Brew Day: What a Cluster

Tyler/ June 28, 2015/ Brewday/ 0 comments

My cabinet isn’t all together, but this is my last opportunity to brew for four or five weeks because of call. I’m really itching to go all grain, but I’m sure I’ll make many more extract batches before I’ve got a configuration that can reliably function. Until then, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I’m out of home brew, so

Read More

OneWire Header

Tyler/ June 21, 2015/ Electronics/ 0 comments

Measurement of temperature is important to many stages of brewing. There are lots of options out there, but I decided on the DS18B20. What’s different about this device is that it’s not just a thermocouple or thermistor but a self contained chip with which you communicate digitally. The device communicates via the OneWire protocol, so multiple such devices can be

Read More

Standalone Arduino

Tyler/ June 4, 2015/ Electronics/ 1 comments

My custom Arduino shield for my fermentation cabinetĀ gets the job done, it’s a less than optimal design. First, I used multiple individual optocouplers and transistors. It would have been much more elegant to use integrated components with multiple optocouplers and multiple transistors in one package. Second, I used only screw terminals, which are not very sturdy. Lastly, and mostly, shields

Read More

RIMS Heating Elements

Tyler/ June 3, 2015/ Brewing Hardware/ 0 comments

In designing my all grain setup, I decided to go the route of the Recirculating Infusion Mash System (RIMS). The Heat Exchanger Recirculating Mash System (HERMS) seems like the best route for most brewers, but it’s hard to beat a RIMS if the main objective is automation because RIMS is doesn’t suffer the lag time that a HERMS does. I’m

Read More