I'm one week away from my first full 1BBL brew. Well, actually I'll be doing 37 gallons into the fermenters but close enough.
Over the last month I have been busy working on making my rig work for both my normal 10 gallons and the 1bbl without to much fuss.
I have gone thru and added brass QD's on EVERY thing.
I put male QD's on the lids of both my 7.5 gal HLT and the lid of the 15 gal kettle along with on the ball valves for both
Added male QD's onto my 20 gallon cooler MLT and the 55 gallon stainless kettle also to both ends of my CFC. Added a QD ro my sparge manifold along with cutting it up and changing it so that I could recirculate thru it and not have grain plug it up.
I got me a new March pump, about 30 feet worth of silicone hose from AHBS and 12 female QD's for the hoses.
I put the pump in a plastic tote with the head sticking out the side. wired up a GFI outlet to the box and a switch to turn the pump on and off.
I have also been building a new 55 gallon MLT. Which is what I have to share here right now.
I took a food grade plastic 55 gallon drum, cut the top open, drilled a hole for the ball valve bulkhead and two other holes up the side (you will see in the pics.)
I then wrapped it in a hot water heater blanket and am working on wrapping it in duct tape to make it a little more durable. My plan is to later in the year wrap wood boards around it to make it look like a wood barrel but I'm running out of time for right now. (and money lol)
I also built a 1/2" CPVC manifold for it and using the other two holes in the barrel side I made a way to "strap" it down. This way it CAN NOT come out. The last thing I want is to have it come undone under a 100+ pounds of grain.
I then made a lid out of a NEW #2 plastic trash can lid, some 2" foam board and aluminum tape to seal it up. It's all bolted together with stainless bolts.
I have pics of the MLT right now and will post more pics of the whole thing some time Sunday after I do another all water run thru.
Here is the outside of the MLT. (for now)
Here is the bottom side of the lid.
My rig for holding down the manifold.
and the manifold
After my next brew next weekend I may change the manifold a little on the right side to cover the side closer to the valve. but not sure if it's really going to make that much of a difference when you're sparging with 30+ gallons.
Look for more in a few days.
Over the last month I have been busy working on making my rig work for both my normal 10 gallons and the 1bbl without to much fuss.
I have gone thru and added brass QD's on EVERY thing.
I put male QD's on the lids of both my 7.5 gal HLT and the lid of the 15 gal kettle along with on the ball valves for both
Added male QD's onto my 20 gallon cooler MLT and the 55 gallon stainless kettle also to both ends of my CFC. Added a QD ro my sparge manifold along with cutting it up and changing it so that I could recirculate thru it and not have grain plug it up.
I got me a new March pump, about 30 feet worth of silicone hose from AHBS and 12 female QD's for the hoses.
I put the pump in a plastic tote with the head sticking out the side. wired up a GFI outlet to the box and a switch to turn the pump on and off.
I have also been building a new 55 gallon MLT. Which is what I have to share here right now.
I took a food grade plastic 55 gallon drum, cut the top open, drilled a hole for the ball valve bulkhead and two other holes up the side (you will see in the pics.)
I then wrapped it in a hot water heater blanket and am working on wrapping it in duct tape to make it a little more durable. My plan is to later in the year wrap wood boards around it to make it look like a wood barrel but I'm running out of time for right now. (and money lol)
I also built a 1/2" CPVC manifold for it and using the other two holes in the barrel side I made a way to "strap" it down. This way it CAN NOT come out. The last thing I want is to have it come undone under a 100+ pounds of grain.
I then made a lid out of a NEW #2 plastic trash can lid, some 2" foam board and aluminum tape to seal it up. It's all bolted together with stainless bolts.
I have pics of the MLT right now and will post more pics of the whole thing some time Sunday after I do another all water run thru.
Here is the outside of the MLT. (for now)
Here is the bottom side of the lid.
My rig for holding down the manifold.
and the manifold
After my next brew next weekend I may change the manifold a little on the right side to cover the side closer to the valve. but not sure if it's really going to make that much of a difference when you're sparging with 30+ gallons.
Look for more in a few days.
