Hi folks,
I am wondering if anyone else here has developed a pulley system to lift their heavy brewing systems around that can help me with some advice.
I currently BIAB on the stovetop but am limited to the amount of grains I can use for a couple of reasons including the size of my pot.
I want to move to a propane burner outside but still want to BIAB. My problem is that I was injured 20 years ago and do not have the strength I used to, so want to develop some sort of lift system to pull my grain bag out of the wort and hold it above the pot while it drains (likewise over my sparge bucket)
My first thought was to purchase and use an engine hoist, but then thought perhaps I might save some money by building a miniature swing-set type of frame out of metal pipe and attaching a manual pulley and chain to the center of the middle bar that I can slide back and fourth to get the grains from boil pot to sparge bucket and then to get the “sparge wort” bucket over the brew pot in order to drain that wort back to the original boil pot.
While I am sure I can configure SOMETHING like this and make it work, I do have one concern and that is how to secure my grain bag to the pulley or engine hoist hook. I was thinking of having SWMBO sew some metal eyes into the mouth of my grain bag that I could thread rope or cable through, but this seems like a lot of work for a grain bag that may or may not be good for about 10 batches of beer before needing to be replaced.
Do you have any suggestions on how to secure the grain bag to the pulley, alternatives to the grain bag (smaller grain straining pot to fit in the brew kettle to replace the bag, etc.) or tips on creating a lift system in general?
I want to keep costs down as much as I can because I am also going to need to purchase the propane cooker/pot, propane tank, and a wort chiller along with this contraption, so professional systems are not an option at this point in my life.
Any advice will be most welcome.
I am wondering if anyone else here has developed a pulley system to lift their heavy brewing systems around that can help me with some advice.
I currently BIAB on the stovetop but am limited to the amount of grains I can use for a couple of reasons including the size of my pot.
I want to move to a propane burner outside but still want to BIAB. My problem is that I was injured 20 years ago and do not have the strength I used to, so want to develop some sort of lift system to pull my grain bag out of the wort and hold it above the pot while it drains (likewise over my sparge bucket)
My first thought was to purchase and use an engine hoist, but then thought perhaps I might save some money by building a miniature swing-set type of frame out of metal pipe and attaching a manual pulley and chain to the center of the middle bar that I can slide back and fourth to get the grains from boil pot to sparge bucket and then to get the “sparge wort” bucket over the brew pot in order to drain that wort back to the original boil pot.
While I am sure I can configure SOMETHING like this and make it work, I do have one concern and that is how to secure my grain bag to the pulley or engine hoist hook. I was thinking of having SWMBO sew some metal eyes into the mouth of my grain bag that I could thread rope or cable through, but this seems like a lot of work for a grain bag that may or may not be good for about 10 batches of beer before needing to be replaced.
Do you have any suggestions on how to secure the grain bag to the pulley, alternatives to the grain bag (smaller grain straining pot to fit in the brew kettle to replace the bag, etc.) or tips on creating a lift system in general?
I want to keep costs down as much as I can because I am also going to need to purchase the propane cooker/pot, propane tank, and a wort chiller along with this contraption, so professional systems are not an option at this point in my life.
Any advice will be most welcome.