Pre-Brew (Day Before or Morning Of)
  • Rinse plate chiller, pump and hoses with hot water
  • Lube Boil Kettle valves (drain and whirlpool) insert and close
  • Fill Boil Kettle with brewing water
    • Rinse if needed
    • Connect water filter hose to spray faucet.
    • Make sure water filter body is hand tight
    • Insert whirlpool spout
    • Fill 
    • Add campden tablet
    • Add brewing salts
    • Cover brew kettle
  • Prepare Tower of Power
    • Plug in Electrical (Do not plug into wall)
    • Plug in Sensor
  • Prepare Fermentor(s)
    • Rinse
    • Sanitize with Starsan
  • Prepare Mash Tun
    • Rinse if needed
    • Install false bottom
    • Install Sparge Arm
    • Install Sparge Hose
    • Lube dip tube
    • Install dip tube - make sure washer is installed
    • Lube quick connects (male)
    • Lube valve, insert and close
Brew Day
  • Take yeast out of Fridge
  • Turn exhaust hood to low
  • Bring water to strike temp
    • Plug in Tower of Power
      • Switch to on
      • Power control level to “on” (100%)
    • Put thermometer into Boil Kettle.  Set alarm to strike temp.
  • Place Mash Tun on Boil Kettle
    • Install Hose A from Boil Kettle out to Pump in
    • Install Hose B from Pump out to Mash Tun in
    • Install Mash Tun drain tube and the correct orifice. 
  • When the water in the Boil Kettle hits the strike temperature, start circulation
    • Open Pump valve all the way
    • Open Boil Kettle valve 50%
    • Turn on Pump
    • Ensure water is flowing into mash tun
    • Fill mash tun with approximately 1/2 of water volume then open mash tun valve to start circulation
    • Set Tower of Power 
      • Set switch to “auto” 
      • Power control level to 88
      • Set temp to ~4 degrees above strike temperature
    • Adjust Pump valve and Mash Tun valve until system is balanced and the temperature of the water in the mash tun equals your strike temperature
      • To get a good balance, its easier to dial it in by adjusting the flow out of the Mash Tun than with the Pump valve.  
    • Circulate until temperature in Mash Tun comes back up to your strike temperature.  
  • Dough In
    • When the strike temperature in the Mash Tun is reached close Mash Tun valve
    • Ensure there is at least 1/2 of the total water volume in the Mash Tun, if not continue to pump water from Boil Kettle until there is. 
    • MAKE SURE THE HEATING ELEMENT IS ALWAYS COVERED AND NOT EXPOSED.  
    • TURN OFF TOWER OF POWER (!!)
    • Add crushed grain to Mash Tun
    • Mix well and ensure there are no dough balls.  
    • Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water above the grain level. 
    • Insert temperature probe
    • Let sit for 15 minutes
    • Take PH Measurement
  • Start RIMS Mash
    • TURN ON TOWER OF POWER
      • Set control level to 88%
      • Set switch to Auto
      • Set temperature to ~4 degrees above mash temperature
    • Adjust Pump valve and Mash Tun valve until system is balanced and the temperature of the water in the Mash Tun equals your mash temperature
      • To get a good balance, it is easier to dial it in by adjusting the flow out of the Mash Tun than with the pump valve.  
    • MAKE SURE THE HEATING ELEMENT IS ALWAYS COVERED AND NOT EXPOSED
    • Ensure there is always at least 1 inch of water above the grain bed. 
    • Rake top 1/3rd of grain bed every 15 minutes
  • Mash Out
    • At end of mash time increase temperature on Tower of Power to 190*F.
    • Watch temperature in Mash Tun - when it it 168*F stop mash
      • Close Mash Tun valve
      • Close Boil Kettle valve
      • Turn off Pump
      • Heating  in Boil Kettle can continue, but keep an eye on the level in the boil kettle.  
      • Replace orifice in connector tube with .5 GPM
  • Sparge/Drain Mash Tun
    • Open Mash Tun valve to 10%
    • Adjust Tower of Power
      • Set control level to 50%
      • Set switch to “on"
    • Slowly drain wort into Boil Kettle until pre-boil volume is achieved. 
    • Remove Mash Tun from boil kettle
      • I tilt the Mash Tun on the counter after it is removed to get as much wort out as possible (as needed)
    • Turn on hood vent to 100%
    • Turn on Tower of Power to 100% power
    • Bring wort to a boil
  • Prepare Hoses for Whirlpool and Plate Chiller Sanitization
    • Remove Hose B from Mash Tun
    • Empty Hose A and Hose B of wort, add to boil kettle  (not really necessary but avoids a mess)
    • Reconnect Hose A from Boil Kettle out to Pump in
    • Connect Hose B from Pump out to Plate Chiller In
    • Connect Hose C from Plate Chiller out to Whirlpool In on boil kettle
  • Boil
    • Take pre-boil gravity
    • Use hop bags or hop spiders or etc. when adding hops to kettle (as to not clog Plate Chiller)
    • Ensure a steady and rapid boil (power level of ~88 seems sufficient)
    • 15 minutes before the end of the boil, sanitize Plate Chiller
      • Open Boil Kettle Valve
      • Make sure Pump Valve is open
      • Make sure Plate Chiller valve is open
      • Disconnect Hose C from boil kettle in order catch the extra liquid in plate chiller, you don’t want this going into your wort.  
      • Turn on pump - collect Plate Chiller liquid from end of Hose C into a container and discard.  
      • Turn off pump when wort appears. 
      • Reconnect Hose C to Whirlpool in on Boil Kettle.
      • Turn on pump and recirculate boiling wort for 15 minutes.
        • Do not run cold water through Plate Chiller for this step. 
    • Remove grain from Mash Tun and rinse Mash Tun
  • Transfer to Fermenter
    • Connect Water Hose A from Sink Spray to Plate Chiller Water in
    • Connect Water Hose B from Plate Chiller Water out to Mash Tun.  (to collect and re-use hot water for cleaning the system) 
    • Whirlpool for 15 mins 
      • Put cooling water into Mash Tun with PBR for later use.  
      • If Whirlpooling a hop addition, make sure temperature of wort stays in the 160-170*F range.  
      • KEEP AN EYE ON THE LEVEL OF WATER IN MASH TUN DURING WHIRLPOOL.  DO NOT LET IT OVER FLOW.  
    • Sanitize Racking Hose D
    • On Plate Chiller Out,  replace Hose C with Racking Hose D  
    • Close Boil Kettle valve
    • Close Pump valve
    • Close Plate Chiller valve
    • Let wort rest for 15 mins. 
    • Turn on cold water at sink
    • Open Boil Kettle valve
    • Open Pump valve (100%)
    • Open Plate Chiller valve (10% or less)
    • Turn on Pump
    • Rack to fermenter.  
    • Keep temperature of wort flowing into the Fermenter below 65*F, adjust this via the Plate Chiller valve.  
Post Brew
  • Flush Plate Chiller - Initial
    • Connect Water Hose A to Sink Spray Hose
    • Connect Hose A from Water Hose A to Pump in
    • Connect Hose B from Pump Out to Plate Chiller Wort In
    • Connect Hose C from Plate Chiller Wort Out to sink. 
    • Open Pump valve
    • Open Plate Chiller Valve
    • Flush with hot water
    • Reverse flow into Plate Chiller and flush again
    • Close Pump Valve
    • Close Plate Chiller Valve
  • Clean Plate Chiller with hot PBW in Mash Tun
    • Connect Hose B from Mash Tun to Pump In
    • Connect Hose A from Pump Out to Plate Chiller In
    • Hose C from Pump In to Mash Tun.  (You may need to “prime” the water in these hoses.)  
    • Open Pump valve
    • Open Plate Chiller Valve
    • Turn on Pump
    • Circulate PBW for 15 mins. 
    • Turn off Pump
    • Let sit for 15 mins. 
    • Connect Water Hose A to Hose B
    • Put end of Hose C into Sink
    • Flush with hot water for 5 minutes. 
  • Soak Boil Kettle with PBW
    • Empty PBW in Mash Tun into Boil Kettle
    • Let sit overnight. 
    • Drain Boil Kettle
    • Rinse and Boil Kettle
  • Rinse and dry Mash Tun