Calling All Brewery Builders

[UpsidedownA (Andrew)]

Carrig Brewing needs a new pilot plant. We're looking for a 50-100 litre system HLT, K, MT, ideally jacketed conical FVs. It should be easy to clean. We don't need to be able to do stepped mashes etc a simple infusion mash set-up is OK.

Anyone who has one of these already and wants to flog it, or who wants to build a new one because building their first was so much fun, pm me to talk money and time scale and stuff.

[johnrm]

Our of curiosity, What size is there existing kit? Are they contract brewing?

[UpsidedownA (Andrew)]

The brewery is a 5 UK barrel system officially. We actually squeeze a bit more out of it than 818litres. We have double size fermenters and can do double brew days to fill them. We filter all our beers to some extent, but don't use isinglass. (Vegetarian friendly, if that matters to you).
We are not currently brewing for anyone else, but might consider it. We have two beers brewed for us by Bo Bristle (Carrig Lager and Rowers Red Ale. Carrig Lager is also brewed by us (most of it is).
If people would like to visit the brewery, we don't have regular tours just yet (although I think that might be planned down the line) but get in touch and I'll see if anything can be arranged

[johnrm]

I was passing through Drumshanbo while on hols over the summer although nothing stood out as a brewery.   I think there is an Amber in the line up, I liked that, but good sups all round.

[johnrm]

Just looked on the website. Yep, the Amber was good.
I see mention of Lairds Jams, I could have found that easily enough, feck!

[bier]

Why not buy a Speidel Braumeister if you want to do 50l test batches? It's small and compact and easy to clean.

[bier]

By the way.. Love the beers!

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Why not buy a Speidel Braumeister if you want to do 50l test batches? It's small and compact and easy to clean.

Because the braumeuster is not representative of a scaled down version of the brewery, which is what you want in a pilot system. Good for recipe experimentation, but you can't take those recipes and use them on the big kit

[Hop Bomb]

And you'd defo need gas for the boil to mimic the boil on the big kit. Nothing electric comes even close.

I built my kit for about 1300e which incl pumps, hoses, disconnects, burner & plate chiller. 100 litre kettle, 80 litre mash tun & HLT (hlt is two 2.4kw elements) You could knock a good few hundred off all that if you built the kit to use your current brewery pumps, hoses & chiller.

[DEMPSEY]

Those thermos pots hold the heat very well. Put your hand on them and they are cool with hot liquid inside. Hop Bomb how much colouring of the malt is caused by using gas as your heat source or is it the same if you used leccy.

[Hop Bomb]

You cant feel any heat outside on the thermo pots. tbh il probably sell mine on once I get my herms up & running. There is no loss of temp on a single infusion mash over the course of 90 mins if Ive a 10 gallon batch malt bill in it. Temp drops by 3 degrees if Ive a 5 gallon batch malt bill in it.

On the gas thing - Ive not noticed my beers any darker than im targeting. Ive always used gas for boil. The blichmann burner is very responsive so you can really dial in your boil to how you like. It does need adjusting during the brew to keep the rolling boil how you want. No idea how many brews I get from a tank of propane. Not bothered but Id guess maybe 5 x 10 gallon batches.

[DEMPSEY]

What's wrong with using the thermos pots for building a herms system.

[DEMPSEY]

What about this German 50 Litre kit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xqfv56FyLY

[Hop Bomb]

@Dempsey - Nothing wrong. I just have notions of building a bigger kit & those thermo pots dont go bigger than 80 ltr.

@Tube - couldnt tell you. Ive a dial thermometer a third of the way up. Holds temp for 90 mins. No issues with heat loss that I can see unless you are only a third full in it.

[UpsidedownA (Andrew)]

What about this German 50 Litre kit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xqfv56FyLY

Wow. Pretty cool. Looks like he's not afraid of hot wort aeration either.