Recent content by Octavius

Thanks for the input, guys. Yeah, you're right. I chuck a mixer into a big-ass cordless drill and let rip. Then I use a beer pump to recirculate until somewhat clear. I have used a "5 gallon-bucket heater", a big electrical immersion element, just to heat up water but I'm worried it...

Thanks for suggestion, blizz. One less thing to worry about. And of course, you're right in that I might as well run some water through the grain. Cheers

I think you have figured it out, thanks. I'll stick to regular sparging, or try your method. Kinda hoping to shorten the brew day and so the "no sparge" method interested me. Thanks for the critique!

Sorry for the confusion, skunkfunk. I was thinking of completely draining what I could from the mash tun, equally into the two kettles. Then adding tap water to them both until I got up to 8 1/2 gal. Then just boiling with hops and that's the brew done. Thanks for your suggestion - I'll...

The recipe is normally 18 lb of Maris Otter for 15 gal of session beer. I'll increase the grain to 24 lb for the "no sparge". The mash tun is a Sanke keg (15 1/2 gal) so I'm limited to 13 gal of mash water. After an hour, recirculate and drain to 2 boiling kettles (14 gal capacity, each)...

Thanks for the replies! Just got an email saying that they are still selling 1 lb bags (the new website is under construction) Prices are comparable with Yokima Valley Hops, but it looks like YVH have Amarillo leaf hops! crosbyhops.com ship their hops in vacuum, aluminum(?) bags and I've...

They re-done their web page and it looks like the minimum is a 10 lb bale. Now, I'm a hop head but even that is too much. Can't even see how to order a 10 lb bale. I've sent them an email but thought you guys would know the score. The last order I placed was back in 2013. I usually order...

Vlad, Thanks for the post. Good point about it tipping over unless done correctly. I haven't started thinking yet about that aspect. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy a 12" pulley from Grainger. I do have another motor (that is reversible!) but it is only 1/4 HP. Would that cut...

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the manufacturer (JSP) does say this: "...The bearing journals and drive shaft are integral to the roller..." But I'm not sure I understand that. I don't think he is saying they are one piece (how can a shaft and the bearing be one piece?). Cheers! PS. Took...

iaefebs, OK, now I get it. Many thanks!

Yo, On the non-adjustable model, can you take the mill apart and then put the driven roller where the stationery roller was (and vice versa)? Or, if not, can you flip the rollers 180? Also, the shaft that extends (for a hand crank or pulley) - is that one long shaft or is it in 2 pieces...

MrNatural, Don't really have room below to move the motor. But - good thinking! iaefebs, Don't know how the JSP mill is built - I'll start another thread, asking JSP owners. Not sure I understand you about making spacers - could you elaborate a bit? bja, Yeah, I took the motor apart...

Thanks for the replies. Bja, I've just ordered the JSP BareBones Mill: Unfortunately, it doesn't look like turning it 180 will help - looks like drive shaft only extends on one side only. (Unless, of course, I can unbolt the whole thing and reassemble the shaft on the other side)...

Ha! Yeah, from 1" to 3" to 1" to 1 7/8. Wouldn't ya know it. There is a problem with rotation. The nested (is that the right word?) lathe pulleys are only accessible from the back. That means if I hook up the grain mill from the back it will turn in the wrong direction. Dang! It's...

I've a 1950's wood lathe. It's powered via a belt to a 1/2 HP capacitor motor. On the motor and on the lathe there is a nest of 4 pulleys. The belt is on a 1'' pulley on the motor and, up top, the belt goes around a 3" pulley on the lathe. This reduces the speed of the lathe from 1750 to...