Recent content by chickens4life

I have not cheap stainless nuts in 1/2" and 1"and ground a radius in to one side with a dremel, then silver soldered them over a whole drilled in a keg. You don't need access to the inside to do that.

Not sure what it would cost to ship them from Colorado to Mass, but I have some 3 gallon pin lock legs I would be willing to sell for 45 each.

I like it! I actually had a very similar one that I sold because I was moving. I am building a similar one again right now with drain and return ports added. If you don't mind my asking what element areyou using? My old system was a 44qt pot just like the bayou classic ones with a 2kw...

If the surface is being turned over you are good, the only reason for a boil is to constant mix the volume and turn the surface over to Sid volatilization of ect. You can even accomplish that with a pump and hold at 1-2 degrees below boiling if you wanted to (I think that is what a Pico brew...

How did this work?

yep, especially with finer crush used by most BIAB brewers the mash is 90% or more complete before the beta amylase is denatured to significant levels even at relatively high temps.

I have boiled over 9 gallons preboil in my ekettle that uses a single 2000 W element. it took a considerable amount of time but it worked just fine.

I like that one a lot! might have to copy it! what size batches are you doing?

Looks just fine to me the layers are (bottom to top) trub (hot break ect that made it through your screen) then wort with yeast/cold break and at the top clear wort (where the yeast and cold break have settled out. At least that is what it looks like to me. It will all mix up during active...

if you are already packaging in kegs why not just take the time and effort you would put in to making the special lid and stand and just get an extra corny and cut the dip tube an inch or so short. Ferment in there then transfer under pressure to a serving keg, then all you would need was a...

another strike against the manifold in a keg is that the bottom is not flat. It is my experience that manifolds only function well if the slits/holes are against the bottom of the vessel (talk to any one who has installed one upside down in a cooler). They will clog in a hurry if the openings...

I have done both, element touch the bag and with the bag contained in a basket. No problems either way just less to clean if you leave the basket out.

I do have some experience but without the controller. I just stir while heating for mash steps, it works just fine. Not sure how useful the controller will be with out constant stirring or recerculation. The temps do stratify very quickly if I don't keep up stirring. But like I said I haven't...

yep that is just what I was going to suggest, that and a little fermcap s.

okay so if you are using a separate boil kettle you could heat your water strike water there. that way the HLT only needs to hold sparge water. so for a 2.5 gallon batch i doubt you will spare with more than 2 gallons ever but lets say 3 to be on the safe side, then you have mashtun volume of...