Moving Toward more Gadgetry

Recently I moved to A.G. though I also do some extract and BIAB. Over the weekend I figured out what I needed to make the process a little easier and safer.

I ordered some SS weldless valve/bulkhead fittings for both my BK and my HLT as well as a thermometer and weldless fitting to mount it into the HLT. There will also be quick disconnects to add to the BK valve, the HLT valve, and the MLT valve. Another bulkhead is going to be mounted on the top of the cooler with a QD so I can sparge through a sprinkler of some sort. The final part of the order was two hoses with QD that I can swap around depending on which stage I'm working on.

In the meantime, I have added a bulkhead through the top of my cooler MLT for a turkey fryer thermometer in order to monitor the mash temp without opening the lid.

My question: My eventual goal is to have a more steady-state process where I can hold temps steady or move them as required. To achieve this, is my next step a March Pump?

My comment: If anyone is contemplating similar, let me know and I can add photos with descriptions. As anyone who knows me can attest, I am not particularly hands-on, but to this point it has been a lot of fun and all has gone well with the MLT.

B

I am slowly working my way into all-grain. If you want to post pictures of your setup that would be cool!

My new parts wre shipped a few minutes ago from http://www.hopdawgs.ca/ in Vernon, BC, and I am about 3500 km from there so the build will be a few days away.

However, to this point, here is the MLT. The CPVC manifold was glued at a number of joints but not all so I can get in and clean as necessary. It friction fits into the valve.

An interesting note about this cooler. I had assumed that the lid was filled with non-expanding insulating foam. When I drilled it for the thermometer bulkhead I found it to be hollow. No wonder these things need a blanket on them to hold in the heat. I think when I put in the sparge bulkhead I'm going to put in some spray insulation.

B

Nice mash tun. All I did to get into AG was make a 10gal gatoraid mash tun, and a 50ft 3/8inch immersion chiller. Bought a turkey fryer that came with a 38qt pot for boiling water, then bought a nice quality 32qt stock pot for my boils.

I already had a fermentation vessel from my coopers kit and PET bottles. I also just finished up making my hop spider.

I want to upgrade so bad but just dont have the money right now, and really when I think about it, I dont need to yet. I have everything I need to make good beer and will work on that for a while before I make any other big purchases.

However, I am buying 5gal worth of 16oz grolsch bottles for 60 bucks on wed

I have the exact same cooler and have been thinking about converting it for a while, now I have blueprints, sweet! I like the thermometer through the top, very cool.

Doomsday said:

Nice mash tun. All I did to get into AG was make a 10gal gatoraid mash tun, and a 50ft 3/8inch immersion chiller. Bought a turkey fryer that came with a 38qt pot for boiling water, then bought a nice quality 32qt stock pot for my boils.

I HAVE THE EXACT SETUP. HOWEVER, I KEEP LUGGING POTS AROUND AND USING A MEASURING CUP TO TRANSFER FROM POT-TO-POT. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT DROPPING A FULL POT OF HOT WORT IN MY HOUSE OR ON ME.

I want to upgrade so bad but just dont have the money right now, and really when I think about it, I dont need to yet. I have everything I need to make good beer and will work on that for a while before I make any other big purchases.

I HAVE WHAT I NEED, TOO, BUT AM ADDING A SAFER AND EASIER MEANS OF TRANSFERRING HOT LIQUIDS BETWEEN THE VESSELS I ALREADY HAVE.

However, I am buying 5gal worth of 16oz grolsch bottles for 60 bucks on wed

Click to expand...

In time, what these additions allow is:

- add a pump to automate the transfers
- sell the 'loaded' HLT and BK and upgrade to keggles

Or not.

B

rancidcrabtree said:

I have the exact same cooler and have been thinking about converting it for a while, now I have blueprints, sweet! I like the thermometer through the top, very cool.

Click to expand...

When my thermometer is mounted as shown the tip clears the wall of the cooler with a tiny bit of room to spare. That was 100% fluke. Be sure to measure.

I was anxious to get the thermometer done today but upon reflection am thinking that I should have waited until the sparge sprinkler was in place. I'm sure it will not be a problem, but I have to be sure to work around the thermometer.

I will wait to fill the cover with insulation. That way I don't make a mess when I install the other bulkhead. To spray it in I think I'll drill into the top and squirt it into the space then plug with something (not sure what yet) that also adds cool-appeal!

B

Your mash tun is looking good, I like the thermometer threaded through the bulkhead.

Just as a note of caution, the shafts on those 12" thermometers are pretty fragile; be careful when you are opening and shutting the tun. I've bent 2 of them doing various bone-headed things.

The new parts came in!

I removed the barbed end from the output valve on the cooler MLT and added the QD so I can use a hose to connect to feed back into the MLT and/or feed into the BK.

I also added a bulkhead valve with a QD to the lid of the MLT for fly sparging purposes at some point as well as initial filling of the MLT from the HLT.

My hoses are nice heavy-duty silicone.

B

Hose just shown for illustration purposes. The system is currently grainless.

In the meantime, I am also having the weldless three-piece SS valve attached to the BK. Pics to come when I get it back.

B

Just installed the sparge sprinkler into the MLT. I had some pieces of CPVC sitting around and just needed the brass 'T' and a few other fittings.

The ends are capped and I sawed small slits into the bottom of the tubing for the hot sparge water to drip out along its length.

If anyone thinks this shape won't work, please let me know.

By the way, the funnel is non-functional - my 5 yr old co-brewer put it there.

B

Drilled the turkey fryer and installed the weldless valve and thermometer. Leaked a bit until I tightened things up.

I wasn't sure which of my posts to use for the HLT but finally decided on this one. I figured that I'd rather have too much room for sparging water than not enough.

B

And finally, the BK with the 3-piece valve.

One of the shots is with the strainer hanging into the BK. I am giving thought to using this to hold a strainer bag with hops to keep them out of the valve.

I haven't figured out yet what I'll do to drain the keg right to its concave bottom. My bulkhead might be a little too short to thread anything on.

B