Going all-grain on a budget.

I'm currently planning on moving up to all grain brewing, but I'm trying to do so on a tight budget. I'll convert an old cooler to a mush tun cheap enough I am having trouble with a brew kettle though. Will it be worth the extra money to pick up a kettle with a valve and thermometer built in? I plan on batch sparging by the way.

Also, I'm going to wait to get a mill and was wondering if anyone has experience buying pre crushed grain from northern brewer? I've read several posts concerning poor crush from the lhbs and didn't want to get stuck with bad grains. Thanks for the help.

Finally

On a budget, I just use a standard Stainless Steel Stock Pot without all the fancy gadgets and a Big Daddy Dial Thermometer. Works like a champ. As for crush, AHS does a pretty good crush but now that Im in the business myself I use a Corona Mill and get a good crush after adjusting. I hope my customers feel the same about it as I do.

If you are looking to save, just get a regular kettle and get your valve and thermometer added later. If you are open to it, you can get an aluminum kettle at half the price or so than SS. Go to your lhbs and ask them about their crush. Mine are happy to double crush for me (BIAB), but I am in there twice a month

In order to give you the best possible answer, we must know your age.

@ 30 years old I purchased a plain ole SS kettle without all the bells or whistles. Another 10 years and a drain valve would be a necessity.

Unfortunately I'm a couple hours from the nearest homebrew shop (st Louis). I will be heading that direction tomorrow though and hope to check one out. That's why I was curious about pre-crushed from online retailers. I plan to add new items over time but wanted to go ahead and try to get a few batches under my belt while I was slowly upgrading.

Lol. 32 and fairly strong when my back's lined up correctly

Here's a photo of my first AG set up!



The larger pot is a turkey fryer pot, and the one one the left is my old canning pot. I used the canning pot to heat sparge water. Not fancy, but it worked!

You can start as ghetto as I did, or start with a better/bigger pot or have a burner outside. But one crucial item is a good thermometer- it should be accurate even if cheap. You can get a decent one for under $20.

I ordered grains (crushed) from northernbrewer.com, and from austinhomebrew.com and I got about 65% efficiency with both. From brewmasterswarehouse.com, I got about 72%.

woknblues said:

If you are looking to save, just get a regular kettle and get your valve and thermometer added later. If you are open to it, you can get an aluminum kettle at half the price or so than SS. Go to your lhbs and ask them about their crush. Mine are happy to double crush for me (BIAB), but I am in there twice a month

Click to expand...

+1 on this

I got this one

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXHKMC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Sounds great. I had talked myself out of all grain before because it seemed so costly. I was just infatuated with all the gadgets.

Yooper said:

Here's a photo of my first AG set up!

The larger pot is a turkey fryer pot, and the one one the left is my old canning pot. I used the canning pot to heat sparge water. Not fancy, but it worked!

You can start as ghetto as I did, or start with a better/bigger pot or have a burner outside. But one crucial item is a good thermometer- it should be accurate even if cheap. You can get a decent one for under $20.

I ordered grains (crushed) from northernbrewer.com, and from austinhomebrew.com and I got about 65% efficiency with both. From brewmasterswarehouse.com, I got about 72%.

Click to expand...

Ack! That's my exact setup except I have a rectangular cooler. I never thought of it as ghetto!

Edit: I think I actually have a SS brew kettle, but it certainly looks the same as your turkey fryer.

Sight glass + thermometer you install yourself:

http://www.brewhardware.com/wlsightglass/47-weldless-compact-sight-glass-with-2q-dial-thermometer

$45 to make you $100 pot a $300 pot. Or something like that.

mike_in_ak said:

Ack! That's my exact setup except I have a rectangular cooler. I never thought of it as ghetto!

Edit: I think I actually have a SS brew kettle, but it certainly looks the same as your turkey fryer.

Click to expand...

Me too! Except a 5 gallon cooler mash tun. That's all you need really.

If you have a cooler with a braid, get this and you are ready to go.


More Buying Choices
TigerChef Add to Cart
$36.38 + Free Shipping
M.V. Trading Co. Add to Cart
$48.00 + Free Shipping
Lions Deal Restaurant Supplies Add to Cart
$32.48 + $16.00 shipping
7 new from $32.48
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Share



See all 2 customer images
Share your own customer images
Winware Professional Aluminum Stock Pots
by Winware by Winco
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (71 customer reviews) | Questions? Ask the owners and get fast answers | Like (7)
List Price: $79.99
Price: $36.38
You Save: $43.61 (55%)
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Want it Tuesday, Feb. 26? Order within 70 hrs 51 mins, and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Size:

OrdinaryAvgGuy said:

In order to give you the best possible answer, we must know your age.

@ 30 years old I purchased a plain ole SS kettle without all the bells or whistles. Another 10 years and a drain valve would be a necessity.

Click to expand...

Hey now! 41 here and I still move 75 pounds on a regular basis, and my Dad can still out-lift me!

No fancy kettles here though. 10 gal aluminum tamale pot. $24.

bleme said:

Hey now! 41 here and I still move 75 pounds on a regular basis, and my Dad can still out-lift me!

No fancy kettles here though. 10 gal aluminum tamale pot. $24.

Click to expand...

Tamale Pot for the budget win!

I know I've read it before, but I can't remember the specifics; aluminum pots require a preboil correct? If so, how long?

I wish I would have found these kettles earlier.....

http://www.homebrewstuff.com/32-qt-stainless-steel-kettle.html

My first AG batch was with a cooler Mash Tun and an 8 gallon kettle. I heated my strike water and while I was mashing I heated my sparge water and then boiled in the same pot I heated my water in. You should already have everything else you do extract with. Good luck!

Yooper said:

Here's a photo of my first AG set up!

The larger pot is a turkey fryer pot, and the one one the left is my old canning pot. I used the canning pot to heat sparge water. Not fancy, but it worked!

You can start as ghetto as I did, or start with a better/bigger pot or have a burner outside. But one crucial item is a good thermometer- it should be accurate even if cheap. You can get a decent one for under $20.

I ordered grains (crushed) from northernbrewer.com, and from austinhomebrew.com and I got about 65% efficiency with both. From brewmasterswarehouse.com, I got about 72%.

Click to expand...

How do you know the efficiency, it there a test?

bleme said:

Hey now! 41 here and I still move 75 pounds on a regular basis, and my Dad can still out-lift me!

No fancy kettles here though. 10 gal aluminum tamale pot. $24.

Click to expand...

+1 Same pot

The very latest seems to be that aluminum starts building oxide right away, and the preboil is unnecessary. I preboiled mine, though I was also taking the opportunity to burn off the paint from my bayou SP1 cooker!

I find all the violent reactions kind of funny considering probably 90% of restaurant food is likely cooked in aluminum pots and pans.

/ducks

got one of these, and I have to say, I love it. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PZ7K7A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It was a bit cheaper and on sale at the time a few months back, I got mine for something like $60 shipped.

It really boils well, and I cut the hole for the spigot like it was nothing.

Mutt98 said:

I know I've read it before, but I can't remember the specifics; aluminum pots require a preboil correct? If so, how long?

Click to expand...

I boiled for 30 min and it had a good coating. It also showed me where my first pot leaked around one handle so I exchanged it for one that didn't.

Mutt98 said:

I know I've read it before, but I can't remember the specifics; aluminum pots require a preboil correct? If so, how long?

Click to expand...

Not all that long- just long enough to build up an oxide layer- maybe 20 minutes?

beargrylls said:

Me too! Except a 5 gallon cooler mash tun. That's all you need really.

Click to expand...

Me three

Yooper said:

From brewmasterswarehouse.com, I got about 72%.

Click to expand...

WOOT! Gotta second anything about BMWH...these guys are my local LHBS and I love them...even if I AM pissed everytime I walk in the door. (dont ask, its a SWMBO thing...)

Regarding the OP -
What is your budget? What is your heat source? Can a 10 gallon pot fit on your stove? I'm assuming you want to make 5 gallon sized batches.

Budget: It help to know you limits.

I agree with Yooper, the first purchase is an accurate thermometer. Without it, I had no idea of the right mash temp. I matched the glass alcohol thermometer against our digital meat thermometer and the digital was so far off I threw it out.

heat source:
Anything larger than 30-32 qt and you probably need a gas range or an outside propane burner. Neither an electric range nor a gas grill will cut it. If you really want electric, you can build or buy one or more heatsticks.

Pot size:
I use a 32 qt tamale pot on our electric stove, a taller pot would not fit under the range hood. I agree with others that a 40qt pot would be easier for 5 gallon AG batches, but I have made good stuff with my setup. Noms!

Valve: A valve on the pot makes it much easier. You can add one if you are OK with drilling and filing a very accurate hole in the side of your kettle. Search the forums for the how-to and the vendors have good prices for weldless bulkhead valves. if you get a valve, might as well get the downtube to siphon out the last quart or two. I built a downtube and only 12 oz are left behind.

Keep watching homebrewfinds.com, they have tons of deals listed. If you can accumulate equipment over a few months (I know brewing and patience are hard to match up) you can find incredible deals.

Don't skimp on kettle size. If you buy equipment for 5G batches, and end up wanting to to 10G batches, you're screwed if you bought an 8g pot.

Work at this at your own pace. All you really need is a kettle large enough to heat the water required and a mash tun large enough for the grain and water with some sort of straining - braid or false bottom. Unless you go BIAB - then the pot needs to accept the grain and water. Add all the conveniences as you can afford/need them. It took me almost a year to get to my present (not final) setup.

WyomingBrewer said:

now that Im in the business myself I use a Corona Mill and get a good crush after adjusting. I hope my customers feel the same about it as I do.

Click to expand...

Wo-hoo! someone that actually LIKES a Corona mill. I was going to get one but was put off by all the comments that one must get a roller mill because a Corona is no good.

I did the 5 gallon rubbermaid cooler $18 canadian and with the fittings and washers about $50. Picked up a turkey fryer from crappy tire for $89.99 came with 9 gallon aluminim pot and propane burner and stand. Analogue thermometer to 220f $10

$150,to switch to AG and its all u really need. I can upgrade to a ss pot anytime and use the one i have as a hlt or a turkey fryer.

Epimetheus said:

Wo-hoo! someone that actually LIKES a Corona mill. I was going to get one but was put off by all the comments that one must get a roller mill because a Corona is no good.

Click to expand...

I am using a corona style mill. I am satisfied with the results. I am not getting consistent efficiency but I think the problem is elsewhere. There are a lot of people that have used a corona mill for the entire time with good results.

Epimetheus said:

Wo-hoo! someone that actually LIKES a Corona mill. I was going to get one but was put off by all the comments that one must get a roller mill because a Corona is no good.

Click to expand...

You need to see Revvys post about his. Lots of info about them there and making adjustments etc. It just takes practice and adjustments to know what youre getting as your final product. If I remember right it was Yooper that gave it to him. Its a nice long thread full of cool set ups.

Found it, check this out...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-ugly-junk-corona-mill-station-90849/

I have a propane burner that I use for fish frying. 5 gallon batches for now. I'm wanting to start kegging too so I want to spread my budget out as much as possible.

Advice from owning a 5 gallon rubbermaid cooler. I regret not getting a 10 gallon. Many beers require 2 sparges if you batch sparge like i do. So it uses more time

I use to pots on the stove for my all grains and it works fine. I have I big stainless steel pot and it is still in the box. None of them have valves.

If you are really on a low budget go for small batches like I do. Lets you have many different beers on hand to drink as you feel fit for that day. Can't get much lower on budget than this for all grain.

I bought a propane burner and 7.5g pot combo at Walmart for 50$ and grabbed a mesh bag from the brew shop and did biab with that setup. It worked great for 60$. Since then I've upgraded to a cooler mashtun which I'll say was definitely worth it. I use an ale pale to hold my first runnings while I sparge

Here is the brew kettle I just received:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/130722410669


$120 for a 32 Qt SS pot with SS valve and thermometer. It isn't as heavy as my normal 14 Qt stock pot, but it holds water just fine. As long as you don't run it dry, this shouldn't be a problem. The cool thing about it is it is inductive capable, even though it does not list it. I tried it out on my inductive cooktop


MLT consists of a $45 10 Gal Rubbermaid Cooler, a $3 3/8 in nipple, a $3 3/8 FIP/Barb fitting a $8 3/8 in ball valve, a $3 3/8 MIP/barb fitting, $3 worth of washers and a SS Screen scavenged from a SS sink hose (I already had it, so no cost. To buy one you'd be out about $5) All told, about $65 for a 10 Gal MLT....about half what you'd spend at a LHBS. You could roughly double the fitting cost to move to SS if desired, you'll still do better than a LHBS.


And honestly, if you have a kettle large enough for full extract boils, and a second pot for sparge water that is at least half the size of the boil kettle/batch size, all you really need to get into all grain is a large nylon bag and a strainer basket that will fit over your kettle. Not the easiest way to get it done, but it would allow you to get your feet wet before getting more gear. I didn't think $65 was too much to get into all grain.