Show us your sculpture or brew rig

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
SmartSelect_20200422-084458_Gallery.jpg 20200415_190827.jpg
Who knew Huskey toolboxes were so prominent in home brewing?
hahaha, yep!
 
Here's my Grainfather Brew Rig. Wanted something on wheels so I could use it in the kitchen when it's too cold to brew in the garage. Holds all the gear needed for a brew day. I wanted all-electric, so I'm using an induction cook top to heat my sparge water.

Built with pine and black iron pipe. Stained dark and covered in 3 coats of wax. I'm pleased with how it turned out.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6099.jpg
    IMG_6099.jpg
    456.3 KB · Views: 995
  • IMG_6130.jpg
    IMG_6130.jpg
    845.8 KB · Views: 967
Big thanks to all on this forum who posted their builds, I got a lot of good ideas, most of which was to keep it simple. I’m about 75% done with mine and after doing a test batch earlier this week, I think I’ll be ready for Big Brew this weekend. Made a little time lapse/montage video of construction.
99A3C9CD-DEC3-4E36-A683-BB0115C81002.jpeg
 
Years of cobbling stuff together. Next to the CF chiller is the O2 stone and cast thermometer. Small green bottle on lower right of frame is a Flight Attendant Oxygen bottle from a DC-9 that my company doesn't fly anymore. Salvaged a few of those (full!).
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200511_120626.jpg
    IMG_20200511_120626.jpg
    3 MB · Views: 276
Found one similar on this site. Can't remember who posted originally. Modified for my setup.
Bill
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1591050813514.jpg
    FB_IMG_1591050813514.jpg
    279.6 KB · Views: 426
  • 20200601_140010.jpg
    20200601_140010.jpg
    4.9 MB · Views: 408
  • 20200531_152115.jpg
    20200531_152115.jpg
    3.1 MB · Views: 338
  • 20200531_152105.jpg
    20200531_152105.jpg
    5.5 MB · Views: 321
  • 20200531_152046.jpg
    20200531_152046.jpg
    3.3 MB · Views: 302
I posted mine a long time ago, so I don't know which page of this thread its on. I'm not sure if it was mine that you based yours from, but the design is similar.

This is how it looks now.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1254.jpeg
    IMG_1254.jpeg
    2.5 MB · Views: 308
  • IMG_1255.jpeg
    IMG_1255.jpeg
    2.1 MB · Views: 304
I did see yours while browsing, but it was a different one I am thinking. I will do some searching to make sure that I give credit where credit is due.
 
Sorry, I wasn’t looking for credit. In fact, I was inspired to build mine because I saw one similar. I was thinking when I wrote my post that the design is pretty common. Everybody builds it to suit their own, but it’s still the same basic design. It works great. Mine is now over 10 years old. I have over 100 batches recorded, and I have no idea how many unrecorded batches. I’m sure yours will serve you for a long time too.
 
Here is old faithful. 1 bbl stout set up with herms. Gas fired and works awesome. Hopefully upgrading to semi automated controls.
View attachment 703348
Quick question, did you install that drain with grate in the cement floor? Looks like you might have that draining into that sump hole to the right, can you describe this set up?

I'm building up a brewery in my garage, but it's in the rear corner and haven't yet figured out what to do with the inevitable spillage and mess I am sure to create. This looks like a possible solution for me. Thanks in advance, and great looking set up you've got there!
 
Quick question, did you install that drain with grate in the cement floor? Looks like you might have that draining into that sump hole to the right, can you describe this set up?

I'm building up a brewery in my garage, but it's in the rear corner and haven't yet figured out what to do with the inevitable spillage and mess I am sure to create. This looks like a possible solution for me. Thanks in advance, and great looking set up you've got there!


Yes. Two pieces of drainage tube from home depot and goes right to a sump pump with floats. Makes life so much easier.
 
Yes. Two pieces of drainage tube from home depot and goes right to a sump pump with floats. Makes life so much easier.
So you got a saw to cut the lines clean, I'll assume. Then jack hammer it clear? Where did you source that floor grate?

Yep, that's a nice job. That's where I'm headed with this, thanks for the tip!
 
Hi there. I'm a new member/long time lurker. Here's a shot of my brewstand. I built it from repurposed wood from a buddies old deck. It doubles as an outdoor workbench, quite nicely. My favorite thing about this stand is that the burner platform is on wheels and stows nicely below the main bench, when not in use.
brewstand.jpg
 
While I await the end of the pandemic and the return to normalcy to open my Brew pub in the abandoned convenience store we bought. I built this Brew Shed. 1 bbl electric 2 vessels. Custom fabricated tippy dump. 2 SS Brewtech 1bbl conicals and a 1bbl unitank.
 

Attachments

  • 20200916_130757_HDR.jpg
    20200916_130757_HDR.jpg
    3 MB · Views: 166
  • 20201116_130025_HDR.jpg
    20201116_130025_HDR.jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 196
  • 20201116_130020_HDR.jpg
    20201116_130020_HDR.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 201
Here's my Grainfather Brew Rig. Wanted something on wheels so I could use it in the kitchen when it's too cold to brew in the garage. Holds all the gear needed for a brew day. I wanted all-electric, so I'm using an induction cook top to heat my sparge water.

I'm with you on brewing in the kitchen and having the brewstand on wheels. Here is my take on the Grainfather. There is a link to the build thread in my sig.

20201018_161055.jpg


20201018_163331.jpg


20210116_181254.jpg


20210117_004159.jpg
 
Garage Brewer, what can I say. The better half let's me brew outside and I have a fermentation room in the basement. One day I'll build a pole barn with a heated brewery.
 

Attachments

  • brew table.jpg
    brew table.jpg
    714.2 KB · Views: 141
Last edited:
At first I had a wood workbench from Harbor Freight, then I got this cabinet and counter for free. I havent used it yet, I had to build a hood first. I should be brewing in the spring.
 

Attachments

  • 20210121_095239.jpg
    20210121_095239.jpg
    2.6 MB · Views: 111
  • 20210121_095304.jpg
    20210121_095304.jpg
    2.5 MB · Views: 111
  • 20210121_095239.jpg
    20210121_095239.jpg
    2.6 MB · Views: 99
Nothing fancy but gets the job done. I use a grainfather controller on my DIY HTL and my boil kettle sits on the ground during brew day. I also use the burner on my mash then after collecting my runnings I move the burner to the boil kettle. Will eventually get a second burner and another pump.
 

Attachments

  • AED1AB6E-7BD1-465A-8224-CB4199C9F577.jpeg
    AED1AB6E-7BD1-465A-8224-CB4199C9F577.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 120
  • D7BE856E-868F-470C-9C39-B9EF596C8C41.jpeg
    D7BE856E-868F-470C-9C39-B9EF596C8C41.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 117
I just did a major upgrade to my system. RIMS tube. Stainless Counterflow chiller. A pump. And push button igniters for the burners. Plus new camlocks for the tubing, and a new flow through thermometer. I also added another port to the brew kettle for whirlpooling.

The wet test will be done this week, and if it all checks out, I’ll be brewing on it next week.
 

Attachments

  • 5CC20769-D923-40C6-913D-4402126B5078.jpeg
    5CC20769-D923-40C6-913D-4402126B5078.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 111
Nice bunch of upgrades!
I'm thinking of going w/ RIMS, also.
And I'm certainly going to install pushbutton ignitors on my three burners, I can't believe I never thought of that!
Enjoy your new rig!
 
Thanks Tom. I’d been thinking about a RIMS for a while, and finally pulled the trigger. I’m looking forward to brewing with this. The sculpture is well over 10 years old, with way more than 100 batches through it. These upgrades will make the next 100 that much better.

As far as the push button igniters, I decided to do that when I misplaced my lighter a few times last year. I just got around to actually doing it when I was building out the upgrades. For my two igniters, and mounting hardware, I’m at about $50. An inexpensive upgrade compared to the others, but worth every penny.
 
On the flip side for this, I'm back to a kettle and a cooler on a folding table. 2 years of puttering with designs has me back where I started, mostly because of space considerations. This setup lets me stuff it all in the corner when I'm not brewing and that has value. If I ever have to do it again I'll honestly probably go Brewzilla or Anvil.
 
This is my first still, 2” column, a Gatling condenser and a Leibig condenser, some people call it a shotgun condenser.
Hi, in fact what you call a Gatling condenser by reference to the famous machine gun is a fire box condenser or shot gun condenser. Liebig condenser is different, it's one pipe inside another pipe for the coolant.. I have a Ø 3" VM column with a reflux condenser on top of the column and a Liebig condenser.
That's why I'm on this forum by the way. The difference between a whisky and a beer, at the beginning, is the absence of hop in whisky... The brewing process is similar. The beer is so crab and expensive where I live now that I want to brew my own beer, I come from Belgium but live abroad, somewhere in SE Asia
column on boiler.png
gin basket in place.png
Liebig condenser.png
reflux condenser.JPG
... Instead of a vinegar run, try vinegar + salt and leave it inside for a night then rinse it well, I tried a vinegar run, because I saw videos recommending this, what came out was almost distilled water... Acetic acid has a boiling t° around 117°C... The first picture shows the whole column and the boiler, the second one shows the gin basket on the pot still setting, then you have the Liebig condenser and finally the reflux condenser... I'm going to modify my Liebig condenser and wait for some copper fittings, it's OK when I use my VM reflux still, but in the Pot Still setting the product is too hot ... It's also my first still, so far I made some Vodka (as neutral for Gin) and some Rum...
 
Last edited:
Brew day! Disregard the mess, just bought a house and in this, too small, rental til June. New house means I get to build a garage and brewery!! Until then enjoy my brew stand.

57C47E3E-279E-458A-BBF7-95D821DC917D.jpeg
 
Back
Top