Recent content by Lab_Rat

+1 for the Blichman Burner. Although the burner is more expensive than others, it has a couple of things going for it. 1) It's Stainless Steel. This thing will last for ever. 2) The gap between the burner and the pot is fairly small and the wind screen comes almost all the way to the pot (about...

Retail Pricing: Keggles - $600 SS Ball Valves/Camlocks/Tubing - $100 Chugger Pump - $150 Burners - $30 Gas Tank (full) - $50 Regulator - $20 Total RETAIL Cost minus the frame: ~$900 + Shipping With shipping and the frame (the one pictured is pretty cheap) you might be able to make it...

The lister is probably asking what they spent. You could build it with all new equipment for what they are asking.

How are you chilling? If you use an immersion chiller you can just add a whirlpool to it without the need for a new bulkhead. http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php

I cool using an immersion chiller and whirlpool while cooling. This makes cooling time super quick. If your kettle dip tube pulls from the edge (or you don't have a dip tube) the trub cone will stay in the center of your pot. You may get a little in your fermenter but most will stay right there...

The whirlpool gets you 2 things: 1) Faster cool times 2) Helps clear trub from wort. You will find that after the whirlpool all the trub is in the center of your pot. Thus you don't need a hop spider/false bottom. I say whirlpool.

I went welded but that's because I just bought a new 15 gal SS pot.

Nice first post. I just posted this in another post but it is very appropriate. Spend the extra $5 and get a 3-piece ball valve. This way you can take the thing apart and give it a nice deep cleaning every once in a while. This plus your technique should keep a ball valve spotless.

For 10 gallon batches I went with a 15 gallon SS pot with dip tube that picks up on the outer edge. This keeps most of the trub out of my pump. I spent the extra $ and got a 3 piece ball valve. Spend the money on the 3 piece. No matter how much you run cleaner through the valve, you won't get it...

That answered my question perfectly. Is the pressure at which the pump is rated to (give or take) also the point at which the magnetic drive disengages?

Ignoring all the other questions that run through my mind when someone wants to go pro (I am assuming that you know all the laws and regulations regarding the selling of alcohol), I am going to make a recommendation based on your volume: Keg it and sell it ALL of it behind your bar. Your best...

Walter: First, thank you for doing this. I am not sure if this has been asked before in this monster of a thread. I am planning on setting up a whirlpool in my kettle and use a march pump to recirculate my wort. Some people use a restricted (smaller O.D) outlet back into the kettle to increase...

I think from the standpoint of propane use you have to think very long term to recoup the price difference. You are talking ~ 0.2 pounds of propane saved per 6.5 gallon boil (Blichmann's data). So if you are doing a 6.5 gallon boil you need to brew 100 times to save yourself a tank of propane...

Thanks for the advice on keeping the unsubmerged portion of the chiller sterile. itzkramer: I have been thinking about doing that. I just found out about this site and they sell everything in one lump kit. 1/2 OD x 50ft IC kit

So I am in the process of post holiday equipment buying. I am building a 10 gallon setup (15 gallon BK: 17.5" tall x 15" wide) but will probably be brewing 5 gallon batches in that pot as well. I will also be whirlpooling to both chill faster and remove trub. I am looking at 50ft x 1/2 O.D...