Well guys I've only bottled 1 batch so far (brewed 4), and thought AG would be a year or so down the road for me. I figured I would wait until I had a turkey fryer setup, a MLT, and a garage/yard. I guess where there's a will there's a way. Actually, make that when there is obsession, there is a way.
My MLT is about as cheap, yet fully functional as you can go. It is an approximately 5 gallon styrofoam cooler from Meijer ($7) with a 20" steel braid ($6) in the bottom. One end of the braid is zip tied onto the flexible hose that as part of the hose to begin with. The hose travels through a snug hole (also sealed with silicon $3) in the cooler then attaches to some siphon tubing. I have no valve, just a clip to hold the tube up on the cooler handle to stop flow. I have stuck a probe thermometer through the side of the cooler. Even I destroy this thing I'm out 7 bucks for the cooler and that's it. Total cost for cooler, braid/hose, and sealant: $18. I can get some pics if anyone is interested.
So it works great. No leaks at all, and held mash temperature great. I made BM's Centennial Blonde using Chinook and Williamette hops. I had a preboil volume of about 6 gallons. I wanted to use 6.5 but didn't quite have the capacity. I used two pots to do this. Topped off to 5.5 gallons and ended up with a efficiency of 77% according to Beersmith, even though my grain bill was slightly under weight as my LHBS friend just eyeballed the partial pounds. The wort tasted great! I like those Williamettes a lot.
And for the sad part: I use my bathtub to keep my fermenter cold. It's free (city of East Lansing) 62-64 degree water. I had to go to a party for a brother of mine soon after pitching the yeast. I was there all day and was convinced to spend the night too (long story). I knew I shouldn't have left my infant brew alone! As soon as I got home, I rushed to the bathroom to check on it as soon as I got home. The water was gone (do bathtubs every really hold water?) and my stick-on thermometer read 86 degrees. That made me sad, real sad.
So I just took a hydro sample. There was some off smells, but I've smelled similar in other early ferementations. I cooled it to 60 for a better reading. The true test of course was the sample tasting. It didn't suck! To my suprise it was pretty clean. The Williamette's flavor was the biggest aftertaste as well. I know it will only get better from here.
OK, so I got a questions:
I noticed my temperature reading for my mash varied a lot with small changes in probe position. I have it stuck in at an angle so it is about 2" - 4" off the bottom to get a good grain bed reading. Even just moving it in and out a few inches can measure a degree and a half or so of difference. What is the best way to measure your grain bed temperature.
My MLT is about as cheap, yet fully functional as you can go. It is an approximately 5 gallon styrofoam cooler from Meijer ($7) with a 20" steel braid ($6) in the bottom. One end of the braid is zip tied onto the flexible hose that as part of the hose to begin with. The hose travels through a snug hole (also sealed with silicon $3) in the cooler then attaches to some siphon tubing. I have no valve, just a clip to hold the tube up on the cooler handle to stop flow. I have stuck a probe thermometer through the side of the cooler. Even I destroy this thing I'm out 7 bucks for the cooler and that's it. Total cost for cooler, braid/hose, and sealant: $18. I can get some pics if anyone is interested.
So it works great. No leaks at all, and held mash temperature great. I made BM's Centennial Blonde using Chinook and Williamette hops. I had a preboil volume of about 6 gallons. I wanted to use 6.5 but didn't quite have the capacity. I used two pots to do this. Topped off to 5.5 gallons and ended up with a efficiency of 77% according to Beersmith, even though my grain bill was slightly under weight as my LHBS friend just eyeballed the partial pounds. The wort tasted great! I like those Williamettes a lot.
And for the sad part: I use my bathtub to keep my fermenter cold. It's free (city of East Lansing) 62-64 degree water. I had to go to a party for a brother of mine soon after pitching the yeast. I was there all day and was convinced to spend the night too (long story). I knew I shouldn't have left my infant brew alone! As soon as I got home, I rushed to the bathroom to check on it as soon as I got home. The water was gone (do bathtubs every really hold water?) and my stick-on thermometer read 86 degrees. That made me sad, real sad.
So I just took a hydro sample. There was some off smells, but I've smelled similar in other early ferementations. I cooled it to 60 for a better reading. The true test of course was the sample tasting. It didn't suck! To my suprise it was pretty clean. The Williamette's flavor was the biggest aftertaste as well. I know it will only get better from here.
OK, so I got a questions:
I noticed my temperature reading for my mash varied a lot with small changes in probe position. I have it stuck in at an angle so it is about 2" - 4" off the bottom to get a good grain bed reading. Even just moving it in and out a few inches can measure a degree and a half or so of difference. What is the best way to measure your grain bed temperature.
