Gregredic

Recipes 

I don't know if this is the right place for this post or not, but here goes.... Has anyone ever created a winch system in order to raise and lower their mash tun? I was thinking about keeping my boil kettle (electric) at a stationary hight...say the bottom of it is around 2.5 feet high and having the mash tun where its on either a pulley system or a winch system that then raises and lowers it as needed. This would allow me to get my sparge water to temp in the boil kettle and while having the mash tun lower, gravity would then move the liquid to the mash tun when a valve is opened on the boil kettle. Conversely, when I was ready to move liquid from my mash tun back into my boil kettle, all I have to do is raise the bottom of the mash tun above the top of the boil kettle and open a valve on the mash tun. This would remove the need for using pumps (which I have no desire to use pumps at all in my rig). Anyone seen something like this or have any good ideas on how to do it?

I have thought about mounting a boat hand winch to the wall and putting a tackle on the ceiling that would raise and lower the mash tun...just would rather have some sort of unit that is more consolidated...such as a transmission jack.

ClaudiusB

Recipes 

Shortyjacobs has done it

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/incredible-invisible-ag-sculpture-picture-heavy-157905/

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

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jdieter

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I use a cheapo block & tackle hooked to an eyebolt screwed into a truss chord to get my sanke fermenters into the fermenting fridge and to gravity drain for kegging and to bottle.

Seven

Recipes 

These work very well: Rope Ratchet

Choose the one that meets your specific weight requirements.

gnef

Recipes 

I have a winch system that I made to raise and lower my large fermenter into the chest freezer.



It is on locking caster so I can move it around when I need to, and have it in place when I need to. I'm sure you could adapt something similar to your own setup if you wanted to.

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Gregredic

Recipes 

Just in case anyone is interested, this is what I decided to use.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-chain-hoist-631.html

limulus

Recipes 

Here are two systems that I really like:
About 1:05 into this video, you'll see this guy's winch

Then this BIAB winch is just genius and it's made from a boat winch:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/biab-brew-stand-hoist-pump-310459/

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Keg 1: Hog Mountain Pal Ale - Tap 1
Keg 2: American Wheat - Tap 2
Keg 3: Dunkelweizen - Tap 3

On Deck: Bourbon Barrel Porter (to be aged 6-9mos in brand new 1L flip-top bottles) and Pliny the Elder!

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