[jtkratzer]

I started home brewing in 2010 with a Brewer's Best kit, some buckets, and went full nerd with it. I now run an electric HERMS system I built after converting an abused and neglected Sabcro Brew Magic system from natural gas. I converted a side-by-side fridge to a dual-temp controlled fermentation chamber as well. Brewery runs on a dedicated 50A 240V GFCI protected service. Brew stand is going to get modified - chopping the legs and bringing the boil kettle up to the same height as the other two vessels, then a sandblast and powdercoat. Also, a couple of the push button switches need to be swapped as there is a colored LED in the switch body and it's not just a colored lens on the actuator.

Haven't tried wine, but 10 gallons of Apfelwein last year turned out really well.

Here are a few pictures of the system after getting it all together:

Control panel I cut, drilled, painted, and wired:


Only the power cord in the bottom left is missing:


Backside of the lid/door:


After cleaning the kegs with a red Scotch Brite pad after the TIG welding was done:


Gorgeous welds:






First brew day:







Wort heading to the fermenter:




Rauchbier:


Blonde Ale:


10 gallons of Düsseldorf Alt heading to the kegs last night:

[Ratmagiclady]

Nice. I don't have the skills, myself, but there's always a lot of homebrewers/meadmakers, occasional absinthe-producers around my tribes. If my sweetie and I had gone to settle down in one place we were, I was going to see about growing some of the hops: I've always wanted a pergola, and it's no place for grapes, there. But apparently you can grow hops in that place. And there was a shortage on at the time. My friends were enthusiastic at the concept.

[jtkratzer]

I guess I'm the only one...

[Ex Finn.]

You are the only one with a fantastic setup like that. I did brew bunch of different ale`s one winter, long time ago. Did 55 gallons in 3 months, had to stop because it was too good and I gained too much weight.
BTW, nice work on that control box.

[jtkratzer]

You are the only one with a fantastic setup like that. I did brew bunch of different ale`s one winter, long time ago. Did 55 gallons in 3 months, had to stop because it was too good and I gained too much weight.
BTW, nice work on that control box.

Yeah, gotta behave on the consumption. It took one time to get it all together. I have been using the boil kettle lately to cook sous vide style and it's making some awesome meats.

[reeftool]

I guess I'm the only one...

Perhaps if you asked how many are home drinkers of the brew?

[jtkratzer]

Düsseldorf Alt in an authentic glass from Düsseldorf.

[jtkratzer]

10 gallons of Bell's Two Hearted Ale fermenting away along with 3/4 of a gallon of a test batch of sour mash Belgian (sort of).

[slick100d]

I just bottled a batch of Two Hearted a couple of weeks ago. I can't wait to try it.

Nice setup, by the way.

[jtkratzer]

I just bottled a batch of Two Hearted a couple of weeks ago. I can't wait to try it.

Nice setup, by the way.

Nice! Thursday is three weeks since brew day. I'm going to drop my fermentation chamber down to the low 40s for a week or so on Thursday and then keg. Thinking about dry hopping a keg for a few days during carbonation and then when that's kicked, I'll dry hop the second keg for a few days before serving.

[magkelly]

My Dad use to brew beer when I was a kid but we don't drink enough these days to bother. I think one of my brothers still might. Not sure he doesn't live here and I don't think to ask. He used to though. I'm told my late Grandma used to make gin in the bathtub though even after Prohibition. She used to make some killer rum cherry balls too. My parents used to love those.