I'm getting ready to build a simple all-grain system, and am looking for a bit of advice. This forum has been invaluable for reading up on this stuff, but I need a bit of a reality check.
I want to go simple, and relatively cheap. BUt I do see the value of spending a bit more at the outset, rather than having to upgrade equipment later.
I'm currently brewing 5-gallon extract batches outside, in an 8-gallon SS kettle on a Bayou Classic burner. I already have an IC.
For a mashtun, I'm going with a 10-gallon cylindrical cooler and a stainless steel braid. Most of my beers start between 1.050 to 1.070, so this should give me plenty of room for batch sparging.
My question is how I should set up the hot liquor tank. With the equipment I have now, I could heat the strike/sparge water as a single batch in my brew kettle, and add to the mash tun as needed. My kettle does not have a spigot, so I will be manually adding the water.
I'll probably collect runnings in one or more bottling buckets. Then, after I've added the second batch sparge, I can fire up the boil.
I see two potential improvements I could make to this setup:
- Buy another cooler for the hlt. This would let me collect runnings in my brew kettle and begin boiling right away, but then I won't be able to regulate the sparge water temperature if I need to (other than letting it cool). I could add a spigot to the cooler, making the sparge water transfer somewhat easier.
- Go whole-hog and buy a second burner, a second pot (probably a 10+ gallon brew kettle), and convert my current brew kettle to a true HLT with thermometer, sight glass, and ball valve.
So, all those who have come before me, what do you think? Is the second cooler a reasonable upgrade, or should I wait and see if the second burner and dedicated HLT makes the most sense?
Cheers,
Q.
I want to go simple, and relatively cheap. BUt I do see the value of spending a bit more at the outset, rather than having to upgrade equipment later.
I'm currently brewing 5-gallon extract batches outside, in an 8-gallon SS kettle on a Bayou Classic burner. I already have an IC.
For a mashtun, I'm going with a 10-gallon cylindrical cooler and a stainless steel braid. Most of my beers start between 1.050 to 1.070, so this should give me plenty of room for batch sparging.
My question is how I should set up the hot liquor tank. With the equipment I have now, I could heat the strike/sparge water as a single batch in my brew kettle, and add to the mash tun as needed. My kettle does not have a spigot, so I will be manually adding the water.
I'll probably collect runnings in one or more bottling buckets. Then, after I've added the second batch sparge, I can fire up the boil.
I see two potential improvements I could make to this setup:
- Buy another cooler for the hlt. This would let me collect runnings in my brew kettle and begin boiling right away, but then I won't be able to regulate the sparge water temperature if I need to (other than letting it cool). I could add a spigot to the cooler, making the sparge water transfer somewhat easier.
- Go whole-hog and buy a second burner, a second pot (probably a 10+ gallon brew kettle), and convert my current brew kettle to a true HLT with thermometer, sight glass, and ball valve.
So, all those who have come before me, what do you think? Is the second cooler a reasonable upgrade, or should I wait and see if the second burner and dedicated HLT makes the most sense?
Cheers,
Q.