Newbie switching to AG: Critique my setup!

This is my first post after a couple months of lurking. I hope threads like these are ok.

I'm finally making the jump after about a year of extract/partial mash brewing. I originally wanted some kind of 3-tiered keggle system, but January has been a great month for my business so I decided to splurge a little.

Here's what I am considering so far:

(3)B3 15 gallon kettles
- Kettle: standard ball valve with a bazooka (not the T) screen for hop straining
- MLT: same kettle and screen w/ a thermometer added (is the bazooka ok for my MLT?). might add some insulation later unless it holds temps well.
- HLT: same as above w/o the screen.
- I already have one burner, so I will add another dedicated to the HLT. Anybody like using three so I can fire the MLT if needed?

Anything I'm missing? Anything you would change? Am I at least on the right track? Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me!

Welcome to the club!!! I am sure the B3 tier will serve you well for years to come.

Pretty sure that if you don't insulate the mash tun you will loose substantial temperature mashing for an hour (+).

I suggest that you do a "wet" run before brewing and make note of how much dead space in each step. Maybe even do a BS mash with rice hulls to see how well it will hold temp.

The bazooka screen works great with flower hops but it will clog every time with pellets.

Cheers!!! Chris

Thanks Chris! Good to see that I'm thinking somewhere along the right line.

The bazooka screen works great with flower hops but it will clog every time with pellets.

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Yeah, I noticed that when I was researching the bazooka. What are some other options if pellets are all I can get?

Flower hops are the most common.

Chris_Dog said:

Flower hops are the most common.

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Really? I thought it was the other way around, due to the ability to keep hops "fresher" in the pellet form. You will also get slightly better IBU utilization with pellet hops. Most HB stores dont even carry leaf hops, and if they do, they carry very few. AHS only carries three varieties, NB carries about 3x as many pellet varieties as they do leaf... many HB stores dont carry leaf hops at all.

Go to Freshops.com and buy all the leaf hops you want at a great price.

+1 on the temp losses. I presume that you will not be satisfied with a non heated and non insulated SS MLT. The cooler the ambient temp, the more unhappy you will become.

Are you building your brew stand? Cant wait to see it, I LOVE brew rigs.....

Just my 2 cents...

I'd go with a cooler for the MLT. They hold heat really well and you won't need another burner.

brown_dog_us said:

Just my 2 cents...

I'd go with a cooler for the MLT. They hold heat really well and you won't need another burner.

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+1, I LOVE coolers...

The Pol said:

Really? I thought it was the other way around, due to the ability to keep hops "fresher" in the pellet form. You will also get slightly better IBU utilization with pellet hops. Most HB stores dont even carry leaf hops, and if they do, they carry very few. AHS only carries three varieties, NB carries about 3x as many pellet varieties as they do leaf... many HB stores dont carry leaf hops at all.

Go to Freshops.com and buy all the leaf hops you want at a great price.

+1 on the temp losses. I presume that you will not be satisfied with a non heated and non insulated SS MLT. The cooler the ambient temp, the more unhappy you will become.

Are you building your brew stand? Cant wait to see it, I LOVE brew rigs.....

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I really don't know which is more prevalent pellet or flower hops. You may very well be right. I was only trying to say that other that pellet hops flowers would be most common, in response to the OP'er question. However after rereading the question I see he was asking about filter options not hops...

A false bottom is another boil kettle filter option.

Are you building your brew stand? Cant wait to see it, I LOVE brew rigs.....

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That's the plan. I'm sure I'll probably set up some kind of bootleg stand at first because I'm just not patient enough to wait, but eventually I'm going to find a welder and get him to build me up something nice and pretty.

A false bottom is another boil kettle filter option.

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Would a false bottom be better for pellets or will it clog as well? The reason I ask is that I live near AHS, and it seems like pellets are pretty much all they carry.

Just my 2 cents...

I'd go with a cooler for the MLT. They hold heat really well and you won't need another burner.

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Yeah I've been going back and forth on this. It seems like everybody loves their cooler setups, but the B3 pots are just sooo pretty. Considering I can get the pot for $230, the bazooka for ~ $20, and a thermo for ~ $30, I decided I'd go ahead and splurge. It looks like if I do go this route, I'll definitely have to add some insulation to the total price though.

I guess my question is, price be damned, what would you choose? An insulated B3 or the cooler?

Well, I'd go with a cooler. I'm lazy and they make it soooooo easy. Go with what works for you though.

Try this to keep pellet hops from clogging things. I just used mine for the first time to prevent clogging the new plate chiller I got. Worked GREAT!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/hop-strainer-34303/

p4ck37p1mp said:

Try this to keep pellet hops from clogging things. I just used mine for the first time to prevent clogging the new plate chiller I got. Worked GREAT!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/hop-strainer-34303/

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Looks awesome (and simple)! I'll have to try that for sure.

Cheap too. I think it cost a total of $20 or so.

I had a choice on cooler, or pot.... and I went all coolers on my HERMS in my gallery.

They are cost efficient, they are temperature efficient, and they are orange hello!

Hmmm...seems like everybody's pretty overwhelmingly in favor of the cooler setup. I'm starting to think I might go that route for the MLT but still go ahead and splurge on the B3 for my HLT.

Thoughts?

There is no problem with that plan... I mean the HLT can be heated to within a few degrees of 170F... so who really cares right? You arent trying to maintain a temp over a long period of time there. The SS HLT is a fine idea... the only reason mine is also a cooler is because it makes for a really efficient and easy to control HERMS HEX... you are on the right path.

Ever thought of heating with electric instead of gas? It is a pretty popular option now days, and in some cases is cheaper... not that money is an option for you!

Ever thought of heating with electric instead of gas? It is a pretty popular option now days, and in some cases is cheaper...

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Can you put an electric element in the B3 pots? If so, that would be really nice w/ some kind of controller. I'll have to look into that.

not that money is an option for you!

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Hey I never said it wasn't an issue! I hate wasting money just like anybody, but I worked hard last year and now it's time to play hard! I want to do things right the very first time because I can see how expensive of a hobby this can become.

CharlosCarlies said:

Can you put an electric element in the B3 pots? If so, that would be really nice w/ some kind of controller. I'll have to look into that.



Hey I never said it wasn't an issue! I hate wasting money just like anybody, but I worked hard last year and now it's time to play hard! I want to do things right the very first time because I can see how expensive of a hobby this can become.

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Yes, you can convert the kettle to electric really easily in fact. Electric is clean, neat, doesnt need to be refilled, doesnt go empty, it is cheap to operate and it is easy to control temps with it. I have done a lot of electrical work on my HERMS, it can be pretty simple.