On the verge of AG

Sloooowly but surely I creep towards AG brewing
I have scored all but the final keggle cuts(waiting on a coworker) and the ball valves.
This last week got a bayou classic burner(155,000 BTUs), sight glass(thanks Bobby M), made an IC (50 ft) and even brewed a Black Butte Porter PM Clone using the new burner(boil over, it's so friggin' fast) and IC (less than 10 min for 3.5 gallons). I don't know how you guys go right into AG brewing, seems like there so many issues to work out.
A few Q's:
1) IC worked like a charm in 3.5 gallons of wort in no time flat with 59F water. How do you guys keep the kettle covered when chilling w/ all that crap hanging out of the pot??? I always kept my pot covered when chilling in an ice bath in the sink.
2) It was hard to stir wort with the IC in the pot. My pot is only an old enamel 5 gallon pot. I assume with the keggles this should not be a problem??
3) My keggle: The co-worker welder suggested that I use the weldless fittings because whenever SS is welded there is a good chance for rust!!! Warning bells went off in my head. He probably isn't a "pro" at TIG welding. Since my knowledge is also lacking I feel that weldless might be the way to go for now and switch over when a real TIG man is available. My guy is going to cut (plasma) off the top and side holes for free. Seems most stores offer a 1/2" weldless fittings for ball valves but what about 3/8" for sight glass. I guess I could always use a reducer but am wondering if there's a place selling 3/8" weldless fittings.
Thansk for any info. I will report when the first AG is under my belt. 2 more PMs, then vacation,
then AG:rockin:
Later, Charlie
PS I am at this stage of brewing due to all of your advice over the last 6-8 months. y'all rock, give yourself a round of applause

I don't think that its all that big of a deal to go to AG. Really its only adding a couple steps that require temperature and volume controls... then you have to deal with more boil volume and aeration.

1) I leave mine uncovered... it cools faster that way.
2) Grab the IC and slosh it around.
3) I have heard of people using weldless without issue, but I would not trust it. I'd spend the cash now and get a good tig welder to put in the fittings.

All grain was an easy step up for me as I was already doing full boils with extract and I was cooling my wort with a chiller as well so all I needed really was a converted picnic cooler to make the AG jump. I've only made 4 all-grain batches so far and I have gotten my time down to 3 hrs and 30 mins total time. I really enjoy the all-grain process. It's pretty easy especially with today's modern malts, I think all-grain beer tastes better and then there's the extra pride thing too!
Just brew it!
Beerbeque

i set a goal to go all-grain this year and i did it in about three months. it's been a great investment. next up, yeast washing! two of my first year hops have buds, woooooohoooooo. i'm starting to see my cost per batch go way down. i love this hobby!

sirsloop said:

I don't think that its all that big of a deal to go to AG. Really its only adding a couple steps that require temperature and volume controls... then you have to deal with more boil volume and aeration.

1) I leave mine uncovered... it cools faster that way.
2) Grab the IC and slosh it around.
3) I have heard of people using weldless without issue, but I would not trust it. I'd spend the cash now and get a good tig welder to put in the fittings.

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Grabbing and sloshing the IC makes sense.
Since I PM temp controls I have down. Volume will be the hardest to cope with

Beerbeque said:

All grain was an easy step up for me as I was already doing full boils with extract and I was cooling my wort with a chiller as well so all I needed really was a converted picnic cooler to make the AG jump. I've only made 4 all-grain batches so far and I have gotten my time down to 3 hrs and 30 mins total time. I really enjoy the all-grain process. It's pretty easy especially with today's modern malts, I think all-grain beer tastes better and then there's the extra pride thing too!
Just brew it!
Beerbeque

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It's the full boil and IC chilling. I think both are alot to deal with. My new burner has a bit of a learning curve as it makes my stove feel like a match. The IC works well but a little cumbersome. With time all will be good and that's why I am going it. I had a nice routine down with PM partial boils (3.5 gallons)but 10gallon AG!!! Soon, very soon. Charlie

PUD said:

i set a goal to go all-grain this year and i did it in about three months. it's been a great investment. next up, yeast washing! two of my first year hops have buds, woooooohoooooo. i'm starting to see my cost per batch go way down. i love this hobby!

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Initial cost is high. We will have to brew for a long time to ever see a cost benefit. We will, but it will take a while.

I run my IC outdoors and uncovered without problems. Occasionally I'll get a stray pine needle or bug but I leave it behind in the primary. Takes 1/2 hr or so with the less than occasional stir, otherwise it would take longer. All my fittings are weldless and I've yet to have a problem.

There's nothing magical about All Grain, just more steps, more time, and more cleaning.

Most of the stuff either comes in contact with something that is boiling, or something that will be boiled. Hell, I just rinse most of my stuff with hot water and on batch #44 I haven't had a sanitation issue since I went All Grain.

Put down the voodoo doll and relax.

Worst thing is you toss a batch down the drain, what will likely happen is you'll make a fe mistakes and still make something better than any extract brew you ever had.

Adding to my last post I recently converted a coworker to All Grain.
His extract brews are now for guests only, and he used to be quite proud of them.
Last batch he accidentally purchased undermodified lager malt instead of the intended English pale, yet on his second AG (first unassisted and unsupervised) he has produced a crystal clear IPA that rivals many commercial brews. #10 for him.
He made his own IC, uses a 5gal Igloo with a false bottom and fittings, boils in a Maine lobstah pot, sparges without a fancy sparge arm...

People have been making commercial beer for a couple centuries.
It's not like it's rocket science or anything.

Maine Homebrewer said:

There's nothing magical about All Grain, just more steps, more time, and more cleaning.

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Definitely more water heating and more cleaning. Seems like all I do is heat water. And drink homebrew of course

Put down the voodoo doll and relax.

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Nice quote!

- Eric

Im gonn go AG as soon as i move to the bigger apartment cant wait.

jay672 said:

Im gonn go AG as soon as i move to the bigger apartment cant wait.

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I have a good sized apartment, but the kitchen I AG in is small with a low powered stove. Anything is possible if you work at it.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

I have a good sized apartment, but the kitchen I AG in is small with a low powered stove. Anything is possible if you work at it.

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There's a thread going on about improving stove top brewing. Different ways to boost your BTUs. Actually not boost but maximize them. check it out.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=53683

Charlie - TIG welding is the weld you want. It's stainless, it's not going to rust. AFAIK, TIG is also the only sanitary weld you can do. Don't do weldless, it's going to be money wasted in the long run IMHO.

BTW, you should come down saturday if you can while we have big brew day and check out my, errr, your hops

98EXL said:

Charlie - TIG welding is the weld you want. It's stainless, it's not going to rust. AFAIK, TIG is also the only sanitary weld you can do. Don't do weldless, it's going to be money wasted in the long run IMHO.

BTW, you should come down saturday if you can while we have big brew day and check out my, errr, your hops

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Thanks Garrett, I finally decided to go with the weld. I am going to let the guy at my work cut the keg and then go elsewhere for the weld. I didn't want to piss him off since he's doing it for free but I don't want a rusty keg either. That's why I thought I would go weldless. I was surprised how costly all of the SS weldless fittings were.
I was following your thread about this wknd. Appreciate the offer but I am going on vacation. I plan to brew with you guys. Maybe you guys can "pop my AG cherry" when I get all of my gear together. I have most, just need the keggle build, so close. Enjoy your brewing day. Charlie
PS the mother hop plant is producing a lot of hops, we'll have to figure out the variety soon.

balto charlie said:

Thanks Garrett, I finally decided to go with the weld. I am going to let the guy at my work cut the keg and then go elsewhere for the weld. I didn't want to piss him off since he's doing it for free but I don't want a rusty keg either. That's why I thought I would go weldless. I was surprised how costly all of the SS weldless fittings were.
I was following your thread about this wknd. Appreciate the offer but I am going on vacation. I plan to brew with you guys. Maybe you guys can "pop my AG cherry" when I get all of my gear together. I have most, just need the keggle build, so close. Enjoy your brewing day. Charlie
PS the mother hop plant is producing a lot of hops, we'll have to figure out the variety soon.

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you shouldn't get any rust with a TIG weld...look at everyone else's keggle that's TIG'd...

Worse case scenario, I can come up, or you can come down and we'll brew to pop that good ol' cherry.

Daughter hop plants are having an identity crisis, but I told them just to wait, they will know who thier mommy is soon, so they made cones to help out the process

My brewpot is a 9gal with weldless thermometer and spigot that I picked up off Ebay for under a bill. The writing is in Spanish and the thermometer reads metric on the outside, I call it character. Drawback is that it is narrow instead of squat, so it can take time to take a large sparge down to size.
I use a turkey fryer I picked up at Wal-Mart (Oh I loath to give them my money but it was $60 vs the alternative) minus the aluminum pot (aluminum = bad).
My immersion chiller is a 25' copper coil, fittings, and tubing I put together at the hardware store.

I love this hobby, it's always an excuse to build something.