Blichmann announced earlier this year they were releasing an add-on to the Hop Rocket, the RIMS Rocket. All electric. Since the initial news release I haven't heard another word - Do you guys know the status. I am up to 75% efficiency with my current mash set up but would like to top 80% if possible. The RIMS Rocket looks like the key for me.
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RIMS - Blichmann's New add on to the Hop Rocket
- Thread starter markbrew
- Start date
I was at the AHA show and had my hands on one, they told me late November. It is a nice unit, but it will be a bit pricey by the time you get their controller connected to it, unless you can make your own. I am going to build my own controller, but not sure if I am going with Blichmann or may use the $150 Stouts and Kettles unit and an electric heating unit.
By the way, I recently went to conical fermenters and my efficiency jumped a bunch, now running 85 - 90%.
By the way, I recently went to conical fermenters and my efficiency jumped a bunch, now running 85 - 90%.
I don't understand it totally either, but my beers are finishing much lower than with carboys. Recipe and all else being the same. Not uncommon for my final gravities to come in at 1.004 and even 1.002. Spoke with the folks at Beersmith at the AHA and they indicated the yeast is attenuating better. Don't understand the rocket science behind it, it just is what it is and it does not matter which beer I am brewing. All of my old recipes had to be modified.
When your FG's are that low you really need to consider you are getting wild yeast into the wort somewhere in the process. Conicals are great fermenters, especially if your are into dumping yeast and repitching. The draw back is since they are cold side they require high level maintenance & sanitation or you will have problems. Breaking down parts and sanitizing disassembled valves every batch is time consuming. I like being able to see my wort violently ferment and keep an eye on the trub layer. The cost of a upright freezer to fit a conical in and the price of a conical are not cost prohibitive for me. Do I need it or do I want it? If you have excellent temperature control, you don't need glamor to produce great beer.
You really need to talk to yeast experts, not software experts. I am neither. I had this problem several years ago, two batches, wild yeast, 1.002, and traced the problem to a room fan in my fermenting and pitching room. Now, no fan, no wild yeast being blown around and airborne, no problem! Two cents
Beer that low is too dry on the palate! You need to make sure your hydrometer is calibrated. Distilled water is preferred! The paper inside does sometimes shift. You can physically move it by tapping it against a padded carpet if it is sturdy enough.
You really need to talk to yeast experts, not software experts. I am neither. I had this problem several years ago, two batches, wild yeast, 1.002, and traced the problem to a room fan in my fermenting and pitching room. Now, no fan, no wild yeast being blown around and airborne, no problem! Two cents
Beer that low is too dry on the palate! You need to make sure your hydrometer is calibrated. Distilled water is preferred! The paper inside does sometimes shift. You can physically move it by tapping it against a padded carpet if it is sturdy enough.
Thanks for the heads up RiverBrewer. I haven't been able to taste any off flavors in the beer. I have excellent temp control. My fermenters have a temp probe that is connected to a dual temp controller. I can either heat-cool the wort to any desired temperature and monitor them quite closely. I am a sanitation OCD nut. I have a commercial SS sink with an overhead sprayer that makes cleaning even 15 gallon fermenters a breeze, and we tear down, clean and sanitize everything.
We usually make yeast starters and just pour them into the 3" opening in the top, but occasionally do use dry. Conditions are clean in the room, but perhaps we should start a bunson burner or a candle for a bit by the fermenter before we pitch the yeast to the fermenter. I wonder if I could catch some of the yeast of those batches and be able to see them under my microscope? Any idea how to tell wild from regular yeast?
We usually make yeast starters and just pour them into the 3" opening in the top, but occasionally do use dry. Conditions are clean in the room, but perhaps we should start a bunson burner or a candle for a bit by the fermenter before we pitch the yeast to the fermenter. I wonder if I could catch some of the yeast of those batches and be able to see them under my microscope? Any idea how to tell wild from regular yeast?
Check your hydrometers first! A really light grain bill lager 1.004 would be OK. For anything else dry stouts are about as low as you go with 1.007
You may not necessarily have off flavors, I didn't. The beer was like drinking flavored carbonation, like a over carbonated commercial ultra light beer. If you are mashing low or adding sugar, you will have more fermentable sugars, you will get low numbers with a well attenuating yeast.
How are you cooling the wort? Plate chiller? These can easily contaminate wort while cooling. After the chiller water flush, while flushing with PBW for 12 hours, I was moving my chiller and accidentally dropped it from a height of ~ 12 inches. Luckily it landed square on my anti fatigue mat. When I looked into my flush solution bucket (which was clear), there were a lot of hop and trub particulates. I tied a hop bag around the chiller outlet hose, doubled up on the thickness of the mat, and proceeded to drop it repeatedly on the mat while flushing. You would not believe the "&*@#$!" that came out of it. I was shocked! I followed up attacking it with a pressure washer. I do sanitize it in the oven @ 300 degrees F for 90 minutes occasionally. Just another thing to check!
Once you clear your process and still low FG persist, I would email White Labs and or Wyeast.
Your sink sounds real sweet! Just asked my wife if I could replace her sink. DENIED!..... Oh well! Sometimes she has to win one!
You may not necessarily have off flavors, I didn't. The beer was like drinking flavored carbonation, like a over carbonated commercial ultra light beer. If you are mashing low or adding sugar, you will have more fermentable sugars, you will get low numbers with a well attenuating yeast.
How are you cooling the wort? Plate chiller? These can easily contaminate wort while cooling. After the chiller water flush, while flushing with PBW for 12 hours, I was moving my chiller and accidentally dropped it from a height of ~ 12 inches. Luckily it landed square on my anti fatigue mat. When I looked into my flush solution bucket (which was clear), there were a lot of hop and trub particulates. I tied a hop bag around the chiller outlet hose, doubled up on the thickness of the mat, and proceeded to drop it repeatedly on the mat while flushing. You would not believe the "&*@#$!" that came out of it. I was shocked! I followed up attacking it with a pressure washer. I do sanitize it in the oven @ 300 degrees F for 90 minutes occasionally. Just another thing to check!
Once you clear your process and still low FG persist, I would email White Labs and or Wyeast.
Your sink sounds real sweet! Just asked my wife if I could replace her sink. DENIED!..... Oh well! Sometimes she has to win one!
Funny stuff.
I check my hydrometer often and it is fine. I use a 50' immersion chiller. I was real close to buying a Therminator, but after hearing all of the horror stories I may not!
However, Recently I added a unique designed hop spider that works really well, have a Blichmann Hop Blocker and I whirlpool. My next batch is in the fermenter so we will see how much trub I get when I drop it later this week.
I check my hydrometer often and it is fine. I use a 50' immersion chiller. I was real close to buying a Therminator, but after hearing all of the horror stories I may not!
However, Recently I added a unique designed hop spider that works really well, have a Blichmann Hop Blocker and I whirlpool. My next batch is in the fermenter so we will see how much trub I get when I drop it later this week.