Let's talk brewstands....

**Dude** · 01-26-2006, 11:05 PM

Need input.

I'm getting ready to build one--but I need to have it so it doesn't trake up a lot of room, and it needs to be fairly inexpensive to build (less than 200 bucks, for sure. I've got XtrmXJ welding it so I'm good there. Just need inputs on the design. This thing has to grow with me, so it has to be functional at first to only utilize 1 pump, and most importanlt not take up too much space and be portable.

Here is my rough design--PLEASE critique, add suggestions.

Top tier holds the HLT, bottom right tier holds the boil pot, middle left tier holds the mashtun. Shelf below that I will mount the pump and a plate chiller (I'm gettin' a Shirron, dudes!!!!!)

Eric_Duel · 01-27-2006, 02:38 AM

I like the design. Well drawn as well.

While I can't comment on the functionality of the design, would it be helpful to build it in parts which hook together? The plumbing would have to disconnect but you could design the left part of your system to fit inside the right side for storage. I only suggest this because of your concern for space. I have a similar situation and have considered this setup.

Best of luck,
Eric

**DrewsBrews** · 01-27-2006, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dude

Here is my rough design--PLEASE critique, add suggestions.

You call that rough? You should see some of the drafting I have to deal with at my job.

I need to make one these for myself in the next couple of months. I like the layout, especially for space saving. I wouldn't need the space for a pump since I won't use one and I have a brewpot coil chiller already, but those shelves would come in handy.

One thing you might want to keep in mind is that this thing will be top heavy. I'm going to try to splay the wheels and legs out a little at the bottom to give mine extra stability. I was thinking about going with the sheet metal trays like you have, but I've decided that flat bar welded on its edge would be much stronger to handle abuse and the weight of loaded kegs. That or just more square stock the rest of the frame will be made from. Keep us posted on what you end up using.

**DeRoux's Broux** · 01-27-2006, 04:33 AM

just curios, why do you want a pump? it just seems like another piece of equipment that can crap out during the middle of a brew. gravity is free! just curios, and nice design too!

**Beermaker** · 01-27-2006, 05:59 AM

I dont think your going to have enough room under the HLT to stir. And I would recommend making your mash tun a dumper. So much easier on a system like that. Weld 2 uprights that will balance the tun, but can be tilted to dump into a wheel barrow, or bucket. I wish I had one on mine, and it will be my next addition soon. Other wise, it looks pretty good and compact. I think 2' seems a bit wide for the kegs to sit on also.

tnlandsailor · 01-27-2006, 02:39 PM

A pump is a great addition to your brewery. 3-tier designs, although pump-free, have the drawback of needing basically a step ladder to access the HLT, plus the danger of having the HLT so high up in the air full of scalding temperature water. With a pump, you can now lower the HLT and have only two tiers to your brewery which is much safer and convenient. In addition, you can utilize your pump to vorlauf your mash much faster and efficiently than manual vorlaufing. You can have my pump when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.....

Regarding stand design, I've always been a fan of modular design. If you have a pump, your HLT can stand all alone on a small stand that is foldable or has legs that are removeable which will save space. I think the kettle should have it's own stand as well. It would be nice to be able to put away the HLT and mash tun during the boil to get a head start on clean up. Having everything on a mondo gargantuan stand just never appealed to me, one, because I just didn't have room to store something that big, and two, because incremental cleanup really saves time on brew day.

Prosit!

**david_42** · 01-27-2006, 02:47 PM

My stand is made of industrial modular shelving. I can just take it apart to move it or shift the shelves up and down whenever I get new gear.

How were you planning on supporting the burners?

**Baron von BeeGee** · 01-27-2006, 02:55 PM

Looks like a sharp design to me. The only thing I notice, and it may not be a factor to you, is that it looks like the design would preclude going to a mashtun capable of direct heat. Could the pump and chiller be alternatively mounted on the front of the sculpture freeing up the space underneath the mashtun for a possible future burner?

**Dude** · 01-27-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeRoux's Broux

just curios, why do you want a pump? it just seems like another piece of equipment that can crap out during the middle of a brew. gravity is free! just curios, and nice design too!

I think a pump is going to be a necessity with the system I eventually evolve to. I most certainly will eventually go to a HERMS or (or HERMIT) type system as my experience level (and desire) grows. Even now sometimes I wish I had a pump to get every last drop of wort out of the CFC!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beermaker

I dont think your going to have enough room under the HLT to stir. And I would recommend making your mash tun a dumper. So much easier on a system like that. Weld 2 uprights that will balance the tun, but can be tilted to dump into a wheel barrow, or bucket. I wish I had one on mine, and it will be my next addition soon. Other wise, it looks pretty good and compact. I think 2' seems a bit wide for the kegs to sit on also.

Good observation--but do you guys (all grain) really stir the boil pot all that often? The hop stopper is in the way of the bottom of the pot anyway--so if I stir it is only to incorporate addnl; ingredients I add during the boil. When I designed it I made sure there was enough room to stick my head near the pot--this SHOULD be okay. My mashtun is going to be a rectangular cooler--and although TRUE it will be heavy, that middle tier is low enough where I can move it easily enough. For sure--when/if I go to a keg/kettle mashtun, I'll incorporate a dumping system. Thanks for the future idea!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnlandsailor

Regarding stand design, I've always been a fan of modular design. If you have a pump, your HLT can stand all alone on a small stand that is foldable or has legs that are removeable which will save space. I think the kettle should have it's own stand as well. It would be nice to be able to put away the HLT and mash tun during the boil to get a head start on clean up.

Interesting. Now you are forcing me to re-think this. Thanks, Dennis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

How were you planning on supporting the burners?

We haven't gotten that nailed down yet--but my plan is to just take the guts from the turkey fryers I had and weld that into place beneath each shelf. I didn't include it on the drawing because it provided too much clutter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGee

Looks like a sharp design to me. The only thing I notice, and it may not be a factor to you, is that it looks like the design would preclude going to a mashtun capable of direct heat. Could the pump and chiller be alternatively mounted on the front of the sculpture freeing up the space underneath the mashtun for a possible future burner?

True, true. I figure it is going to be a long time before I needed that, and I figured it would be easy enough to make work when that time comes. I'm still contemplating taking out that middle shelf to cut down on cost anyway. As for some other ideas as well, I'd like to see if I can adjust the heights a little more to actually make this work with 100% gravity. If it involves setting the mashtun on a block of wood for the time being, so be it. Like I said this has to grow with me.

Thanks for all the comments guys--I'm going to make some changes and repost it.

Truble · 01-27-2006, 05:18 PM

For some reason I was not able to see the plan. Must be getting blocked here at work.