Does a steam condenser remove most/all of the smell ?
Considering getting an electric system to brew in basement.
Everything needed in basement, sink, water, space, 110 & 220 outlets.
My thought would be after removing the lid to chill, the smell would fill the basement, then house.
Highly desire to eliminate intense spirited critique on the smell.
Thanks
No they do not eliminate the smells of brewing. I use one and am really happy with its overall ability to handle steam. The water on my rig collects into a bucket and will smell significantly when hops go into the kettle. I also get some steam and aroma when adding my IC as I sanitize it in the boil so the lid is cracked open. You might be able to reduce these sources of smell to a minimum by running the waste water directly to a drain and reduce the lid opening time by using a counterflow or no chill method.
My experience has been to use ventilation to eliminate orders. However, doing so in a basement — or any room, for that matter — can be complicated and costly.
The first step would be to use an exhaust hood directly above the boil kettle. This hood must be of sufficient size to adequately remove the steam and oder and deposit it outdoors.
The second step is to provide “make-up air” to replace the air removed by step number one.
Step number two is where it gets complicated. Make-up air is needed to balance the exhaust air with the house to prevent the house from becoming a negative pressure. Once the house moves toward a negative pressure, the efforts by the exhaust hood become moot — it moves less air. This is all assuming the house itself is tight. If not, replacement air enters through cracks in windows, doors, etc.
I have an exhaust hood above my boil kettle and “some” make-up air and my house still smells of freshly brewed beer at the end of my brew day. But, I love that aroma.
I hope this makes sense.
Good ideas, thanks
I think it’s understood. 1700 sq ft basement all open, four basement windows, would leaving one open solve #2 ?
You are welcome!
Yes, that would certainly help.
You should have a CO detector anyway, but with running an exhaust fan in the basement its crucial you have a working one nearby if your heating units are down there. If you don’t have enough make up air coming from elsewhere you’ll end up drawing it from heating appliances.
Thanks
Plans for brewing in basement is shelved for now.
Too much resistance from peanut gallery.
Placed order for a better and stronger (CFM) range hood fan.
The one it’s replacing was cheap, weak, and old.
Cheers
FYI - I brew in my basement with an Anvil 6.5 and tried a bunch of venting systems: hood, fans, windows open, bigger fans … still dripped from the air ducts.
Bought a Brewhardware steam condenser (steam slayer) last year. Really impressed with the results. Still have limited mash flavors in the air, and some at the end of the boil during the cooling coil phase (made a counter flow chiller, but still at old school method).
BUT - that said, my significant other is much pleased with the results. There is a lingering after brewing for an hour or two as if baking or brewing on a kitchen stove, but no where like without it. Very happy with the outcome.
I have a dehumidifier 4’ from the Anvil and it really only runs when I’m spraying water and cleaning up. Of course, YMMV.
You certainly would have had some ductwork to deal with on that upgrade. Probably from 6 inch to 10 inch. How did that work out?
Pretty good for now. It replaced the older range hood above stove,
which already had ducting to outside. I think the basement venting
is permanently scrapped. I might be headed for garage in warmer months.