jeremyjsutton
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- Joined
- Jan 7, 2012
- Messages
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Hi all. I am a 5-gallon all-grain home brewer who enjoys BIG beers. It seems as though I have outgrown my current home brewing configuration.
Here's the caveat before I proceed, I am also a public school teacher so I brew on a budget. I am a DIY, scavenger, and a thrift seeker, ie flea markets and hand-me-downs for parts.
My current equipment:
* 5-gallon Igloo Mash Tun with false bottom and swing-arm sparge
* high pressure propane stove
* 7.5 gallon stainless steel pot
* crap load of carboys and bottles
* I also have a new triple gravity sculpture my father-in-law welded and built for me, which I plan to begin using.
With my current set-up I have hit 80-85% efficiency from time-to-time. I have been very happy with myself in this regard and have become comfortable/confident with my set-up.
Here's where I am at.
*** What mash tun set-up do I go with? ***
My immediate thought is to jump to a 10-gallon Igloo (yes a bit more spendy than Home Depot's but more efficient at heat retention) and to re-use my plumbing from my current mash tun. I am a fan of fly sparging and the circular coolers are great for that, but I also worry about grain weight and drain off clogging.
*** Fly sparge life? ***
My fly sparge was bought in 1994 or so and does not consistently spin, but I have heard with smaller amounts of water, ie 5 gallons or so it will not always spin. Thoughts?
*** Stainless steel pot and gravity ***
I have a friend who welds and said he would weld a ball valve tap set-up to my 7.5 gallon pot. For the DIY approach, any recommendations on instructions?
Today my mash tun could not hold the 17.5 lbs of grain and water. Furthermore, the run-off from the cooler was a slow drip. It should have been much faster. The fly sparge arm moved intermittently. I feel quite discouraged and hope the magic of the homebrew Gods will save my imperial stout.
**** What I would love ****
Is for pictures of your budget set-up ands and recommendations on how to improve my current set=up.
Many thanks,
Jeremy
Here's the caveat before I proceed, I am also a public school teacher so I brew on a budget. I am a DIY, scavenger, and a thrift seeker, ie flea markets and hand-me-downs for parts.
My current equipment:
* 5-gallon Igloo Mash Tun with false bottom and swing-arm sparge
* high pressure propane stove
* 7.5 gallon stainless steel pot
* crap load of carboys and bottles
* I also have a new triple gravity sculpture my father-in-law welded and built for me, which I plan to begin using.
With my current set-up I have hit 80-85% efficiency from time-to-time. I have been very happy with myself in this regard and have become comfortable/confident with my set-up.
Here's where I am at.
*** What mash tun set-up do I go with? ***
My immediate thought is to jump to a 10-gallon Igloo (yes a bit more spendy than Home Depot's but more efficient at heat retention) and to re-use my plumbing from my current mash tun. I am a fan of fly sparging and the circular coolers are great for that, but I also worry about grain weight and drain off clogging.
*** Fly sparge life? ***
My fly sparge was bought in 1994 or so and does not consistently spin, but I have heard with smaller amounts of water, ie 5 gallons or so it will not always spin. Thoughts?
*** Stainless steel pot and gravity ***
I have a friend who welds and said he would weld a ball valve tap set-up to my 7.5 gallon pot. For the DIY approach, any recommendations on instructions?
Today my mash tun could not hold the 17.5 lbs of grain and water. Furthermore, the run-off from the cooler was a slow drip. It should have been much faster. The fly sparge arm moved intermittently. I feel quite discouraged and hope the magic of the homebrew Gods will save my imperial stout.
**** What I would love ****
Is for pictures of your budget set-up ands and recommendations on how to improve my current set=up.
Many thanks,
Jeremy