Building an all grain set up from scratch?

libertyman · 10-08-2008, 08:56 PM

Im doing this the broke college way. So far, I got a bbq off craigslist and disasembled it to get the smaller burner. Now, I have looked for pictures for all-grain set ups but they lack clear instructions. Do any of you have solid advice, and also perhaps a few pictures of some great examples? Thank you all for your continued help!

**Orfy** · 10-08-2008, 09:00 PM

Take a look around lots of help.
Not sue if a bbq burner is the way to go though.

pahiker6 · 10-08-2008, 09:02 PM

If you're broke and in college, I'd skip all grain until you get out of school. In the meantime look into partial mashing.

I agree w/ Orfy regarding the BBQ burner. I had a gas grill, and it put out nowhere near the heat my turkey fryer does.

**EdWort** · 10-08-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pahiker6

If you're broke and in college, I'd skip all grain until you get out of school. In the meantime look into partial mashing..

Apfelwein can be your friend for very little in equipment. Get a couple of carboys, a bottling bucket, capper, caps, Auto siphon, bottling wand Oxiclean and some Starsan you are good to go. Everything can be used for brewing when you get money for kettles, burners, chillers, etc.

**Malticulous** · 10-08-2008, 09:52 PM

If you have the burner and a pot all you need is a lauter tun, you can mash in the pot or in a cooler. My lauter tun is the Zapap double 5gal bucket from The Joy of Home Brewing. Just drill a lot of holes in a bucket and place it in your bottling bucket for a false bottom and sparge away. I got 75% the first time I used it with a chest cooler mash tun. Not bad for $5.

**wilserbrewer** · 10-08-2008, 10:07 PM

Make a mash tun out of just about any cooler...link below is a simple one

Simple All Grain Brewing - German Pilsner

Or search for Denny Conn regarding cheap batch sparging...wealth of info there.

I doubt the side burner of a bbq will be much help to ya??

You can also use several smaller pots stove top to make the 5 gal batch, or do smaller batches stovetop. If all you can do is 2-3 gallons you could do a texas two step sort of thing where you make wort two days in a row and add to the fermenter as it is available.

Unfortunately, there really are no "clear instructions" for all graining on the cheap. It can certainly be done though, helps to be handy and a bit technically minded though.

Heatsticks economically apply heat to either pots or cooler tuns but be careful and knowledgeable w/ current!

The broke college way should also probably include a corona mill so you can reap the benefits of buying grain by the sack...few bucks upfront, but priced right grain is the only to brew cost effectively IMO!

JoMarky · 10-08-2008, 10:26 PM

look on craigslist and the for sale section here on the HBT forum. Search terms I used for craigslist looking for the stuff i needed to complete my all grain set up included "brew" "brewing" "carboy" "fermenter" and "turkey fryer"

to make a checklist of all the stuff you need, go to john palmer's website, I think howtobrew.com ? After reading his book (which is published online at his website) I had a good general idea of how to go about going all-grain and what i would need.

**Bulls Beers** · 10-08-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdWort

Apfelwein can be your friend for very little in equipment. Get a couple of carboys, a bottling bucket, capper, caps, Auto siphon, bottling wand Oxiclean and some Starsan you are good to go. Everything can be used for brewing when you get money for kettles, burners, chillers, etc.

Plus the girls will LOVE it....

libertyman · 10-10-2008, 11:55 PM

wonderful advice. Im already four weeks into making apfelwine! Its already amazing.