trueclimber

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Has anyone brewed or own one of these? We have one and just started using it this last Sunday.

OldManBrew

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Yes have and use one. Like anything it has its good points and bad...
The biggest one I ran into had to do with mash in and mash temps.
Best way I have found is heat mash water in HLT. Do not put grains in mashtun, move water over to mashtun, using back fill and top, reheat water to temp. Add grains a little at a time and stirring. Let grains settle for about 10 mins then start recirculation.
Also yes thermometer on top and bottom until you figure out what you want your mash temp to be. It like me you are used to using a thermometer in the top of the mash you will find you need different temp pulling temp from bottom of mash.

FATC1TY

Recipes 

I'm planning on getting one in the near future after I get through building/buy a house after the new year. Will probably score one with a pinch of my Xmas bonus.

Anything to add/subtract?

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Bubba's Backyard Brewery

trueclimber

Recipes 

I found that my temp is pretty consistent thru the mash tun. But I know now that I should definitely use hop bags in the boil kettle...plugged up drain. This one is about 9 years old but last Sunday got its first brew. Do you have any suggestions on adding anything to the set-up?

OldManBrew

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a BIG propane tank -- once you start using it you will be brewing allot more..
The best thing I think I bought for me brewing was the plate chiller. It cut about an hour or more off of my brew day and really lets me dial in the temp of wort going into the fermentors.

trueclimber

Recipes 

I think we will definitely look into the plate chiller. We used a little over half a small propane tank when we brewed 20 gallons of Lazy Days (pale ale) and Punnani (a hoppy stout), but a larger tank would be ideal...thanks.

trueclimber

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I have a little concern that we have done something wrong somewhere in the process...fermentation process the Lazy Days is poor...no aeration through the airlocks. I need to check the specific gravity.

GoodDogShelby

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Just curious the stand is nine years old but just had its first a gion last week? What's it been doing all this time?

trueclimber

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My friends bought this from a brewery that closed down and never used it...and my friends never used it until I convinced them to bring it over and for us to figure out how to brew. None if us brewed before this. We figured go big or go home!

mcl

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That is an awesome system to start out on. As far as your beer not fermenting. Did you take a gravity reading? What temp did you mash at?