What do you think of buying pre-made mash tuns?

I found this link, let me know what you experts think about this system:

http://www.brewd00d.com/

Thanks!

Jason

Looks like a pretty good piece of work and reasonable prices.

If you're not DIY inclined, I'd say you're buying from someone who knows what they're doing.

I'd ask about what type of manifold he installs (copper mainifold, SS braided hose).

[EDIT] Never mind. I scrollle ddown and saw he uses CPVC manifold. I'd be inclined to turn those slits down though to prevent clogging.

It's so VERY VERY easy and inexpensive to build yourself, I can't even imagine buying one. It took me about a 1/2 hour to shop for the parts, and not more than an hour to complete the assembly. Furthermore, I think the end result is nicer, with metal parts instead of PVC.

Furthermore, it's far more satisfying to brew with gear you've made and setup yourself. While we don't all have the capability to make a conical or weld together a brew sculpture, anybody with a pair of pliers and a credit card can make their own MLT!

It was kind of discussed here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=42381

to answer your question he uses cpvc for the tubing and valves.

Is cpvc good or bad?

yeah I just built my own MLT from Flyguys post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23008

I'm an alright kinda DIY guy when it comes to the pretty general stuff. This was no big deal at all to build and it will save you some $$ from buying a pre-made one.

I say build it, but thats just one guys opinion.

Cheers,

newguy said:

yeah I just built my own MLT from Flyguys post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23008

I'm an alright kinda DIY guy when it comes to the pretty general stuff. This was no big deal at all to build and it will save you some $$ from buying a pre-made one.

Click to expand...

Jason, if you haven't already, give this thread a read and see if it's something you'd be comfortable with. Now I'm definitely a DIY guy, with a fully loaded shop, but I think anybody could build this. Basically, you just assemble it as illustrated. Flyguy even gives the Watts part numbers, so finding them at Home Depot is a snap!

I will say that the gear on the site you mentioned looks well made, and is actually priced rather reasonably. Still, I think a lot of the fun in homebrewing is to "homebrew" some of your own gear as well! Of course you might feel differently, and that's cool too.

Yeah thanks I want to build it, just sometimes the simpleton in me wants to buy something premade and ready to go...I have seen another simple set up that basically used the same SS braided filter but just jammed a stopped into the hole and used gravity (i.e. held the tubing above the level of the wort) to control the flow. Seemed pretty easy and he said it never leaked, but I think the control of the valve would be nice so long as you could make it not leak. Here's the link in case anyone's interested:

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/page1.php

Jason

BlindLemonLars said:

Jason, if you haven't already, give this thread a read and see if it's something you'd be comfortable with. Now I'm definitely a DIY guy, with a fully loaded shop, but I think anybody could build this. Basically, you just assemble it as illustrated. Flyguy even gives the Watts part numbers, so finding them at Home Depot is a snap!

I will say that the gear on the site you mentioned looks well made, and is actually priced rather reasonably. Still, I think a lot of the fun in homebrewing is to "homebrew" some of your own gear as well! Of course you might feel differently, and that's cool too.

Click to expand...

Hey thanks, yeah I read all 20 pages, and it seems very easy, just doing my over extensive research that I seem to always do...I really think I am just using my indecision as a reason not to study for my upcoming exam! Anyways, I will most likely be making one of these soon, and I am going to be asking for a turkey fryer set-up for my present from the in-laws, haha!

Well, I bought my mashtun because I'm really unable to make a darn thing. So, I bought this one from morebeer.com: http://morebeer.com/view_product/17497/

The only difference is I bought a 10 gallon. I love it, and it works, but I paid $110 or so for it. It's much cheaper to make your own, if you're able. If you're not, then you can buy one. I bet someone on HBT would make you one for less than what I paid, or at least about the same amount.

Jayfro21 said:

I found this link, let me know what you experts think about this system:

http://www.brewd00d.com/

Thanks!

Jason

Click to expand...

I'm not an expert, but I wish I had seen that a few weeks ago before I went and built one.

<shrug> I'm good at a lot of things; making stuff from parts available at Home Depot isn't one of them. I bought my false bottom mash tun from Morebeer.com and couldn't be happier.

Several years ago I had a cartoon that I cut out of the newspaper. A guy comes home to find his wife screaming, "A bat! A bat! We have a bat upstairs!" The next panel shows him dutifully trudging up the stairs carrying a tennis racket. His little thought bubble says, "My inner warrior says that I must slay the beast and protect my family!" Then he stops and says, "But my inner urban fat guy says that there are people paid good money to do this sort of thing."

Well my inner urban fat guy is more than willing to pay the $20 premium to have somebody put everything together and ship it to my doorstep so that I can brew beer rather than curse and throw wrenches.

Your call.

Chad

I used the plans for the 10gallon Gott Cooler, and it worked awesome. I am so not even close to a DIY I sometimes feel like a girl. My dad never wanted to show me how to do an oil change, "Why when Jiffy Lube is right down the street?" Definitely where I got it from. But the cooler conversion that was posted is sooooooo easy, no skills required. Just print out the parts list, and hand it to someone at Lowe's or Ace (home depot didn't have half the crap needed), and they'll set you up!

YooperBrew said:

I love it, and it works, but I paid $110 or so for it. It's much cheaper to make your own, if you're able.

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I honestly wish I would have known about that. Honestly, I'm not saying the MLT was hard to make... If you can screw in a lightbulb you can make one. That said, I spent about $90 on my parts to make my MLT, and spend a bunch of time finding, driving out to get and then putting together the parts. If I had it to do again, I'd have paid a little more to have the darn thing dropped on my doorstep because my time was probably worth more than the savings.

i bought the 48qt setup from him, the first time i used it the manfold came off and i had to dig the grain out and fix it. after that i went to the local hardware strore and got a ss braid and the parts i need, so i would agree with the other make your own it will probably be cheaper and a hole lot better

I built one out of a cooler just like that... Bought the bulkhead/ball valve and the stainless braid here.. 19.00 + 13.50 and the cooler was 15.88 at walmart. I did have to buy a pack of plumbers tape for .99 cents as well and screw it all together. Works well though... I'm not mechanically inclined at all... So if i can do it you can do it..

The sparge arm is attached to the lid which doesn't make much sense to me, since you'll need to have the lid off to monitor the water level of the sparge.