As the weather turns colder and as I've begun to convert my system over to electric (still has natural gas option), I've begun lusting over a better insulation for my MT, HLT and BK. They are notoriously lossy during the cold winter brewing months and I've had time to think it might be easy enough for me to work some magic with a sewing machine on some 3mm thick neoprene and some nylon zippers...
Right. I had basically convinced myself that I really didn't need an elaborate $2500 50 amp control panel. After all, I had my two Ranco temp controllers controlling automatic HLT coil by-pass and gas solenoid for HLT temp burner and that all worked smashing. All I wanted out of electric backup was a little faster HLT temp ramp (for large step mashes) and being able to sustain a boil in the cold winter months on a full 14 gallons. That really only needed a simple 30A switch box and I could move the cord from the HLT to the BK easily once that transition was ready...
With the completion of the upgrades to the kettles to have 240v electric elements in the HLT and BK, I now needed to just put in a 30A GFCI breaker and an L14-30R 4 prong outlet (I needed neutral to be able to supply the 120v break out for my Ranco controllers and the pumps). This would then wire via a typical L14-30 generator cord to a breakout/switch box on the brew frame (with proper ground) that would allow me to switch on a 3 prong L6-30 cord that I would plug into either the HLT or the BK, depending on need.
I have been lusting after the idea of putting in some 1.5" ferrules in my HLT and BK to host some 5500W electric ripple heaters (240v of course). Just something I could quick plug in and with a big knife switch breaker box, quickly boost my gas heat options. Nothing fancy...just some raw V*A pure energy for the colder months and big temp steps...
Today was the day I would test out some of the new additions and changes I had made to my brewery! Namely, the bottom drain mash tun and the replumbed natural gas access from the garage instead of off the back patio deck (to help make it easier to wheel 15 gallons of fresh wort in my large half bbl stainless steel conical fermenter from SS Brewtech).
While recently riding shotgun on a brew day for a friend, Chris Stephani, I was intrigued to see that his mash tun utilized a normal half barrel keg, and had a bottom drain, based on the normal tap port of the keg used upside down. He has a flat silicon custom for that connection to a normal 1.5" TC. It drips just a very small amount, and I think he really wants to redo it, but it works. And best of all, it uses a very efficient bottom drain that leaves no lost head space or dip tube through false bottom. I was enamored...
It was LONG over due time for me to replenish my long gone favorite house beer, my beloved Dark IPA. I was quite frustrated with myself for letting it go so long, especially since I had been working from home all summer due to some crazy disease or something. It was not rational or reasonable that I had let things get so far out of control. And, so, with a couple weeks off to bleed down my extensive time off before retiring, I resolved to have a brew day!
