The life story of my brewery

**Gridlocked** · 12-20-2010, 08:16 PM

Since I’m really getting into this hobby I thought it would be fun to put together a photo based thread of my brewery expansion with a quick and short explanation of each. I'm really learning a lot as I go, but I thought it would be cool to have all of my pictures in one place, so I could see how far things have come.

This picture was taken back in 2008. The previous owners of our house built everything half-ass. One afternoon, after coming home from breakfast, I found that our garage shelf fell. Luckily I only lost my two junk fishing rods and the only part of my wife’s car that was damaged was the side-view morror.

I started with the Everything + A Carboy kit from Midwest Supplies - also back in 2008. My first batch was a highly-oxidized Irish Red Ale.

After rebuilding the shelving properly, I planned on this location to be the brewing area.

My neighbor had a 20” x 10’ x 4” deep stainless steel sink sitting in her back yard for 2 years. I asked her if I could buy it from her, but she ended up giving it to me for watching her dog.

Not long after starting brewing, I purchased a 8 gallon kettle (not pictured) and then upgraded again to Paul's old 10 gallon kettle. I think this was my first batch in that kettle.

I decided that I wanted to try all-grain brewing and this is the sculpture that I put together the night before my first batch with plywood and crap I had laying around my garage. It has worked since.

This is my little guy in the MLT.

After many, many E-mails with Paulasaurus, we decided we were going to make the move up to 10 gallon systems. So, one day, I got online and got our casters. A few days later I ordered the steel, cut to length, for two single tier systems. You can see the steel pieces in one of the pictures below (with the water filter)

**Gridlocked** · 12-20-2010, 08:17 PM

I acquired a keg from Craigslist and started to modify it. I learned two things in this process. The first was to think before drilling. The one in this keg is too high to do five-gallon batches, so this keg will be my HLT. I have two more kegs are waiting for me in Paul’s garage. I just need to find the time to go get them.

The second thing that I learned is not to take a standard steel angle-grinder brush to a stainless keg. The steel will remove the layer that makes the stainless, stainless. If you DO use one, read this article from How to Brew (by John Palmer), it will help you understand it.

My city water SUCKS and up until this point, I had to buy 7-8 gallons of water for each of my batches. I finally set up a water filter system so I don’t have to buy water anymore.

Just last week, I picked up two more thermometers and weldless kits from bargainfittings.com. I would highly recommend them if you’re in the market for anything fitting related.

I also ordered a hopper for the Monster Mill mm2.0 and assembled at my desk. Also picked up some Revere copper & Stainless cleaner to re-passivate my keg. The hopper should be here tomorrow. I’m sure I’ll add pics of it.

In these boxes are six BG-14 burners, two regulators and two flex hoses. (half of this stuff is for a buddy’s identical project)

I can’t believe how big and heavy these are. ~25lbs a burner:

**IrregularPulse** · 12-20-2010, 08:28 PM

Good to see the progress. Your keg should be fine though. They are solid stainless, not plated or anything. Lots of people polish them on here. Just don't use a pad that you've used on other types of metals already.

**Gridlocked** · 12-20-2010, 08:32 PM

Yep, it will be after I re-passivate the steel.

HexKrak · 12-20-2010, 08:38 PM

Excellent progress. I hope to be on the same course shortly.

**Gridlocked** · 12-20-2010, 08:42 PM

Hit me up with questions if you have them. I'd be happy to help you learn from my mistakes.

**Gridlocked** · 12-22-2010, 02:35 PM

Latest deliveries:

Monster Mill MM2.0

and my monster chiller from nybrewsupply.

**brum** · 12-25-2010, 02:32 AM

Damn Nice setup and nice STi

. What's the deal with subaru people being cool as hell in every aspect haha? There's a big homebrew thread on Nasioc. I've got a legacy gt myself.

What'd the wort chiller run you?

**Gridlocked** · 12-27-2010, 02:11 AM

HA HA! Thanks! That's actually my Forester XTi. Basically a Forester shell over an 04 STi. Good times and lots of fun in the snow. I picked up THIS chiller.

Now that Christmas is over, I plan on using my three days off this week to:
Clean out all of my kegs and lines.
Wash all of my new parts with soap and water.
Disassemble my keg and clean with the Revere.
Brew my home-grown Cascade IPA
Pick up my two other kegs from Paul
and do some ice fishing.

**brum** · 12-27-2010, 04:00 AM

Damn I didn't even look at it closely. Yeah my buddy just bought his wife an 04 FXT...that things sweet!

Here's my beauty. 05 Legacy gt, downpipe, uppipe, tune, RA flaps and incoming Koni struts with Swift springs later this week

Thanks for the link...brewed my first batch yesterday and I was surprised when it took 45 minutes for my wort to chill in a bucket full of snow/water.