Milwaukee’s Best
Brew Stand
Ben Caya
Carl Czajka
Background
• Spike Brewing LLC
– Started Summer 2011
• Produce 10 to 25gal stainless steel home
brewing kettles
– Welded couplers
Background
• Need for manufactured brew stands…
Background
• Very little competition
– Blichmann – ‘Top Tier’ - $1000+
– BrewSteel – ‘BadAss’ - $1850+
– Sabco – ‘Brew Magic’ - $6000
• Our design:
– Off the shelf design
– More affordable
Blichmann – Top Tier
Brew Process – Step 1
– Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize (Star San)
– Crush Grain
– Activate yeast
Brew Process – Step 2
• Heat water in HLT so mash tun is about 162°
Brew Process – Step 3
• Sparge from HLT to mash tun
– ~60 min process
Brew Process – Step 4
• Mash out
– 170° to stop starch conversion
• Drain until clear liquid comes out then pour back into Mash Tun
– Checking for sediment in liquid
Brew Process – Step 5
• Drain Mash Tun into the Boil Kettle
– 5 gallons batch will have about 2 gallons
Brew Process – Step 6
• Add liquid from HLT to Mash Tun until you fill grain bed
– Sit for ~10 min
Brew Process – Step 7
• Add enough liquid from Mash Tun to Boil Kettle to
get desired amount
Brew Process – Step 8
• Start boil (60 min)
– Add bitter hops
– Other flavors
– 15 min later add aroma hops
Brew Process – Step 9
• Chill to 70 deg F
• Carboy (ferment) (3 weeks – months)
Voice of Customer
• Polled home brewers on HomeBrewTalk.com
(largest online home brew forum)
Price
Collapsibility/Storage Footprint
•Mobility
•Modular/Use with Existing Equipment
•On Board Storage
Initial Design
Frame
•Total weight
•Kettles, pumps, burners, propane tank, frame material, plate chiller
•~250lb
•(3) 25gal kettles filled with water/grain
•~600lb
•Safety factor 2 (people store things on cart)
•1700lb (1 ton)
•Material Choice
Initial Design
Frame
Material
Pro
Con
•Inexpensive
•Strong
•Heavy
•Rusts
Stainless Steel
•Aesthetically Pleasing
•Corrosion Resistant
•Strong
•Expensive
•Heavy
Aluminum
•Light
•Corrosion Resistant
•Aesthetically Pleasing
•Expensive
•Strength
Carbon Steel
Initial Design
Frame
• Auto Cad Inventor
Initial Design
Frame - FEA
• Design Load 800lbs distributed across the top
Frame
Deflection
Frame
FOS
• FOS = 4.54
Minimum
Design
Components
• Kettles
– Thermometers
– Valves
• Burners
– Regulator
•
•
•
•
Pumps
Heat Exchanger
Castors
Tubing
Design
Components
Kettles:
• Capabilities
– 10 to 25 gallon kettles
• Our Design
– 15gal kettles → 10gal final product
Thermometer:
• 20-240 °F
• Glass dial
• ± 1.5% accuracy
Ball Valve:
• 5/8” Full Port Design
Design
Components
Burners:
• Bayou Classic – SQ14
– 55,000 BTU
– ~35mins 10gal
water to boil
Regulator:
• Bayou Classic – M5HPR
– 10 PSI
Design
Components
Pumps:
• Chugger - SS Inline (Donation)
– Max Flow 7.3 GPM
– Max Head 18.9 FT
– Power .05 HP
Design
Components
Heat Exchanger:
• Duda Diesel - B3-23A 30 (Donation)
– 30 Plates
– 12" x 2.9“
– Chills 10gal @ 212°F to 75°F in 10mins
Design
Components
Castors:
• Northern Tool
– 6” Pneumatic
• Easier for terrain
– 400lb capacity
Design
Components
Tubing:
• U.S Plastics – Silicone Tubing
– 0.5” ID
– -100°F to 500°F temperature range
– 10PSI working pressure, 30PSI burst
pressure at 70°F
– FDA & NSF-1 approved as food safe
Manufacturing
Frame
•Fixtureing
•Stainless MIG
Welding
•Stainless 308 Wire
Manufacturing
Frame
Manufacturing
Frame
Manufacturing
Frame
Pricing
Name
Frame - Stainless
Burners
Regulators
Pumps
Castors
Kettles
Thermometers
Valves
Piping
Heat Exchanger
Pump Wiring
Gas Lines
Labor
Quantity Price Ea
1
3
$10
1
$20
2
$120
4
$14
3
$85
3
$26
3
$20
1
$40
1
$120
6hrs
$80/hr
Total
$600
$30
$20
$240
$56
$255
$78
$60
$40
$120
$30
$40
$480
Total: $2,040
Included
Blichmann
Spike Brewing
BrewSteel
Sabco
Frame
Steel/Al Extrusion
Stainless
Stainless
Steel
Burners
210,000BTU
55,000BTU
210,000BTU
65,000BTU
Gas Piping
Braided/Steel
Steel
Steel
Steel
Regulator
40PSI
10PSI
40PSI
10PSI
Castors
4" Polyurethane
6" Pneumatic
4" Polyurethane
4.5" Polyurethane
Pumps
-
Chugger
March
-
Heat Exchanger
-
Duda Diesel
-
-
Kettle Storage
No
Yes
No
No
Propane Tank Storage
No
Yes
No
No
Kettles Included
No
Yes, 15gal kettle
No
Yes, 15.5gal keggle
PLC Controlled
No
No
No
Yes
$2,843.79
$5,995
Cost = $2,000
Profit Margin - 40%
Price:
$994
$2,800
Future Design
• PLC Unit
– Ignition System
– Flame Sensing
– Temperature Control
– Push Button/ Programmable Pumping
• Dumpable Mash Tun
– Easy grain removal
• Post Brew Improvements - TBD
Question?