AG without a brewstand

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desiderata

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How many of you are brewing good AG beer without the investment in a brewstand? I'm thinking of going into all-grain, but I don't know if I want to purchase one, or if I'll even have room for one.

Is it viable?
What methods do you use?
How safe is it? (I'm thinking of lifting the wort, pouring, etc.)
How efficient is it/time consuming?

All I have so far are two orange Rubbermaid 5 ga. coolers to convert. I'd still need to get a burner and larger brew pot, among other accoutrements. I just need to know if there are others out there who do fine brewing AG without a 3-tier brewstand. Thanks.
 
Brewstands are nice, but with your setup they are far from mandatory. I have a tall (bar height) kitchen table and I have the same setup with two 5 gal. orange coolers. The sparge tank goes on the table, the mash tun goes on a heavy duty cardboard box that's the right height and the brew pot goes on the floor. Meanwhile, two stockpots are on the stove to heat water as needed for temp adjustments.

Works fine so far. If I lived in a state where it was nice all the time, or, even if I had an attached garage, I suppose I would set up some kind of a stand and get an extra burner of some type to heat sparge water.

If you just want a stand, there are zillions of ways to make them, but I think the cheapest, easiest stands I have seen are made by using heavy duty metal shelving units.

It's far from a necessity, though.
 
Hi desiderata,

My entire setup consists of a 48 qt cooler converted with CPVC manifold and a turkey fryer burner/pot combo from Lowes that costs about 80 bucks. I just set my lauter tun up on my patio table and sparge into my brew kettle on the ground. You don't "need" a three teir stand from what I can see but it would be a nice addition if you find that you will be doing this for a while.
 
Thanks for the replies.

So, the heated sparge water going into the kettle doesn't damage the floor/patio?

and then, I'm guessing you have to lift up the kettle full of wort to put on the stove/burner? I'd have to be really trusting of the kettle's handles :cross:
 
The sparge water should only be around 170 degrees it shouldnt hurt anything. If you are concerned you could always use a wet towel underneath it though. On the second part you definately need to trust your handles but most pots of this size are made to handle the weight.
 
I use a 7 gal kettle, a turkey fryer burner and a 5 gal igloo water cooler with a SS braid. I havnt had any issues with safety as the coolers are easy to lift when full, you just have to be careful your back. Ive done at least 10 AGs with no stand and have no intentions of doing one any time soon.
 
No brewstand here. No need, its a luxury. I haven't had any problems due to lack of brewstand.

Only equipment I bought to upgrade from extract to AG was a cooler and some copper tubing for the manifold.
 
I have a turkey fryer and a set of shelving. I'm converting a spare microwave cart, so I can work outside if I like. I've seen good AG done on folding card tables.

I have a large pitcher I use to move wort & water around most of the time. Sometimes, I'll use the other burner and the pump, but not generally.
 
My brewstand build is stalled at the moment due to other projects, so I'm still using my old ghetto-rigged system in my garage: My sparge oges on top of my pop-up camper, and I put my picnic table next to that and set my mash on the table, and my keggle goes on the grround under the table.

>shrugs<
It works.............
 
I think every single one of us started without a "real" brewstand. You aren't a better brewer automatically because of it. :D

The ONLY reason I wanted a brewstand was for safety. I was tired of lifting 100 lbs. of scalding hot fluid over my head--and that is why I made something permanent. I almost like tinkering with projects as much as I like brewing, so really that is the only reason I've spent so much time and effort on my rig.

Back when I was using the plastic shelves and picnic table for tiers, it was still fun as ever.

Safety was #1 priority for me, YMMV!
 
Dude,

I have seen your photos of your equipment and if I can tell you that you have a knack that most of us don't have. Your stuff looks fantastic and if I could make something half as good, I would have a brewstand also!
 
Lesee, my brewstand consists of the old kitchen table on the patio, with various chairs and stools for 'levels'. I mash in an un-converted 34q cooler with no spigot. Then I ladle into my bottling bucket, which does have a stainless braid temporarily jammed into the spigot. Use a 2qt sauce pan as the ladel. A big pot is a neccessity and a a turkey burner makes things go faster, as well as keep the kitchen cleaner. I cleanup and sanitise in a huge rubbermaid tub on saw horses in the back yard.

My only speciallised brewing equipment is the bottling bucket. And if you made a copper tubing 'racking cane' with a braid filter on the bottom, any bucket would do.

Or make the 'racking filter' to fit my cooler, save the ladeling? naaah, not worth the effort, wouldn't work well in my rectangular cooler.
 
desiderata said:
How many of you are brewing good AG beer without the investment in a brewstand? I'm thinking of going into all-grain, but I don't know if I want to purchase one, or if I'll even have room for one.

Is it viable?
What methods do you use?
How safe is it? (I'm thinking of lifting the wort, pouring, etc.)
How efficient is it/time consuming?

All I have so far are two orange Rubbermaid 5 ga. coolers to convert. I'd still need to get a burner and larger brew pot, among other accoutrements. I just need to know if there are others out there who do fine brewing AG without a 3-tier brewstand. Thanks.

Yeah I dont have one. I have 2 10gallon coolers, one goes on top the fridge the other on the counter, and that one drains into my kettle on the floor.
 
No stand for me. I put the MLT on a step stool and the kettle on the concrete. Sparge water is transfered by hand one quart at a time. Still have great beer.

A stand would be nice though. I have a plan in the works. Just need more $
 
I had no plans for a brewstand until I found out that evanmars (recently relocated to the Northern Berkshires) is both a welder and willing to teach....
 
I think most people can find some "stuff" around the house to get the different levels you need for your "3-Tiers" for fly spargers and 2 for the rest although here's a bad example:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=239454&postcount=33

I'm using an old folding table and a mini fridge because that's what was lying around my carport at the time. I may eventually build something, especially if I start doing 10 gallon batches. Right now 7.5 gallons of liquid is the most I have to lift which is (8lbs/gallon) only 60lbs. My wife can lug 60lbs, so I don't think it should be a problem for anyone else.

Here's the rig:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23789

:mug:
 
I recently installed a slop sink in my basement, so I've moved brewing operations down there - at the same time I switched to batch sparging, so I only need two levels - an old teacher's desk and the floor. Works great for me, and the best part is I don't have to be as careful about water on the floor -- this is an unfinished walk-out basement - concrete floor. Propane cooker goes right outside of basement door. All the brew gear is stored downstairs anyway, so the whole process is much easier now.

I don't even want a brewstand right now, as I don't have a place to store it, and I can pretty much brew in any weather without standing outside in the cold/rain/snow/blistering heat - only outside for limited time at the kettle.
 
I see a lot of great ideas. thanks.

Born Brewing Co. said:


Cheap painting ladder from Lowe's about $35. Stores flat and is portable for brew days at friends houses.

I especially like this one.
 
Agreed - you can brew AG w/out a brew stand. I did for quite a while.

But, as Dude said, lifting scalding water over your head or carrying it up a ladder sucks in a big way. And, if you're using a HLT that's close to full, it's really not any fun! This of course becomes even worse if you want to brew 10 gal batches.

To anyone who has even the slightest desire, I highly recommend trying to build your own. I had never welded, don't know jack about plumbing, but have some mechanical know-how and building mine was easy and way worth it. I had some family with some scrap 2" steel (saved ~ $60), my brother has a welder and showed me the basics (saved ??), and I figured out the plumbing for the propane on my own. Total $$: ~ $75. Total time: 4 hours. Peace of mind + ease of brewday: priceless. ;)

Oh, and BTW - this thing has a small enough footprint, that it easily fits in our standard sized garage in front of our Expedition!

brew_stand_complete.JPG
 
here's what I did.

Home depot has a small scaffold for approx. $80. They fold up when not in use and have locking wheels making them fairly portable, very stable with easy storage.

I got 2 scaffolds and have a turkey fryer and pot on the highest level. I bridge from 1 scaffold to the other for my mid level with 2 each 1x8's that holds the MLT. I used some scrap 2x6's to get the MLT at just the right height. And the boil pot is on the lowest level of the second scaffold.

This setup allows gravity flow all the way into the carboy(s) which sit on the floor.

It does take up a lot more room than a tree when fully assembled. But I thought the portability, small storage footprint and flexibility more than offset the fact that it takes up a good bit of room when in use. Plus I liked the fact that I can use the scaffolds when I paint or work around the house. They also have a small work platform on the ends where I keep spoons, paddles and other items handy.

I think you could easily use just 1 scaffold by making your own lower level out of 2 each 2x8's and using a picnic table or something handy as your mid level.

Edit: I built this setup with doing 10 Gal. brews in mind. After doing a few 5 gal. to get the process down I'm now doing 10 gal. per brew session. I like brewing but my time is very limited. And I find it takes approx. the same amount of time & effort to do 5 or 10 gal.
 
Hmmm, I usually do 5 gallon batchs. The most water I move at a time is 3 1/2 gallons. About 35#, with kettle, up onto a chair on the table. That's the heated sparge water, to be drained through the mash on a stool, into a bucket on the floor. The kettle is empty when the bucket is full, put the kettle back on the burner and transfer what's in the bucket while the sparge soaks. Return bucket for the rest of the sparge.

At the risk of overstating the obvious, Brewstands are really nice for 10 gallon and bigger batchs. But easily replaced with normal household items for 5g and smaller.
 
The one batch I did worked out well. In my garage, I have a freezer next to my workbench, so I put the strike/sparge on the freezer, and the MLT on the work bench and used a piece of hose to siphon, then put my kettle on the floor under the tun. After I boiled, the turkey fryer stand is tall enough to get a good amount of siphon going to the carboy.

I haven't incorporated my chiller yet but once I finish my keggle it'll sit on a chair or stool nearby.
 
I do AG without a brew stand, and most of it is done in the kitchen.

I heat my mash & sparge water on the stove in the kitchen.

SpargeWater.jpg


The MLT is a 10 gallon cooler that sits next to the sink.

NewMLT.jpg


I batch sparge right into the brew kettle which is part of an 8 gallon stainless turkey fryer I bought from Costco a few years ago.

Kettle.jpg


After collecting 7 gallons of runnings, I do the boil outside as well as the chilling.

TheBoil.jpg


No brew rig, though I would like to have one of those fancy B3 jobs someday. The main thing is this method has produced some fantastic beer for me.

Life is good!
 
I work outside...

The MLT (8.5 gal rectangular cooler) goes on sawhorses, high enough to drain into the keggle on the burner. I measure mash and sparge water into a five gallon bucket and lift it in batches of 5 gallons or less into the MLT.

I batch sparge, before draining the tun into the kettle, I drain the rest of the sparge water into a second (unaltered) cooler, which I then lift up onto the sawhorses--that's usually 4 gallons or less.

The lifting is really pretty manageable--I'm in my 40s and don't lift weights or anything, and I don't have any problems.
 
cweston said:
The lifting is really pretty manageable--I'm in my 40s and don't lift weights or anything, and I don't have any problems.

Yeah, I hear ya. I'm approaching 45, and I lift up 5.5 gallons in a kettle to pour through a strainer into my bucket fermentor. That's as heavy as it gets. No problems yet, but when I go to 10 gallon batches, I'll be using some kind of pump to move wort/beer around.
 
On my last batch, I got the MLT up nice and high. Since I batch sparge, I never have to lift more than 3-4 gallons up to dump into the MLT. However, the keggle filled with 5.5 gallons of wort is NOT fun to lift.
 
3tier.JPG


I actually sparge to a pail and transfer into the kettle outside. The picture is just to show you don't have to lift scalding water to any heights without brew sculpture.
 
EdWort said:
Yeah, I hear ya. I'm approaching 45, and I lift up 5.5 gallons in a kettle to pour through a strainer into my bucket fermentor. That's as heavy as it gets. No problems yet, but when I go to 10 gallon batches, I'll be using some kind of pump to move wort/beer around.


Yeah my setup is so very close to what you have Ed. I have thought though, if I go to larger I would definitely need a pump. It would be nearly impossible and dangerous to move twice that amount with my Popeye's.
 
orfy said:
3tier.JPG


I actually sparge to a pail and transfer into the kettle outside. The picture is just to show you don't have to lift scalding water to any heights without brew sculpture.


Plus if you have some spare dogs, you can strap the MLT to their backs and make them work for their chow :D
 
OK, so that I'm not being mistaken for stating that you need one, I'm not. Obviously you can get by without one, but...


orfy - that's a tidy setup you've got there. However, my guess is a lot of people don't end up with their HLT waste high. I tried several different jerry-rigged configurations to get my levels right. None of them looked as tidy as Born Brewing Co's (see below), but most had the levels at about the same height as his. I fly sparged exclusively in the past, so my HLT (just a 7 gal bucket w/ spout) was usually pretty full of scalding water and I was having to lift it at least shoulder height - I HATED that, not because I can't but because of the risk of serious burns! And lifting a very full kettle (7.5 gal pot) onto the burner wasn't fun either.

All I'm saying is that a dedicated brew stand has dramatically changed by brewing experience and at a very modest cost. No more contrived setup. No more lifting ANYTHING except my grains up to the MLT. If I had experienced using one earlier in my brewing career, I would've built one long ago!!! My guess is most other brewers out there would too - they just don't know what they're missing.

Born Brewing Co. said:


Cheap painting ladder from Lowe's about $35. Stores flat and is portable for brew days at friends houses.




C'mon, there are other guys on this forum using brew stands. Chime in here so that I know I'm not alone. You know you love your brew stand. Give these guys some reasons why they don't know what they're missing.
 
Gotta be able to wheel it outside to brew in the summer!
 
Two tier system and some heavy lifting.
InsideSetup.jpg

InsideSetupA.jpg
Heat water in big pot.
Pour hot water into MT.
Move emptied pot to lower level. (SWMBO suggests a towel underneath...go figure)
Drain and use smaller pots to heat water for sparging.

Hardest part...carrying that 6 gallons of 160 degree wort out to the garage for the boil. If I get a bigger MLT and a larger pot, I could use the same system and transfer the wort to the kettle in multiple batches.
 
we've cobbled together some wooden tables for our 'brew stand'

cost about twenty bucks in lumber and screws.

brew064.jpg
 
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