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Gauging interest in a BYO/complete keg washer solution for nanobreweries

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  • Gauging interest in a BYO/complete keg washer solution for nanobreweries

    Hey all,

    I wanted to see what interest would be, especially in the nanobrewery community, for a semi-automatic keg washer that would be available in a kit form versus interest in a pre-packaged solution. Any of us who have looked into equipment know that most equipment costs as much as the car you will never drive.

    This is what I'm considering:

    1) a solution that would have the end user purchase something like a 2 or 3-compartment sink, and then sell/provide instructions to convert it into a keg washer using my control panel and piping modifications; or
    2) an entire solution which would be based on modifications to an off-the-shelf multi-compartment sink that would be fully assembled and show up at your door on a wooden pallet and wood-framed crate that's ready to use immediately.

    My control panel would have control over water, caustic, acid, oxygen and CO2 cycles. I've been thinking about a heating element for the caustic, but in the nanobrewing community, it's possible that PBW would be the more common chemical used and that may be overkill. My thought regarding the modifications to an existing sink are to help reduce costs and allow somebody to save money on shipping costs because it can come directly from a retailer to their door or allow an existing fixture to be utilized.

    I'd love people's thoughts. I'm planning to build at least a single proof-of-concept prototype for my own tinkering, but if I could provide the community a solution that's a win/win. I have not decided on a final price for either, because I need to finalize the bill-of-materials costs as well as labor, but I can very safely say it would be under $8500, and just need to also decide what sort of warranty would be offered.
    Kevin Shertz
    Chester River Brewing Company
    Chestertown, MD

  • #2
    PM sent Kevin.

    I use our 3 kettles as vessels for caustic/acid, rinse water, and sanitizer. This way the elements in the kettles keep the temps up. Anyone else do this??

    I assume you mean air and co2, not oxygen and co2??

    -J.
    Jeremy Reed
    Co-Founder and President, assistant brewer, amateur electrician, plumber, welder, refrigeration tech, and intermediately swell fella
    The North of 48 Brewing Company
    Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

    www.no48.ca

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