So I want to go AG... what do i need?

**bottlebomber** · 05-14-2011, 05:55 PM

I have a 10 gallon kettle fit with valve and temp. I have one KAB4 propane burner, and then all the other things you need to make extract beer. Oh, also among my assets is a 750 sq foot garage that cars aren't allowed in. What do I need, minimum, to go grain? Not so much oakie rigs and such, I want to do it up right, but am trying to look at a bottom line. Thanks for any input

autoferret · 05-14-2011, 06:26 PM

When i moved up from extract to all grain, I picked up 2 round coolers and made one into a mash tun w/ copper manifold and the other into a HLT and started brewing.

look at what this kit has and buy it or find the piece you need from your LHBS or make them.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/all-grain-equipment/deluxe-ags/deluxe-ags-10-gallon.html

Happy brewing!

**arturo7** · 05-14-2011, 06:32 PM

You have a pot and burner, the only essential thing you're missing is the mash tun. A cooling coil would be next on the list. A sparging vessel can be improvised from your bottling bucket.

**joety** · 05-14-2011, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by autoferret

When i moved up from extract to all grain, I picked up 2 round coolers and made one into a mash tun w/ copper manifold and the other into a HLT and started brewing.

look at what this kit has and buy it or find the piece you need from your LHBS or make them.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/all-grain-equipment/deluxe-ags/deluxe-ags-10-gallon.html

Happy brewing!

That's how I got started, with NB's system. Too bad you don't live closer; I would give you a deal.

**bottlebomber** · 05-14-2011, 06:49 PM

Awesome! Thanks. Everyone I know. Who does AG has these custom welded frame setups all tricked out and they are easily a grand into them if not two. This looks pretty do-able. I don't really fully understand the essentials of how all grain works other than the fact that you are taking your sugars starches and proteins from grains instead of dumping in processed syrup, but I am very intrigued, especially when I see people sharing recipes for beers they made etc. If there is a link or thread that someone could share that describes the process I would really appreciate it.

Mysticmead · 05-14-2011, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewhaha2057

I have a 10 gallon kettle fit with valve and temp. I have one KAB4 propane burner, and then all the other things you need to make extract beer. Oh, also among my assets is a 750 sq foot garage that cars aren't allowed in. What do I need, minimum, to go grain? Not so much oakie rigs and such, I want to do it up right, but am trying to look at a bottom line. Thanks for any input

the minimum needed to go all grain with what you have is... a big grain bag.. do a search for BIAB. it's all grain brewing in a single pot. I use the BIAB method and my brew day is about 3.5 hours long that includes clean up. if you can sew, pick up a yard of Voile material from your local fabric store and you can make a grain bag. I think going from extract to all grain it cost me an additional $6 bucks.

**Malticulous** · 05-14-2011, 08:15 PM

I took pics of a BIAB I did once. It's not so practical for 20 lb grain bills.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/super-simple-mr-beer-all-grain-212639/

My system is fairly basic. I use a cooler for a MLT and a old turkey fryer pot for my HLT (but if I ran the first running into a bucket I could use my brew kettle for a HLT). I have to boil and heat the HLT on the same burner. Two burners would be nice. I made a 50 ft 3/8 copper tubing immersion chiller. I also have a barley crusher. It's not mandatory, you buy grain crushed, but crushing my own lets me buy bulk and I also get much higher and more consistent efficiency.

That's an old bar stool holding up the MLT. The 1 qt pot is to pump the hot liquor until it's easy to lift up. I also use it to vorlauf and scoop out decoctions.

**joety** · 05-14-2011, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewhaha2057

Awesome! Thanks. Everyone I know. Who does AG has these custom welded frame setups all tricked out and they are easily a grand into them if not two. This looks pretty do-able. I don't really fully understand the essentials of how all grain works other than the fact that you are taking your sugars starches and proteins from grains instead of dumping in processed syrup, but I am very intrigued, especially when I see people sharing recipes for beers they made etc. If there is a link or thread that someone could share that describes the process I would really appreciate it.

It can get quite expensive. I probably have $5k into mine.

NB has a free CD that explains the process fairly well. So do many people on Youtube. Bobby's video's are good. He's a regular on homebrewtalk as well.

YouTube

**Kaz** · 05-14-2011, 09:00 PM

+1 to BIAB. I had similar equipment, a 10 gallon kettle and a burner. I added a bag and have made 2 great AG batches. No stuck sparges, no lautering, I don't know if I'll ever go to a 3 vessel system.

**janivar123** · 05-14-2011, 11:13 PM

Sacrafised 2 old fermenting buckets for mash tun use bottom of one to hold the ss steel net from a Colander, a sleeping pad for insulation and spigot at the bottom for making it complete
I think that, grain mill, burner and kettle was all i needed for a sensible setup

oh yes some sheet metal of some kind to work as heat shield can save you gas and time