Moving to all grain question

darkstar79 · 01-09-2010, 01:46 AM

I have done plenty of partial mash brews and have the itch to move to all grain. I received an 8 gal megapot with a thermometer, ball valve and false bottom for christmas to start me moving in that direction. My question is why do I need 3 kettles to get started? If I have the mash/lauter tun pot and I get another kelttle to boil along with the propane burner isnt that good to start? I wish I could just boil the 5 gallons on my kitchen stove does anyone do that?

**david_42** · 01-09-2010, 02:06 AM

My question is why do I need 3 kettles to get started?
You don't
If I have the mash/lauter tun pot and I get another kelttle to boil along with the propane burner isnt that good to start?
Yes
I wish I could just boil the 5 gallons on my kitchen stove does anyone do that?
Yes, but most stoves do not put out enough heat.

brewdogskip · 01-09-2010, 02:22 AM

1. Congrats, sounds like a sweet rig!
2. You do not need three pots to brew all grain beer (I use two and a cooler).
I started with a 30 quart pot for HLT and BK and a small cooler as a MLT and made great beer!
3. It seems like you got a nice MLT. You need a brew kettle that is at least 30 quarts to boil your wort after mashing/sparging from your Megapot. Three pots with burners is quite a luxury to me and although nice, they are not necessary for all grain brewing!
4. Bringing 6+ gallons of wort on most kitchen stoves is a challenge. Are you gas or electric? I suggest getting nice propane burner and start brewing outside. It is nice all year round, because your drinking beer!

Are you looking to do this on the cheap, or do you have some bills to throw around?

bjzelectric · 01-09-2010, 02:34 AM

I use a 12gal cooler and a keg that I converted to a keggle. I have a 5gal pot that I use for heating sparge water. I have 2 other kegs which are also converted which helps speed up a 2 batch or partigyle brew day. BTW, I stumbled across some dudes post about making a "heat stick." These things rock!http://www.cedarcreeknetworks.com/heatstick.htm

I made 2 for $100. They are pretty easy to make and you need to make sure you have 2 20 amp receptacles to power them. These lil guys save me a lot of money compared to buying propane and I brew indoors.

boogyman · 01-09-2010, 02:56 AM

I just have an 8gal pot, a 10gal cooler, and a bucket.

Heat water in the pot -> mash in the cooler -> sparge into the bucket -> dump back into the pot and boil.

darkstar79 · 01-10-2010, 02:51 AM

thanks everyone for the info. I do have a 5 gallon kettle that I have always used for my partial mash brews so I can use that to heat the sparge water, I just need to get another kettle for the boil then and the burner. Is it safe to use the propane burner in a closed garage? It gets quite chilly here around Chicago sounds like the move to all grain will be easier than I thought!

**arturo7** · 01-10-2010, 03:06 AM

I can bring 7 gallons to a rolling boil on my standard gas range. I straddle my pot over two burners.

archiefl98 · 01-10-2010, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkstar79

Is it safe to use the propane burner in a closed garage?

I usually leave the garage door up a few inches and crack the side window or door (in my single bay attached garage) Then I suit up with some warm boots and gloves and get to work. I honestly think that it'd be okay to run it with the doors and window closed since my garage is so drafty anyway, but being cautious and cold is better than being dead and unable to drink beer.

bbrim · 01-10-2010, 02:09 PM

I use one pot and two coolers. One cooler as MLT, one as a sparge water tank and one to heat everything and boil. I heat my strike water in my brew pot then add it to the mash in cooler #1, then heat my sparge water and put it in cooler #2, then heat water for mash out and fly sparge with water from cooler #2 being gravity fed into cooler #1 and down into my brew pot. It keeps me busy but it works well and was not too expensive to set up.

darkstar79 · 01-10-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arturo7

I can bring 7 gallons to a rolling boil on my standard gas range. I straddle my pot over two burners.

one of my buddies was suggesting this as well, might not be a bad idea to try. Im sure the propane burner would get the job done a lot quicker though.