My idea for a mash tun-please dont laugh

First off, ordered my first all grain kits, but without much thinking about extra equipment I'd need. I knew I had to filter and sparge the grain, but I didn't think I'd need anything really special for it.

Please let me just describe this thing, don't make me show a picture. It's just something that I tossed together before looking up what mash tuns are supposed to look like, or even know they were called that, actually. I've got some burlap duct taped to the sink for insulation, and yes, it's laughable. Is it possible it could have worked/could work though?

I have an old stainless steel metal sink that already runs to tubing made for hot liquid, from the drain at the bottom. You plug the drain by clipping the end of the tubing to the side of the sink. It's a square sink. So I made a mesh square basket to go in it. Then I took more layers of mesh screening I found laying around the property, added them to the basket thing(made wire handles for it too) to allow for a fine filtration. Now I just gotta add the right amount of layers so it filters the way I want it to. Then I just let the wort run out the bottom drain of the sink and into my pan, right? Well, not right into the pan, but into the pan once it starts running clear, before that, keep putting it back into the top.

I can soak the whole basket in hubby's oxygen/hydrogen electrolysis machine to get it clean and rust free, then sanitize it. I thought then all the spent grain would be left in my basket and I could carry it right out to the compost pile when I'm done. The sink bottom is not flat, it goes down at a slope toward the drain, why wouldn't this work?

Wow, that sounds horrible.
You already have/need a boiling kettle... why not just use a paint strainer and do a BIAB? It doesn't get any simpler than that.

What do you plan to cap it off with? Doesn't really seem like it would hold temperature for long... do a test run with hot water and see how it holds up!

Someone told me about BIAB later, after I already had this hideous thing put together. For years, I've just been sticking to the same old extract recipe kits and thought going to all grain would broaden my horizons, my actual knowledge at this point is quite limited. I probably will going with BIAB, but kind of wondering if anyone thought the monstrosity I put together would work.

Honestly, it doesn't seem too promising...

I'd BIAB this brew and look into getting a cooler for future mashes

Hmmm......rust......interesting.....

Sort of sounds like you're doing a brew in a bag method. The grain bed will act as a filter. After the mash perioed drain a few quarts of the wort into a jug, do this until the wort is no longer full of grain husks, debris. Gently pour these runnings back into the mash tun. Once the wort runs clear of the debris, drain it to the boil kettle. Same procedure when you add the sparge water. Try to keep the mash temp where you want it. Sparging you can do cold with no ill effect.

I think the mesh system you created would work to lauter the grains, because it sounds like it's just a great big strainer. But as my fellow Virginian points out above, holding your mash temp for an hour in the sink could be a problem. If you could fix that, you might be in business.

edit: ahh, it's a stainless steel sink. Figure out a way to direct fire that thing without melting your outlet tubing, treat it like a big metal mashtun. Then, yes, I think it could work! Probably in the minority, but you've already gone to a lot of work, might as well see it through!

h4mmy86 said:

What do you plan to cap it off with? Doesn't really seem like it would hold temperature for long... do a test run with hot water and see how it holds up!

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I was thinking a big sawblade for the lid. I could pick it up on the sides with oven mitts. I checked and it covers the whole top of the sink. It does hold up in hot water, already checked that.

Is that mesh galvanized or plain steel? If there is rust on anything I would stay away. Ever put a cheap steel utensil in the dishwasher? There will be rust everywhere after a mash, and that would be disgusting. I don't know if rust is toxic but I wouldn't want to drink rust beer.

Geez, I built a dennybrew mash tun for well under $20 since I already had a cooler. Or go BIAB.

BobbiLynn said:

I was thinking a big sawblade for the lid.

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I don't know what to think here. I either LOVE the thought of this thing or want it wiped off the face of the planet for being an abomination to God and nature!!!

Dan said:

Sort of sounds like you're doing a brew in a bag method. The grain bed will act as a filter. After the mash perioed drain a few quarts of the wort into a jug, do this until the wort is no longer full of grain husks, debris. Gently pour these runnings back into the mash tun. Once the wort runs clear of the debris, drain it to the boil kettle. Same procedure when you add the sparge water. Try to keep the mash temp where you want it. Sparging you can do cold with no ill effect.

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You mean I could just start sparging right away, or as soon as needed, to keep the temp, right? And no ill effects?

BobbiLynn said:

You mean I could just start sparging right away, or as soon as needed, to keep the temp, right? And no ill effects?

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No, I don't think that's what he was saying. You will need to let it sit to get it to convert. Then, you can use his technique to drain the mash and proceed with a batch sparge.

If you can wrap and cover it with foam/towels/bubble wrap/etc, it would be semi-insulated. You'd probably need to check the temp every so often and add a little boiling water to readjust, so mash on the thick side to start. The obvious downside is that you can't ever show it off to anyone without them subconsciously humming the theme from Deliverance, but I have a corona mill and my false bottom is a $2 sink strainer, so I salute your ingenuity.

I know I'm not supposed to ask, but I really want to see a picture of this...

After the mash (usually that is an hour). is over. Do a vorluaf (recirculating the wort to clear it up) Drain these first running into a boil pot. Then mix in sparge water to the grain, do the recirculation to get the husk and crap out and drain to the kettle. Cold sparging has been proven to work fine. The initial mash temp needs to be maintained so the heat triggered enzymes can convert the starches in the grain to fermentable sugars. 150- 160 degrees. Try shooting for around 150-155 degrees F. That temp will convert the grain well and still leave some non fermetable sugars which will give the beer body. Later on, once you understand your set-up you'll know how to dial in the temp more accurately.

Shooter said:

No, I don't think that's what he was saying. You will need to let it sit to get it to convert. Then, you can use his technique to drain the mash and proceed with a batch sparge.

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Thanks, okay, I see. Terms/lingo gets me a little mixed up sometimes.

Dan said:

After the mash (usually that is an hour). is over. Do a vorluaf (recirculating the wort to clear it up) Drain these first running into a boil pot. Then mix in sparge water to the grain, do the recirculation to get the husk and crap out and drain to the kettle. Cold sparging has been proven to work fine. The initial mash temp needs to be maintained so the heat triggered enzymes can convert the starches in the grain to fermentable sugars. 150- 160 degrees. Try shooting for around 150-155 degrees F. That temp will convert the grain well and still leave some non fermetable sugars which will give the beer body. Later on, once you understand your set-up you'll know how to dial in the temp more accurately.

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I'll just go ahead and save this info to read again in the morning.

BobbiL

You might want to just try BIAB method. You obviously have the skill to sew a big bag. Then you only need one big pot to mash and brew in.

CastleHollow said:

edit: ahh, it's a stainless steel sink. Figure out a way to direct fire that thing without melting your outlet tubing, treat it like a big metal mashtun.

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There we go... now I'm thinking... Would have to fire it from the sides, since the tubing comes out the bottom... hmmm... this thing might end up getting even uglier!

Here's a Brew in a bag (BIAB) video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlz_858ooWE

Dan said:

BobbiL

You might want to just try BIAB method. You obviously have the skill to sew a big bag. Then you only need one big pot to mash and brew in.

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I was already planning on doing that, the first 2 kits at least, I ordered 4 because they were on sale. Perfect the process, then maybe I will try out the monstrosity or probably just build a new, proper mash tun.

kingwood-kid said:

If you can wrap and cover it with foam/towels/bubble wrap/etc, it would be semi-insulated. You'd probably need to check the temp every so often and add a little boiling water to readjust, so mash on the thick side to start. The obvious downside is that you can't ever show it off to anyone without them subconsciously humming the theme from Deliverance, but I have a corona mill and my false bottom is a $2 sink strainer, so I salute your ingenuity.

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I've got burlap bags duct taped to it now, for insulation on the outside. And also, the oxygen/hydrogen machine works way better than oxi-clean, but same idea. It would not be rust beer. Hmm... maybe it could work...

I thought sparging was the same thing as adding boiling water, but just adding enough to keep temp is not called sparging, I see.

please post a pic, I have to see this

This is an amazing thread. Anyone remember the show "Junkyard Wars"? This is like that....for mashing.

Picture please.

Tamarlane said:

please post a pic, I have to see this

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You just want to see me become the laughing stock of all this site... No.

Okay, when I see whether or not it works, then I'll show pictures. Because, as we've already gone over, then you can laugh but you can't tell me it'll never work. Humpf!

:rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

I want to see the saw blade big enough to cover a SS sink!

helibrewer said:

I want to see the saw blade big enough to cover a SS sink!

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Oh, you've never seen a big sawblade, to cut down big trees?

So... do you think it'll work or scrap the project?

Me? Nope. Bring on some pics BL.

I will promise that No one on this forum will laugh you make get a WTF! but no laughing. Now post a pic I gotta see this.

RedShirt said:

This is an amazing thread. Anyone remember the show "Junkyard Wars"? This is like that....for mashing.

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Agreed! This is possibly the best thread I have ever read on this site. This is a brilliant idea for a reality show. Send two teams into a junk yard to find all of the materials required to build a brewing system, brew the beer, and then meet back in several weeks for a taste show down. Points can be scored for ingenuity, mash efficiency, batch size, and, of course, taste. Oh, the possibilities are endless.

BobbiLynn said:

So... do you think it'll work or scrap the project?

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I think you're morally obligated to try at this point seeing how much interest has be roused.

Realistically, I don't think you'll be able to hold the mash temperature steady enough for 60 minutes to get the conversion required.

As a side note, you don't have to sanitize all of the equipment that comes into contact with the grain, water, wort, etc. BEFORE the boil starts. Obviously, everything should be clean (and free of rust), but it doesn't need to be sanitized. The boil will take care of that.

Lastly, MAJOR kudos for ingenuity.

SpentGrains said:

Is that mesh galvanized or plain steel? If there is rust on anything I would stay away. Ever put a cheap steel utensil in the dishwasher? There will be rust everywhere after a mash, and that would be disgusting. I don't know if rust is toxic but I wouldn't want to drink rust beer.

Geez, I built a dennybrew mash tun for well under $20 since I already had a cooler. Or go BIAB.

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I hope you don't use anything galvanized for brewing. Acidic solutions, such as wort, can cause zinc to be released.

Great point!

i would really like to see some pics of this it sound very interesting

Also in for pics and solemnly promise no laughing at your creative and courageous foray into AG brewing!

I will just see if it works first, then report back.. over and out, amigos.

Report back with some pics, please. Who cares if anyone laughs?

I can't remember the poster's name, but when I first registered, I read a post where someone here posted a YouTube video of him brewing a Mr Beer kit and using baker's yeast instead of brewer's yeast. The way he described the tastes of his beer was freaking hilarious. The first time I saw that video I did laugh, but I also felt sorry for the guy as that could easily been me (I would have done worse actually). A few months later, he posts some pics and videos of his upgrades and improvements over the months from that brew and got many more compliments than he did laughs. His experiences reminded me that everyone in this hobby has or is going to screw up, but the main thing is to just take what you learn from it and apply it to make yourself a better brewer.

Never underestimate redneck ingenuity!

As long as you can hold temperature long enough you'll get wort and it won't matter how ugly it is.

I do wanna see pictures.
Get pictures of it now, complete with your screen filter you built, and get pictures of that bad boy in action.

Pics!

This could turn into something quite interesting and entertaining... junkyard brewing... each of us cob together a brew rig "post apocalypse".