New Creative Idea for a Brew Stand

Almighty · 03-05-2009, 10:18 PM

I had this idea because I wanted a cheap, small and simple brew stand. Let me know if this makes sense and/or has been tried before. This method works much better for batch sparging but could still be used for fly sparging but wouldn't make as much sense.
Pro:
-One Pot (2 for Fly Sparging)
-One Burner
-Small Footprint
-No Pump
-Easy to install in a garage w/exhaust fan over tower

So to do this you would have to build a tower that the HLT/Boil Kettle can slide up and down on. The low tech way would just to have the Pot and burner slide up and latch when it reaches the proper height. The high tech way would be to use some type of hydraulics to move the platform up and down. The height the platform must extend depends on the height of the Mash Tun (1.5 - 2 ft).

Please give me opinion if it seems feasible (especially the hydrualic part) or a waste of time

**culaslucas** · 03-05-2009, 10:29 PM

How do you plan to sparge from your HLT while txfering to your Boil Kettle if they're the same pot??

TwoHeadsBrewing · 03-05-2009, 10:37 PM

You'll need another vessel to collect your first runnings, because your hot liquor tank will still be full of water for the sparge. When I used the same vessel for my boil kettle and HLT, I had to collect runnings in my bottling bucket.

Almighty · 03-05-2009, 11:20 PM

Yeah I guess it won't work like I thought. You do need 2 pots but I guess you could use a smaller pot for the HLT. You could still use one burner but you would have to lift the half full(batch) or full(fly) boil kettle onto the lowered propane platform.

The lift tower could still be helpful but would need multiple platforms. If done this way:
1. Lift boil kettle up to the top with heated Mash Water
2. Lower to bottom and fill with sparge water and heat (will mashing)
3. Lift to Mid level and fill HLT tun (cooler type)
4. Lower again and a swap Boil Kettle and HLT
5. Raise HLT w/o burner
6. Replace Boil Kettle on Bottom and start draining off MT and then sparge (batch or fly)
7. Once the HLT is empty it can be removed.
8. Boil
9. Boil Kettle can be raised to be drained into carboy

I guess it doesn't make as much sense as I thought. Sometimes you just need to talk out loud.

ajwillys · 03-05-2009, 11:40 PM

I've thought about doing this same thing just because then I could put all my money into one nice pot. Ball valve, sight glass, electric element for heating, etc... Then I would just a cheap pot as mentioned for collecting first runnings.

eschatz · 03-05-2009, 11:43 PM

I brew with two pots and one burner. I just hold my first running in my 5 gal pot.b

Catt22 · 03-06-2009, 02:20 AM

I had thought about a movable platform as you have described, but abandoned the concept in favor of a pump. A much less complicated and probably less expensive alternative IMO. I pump the heated water to a cooler on top of the tower and gravity fly sparge. The tower footprint is only 2ft x 2 ft which makes for compact storage. This is a direct fired RIMS setup.