All of my gear as well as the kegerator and fermentation freezer currently lives in the garage (picture below) which is one floor below the kitchen where I brew. That means on brew day I have to bring everything upstairs, set it up, tear it down, carry a full fermenter down a narrow staircase, etc. It’s not a huge deal, but yesterday I started thinking about whether I could make things a bit easier on myself.
This is what I’m considering: move the chest freezer and kegerator about one foot further to the left, install a utility sink about where the kegerator is now (this will require a pump because the drain line runs across the ceiling of the garage), buy some shorter 3-tier shelves and move them under the wooden shelf where my kid’s bike is currently sitting, get a stainless utility table and put it where the shelving currently resides, and have a 220v outlet installed on the back wall.
I could get a 220v induction plate which would allow me to use my current boil kettle. If the steam becomes an issue, I can either brew with the garage door open and the fan running or get one of those steam condenser lids from Spike Brewing (my kettle is from Spike so I know if will fit).
I also want to set up a RIMS, which I think I can do pretty easily. I already have the pump and an insulated, stainless mash tun. I would just need to add the heater and control box (I’ve been thinking about the SS Brewtech offerings, which are pretty reasonably priced and run on 220v).
Anyway, I have a plumber coming tomorrow to advise on whether installing a utility sink there is feasible. This plan isn’t going to work without it. And I’m trying to schedule an electrician for Wednesday to advise on whether 220v service is a possibility. For the RIMS, it needs to be 30 amp GFCI. I assume that it’s doable, but I don’t really know.
I used to slog all my equipment up from the basement each brewday so I know the hassle you are experiencing. So, I set up in the laundry room for the same things you are considering: water, sink, drain, electricity.
The convenience of brewing where the equipment is setup cannot be overstated. The 220v 3500W induction cooktop works like a charm for exact power control.
20 years ago I talked my wife into remodeling our detached garage so I could have my equipment permanently set up. It certainly was a revelation and I’m sure it will enhance your brewing experience.
Have you considered an all in one unit to make it even easier? My Grainfathers changed everything about how I brew. Made it so much easier and more fun.
I’m still a kitchen brewer, and moving to an Anvil has been a big improvement in simplifying my brew day. That includes less trips to the basement and less time in setup/breakdown.
You have a nice setup; I definitely took some inspiration from it. Which model induction cooktop are you using? I don’t know anything about them.
I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m going in a different direction with this.
I have, and I owned one for awhile. I don’t think it’s what I want to do here though. A two vessel system is still pretty easy to deal with (and it’ll be even easier if I can have everything in one location).
You plan sounds fine to me and should work as desired. Pumping discharge water from a sink or even toilet from a basement is not a problem. Wiring a 220v circuit will probably cost less than you think. You have a very good space for a basement brewery.
45 minutes to heat strike water is no problem, that’s the time when I’m milling grain, etc.
22 minutes from mash out to boil is fantastic. I wouldn’t even have time to fully clean out the mash tun (which is what I’m usually doing while waiting for wort to come to a boil).
Is the kettle insulation required to maintain the boil?
That’s what I do. I put on the brewhaus liquor, then go make a pot of coffee, weight and mill grain, hook up hoses, get the mash tun ready… just a bunch of little prep tasks.
While waiting for the wort to boil I clean the MLT and hoses, valves, temp probe, etc…
I don’t think insulation it’s required per se. …I just think it helps by reducing convection heat loss from the kettle walls. I never used it when using propane outside but when I began researching induction it seems like everyone recommended it. It’s pretty cheap (~$15) and easily obtainable at Lowe’s so I grabbed a roll as I passed by. I didn’t make a special trip for it.
I use a 3500W induction cooktop as well and love that it, with the addition of a Brundog condenser, put my brewing indoors. My cooktop is a commercial-grade unit (I can look up the brand if you care) that I bought used on Ebay. It’s pretty basic- just a single knob to turn power up or down but it heats quickly and does just fine for 5 gallon batches. It that unit ever s**ts the bed, I might then move to an all-in-one unit. I hesitate to drop hundreds of dollars on equipment when I know the beer will be the same though.
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