Looking to upgrade my basic all Grain Setup WHAT SHOULD I GET??

Hey guys, I have been doing all grain brewing for about a year so i am looking at upgrading the back end of my all grain setup, basically my boil kettle and chill method. I am so torn as to what direction to go with this. Currently i boil in an aluminum walmart lobster boiler setup ( 10 Gallon ) and am definately looking at stainless steel ie: a 10 Gallon Boilermaker and the Blichmann Propane / NG burner there is no question there. OR maybe there should be???

It is the chill method that i am stumped on. I initially thought i was for sure going to go with a pump and counterflow chiller and install a hop screen (like the one used in the electric brewery) however i have read some articles (mr malty) and others which put forth a strong argument for the immersion/whirlpool method. Since i already have a 50 foot chiller adding the whirlpool would be a simple and less expensive upgrade although with both setups i will have to invest in a pump.

Also I am still not 100 percent sure i understand the immersion / whirlpool method. When i am circulating and cooling will the pellet hops in the boil harm the pump as they are passed through? Especially on those big double ipas??? How can i fit a filter into the kettle at the dip tube with a chiller already in there?? Also, when the wort has been cooled and rested for 20 or so minutes do i have to use any sort of filter on the dip tube or just empty it slowly to keep the wort as clear as possible? What kind of loss are we talking about for this method?

Regarding Pumps, is it really worth getting the stainless housing??? like 250 more, that seems huge to me. But, i am willing to pay if it will be for the best in the long run.

Basically i have about 1200-1500 dollars to spend and want to spend it on the equipment that will improve the quality of my beer the most. THoughts? My current setup is below:

5 Gallon Batches
MASH: Coleman extreme cooler,
BOIL: 42 quart aluminum lobster boiler with propane burner from walmart
CHILL: 50' copper immersion chiller (chills in about 12 min to 68F)
TRANSFER: autosiphon to glass carboy, usually i am losing 1/2 gallon or more on the more hoppy beers!
FERMENTATION: Glass carboys, ferment chamber from old deep freeze and temp controller
KEG/BOTTLE: to keg fridge with taps, lots of bottles, siphon and bottle bucket.

Sorry, there are probably way too many questions in this post but any suggestions you guys have would be awsome.
THanks again

I can think of a few things I would want in your position.

Grain mill? More consistant and you can play with the crush to experiment a little.

Stir plate? Using starters allow your yeast to perform their job more efficiently.

Pumps and QD hoses? Let's make a brew day easier and more enjoyable. I don't feel the SS pump head is worth it but I'll let others chime in here as I have no experience with both.

Boil Kettle? With $1200-$1500 to spend get a Blichman. Why? Because you can! Check out Hop Stopper for a hop filter.

Other than think of equipment that makes your entire process more enjoyable and easier for you.

definitely go for kettle improvement and burner. they made my experience more enjoyable. Grain mill is a great suggestion along with good scales.
I gravity feed so can't address pumps....maybe a good brew stand?
Refractometer is a popular suggestion. I found that once the basic equipment is in place, it's the little things like the refractometer, vaccuum sealer for hops, oxygen inducing, pass thru thermometer for chill monitor, temp controllers for fermenters...and on and on

I have the Blichmann 10g Boilermaker and the floor burner with leg extensions and couldn't be happier. I have to ask though about the chiller, if you're in Calgary AB how is it taking 12 minutes to cool to 68? I get my temps to 66-68 in that time here in Bayonne NJ and that's with 40 degree outside temps - meaning colder ground water. I got my brew down to 66 in twelve minutes this past Saturday with a 25' copper IC, where you are and being much colder I would think it would be quicker.

I don't know if you stir up the wort with the IC in the kettle. I do it frequently which really drops the temp much faster. As mentioned, if you don't have a stir plate that is a good upgrade choice as is the grain mill, have a new one myself and love it - way better efficiency.


Rev.

I would suggest a 15g pot instead of a 10g. Would make doing 10g batches a much easier possibility if you ever wanted to do 10g batches. The cost difference isnt that bad between the 10 and 15.

I'm a 10 gallon, all electric brewer. I had an immersion chiller, bought a plate chiller, and have switched BACK to the immersion chiller with the whirlpool arm from morebeer

1) the immersion chiller cools the entire batch all at the same time. I find it's waaaay more consistent and I know exactly what my temp is going into the fermentor

2) the whirlpool is good because it circulates the wort around the chiller, making sure that a constant flow keeps warm liquid flowing around the cooling coils

3) it also helps to get all your trub to collect into the center of the kettle. When I'm done with my chill, I cap the top of the kettle and wait about 30 minutes. The cold break and hop trub collect real nice in the center of the kettle and my dip tube pulls from the side of the kettle and leave the crap nicely in the center

4) the boiler maker is the way to go! The recessed bottom allows about .2 gallons to get left in the kettle leaving all the trub that doesn't collect in the center to be left behind. Besides that...it's a seriously bad @$$ kettle! Get it with the hop blocker too

5) I suggest spending the money you were going to spend on the plate chiller on a stir plate and flask. The absolute best thing for your beer is healthy fermentation. Pitch the right amount of yeast and you ellimnate under-attenuation, stressed yeast off flavors and fermentation lag. I get fully active fermentation withing 2 hours if i pitch a starter at full kreusen. If you know how to solder check out brewershardware.com. Get their stir plate kit, build it yourself for 30 bucks! Get a 2000ml flask and you're way set to go. Creating yeast starters is a fantastic thing!

6) a grain mill is definitely worth it, but buy it last. Morebeer, northern brewer, Austin homebrew, Midwest supplies all have a good grain crush. I wouldnt worry too much

For 1200 bucks you have TONS of possibilities! You can easily improve your setup for half that!

Hope this helps!

I would convert a keg to keggle and it sounds like you would enjoy a hopstopper; The Hop Stopper

Nothing wrong with an IC and gravity feed.

Thanks for the suggestions, i guess i left a few things out of my current equip list. I already have and use the stir plate for my starters, actually have had that since day one thanks to this forum. Also have just recently purchased a grain mill so that is taken care of too. So definitely set on the Blichmann, i have also thought about the 15 gallon pot but i really don't see myself going to the 10 gallon batches ( my wife says i drink too much already!!) And, if most if not all my batches are 5 gallon then i may not be able to use the thermometer that comes with the kettle as it sits kinda high.

I also think the hop stopper looks awesome but how can i fit it in the kettle next to my chiller which in my current pot (10Gallon) only has about 2 inches of clearance from the edge of the pot?? Maybe that is a reason to go to a 15 gallon?

1971hemicuda are u saying when you whirlpool you have no filter coming out of the kettle, does the amount of hops ever clog up your pump??

Thanks again

Keggle is the way to go as far as your kettle upgrade.For under 100 bucks you have a 15g pot.10 gallon batches, full boil 5 gallon batches......etc.

Ya i would get a keggle and buy Boby M's Weld-less sight glass and thermometer setup. It will save you some serious money! I dont ever intentionally let hops go into my pump, but thats just me. I also have a counterflow chiller and I have to say i LOVE it in the winter because the ground water allows me to cool my wort down to pitching temps with just one run through. In the summer it takes a bit longer. Have you thought about upgrading your Mashtun? If i was going to spend that kind of money I would make sure i outfitted my mashtun first and then buy a cheap keggle to boil in, but again thats just me! Either way you are in a good position!!! haha good luck and happy brewing!

lboe12 said:

1971hemicuda are u saying when you whirlpool you have no filter coming out of the kettle, does the amount of hops ever clog up your pump??

Thanks again

Click to expand...

I like to use a hop bag most of the time. That way I can pull the hops out of the kettle when I chill. However, lately, I've just been tossing the hops (pellets) right into the kettle. Granted I have a keggle, not the boilermaker, and I don't screen for my hops because I let the whirlpool pool them to the center. I haven't had a problem yet. If you're concerned, just use a hop bag and yank the hops out at the end of the boil!

I would reccomend putting money in fermentation temp control first then building a nice brew rig. I did it the other way around. My beer got better after rebuilding my rig, it got much better after I started controlling fermentation temp. If you already have temp control, I would suggest a keggle with either a whirlpool setup or a hop stopper. I whirlpool and have had great luck doing so. As for the chiller, I have used immersion and counterflow and prefer counterflow 10:1. Also, I wouldn't trade my march pump for anything...good luck...wnc

I agree with fermentation being the most imporant. Get yourself some heat wraps, probes and controllers. A stir plate and a small yeast library will serve you much better than smack packs. Lucky for you, we have tons of yeast bankers in Calgary.

If you want to do your brew sculpture, I have some extra kegs I can weld for you and we can perhaps put a stand together if you've got a real hard-on for making things.

Hi all,

Thanks for all your input on the upgrade I wanted to show you guys how it all came together. What I ended up doing:

1. Blichmann 10 gallon boilermaker
2. March pump - thanks to kal from the electric brewery
3. Rework my mash vessel to all stainless valves and connectors
4. Deep freeze with temp controller for fermentation / crash cooling (fits 2 carboys)
5. Blichmann burner
6. Installed a wash basin the basement and a water spout for my chiller
7. Bowie bottle filler for bottling from my existing keggerator
8. Replaced all hosing to silicone with stainless quick disconnects (thanks to kal again)
9. Added recirculating arm to existing 50ft copper immersion chiller (cooled my ipa to 68 in 6 min sweet!)
10. stainless Quick disconnects for all connections
11. 2000ml flask and stir plate for starters

So obviously first things first, blew the budget completely out of the water (couldn't help myself) don't tell my wife!!! Thanks for all the info, I posted some photos, not the most amazing setup but I am proud and its working great for me.

One issue, I go this all setup and realized I have to pack 6.5 gallons of boiling wort from my deck to the basement ( no garage) so that sucks hopefully I dont burn myself. Should be into a new place with a garage in the next few years then it will be fine. Anyway thanks again for your help and happy brewing!!!
Landon

Great Setup!!!! You should be brewing some primo homebrew