USCDiver
Well-Known Member
So I've done about a dozen extract brews off and on for the last few years using a turkey fryer and a plastic fermenter. I've got a few friends around here in the same boat and we've decided to make the leap into all grain. I've been reading on here the last few days about the different styles of DIY structures as well as looking at the Brew Magic and Morebeer retail structures. None of us are ready to drop $5000 or more on a turn key system like those, so I was thinking of starting with a structure that we could upgrade over the next few years.
The bad news is I have NO DIY tools or experience. The good news is my father-in-law is a professional welder! So I was thinking about working with him to build a steel structure that could be used now with a cooler mashtun plus/minus a pump but that we could eventually add pumps, electronics, automation, etc to over the months/years without having to rebuild the underlying chassis.
From my reading here, it looks like the Brutus 10 style is particularly popular as is the Brew Magic. I'd like to hear some pros and cons from you guys, in particular with regards to gradual implementation.
From what I can tell the Brew Magic is perfectly serviceable with a single pump given that the BK is set lower. What would be the downside of using that style frame now with a cooler MT and a keggle or SS pot for the HLT and BK? It looks to me like I'd need to have two pumps right off the bat to use the single level frames like Brutus or Morebeer even if I used the cooler as my MT.
What do you all think?
The bad news is I have NO DIY tools or experience. The good news is my father-in-law is a professional welder! So I was thinking about working with him to build a steel structure that could be used now with a cooler mashtun plus/minus a pump but that we could eventually add pumps, electronics, automation, etc to over the months/years without having to rebuild the underlying chassis.
From my reading here, it looks like the Brutus 10 style is particularly popular as is the Brew Magic. I'd like to hear some pros and cons from you guys, in particular with regards to gradual implementation.
From what I can tell the Brew Magic is perfectly serviceable with a single pump given that the BK is set lower. What would be the downside of using that style frame now with a cooler MT and a keggle or SS pot for the HLT and BK? It looks to me like I'd need to have two pumps right off the bat to use the single level frames like Brutus or Morebeer even if I used the cooler as my MT.
What do you all think?