Equipment for AG ?

[ak-71]

I am planning to be able to do AG sometime this spring. I have a 10gal pot to boil water/wort, burner, copper tubing/hose/clamps to make a chiller, and planning on buying a 52qt cooler for mashing.
I just realized that I also need to have something to collect first portion of the wort before I batch sparge as my “boiling” pot will be holding sparge water at this point…

So the question is what can I use for that purpose?
Could I just use a homedepot type of a 5 gal bucket? Or should I use a plastic (semi transparent) fermenter, but I think it may not like high temperature.
What do you use? It seems to me that another pot is not needed unless I heat anything in it, am I right?
Do I need anithing else to switch to AG?

 

[BrewinHooligan]

I just made the switch to AG and use my Ale Pail to collect runnings. If you have a carboy or Better Bottle I wouldn't use those, a 5 gal Home Depot bucket will work just fine and be cheap.

 

[DrJerryrigger]

I use other pots and pans I have for cooking. Some times it takes a few. I've also used my fermentation bucket (plastic). If you do use a new plastic bucket fill it with water and let it sit, new plastic can add a bad taste.

 

[ak-71]

Thanks, I'll try a Home Depot bucket, sounds like it shouldn't kill me or (more important) the beer

 

[slarkin712]

Check out brew in a bag techniques. You will not need a mash tun or even another pot to boil water in. This technique probably requires the least amount of equipment for brewing all grain.

 

[Jayhem]

Be sure you use a "Food Grade" bucket, Home depo has non-food grade and food-grade buckets. Non-food grade could leach some plastic resins into the hot wort.

 

[chalmer9]

Why does your boiling pot need to hold the sparge water?

 

[ak-71]

Just because I don't have another big pot.

Be sure you use a "Food Grade" bucket, Home depo has non-food grade and food-grade buckets. Non-food grade could leach some plastic resins into the hot wort.

Do they say which ones are "food grade"? I thought of regular 5 gal ones people use to sit on when ice fishing (sure there are more uses for them)...

 

[SwivelHips]

I drain my wort right into my BK and use an inexpensive canning pot for my sparge water. Works fine as long as it's clean and sanitized.

Not too keen on moving my hot wort between containers any more than I have to.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

My Ale Pail is maked HDPE with a number 2 in the triangle. The white 5 gallon bucket I bought from HD for my bottling bucket is the same.

 

[chalmer9]

Just because I don't have another big pot.



Do they say which ones are "food grade"? I thought of regular 5 gal ones people use to sit on when ice fishing (sure there are more uses for them)...

Simple answer then. Get a Rubbermaid or another pot to hold your sparge water, and drain directly into your boiling pot.

 

[eljefe]

I have two 10 gal rubber made coolers, one for the mashing and one for the hot sparge water. The cooler maintains the temp allowing me to use my pot to collect the runoff. You may be able to use a 5 gallon cooler as well. There is a post in the DIY section that talks about the modified cooler as mash tun, I did the same minus the stainless steal braid for the hot water tank.

 

[BigBlue10EM]

I have two 10 gal rubber made coolers, one for the mashing and one for the hot sparge water. The cooler maintains the temp allowing me to use my pot to collect the runoff. You may be able to use a 5 gallon cooler as well. There is a post in the DIY section that talks about the modified cooler as mash tun, I did the same minus the stainless steal braid for the hot water tank.

+1 I made a MLT and HLT out of two 10 gallon cyndrical coolers from Home Depot. All in all, cost me under $100.

 

[GrantH]

I used ONLY a 52 qt cooler, my 7 gallon pot, and a 3 gallon pot for my first AG batch. I now have my 52 qt, 7 gallon, and 15 gallon pot. I will be brewing tomorrow afternoon with it.