Brew Day: Step By Step

[@nmsauditor1a950]

Try adding your grains first into the mash tun, then pump your water into the bottom of the mash tun. No dough balls. Great system. I use the same setup with 30-gallon Spike Brewing kettles. I built my entire system, including my control panel with Auber EZ Boil PID's. Spike Brewing was changing their handle design, moving them from the sides to front and back. I bought the 3 30 gallon last of the old inventory kettles for roughly $125 each and drilled them myself. Cheers!

[@jeremyrobinson4433]

I love this video so much. I’ve watched it multiple times. I’m looking at converting our second kitchen to a brewing room just like this. Love how organized it is and clean. Amazing set up.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks for the comments! I need to get back in the brewery and shoot some more vids soon!

[@britpopification]

@@nextlevelmediayes please !

[@authoritativebeer]

I appreciate how meticulous, regimented, skilled, thorough and barefooted he is. That's courageous.

[@SCBMD2020]

Some how i knew when i saw the set up that the brewer would be either barefoot or wearing sandals.

[@ri0negr0]

Thanks for the step by step. Really helpful on me new brewing journey

[@nextlevelmedia]

You’re welcome - appreciate the comments!

[@noahgiles777]

Looks really good. I would get the 02 assembly from More Beer and add oxygen to the wort as you transfer to the fermenter. The Blichmann sparge arm as you suggested would complete that brewery. Thats a sweet setup.

[@joewormhood8422]

Excellent video! As a amateur brewer with aspirations for better equipment it was great to clearly see the process involved in a three vessel HERMS system.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks for the comments and glad you liked the video!

[@osorefreigerador]

Excelente video . Extraordinario . Saludos desde Chile . 🇨🇱

[@scottayling5835]

Brewery goals this ansaloute top notch

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks!

[@kalwallner]

Beautiful job!

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks Kal - much appreciated!

[@TroubleBrewing]

Very cool system and setup! Im jelly

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks man!

[@lgopal3921]

it is an excellent operation system to make craft beer

[@nextlevelmedia]

Appreciate it!

[@operitivo4635]

Cool lab protocol at the end

[@ItsReck1]

If you have a carb stone for that unitank you can use that for your aeration with an O2 tank. And then purge after with CO2 to ensure no O2 is trapped in the stone. I found it helps greatly and ensures to very healthy fermentation process.

[@nextlevelmedia]

I do have the carb stone but have never tried using O2 for aeration as I’ve had no issues with my method, however I’m reading a lot about it so I think I’ll be trying that for sure thanks for advice!

[@bobhelm4942]

I use filtered natural air. Has Nitrogen. Better for the yeasties!

[@willd284]

Awesome setup. I’m about to transition to an electric 10 gal system. I just upgraded to a larger fermenter with a peltier cooling system.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Nice!

[@jpcii]

I am considering buying the new jacketed SS brewtech fermenter. After about 100 batches, the cooling coil has a fine layer of beer stone that is not coming off. The inside of the fermenter is pristine. Gives me an excuse to buy a toy. 😂

[@nextlevelmedia]

It’s a top quality toy you won’t regret it!

[@SKLXXVII]

We have such similar systems it is amazing although I am a believer in the Blichmann Pro Pilot Electric System. I would highly recommend the Blichmann grain mill (no I do not have anything to do with them) - it is an amazing mill although I often wonder why I spent this much money on something that mills in a minute - but then some of my final beers attest to why i did:)

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks for the advice my next upgrade was actually going to be a new grain mill - I was actually looking at the new SS brew tech electric grain mill

[@Stu2366593]

Very well done with clear instructions and I really appreciate the music and vibe it created. I prefer instructional videos with on screen comments like yours - it forces the author to be concise and clear and its a lot more precise than videos with lots of audio instructions with can sometimes create its own confusion. I have been sitting on the fence for some time debating whether I wanted to invest the time, energy and money on an electric brewery, some of which is driven by a fear of the actual brewing process and its apparent complexity (reading lengthy instructions tends to frustrate and sometime demotivate me). As a visual learner, this was very helpful and has considerably reduced my fear of actual brewing (as strange as that my sound). So, thank you for your time, effort and passion in creating this video - it is truly appreciated. Thank you also for keeping your promise to document your Brew Day - I recognize that this was a lot of effort on your part. The final product though is excellent.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Wow thanks for that - I really appreciate all of your comments!! It definitely makes recording this stuff worth it. And you are correct, not easy to do at all. But I can promise you that brewing with an electric setup like mine is just as easy as it seems in the video after the initial learning curve and the long process of building out your brewery. It is well worth the effort! Thanks for following along and let me know what additional brewing content would help you out.

[@timquesnel5232]

Great vid! I love watching a HERMS system in action. I have two questions, both regarding salt additions. I noticed you added your salts after mash-in and you added salts to the boil. Why? I always add all my salt additions before mash-in. Thankx.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks for watching! On the BeerSmith software their is an option to split mash and boil salt additions so that’s just the way I’ve always done it. I’m sure I read about it somewhere in the past but can’t specifically recall. I’m not sure there is any harm in adding it all to the mash either? I wonder if it would affect the mash pH but would have to research a bit.

[@philcross6037]

I have a HERMS and was told not to add malt very slowly as your strike water is hot and you want to get it to brew temp quickly. Not sure if that's true but it made sense to me as a mashout temp is similar to the strike temp, just add and stir well. I designed and built my own from scratch so have read so many conflicting things about the process. I see you seem to be measuring the temp of the mash at the outlet from the mash tun, I put mine on the inlet of the tun from the exchange coil so the wort rose to the temp of incoming liquor. (I don't know exactly how that control system works to be honest so that may be a far better control algorithm than I can see) Again this is a contentious point in many forums. Anyway great production and what a set up...(envious smile)..I thought I was doing well just painting my garage :) How do you make it and make no mess? I am constantly spilling and sploshing stuff all over the place.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Hey Phil - all great points and things I have researched as well. I typically heat my stroke water 5-10 degrees higher than mash temp initially as the mash water temp will drop as I add grain, but I do it more slowly to avoid dough balls. Either way it settles to the proper temp quickly enough that it shouldn’t effect my starch conversion I hope. I placed my temp probe at the outlet as this was easiest but you are correct, it may be off a degree or two with actual reading of my mash but that’s ok I just use it for reference.

[@AL3XXELA]

Great vid my guy! I've used the Blichmann 200 Litre with HERMS before and its an insanely good piece of kit! Good to see you using it well and properly, would love to be able to try your beer. Always love the comments on brewing videos like these and great to see you have a captive audience asking you questions. As a brewer that brews in a 4000L brewery you do everything like a commercial place would and you can't fault yourself. But I do wonder if you would notice a difference with transferring your wort to the fermenter in more of a closed system (we run our wort into a Co2 purged fermenter with blow off into a bucket to reduce oxygen) and also aerating wort with an oxygen tank (bit more annoying at home). Also adding brewing salts to the mash before after or later is neither here nor there in my opinion but I just add them all into the mash at the start as thats where all the chemistry happens, adjustments in the sparge water for pH and the end of the boil to suit the finished product (usually using baking soda to up the pH before fermentation which brings the pH down again). Anyway, great videos. Keep brewing!

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks for all your comments and for watching! I’m always looking for advice on any process improvements that could improve the finished product.

[@yosiyoarcan6684]

Really nice video! thanks. Question... As you are scooping the grain into the mash tun and mashing are you constantly recirculating the mash through the HERMS coil ?

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks! When I’m adding grain to the mash tun I have recirculation on hold. I get it mixed in and stirred well and then I check pH and add acid if needed at this point. Then I resume recirculation and start the timer on my mash.

[@allanbrand]

Beautiful setup you have there, very professional looking! Your videos are very well done as well. Have you considered adding an inline O2 to oxygenate your wort instead of having to use a drill to aerate the wort?

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks! Yes it’s on my research list but have put it off since I’ve never experienced an issue with fermentation. Does it make for a better finished product?

[@allanbrand]

@@nextlevelmedia I don't feel that it will increase the quality of your final product, but I could be wrong. It might save some time and eliminate a step since you'd be oxygenating while transferring.

[@joseespindola7322]

Nice job! I have a question, what are you doing in minute 16:00? Is it a magnet?

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks! Yes I use a magnet to ensure stir bar doesn’t dump into my fermenter.

[@heathm7015]

Hi, what PH pen are using that you can put straight into the hot wort?

[@NickDrone]

Love your brewery. Gives me something to build towards. If you get a hop basket it will help with making the boil kettle easier to clean. Also why are you introducing oxygen into your wort and fermentation vessel? Everything I read you shouldn’t be, as well as possibly introducing bacteria into the wort.

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thank you! Hop baskets are nice but they prevent the hops from roaming freely to extract max flavor and aroma. You just don’t want them making their way to the fermenter and that’s why I have the hopstopper. Oxygenating the wort is a necessary step either via agitation like I do or inline oxygenation in order to provide a healthy medium for the yeast and fermentation process. After you close the fermenter you want no additional oxygen exposure including during the transfer and packaging process.

[@timwood8733]

great video -wondering what the boil salts were, as u had already added salts to mash ?

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks! I split the brewing salts between mash and boil based on my BeerSmith software settings. I don’t think it’s necessary but that’s just how I learned to do it.

[@nicg8878]

Which pumps do you use?

[@hotsauce1646]

Wow !!!!

[@ShawnBrager]

Why Nice explanation of everything going but why is that door knob on the yellow door so low? LOL!

[@nextlevelmedia]

It’s an 8-ft door so the knob just appears low

[@zkkoria]

wich pumps do you use in this video?

[@nextlevelmedia]

I use the Chugger mini max as they are a bit quieter and I added TC fittings - link below shop.theelectricbrewery.com/collections/pumps-parts/products/chugger-mini-max-tefc-pump-stainless-steel-head-center-inlet-115v-tcpss-ci

[@davidpestana5290]

the entire vide reminded me how poor I am

[@nextlevelmedia]

You can definitely build a budget setup or build slowly over time

[@diegogarcia8623]

What are the electrical requirements for this system?

[@nextlevelmedia]

The main thing is that you need a 30A dryer plug outlet for the brew controller which powers the heating elements and pumps. Then I just have dedicated circuits for some of the outlets including the keezer and the glycol chiller as well as the hood vent fan to be safe.

[@speedbuggy7240]

I like your set up. But I personally didn't care for the music alone with having to read threw the whole vid. It was quite annoying to me.. I know everyone has opinion and I'm not trying to be rude or anything. Like I said, I love your set up! I'm still working on my set up. I wish you the best of luck with your brewing and videos.

[@nextlevelmedia]

I appreciate your feedback and I did debate on the best way to go about creating this video in a concise manner. Because it’s so loud in the brewery, this video was meant to be a visual representation of my brew day to go along with the more detailed full guide at theelectricbrewery.com that I linked in the description. This is the main resource I utilized to design and build my brewery. Good luck on your build!

[@speedbuggy7240]

@@nextlevelmedia Thank you for not getting offended. I wasn't trying to be mean or anything. So many people can't take any honest criticism. People can't become better without being able to take an honest critique. That's how we become better. I'm not perfect and try not to project that I am, because I'm Not... When doing something new there is always a learning curve.. We all have to walk before we can run. I'm sure your vid's will become better and better. I finally got my Brew Buddy II control panel kit this week. Now I got to put it together and I'm not looking forward to that..😏 But I have to try and cut cost where I can, so I'm putting it together myself and hopefully I don't make a mistake putting it together... I look forward to seeing more of your vids.

[@nextlevelmedia]

No worries, I do truly appreciate any and all constructive comments. It took me nearly a year to build out my space, but rest assured all your hard work will be worth it. As far as video productions go, I’ve just been learning as I go via KZbin and I still have a long way to go in my opinion!

[@mijotu]

@@speedbuggy7240 Are you not capable of operating the volume knob? This reminds me of my young son who insists on standing next to the loud thing to complain about how loud it is.

[@OckinElf]

But why barefoot?

[@nextlevelmedia]

But why not?! It’s the cleanest room in the house 😜

[@ryani5103]

12 hours later…

[@nextlevelmedia]

Takes about 8 hrs start to finish including clean-up

[@vanmalaphongsavan551]

, Very nice Brew Day: Step By Step....Small operations and Big ideas of professional Beer brewing.. Do you travel to our project consultant if need help ? Thank you for your show!!

[@nextlevelmedia]

Thanks man - will expand someday - for now just enjoying small scale and experimentation!