New All-Grain Equipment!

Hello friends,

Just posting to get some input / to show anyone out there they can get the basic essentials for all-grain homebrewing for around $120 (i understand this changes depending on location and that there is still some equipment missing) I just started all-grain and wanted to ease into it with some DIY stuff as it also gives you the chance to learn the mechanics of what you're doing, not just the chemistry! + I got kind of bored of extract (nothing against it of course! It made me the man I am today!)

The equipment:
The 13 gallon mash tub was $25 plus the water valve and extra parts ($20) totaling out to about $45 (could have gone much cheaper but decided i didn't want to roam around stores for the simpler parts). I got the 10 gallon kettle off craigslist for $30. That leaves about $35 for the copper chiller which will be $20 for the 20ft copper coil and about $15 for the sink-faucet adapter + 20 ft. of clear tubing. Below are pics of the mash tub and the kettle.

FYI:
I will be adding two more braided hoses parallel to the one shown so that I can collect more wort / work with water pressure in a more efficient manner. This might boost up the total about $15 Also, these prices are based on the notion that you have some basic handy tools; pliers, some sort of saw and/or dremel, flat-head screwdriver, basic white teflon tape.

Total = Approx. $120

Conclusion:
I'm sure some of you have gotten stuff cheaper. But for someone like me who sees Wort Chillers selling at my LHBS for $75 it's a no brainer. Last thing to mention, that bikini bottom you see in the last picture is a bottle opener I won at Yankee Swap on Christmas! haha. Had to point it out as someone was eventually going to!

Thank you,
Comments welcome

Score on the kettle! Mash tun (t-u-N) looks good, I personally need to upgrade to a round cooler because the square one is a pain to get the grain out of after a 16+ pound mash. Your build looks great though, thanks for the pics!

PS - Are you really planning to get a full-volume boil in that kettle on that electric range? I've heard that's hard going.

Is that braid stainless steel or plastic? It looks like the plastic hose braid.

mux said:

Is that braid stainless steel or plastic? It looks like the plastic hose braid.

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Good eye! It does look like the plastic braid.

Nevermind the braid, what the hell is that thing on the counter in the last picture? Is that a bum and legs wearing a bikini bottom???

Anyway, Nice equipment!

Yup! It's his bikini bottom bottle opener from Yankee swap Christmas. I like it.

Nice! I have to get one of those now

It is the polyester braid! I just grabbed it and threw it in the shopping bucket since they were all so damn shiny. Will it be a big problem in terms of contamination / hot water resistance? If it is I can change it out if need be...

And in terms of the bikini bottom, it was made in brazil and brought back from a friend of mine, dunno if they sell them here but I'm sure lord google will let you know lmao.

In response to the electric grill question: It's all i have atm :/ I CAN double up as the kettle is large enough to cover two swirls (whatever they're called lol). That might do the trick. Other than that i might just have to start brewing outside with propane and a burner. Any suggestions?

saintdog327 said:

In response to the electric grill question: It's all i have atm :/ I CAN double up as the kettle is large enough to cover two swirls (whatever they're called lol). That might do the trick. Other than that i might just have to start brewing outside with propane and a burner. Any suggestions?

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I don't have any evidence, but the polyester braid could potentially leech harmful chemicals at mash temps. It could also collapse and then you have to deal with a stuck sparge. I'm no expert on plastics but the SS braid is tried and true.

Yea i see what you're saying. I squeeze the polyester braid with my fingers and it collapses....I'm assuming the SS is much stronger?

Thank you

The S'S braid can still collapse but it seems to work fine.

I think if it were me I'd ditch the plastic braid for SS.

Go with the stainless.

saintdog327 said:

In response to the electric grill question: It's all i have atm :/ I CAN double up as the kettle is large enough to cover two swirls (whatever they're called lol). That might do the trick. Other than that i might just have to start brewing outside with propane and a burner. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Search the forums for Heatsticks which you would be able to use indoors along with your electric stove.