I typically keep my PID for the HLT one degree above target temp for the mash, but your setup may require more. I'd start with 2 degrees and tweak from there.
The really short version: You take grains, like barley, and you grind them up into bits and dump them into some very hot water. The enzymes present in the grains will take the starches inside the grains and convert them into sugars. The process of turning the starches of the grains into sugars...
My concern would be the joint between the backsplash and the countertop. That joint is not designed to withstand the jiggling around of a lid. You would be wise to try and beef up that joint.
You could find sturdier hinges to replace the factory hinge. They just wouldn't be spring loaded...
Find a local brewery and ask them if you and your friends can come over during a brew day and clean out their mash tun for them. That should shut your friends up pretty quick about wanting to open up a brewery.
There's a store in Tinley Park, IL that I usually go to for buying local beers that you may not be able to find anywhere else but their taproom. It's 25 minutes away from 3 Floyd's.
The Open Bottle
7101 W. 183rd Street - Unit 105
Tinley Park, IL 60477
And there's a few taprooms in...
First of all, I should mention that I am very much biased against sanke kegs and sanke equipment. Compared to the corny kegs, sanke tap kegs are a huge pain in the butt. The sanke taps are really expensive (around $40) compared to the corny keg taps (around $12), the kegs are harder to clean...
Uh...well...yeah, probably. Give us some pics of the thing with the liquid out post removed.
I'd really try to fix it with new o-rings or maybe teflon tape before resorting to solder if that's possible.
Actually...
The vanilla bean is extremely good if you can manage to get your hands on it.
The normal stuff...eh. It used to be a really great beer back when few others were making stuff like it, but now the field has gotten very crowded and many other breweries have surpassed them. In my...