How can I improve my All Grain Set Up?

[MPEbeling]

Hey all, I am working on improving my All grain set up...all of my family wants Christmas ideas and they all love the beer I make, so brewing stuff is always their favorite thing to get me.

Here is what I have so far...a Blichman beer stand with 2 10 gallon coolers for my MLT and my HLT and a 15 gallon Blichman Brew kettle. I use a 3 tier set up and I have a March pump that I have not been able to figure out how to use given that it has to be primed and be x distance away from the flame. I brew in my garage with a natural gas line and I ferment in glass carboys/plastic buckets in my basement. I keg all my beers and bottle with a Blichman beer gun from the keg should I need bottles of anything.


here are the Questions I have...any advice would be helpful.

1) And advice/photos on how to set up my tower so I can use the pump to pump the water from my BK to the HLT/MLT?

2) I wanted to do a big 10 gallon batch of a big IPA I make and all the grain wont fit in one cooler...can I do 2 separate 5 gallon batches in the MLT, and gather both pre boil and then do one 10 gallon boil?

3) or can I get another false bottom and use the HLT as a MLT and do two simultaneous 5 gallon MLT batches and use the liquid from the top HLT to sparge the bottom mlt, and maybe cycle the water out of the BK to the top using the pump while draining from hlt to mlt to bk with gravity? Maybe I am over complicating it?

4) currently I use glass carboys and plastic buckets to ferment my 5 gallon batches in my basement where the temperature is a little hard to control at times and ferm temps will fall to the low 60's which has stalled a few batches. What is the best way to manage that? I see there are different belts and wraps etc, and digital regulators that can be used to set the ideal fermenting temp...anyone had success with any of this stuff?

5) I would like to start doing larger (10 gallon batches) and was thinking about getting a large conical fermentor, but I would have to keep it in my garage (I live in OH) which poses a problem in the winters. Is there a way to manage the temps of these with out spending $2k on a temp controlled stainless conical? Is there a preference bt plastic and stainless? What size should I get?

6) what other gear would be helpful to add to my set up? A hopblocker? A counterflow chiller (therminator)? Anything else that is really helpful to take my brewing game to the next level?

I realize this is a lot, but any advice, opinions, suggestions, diagrams, etc would be helpful.

Happy Holidays!

 

[Yellowirenut]

I am going to comment on your fermentation temps. A heated belt will raise your temps in the carboy but if its not in a insulated box of some kind the concrete floor will soon suck that heat out. Even if the carboy is up off the floor.
If you are going into lagaring then you certainly MUST get some sort of temperature controlled box as those temps must be maintained for a longer period of time than an ale fermentation. You can find many ideas on how to build temp control a box on this site. I went with a mini fridge hacked with a STC-1000. For the heating I use a devices used to keep seedlings warm for early spring starts. I think I spent $175 total
I am sure your outdoor temps are like mine in Northern Indiana. It was in the teens last week and Sunday they are calling for 60 deg.

 

[DrKnow]

We all have a tendency to want more gadgets and gear to make brewing "easier." It sounds like you have a decent gravity fed set up. Much more sophisticated than my cooler and two pots. If I was in your situation, a temp controller paired with a cheap or used fridge to make a fermentation chamber would be top priority. Take my word for it, you'll be amazed how temp control will take your beer to the next level.

 

[MPEbeling]

I think you are both right and the temperature controlled fermentation should be my biggest focus right now and I realized there are a lot of different ways to make the boxes to control temps, that is part of what I am looking for advice on.

I am not into lagering at the moment (who knows as I brew more), and more worried about keeping fermentors warm enough so I can do everything in my garage. Seems like most of the units I see are for keeping the ferm cold, not warm. Maybe I should just make IPLs in the winter and not worry about the temp in my garage???

I also want to start doing larger batches consistently, and would like to go conical for easy of saving yest and not having to rack, so i need a way to monitor temp in my garage for larger than a 5 gallon carboy/bucket or two. Every thing I have found is for a smaller set up.

I have a 3 car garage nd my wife allows me to use the 3rd car port as our home brewery, so I have the space to set something up, not that I have the skills with tools, electrical, engineering, etc to do so...I have friends who like beer who I could convince to help me.

 

[MotorcycleMatt]

I went the opposite direction, i had a 3 vessel system but have gone to mostly no sparge biab. Im always tinkering with it, working on designing an electric version with a pump. Sounds like you have a nice setup already

 

[stevedasleeve]

Easy, get a chest freezer, a 2 stage temp controller and a heating wrap. Everything else looks great, I'd sell the pump if you are not using it.


My £00.02

Steve da sleeve

 

[jekeane]

a 7cf chest freezer will hold 2 carboys. You could go with an upright fridge or freezer to store a larger conical. I have used a GE 7cf and a diy stc-1000 controller for awhile now. The controller turns the freezer on when cooling is needed and you can use several different options for heating from a light bulb in a paint can to a specialized brew jacket. I use a lightbulb currently but it gets below 30° all of 2 weeks a year here.

Also I would go ahead and call blichmann about where to attach your pump I am certain they would give you directions and advice.