YOU!  You have been warned.  Once the wiring is complete, make sure to test the plug with an appropriate device.  Then install plug and switch covers to prevent accidental electrical shocking.  Also, do NOT turn the pump on with the pump head on, as running the pump dry will burn it out.

Install the two coat hooks on the back of the tool box so the extension cord can be coiled for storage.

The finished wort pump in a tool box build!

View of the pump head.

Other posts in this series include:

• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #1 - Concept
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #2 - Parts List
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #4 - Connections
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #5 - Pump in Action

Cheers,

TW

Wort Pump in a Toolbox #2 - Parts List

Following up on the initial post for our series on building a toolbox mounted wort pump, the next post focused on the required parts list for the project.  There are a couple of things to keep in mind when reviewing the parts list:

• It does not include the tools needed to complete the build.  It is likely that the reader owns many of these tools already (drill, drill bits, screw drivers, wrenches, wire cutters, wire trimmers, etc.).  
• The parts list also does not include miscellaneous extra build items, such as some scrap lumber, wire staples, and wire nuts.  The specific tool box and layout used in the build will determine the need for these items.
• The prices listed are those I found at the time of the build.  They will vary by location and will likely change over time

The most important thing to do when starting any project, such as this toolbox-mounted wort pump, is to plan it out before starting.  Sketch out what the build will look like and use those conceptual diagrams to help build the parts list.  Hopefully, the information presented in this series, and the BYO article it was based on, will flush out your plans and make your build go smoother.

The other important thing to consider is to customize the wort pump build to your brewing system.  This build included the features that I desired for the wort pump - extra electrical outlet, portability, ease of hose changes, etc.  This build could easily be changed to make it smaller, part of a permanent installation, or include extra features.  Spending a little time thinking of how the pump will be used in your brewery, and what features would be useful, can go a long way towards ensuring the pump will see use for years to come.

Parts List

Description	Merchant	Part #	Quantity	Price/Unit	Total
March 809HS-PL Pump	Austin Homebrew		1	$132.99	$132.99
1/2" NPT Female-Male Yellow Brass Ball Valve	McMaster	4629K43	1	$12.65	$12.65
1/2" Female Yellow Brass 90 degree Elbows	McMaster	5078K38	2	$4.97	$9.94
1/2" NPT Male -> Male Yellow Brass Quick Disconnect	McMaster	6739K59	4	$1.98	$7.92
1/2" Hose Barb -> Female Yellow Brass Quick Disconnect	McMaster	6739K64	5	$6.47	$32.35
Silicone Tubing (by foot)	Austin Homebrew	H985	12	$2.10	$25.20
4' 1/2 Copper Tube - used to make "J" return	Lowes		1	$25.89	$25.89
Solderable 1/2" Pipe -> 1/2" NPT Female Brass Fitting	Lowes		1	$5.04	$5.04
1/2" Hose Worm Clamps	Lowes		4	$0.60	$2.40
1" Hose Worm Clamps - used to hold copper ends together	Lowes		1	$0.80	$0.80
Tool Box	Lowes		1	$9.96	$9.96
Metal Electrical Box (single gang)	Lowes		2	$1.69	$3.38
Heavy-Duty Extension Chord - 6 or 8 feet	Lowes		1	$6.47	$6.47
Standard Plug	Lowes		1	$2.19	$2.19
Low Profile Electrical Switch	Lowes		1	$4.57	$4.57
Plastic Electrical Covers	Lowes		2	$0.99	$1.98
Bags of Bolts and Locking Nuts/Washers for Metal Boxes	Lowes		2	$1.18	$2.36
Plastic Coat Hooks - used to hold wound extension chord	Lowes		2	$2.36	$4.72
4" Metal Worm Clamp	Lowes		1	$1.87	$1.87

Other posts in this series include:

• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #1 - Concept
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #3 - Build Steps
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #4 - Connections
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #5 - Pump in Action

Cheers,

TW

Wort Pump in a Toolbox #1 - Concept

This is the first in a series of three posts detailing the construction of a wort pump (March pump) in a toolbox housing for a home brewery. This post deals with the concept of the pump build and why someone would want a wort pump. The second post addresses construction of the pump and toolbox combination. The final post discusses alterations to an immersion chiller to allow the use of the pump to speed cooling.

Getting a high-temperature food-grade pump has been on my list of brewery upgrades for a while. Pumps can speed the process of cooling wort, when combined with an immersion or plate chiller. They also speed the process of moving wort to fermenters faster than a siphon or gravity transfer. In my particular case, the pump allows me to use my kettle's ball-valve assembly, which pulls through a stainless steel hose braid. My previous attempts to drain wort through the valve via gravity have failed because gravity draining does not overcome the resistance offered by the hose braid.

Wort pumps are often used on permanent brewing structures, especially those that operate on

a single tier or level. In these cases, the pumps are often mounted with a splash guard or shield because the pump housing is not sealed and the motor can be damaged if exposed to a liquid. However, my brewing system must be dismantled for storage after each use. So I needed a way to keep my pump portable, but to also protect it from the splashes that can occur during a brew day. Along came an idea I first saw in Brew Your Own (BYO) magazine - install the wort pump in a toolbox.

The BYO article, entitled "Pumped-Up Toolbox" (October 2009), provides detailed instructions for installing the wort pump in the body of a tool box such that the pump head, inlet, and outlet are outside the tool box, but the pump motor is inside. This protects the pump motor from splashes, keeps the pump mobile, and provides the brewer with additional storage for small brewing supplies and equipment. The article provides a nice step-by-step guide that provided me a good deal of inspiration. In addition, I spoke with several Charlottesville Area Masters of Real Ale (CAMRA) members that have pumps and capitalized on their knowledge. From these sources, I developed the following feature list I wanted in my pump build:

• Pump housed in a large enough tool box to fully dissipate any generated heat.
• Tool box has long extension cord that winds up for easy storage.
• Pump is connected to a low-profile switch that allows for easy turning on and off.
• Tool box has an additional outlet built in to provide power for miscellaneous brewing devices, such as a drill-mounted grain mill.
• Pump output can be throttled down, which allows for slow distribution of wort to fermenter, without disturbing settled break material and hops.
• Equipment makes use of quick-disconnect fittings for easy of disassembly.
• Tool box remains fully functional and allows storage of small brewing ingredients or equipment.

Stay tuned for the next blog post that discusses the actual pump and toolbox build, including a parts list, instructions, and photos.  The additional posts in the series include:

• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #2 - Parts List
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #3 - Build Steps
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #4 - Connections
• Wort Pump in a Toolbox #5 - Pump in Action

Cheers,

Tom