All grain with no cooler

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hiphopaim5

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I would like to go all grain but i am not looking to upgrade my current setup yet. Is there anyway steep my grains in a pot and strain off the grain in stead of purchasing a cooler and making a mash tun. or even possible using a muslin bag during the steeping of the grains. I know i just really need to but a cooler and convert it...but i am looking to save a little bit of money on the next few batch to be able to purchase the cooler conversion kit. Thanks for your help!
 
hiphopaim5 said:
I would like to go all grain but i am not looking to upgrade my current setup yet. Is there anyway steep my grains in a pot and strain off the grain in stead of purchasing a cooler and making a mash tun. or even possible using a muslin bag during the steeping of the grains. I know i just really need to but a cooler and convert it...but i am looking to save a little bit of money on the next few batch to be able to purchase the cooler conversion kit. Thanks for your help!

Yes! Depending on the size of your pot, you might have to do smaller batches. The cooler just makes it easier to hold the temperature. It also gives you a second vessel. You'd need two pots b/c you have to heat the sparge water, too.
 
thanks ericbw!

brewerinbr i do not have the funds to splurge on this brewing beast right now. I don't have the 250-500 to spend on this set up yet.
 
Well, for about $30 you can get a 12 gallon cooler and a toilet braid. I would just wait until you can get a proper setup. I've never mashed in a pot but it sounds like too much of a PITA for me.

ETA: you'll need a valve too so maybe $40.
 
thanks ericbw!

brewerinbr i do not have the funds to splurge on this brewing beast right now. I don't have the 250-500 to spend on this set up yet.

You don't need to have any special or expensive equipment to do brew in a bag (BIAB), just a pot and a bag. Here's a link to a member here who sews the bags https://www.homebrewtalk.com/members/wilserbrewer

Here's a link to another thread about BIAB https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/biab-200584/

You'll find lots of other threads here on it, too. Its cheap, easy and a good option.
 
BIAB, Brew in a Bag only requires a bag for the grain and a pot big enough for the amount of final product and enough water to account for the boil off. I do 3 gallon brews in a 5 gallon pot.
You can use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag available at almost any hardware store for less than $5.
 
baib sounds like what I am interested in Thanks for all the helpful links!
 
You can make a nice bag for little money if you can do simple sewing...or I know a guy that knows a guy...cheers! Kidding aside if ya need a bag or advice stitching one, happy to help! Cheers!
 
Not sure the hesitation on the mash tun cooler. In terms of expense, I made mine for less than $100. In terms of ability, I am the least handy person you could possibly meet (trust me, I am challenged to hang pictures on nails) and I simply watched the Maine Homebrewer's video a couple times and was able to make my own mash tun. Simple and easy - I was shocked how simple. Had I known how simple, I would have done it years ago...
 
I used a cooler that my wife wanted to throw away - cost $0. Toilet supply braid - $9. Cooler conversion kit - $20. Ability to brew All Grain - priceless. If you don't want to spend money on the kit with bulkhead & valve; check out this set up http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/mashtun.htm or this one http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/

Edit: I have also used BIAB, still do on occasion. Both methods produce good beer.
 
Well, I've never mashed in a pot but it sounds like too much of a PITA for me.

Mashing in a pot is easy, just wrap it in some of this after you kill the heat.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix-16-in-x-25-ft-Staple-Tab-Insulation-ST16025/100012574/

Works well. I decided to stick with stainless steel when I went AG, because most coolers are not rated for hot liquids, and that made me nervous. I know a lot of people use them and are fine, just a personal choice.
 
You could buy a Colemam extreme cooler, toilet braid, ball valve and all fittings for around $75. A large enough pot is almost as expensive anyway. You can use an 8qt kitchen pot for sparge water & you can heat strike water in your kettle
 
hiphopaim5 said:
baib sounds like what I am interested in Thanks for all the helpful links!

Maybe give a rundown on your current setup and equipment. Even better suggestions can be made that fit your specific stuff with minimal extra costs.
 
Well, for about $30 you can get a 12 gallon cooler and a toilet braid. I would just wait until you can get a proper setup. I've never mashed in a pot but it sounds like too much of a PITA for me.

ETA: you'll need a valve too so maybe $40.

I've never mashed in a cooler. It sounds like too much of a PITA for me. :p

Gee, you have to dump or scoop that wet grain out of the cooler and then wash it? What about the grain that is stuck to the braid? How do I get that all out. Where do I put the cooler when I'm not using it? :cross:
 
Look at howtobrew.com
There is a simple design that can be made from 2 five gallon buckets and a piece of tubing. You can get food grade buckets at your local grocery store in the bakery, they get icing in them. Usually a couple of bucks or free.
 
I've never mashed in a cooler. It sounds like too much of a PITA for me. :p

Gee, you have to dump or scoop that wet grain out of the cooler and then wash it? What about the grain that is stuck to the braid? How do I get that all out. Where do I put the cooler when I'm not using it? :cross:

It takes 5 minutes, as for the braid, hose it off. I use the hose that I use for the chiller
 
Yanno, one of the problems that come with this hobby IS storage....I am beginning to see that we no longer have room for any more buckets and store my stuff out in the storage building.
How would apartment dwellers cope with this? For them maybe BIAB is the best option....I have tried it on smaller batches and it does make good beer withless time and equipment. Money for me is an issue in this hobby because it's supposed to be a hobby, not an obsession....good luck on that happening :^)
I also like to build things so sometimes I end up spending more because of experimentation. Everyone's situation is different, 100-300 bucks to get set up with a MLT and bigger pot and then a bigger burner may not sound like much...but it could be the difference in making the car payment or a dr visit for the kids. Thats not the case for me, but I can remember back when...when we had 4 kids in the house and both had to work to pay the bills...this hobby could not have been possible then and that is true for many today. They love to make beer but it's on a shoestring budget if at all.
 
I've never mashed in a cooler. It sounds like too much of a PITA for me. :p

Gee, you have to dump or scoop that wet grain out of the cooler and then wash it? What about the grain that is stuck to the braid? How do I get that all out. Where do I put the cooler when I'm not using it? :cross:

The hardest thing about all grain brewing is arguing about it on the internet.:cross:

:mug:
 
Mashing in a pot is easy, just wrap it in some of this after you kill the heat.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix-16-in-x-25-ft-Staple-Tab-Insulation-ST16025/100012574/

Works well. I decided to stick with stainless steel when I went AG, because most coolers are not rated for hot liquids, and that made me nervous. I know a lot of people use them and are fine, just a personal choice.
Somewhat off topic, but how well does that work? I just recently switched to BIAB in my 10 gal aluminum pot. I started my mash at ~153F (target of 152F). I wrapped it in a blanket and after 30 mins it dropped to 151.5F and at 45 mins it was down to 149F so I fired up the burner to warm it back up. Will the insulation you linked to do a better job? Is the drop I saw even that important in BIAB?
 
149° is still within range, as long as you achieve conversion you're fine. The only issue is with consistency, if you just care about the taste, not repeatability, you're fine.
 
This was my first AG batch so I am still getting my process down and probably didn't watch it as closely as I should have. When I checked half way through I hadn't lost any significant heat; after I saw that I called it good and didn't check it again.

One of the reviews on the home depot site is actually from a BIAB homebrewer in Ohio who says he loses 1 degree in the summer, 2 in the winter. There are also quite a few threads here about reflectix (that's how I learned of it).

I would say it would do better than what you're currently using. I also made sure to put some over my lid and tape it to the sides.
 
just found an 48qt cooker fit 20 bucks ..... is it worth it to get the ball lock? duo I have to do a full biil or can I just boil 2 gallons for my hop additions and then add the rest of the liquid from the mash tun.
 
Partial boil is fine. You do get different hop utilization using a partial boil with topup though.

Whups. missed the part about the rest from the tun. You have to boil all of your tun runnings, but if you are topuping with water, that doesn't HAVE to be boiled. probably should though.
 
just found an 48qt cooker fit 20 bucks ..... is it worth it to get the ball lock? duo I have to do a full biil or can I just boil 2 gallons for my hop additions and then add the rest of the liquid from the mash tun.

Everything from the mash tun must be boiled. The grains have plenty of bacteria on them and not all of it will be killed at mash temperature plus you need to go through the "hot break" with all of it.
 
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