$500 All Grain System Challenge

[bennett2136]

Attention doctors of all grain brewing! I've recently decided to phase out my extract equipment and start fresh with an all grain system. I'm completely in awe of the crazy automated systems you bier scholars build and would love to have one but, my budget is WAY too small! What 5 gallon system would you build if you had $500 to spend? Could I manage a simple HERM system or am I stuck with direct-fired?

Let me know your ideas, cheers

 

[passedpawn]

You can switch to AG for $50. All you need is a 10g igloo cooler, a water supply hose (use the braid), and some vinyl tubing. I've been there.

I'm now at the other end of the spectrum now, shelling out money (grows on tree out back) for stainless everything.

 

[allclene]

U can also get ahold of some pony kegs or full size ones frome a liquer store and cut the tops off then put a spicket on it. Use a turkey cooker burner to mash. U can buy a false bottom just about any brew shop. All in all u looking at less than 100.00 for basic setup and yes its all stainless. U can get real fansy if u know how to weld like i did. I setup 3 tier cooker using full size kegs works great make 10 gal at a time from grains

 

[Revvy]

You can switch to AG for $50. All you need is a 10g igloo cooler, a water supply hose (use the braid), and some vinyl tubing.

This is my AG brew system that has served me well for several years, and it cost me nowhere near 500 bucks.

 

[bennett2136]

I have thought about going that way but I love shiny things. If I do go the cooler route, what cooler mash tun design would allow for the best efficacy?

 

[weirdboy]

The cooler solves a lot of problems for you. It keeps you from losing too much temperature throughout the mash, and it's a lot cheaper than buying equivalent stainless steel equipment.

If you go with a SS kettle/false bottom type of setup for a dedicated MLT, you are going to have trouble controlling temps. Now, you can make some kind of insulating wrapper fairly cheap, and maybe direct fire it while stirring profusely, but the IMO cooler is a simpler solution that doesn't cause as many headaches.

Of course then you could get into RIMS or HERMS, but I have doubts about whether one could pull that off for less than $500 without finding some good deals on craigslist/ebay, or already having most of the necessary tools and maybe even some pieces of equipment that you could adapt for brewing.



Another lower-cost alternative that would be a bit more blingy would be to rig up a BIAB setup with stainless. In that case you'd want a much larger kettle...I'd say at least 15 gallons but 20 would be better. Then you can probably set it up with a pump and do recirculation, etc. and get it under $500. It would be pretty close to $500, though, I would think.

 

[bennett2136]

I guess the only reason I have been shying away from the cooler method is the efficacy aspect. I would rather spend a little more money upfront and be able to get more consistent and repeatable brews. I haven't had much experience with AG so if this is paranoid and I should just man up and get a cooler let me know.

 

[weirdboy]

There is nothing really preventing you from getting a cooler now, and then adding a HERMS or RIMS setup to it later on when you can afford it. There are a TON of variables involved with brewing an all-grain batch, and your repeatability is going to vary due to things like your ingredients, crush, etc. moreso than whether you use a cooler or HERMS.

 

[iaefebs]

I love shiny things.

Shiny things will cost you more than $500.

 

[weirdboy]

I would also say the the main thing that RIMS/HERMS allows you to control more carefully is your mash temperature. The BEST THING you can do to improve consistency in this area, in my opinion, is to spend a bit of money on a very good, quick-read thermometer that will give you consistent numbers.

 

[microbusbrewery]

Yeah your biggest money hogs for going with a HERMS is going to be a pump and temp control, assuming you're after some automation. I have an eHERMS controlled by a BCS-460. I haven't added up my total cost (afraid to) but I can guarantee it was more than $500. All the little parts/components can add up too. That said, my system started off as a cooler-based gravity fed system a lot like the ones pictured above. Nothing wrong with going that route. Then maybe add some upgrades over the next couple years. I'd recommend a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler for your mash tun because as the other posters have said they're cheap and they work well. I'd also get a large boil kettle (8 gallon minimum) with fittings for a ball valve and a thermometer because that should work well for you regardless of what you decide to do in the future. Also a powerful burner in a sturdy stand.

 

[Revvy]

Is 85% good enough efficiency for you? I find that the biggest factor is graincrush, rather than the type of mashtun you choose. Or better phrashed, having the best crush for the system you use. My lowly 5 gallon cooler with crush from my barley crusher has been netting me 85% efficiency.

You only need to hold your temps for a set amount of time, usually an hour for a normal mash, and that's nothing for a cooler to maintain.

 

[Fat_Bastard]

This is my AG brew system that has served me well for several years, and it cost me nowhere near 500 bucks.

I have the exact same system as revvy.one pot and one burner,I use my fermenter bucket to catch and store my runnings until I free up the pot to boil.

 

[skyebrewing]

I guess the only reason I have been shying away from the cooler method is the efficacy aspect. I would rather spend a little more money upfront and be able to get more consistent and repeatable brews. I haven't had much experience with AG so if this is paranoid and I should just man up and get a cooler let me know.

I use 2 10 gal igloo round coolers (mlt, hlt) a bayou classic sp14 and 8 gal pot. A corona mill and 3 foot braid nets me 85% efficiency and the cooler only loses a degree an hour for way less than 500. Dont count coolers out!

 

[bennett2136]

Thanks guys!

 

[weirdboy]

I think you guys need to study English.

ef·fi·ca·cy/ˈefikəsē/
Noun:
The ability to produce a desired or intended result

Completely different word, and meaning, from efficiency.

 

[skyebrewing]

Efficiency or efficacy still yields the same result of a consistent 85%. If consistent, then its repeatable.

 

[MrManifesto]

i'd spend the $50 and get a system that will do the job right and spend $450 on ingredients for a crap ton of brew rather than worry about having shiny stuff.

 

[Runyanka]

This is my AG brew system that has served me well for several years, and it cost me nowhere near 500 bucks.

Looks like mine. My beer is good and my wallet doesn't kick me in the nuts either!

 

[bennett2136]

What are the pros and cons of a BIAB setup vs a traditional setup with a cooler mash tun?

 

[iaefebs]

What are the pros and cons of a BIAB setup vs a traditional setup with a cooler mash tun?

Brewing beer is thousands of years old. There is no traditional setup. There are a lot of methods, but the ultimate choice is yours. The search button can be your friend.

 

[Conan]

Cooler guy here. In my experience with BIAB, it works. For me it was the dirtiest, most work-intensive method of brewing but in the end I made one of my most liked beers. Work intensive because your 'runnings' involve you holding a dripping wet grain bag for 15 minutes or so, waiting for it to run dry. Note, I'm an apartment stovetop brewer with no way to rig a bag holder over the pot. This, and the few drips that missed the pot and were subsequently burned to the stovetop, were the only real drawbacks. It made beer, and did it cheaply. Also, I suppose, temp control was harder. I mashed in a thin-wall, cheapo SS pot that probably fluctuated temps by 5 degrees plus or minus over the hour.

Now I use a square cooler and SS braid, batch sparge and crush on a converted pasta roller mill. Not perfectly sure what my eff is because I haven't done the math, but it's 75% or so. Much easier- heat water, siphon into cooler, dough in, wait, drain, repeat, boil, ferment. Worst part is cleanup. Downside to this setup: had to buy the cooler ($40), and put some valves on my kettle/ cooler (~$15 each). I may post some pics later. Kyle

 

[Malticulous]

What are the pros and cons of a BIAB setup vs a traditional setup with a cooler mash tun?

BIAB only needs a bag, a pot and a burner. Clean up is easy. There is normally no sparge. Efficiency will be lower but can be pretty good really and you can pulverize the grian because you can not get a stuck mash.. Like all styles of mashing BHE is going to be dependent on grain vs. total water ratios. You have to have a pot big enough to hold your gran and boil volume.

The cooler MLT is very good at holding temperature, can do larger size batches and grain bills, and allows for easy and efficient sparging. You can get very clean wort. The draw back is your going to have to heat water and boil in another vessel/s.

I honestly do not know of a advantage of a herms/rims system.

 

[Conan]

Found the pic I promised- it's a ~42qt cooler draining to my BK- and I'm standing with the stove to my right and the 4th wall of the kitchen at my back. Brewhouse: 5x12'. Haha.

Kyle

 

[rexbanner]

Cooler guy here. In my experience with BIAB, it works. For me it was the dirtiest, most work-intensive method of brewing but in the end I made one of my most liked beers. Work intensive because your 'runnings' involve you holding a dripping wet grain bag for 15 minutes or so, waiting for it to run dry. Note, I'm an apartment stovetop brewer with no way to rig a bag holder over the pot.

I was in the same boat, I used my oven rack to hold the bag for me. It worked pretty well.

If I had money I might get into RIMS, but I'd probably just end up going with direct fire and gravity, and use the money saved to build a bigger system. A 1/2 barrel aluminum system could easily be made for $500.

If you want to spend all your $500 on equipment, first make sure you have a fermentation chamber, accurate digital thermometer, and pure O2 system. Those three extras along with any set-up will allow you to brew beer on par with anyone else's, fancy system or otherwise.

 

[TopherM]

Anyone can go from extract brewing to all-grain brewing for $2.00 with Brew-in-a-Bag (BAIB). Just go buy a paint strainer bag. Do I win the challange prize?

 

[audger]

Of course then you could get into RIMS or HERMS, but I have doubts about whether one could pull that off for less than $500 without finding some good deals on craigslist/ebay, or already having most of the necessary tools and maybe even some pieces of equipment that you could adapt for brewing.

price breakdown of the HERMS i built:

1- 1gallon S.Steel Bain Marie pot from walmart $8
1- 10-foot 1/2" copper tube $13
1- RTD Temp probe, grainger.com, $14
1- chineese PID, light-object.com, $32
1- 40A SSR, light-object.com, $12
1- copper 1/2" sweat:1/4"FNPT adapter $1
1- 1/2" copper Tee, sweat, $.70
2- 1/2" copper sweat:1/2" FNPT, $1.20
1- 2kW heater element, 8" long, $12
1- 1.25"x1" NPS reducing bushing (element screws into) $4


total: <$100 including electronic temp sensor and controller.
(not included- silver solder+flux, enclosure for the PID and relay/heatsink, some 12ga and 22ga wire and a few inches of 1/2" copper pipe i had laying around, and tools if you dont already have them. and of course, you need a pump.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/ghost6303/beer/028c9f45.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/ghost6303/beer/b9f4e1f7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/ghost6303/beer/7bbb3bd2.jpg

 

[bigljd]

Anyone can go from extract brewing to all-grain brewing for $2.00 with Brew-in-a-Bag (BAIB). Just go buy a paint strainer bag. Do I win the challange prize?

You do need an accurate thermometer though, so assuming you don't have one your cost might escalate to $22.