100 gallon mash tun build

First. I have no idea if this will work.
Second. I am really excited to try this!!!!!!
Third. Any and All feed back will be greatly appricated.
Fourth. This could totally not work.



I am going to attach 2 55 gallon food grade plastic barrels together.
It is my understand welding plastic is possible. I plan to stack them on top of one another and join them with the weld.

1st barrel will only have the top removed.
2nd barrel will have the bottom removed and top.

Once joined together. Add all accessories.

What problems do you anticipate me having.
a) the weight of the grain.....will it crush the false bottom?
b)Cleaning of course .....I think i can solve this one with my pressure washer.
c) will a false bottom fit?
d) heat loss.... I will insulate it
e) will it even work as a mash tun?

 

Even if you get this to work without a problem, What do you have for a kettle?
Next question, What do you plan to ferment in and use to maintain temp?

Next question i have, It is plastic. I havent heard of welding plastic together. How well will the "weld" hold?

Just curious questions is all

 

Rotate the picture please.

For me the height to width ratio is off
How do you plan on stirring the mash?
Only single temp mashes?

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

why not just make two 50 gal mash tuns and run then both at the same time

 

I have welded plastic before. It is not easy. It is not fun. It does not work as planned. I would not recommend you do this AT ALL, for many reasons other than plastic welding.

 

yeah the cuts would have to be ever so plum and square

 

i agree with clayton, make 2 mash tuns, that way if you want to make a beer but don't want to use both tuns, then no problem

i'd watch out with the pressure washer, depending on the type, it can cut and etch plastic, if its a heated pressure washer i'd think it would go right through those

 

welding plastic is totally doable... I did it for a lab I worked for a couple of years. But, if you're going to be welding why not just buy sheets of polypro or polyethylene and build exactly what you want?

That thing is going to be deeeeeeep.

 

I had been wondering if you could use 2. I think this is the best option hands down.

I had no idea you could weld plastic either. I just read about it last night on harbor freight. AWESOME.
Its funny I deleted this post because I didnt think I could do it. This a vampire post....be very afraid.....

When i thought about stirring it, boom it was a deal breaker for me.

 

Hahaha yea man.
It really wasn't that hard to weld polypro. Granted I had access to N2 for my weld gas which made for really pretty welds. You can use air also, but it does introduce contaminates that dirty up the plastic a bit. If you do end up going this route look up triple bead welds and practice before you try anything.

We have a huge intel fab out here that keeps supply high so I was able to buy 4x8 sheets of 1/8" polypro for ~$95 a sheet locally (in 2005)

 

Have you run the numbers to make sure 100 gallons of combined mash tun capacity will be large enough for you? That would support a mash of about 250 lbs. of grain with a mash thickness of 1.25 qt/lb. If you're making an 80 gallon batch (post boil volume into the fermenter), that would let you brew a 1.090 beer at ~80% efficiency...maybe too ambitious for a big beer? You can always brew back to back to go bigger.

I'm assuming that many of the formulas I use for smaller batches will scale up to larger ones. Not really sure about that though.

 

100 gallon Rubbermaid Stock Trough

 

Not that ANYBODY really cares about this or even thinks about abiding by it, but isn't against the law to exceed the 100 gallon Per Adult Per Year limit set by the feds?

I think it is a cool idea, I see so major issues with the power needed to heat and maintain the strike temp, not to mention heating and maintaining the boil...


But what the hell......

 

The stock tank is perfect but I believe Cold Steel is a bit freaked that it doesn't have some giant FDA approval on it

 

They make aluminum stock tanks. but I doubt the FDA put their "Food Safe" lable on those either.

*Edit*
see my later post about Galvanized Steel Stock Tanks

 

that is a thing of beauty!

 

hehehe I am freaked. I love beer. I hate cancer. Dont get me wrong. This thing is money!!! Plus its so freakin cheap. I can get one brand new for $69 bucks! The inner cheapo is trying to justify, believe me. My intension is not to offend if have I am sorry.

I called again because i didnt know the plastic. It is HDPE. I asked her if she considered it to be a food grade plastic and she said no.
She said it has a working temp. of -20 to 140 degrees. I asked her what happens after those temps and she said its untested.
High-density polyethylene - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"A food-grade container is one that will not transfer non-food chemicals
into the food and contains no chemicals which would be hazardous to human
health."

All I am doing is stating facts. (Except for the cancer part, I have no idea. It just seems like everything causes cancer)


Aluminum stock tanks, I cant find them online. I found fuel tanks but nothing that would work.

I still think the best idea is 2 mash tuns, for me.

 

It is against the law to exceed the 100 gallon Of Fermented Beer Per Adult Per Year limit.

It is not against the law to make enormous quantities of unfermented wort in any time period.

If my brew club gets together and cooks up an 85 gallon batch of unfermented wort and I take home 5 gallons and put the yeast in at home I consider it to be 5 gallons of my personal limit, not 85 gallons towards the limit of the guys driveway we did the boil in.

 

I couldn't find Aluminum either, but I did find a couple of articles about Galvanized steel being food safe as long as the plating is intact. I just read several articles regarding cooking in Galvanized Steel trash cans (As an oven, as a Smoker, and as a steamer.)

Galvinized steel is still used in drinking water pipes today, and is a cheap alternative, similarly priced to the HDPE stock tank.

http://farm-and-pet.hardwarestore.com/111-618-stock-tanks/galvanized-stock-tank-616176.aspx

Also check out http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=9
Most of their tanks are FdA approved, but are more than $80/100gal

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=49 looks like a winner for you!
130 Gallon Above Ground Water Storage Tank
23" dia. x 80"H
Made From: Food Grade Safe FDA Approved Polyethylene Plastic
Your 130 Gallon Water Tank Comes With:
5" Vented Manway
1" Female NPT Threaded Inlet Fitting
1-1/2" Female NPT Threaded Outlet Fitting

 

Another option is to purchase a tank of sufficient size from a tank supply (USplastics) . Possibly a cone bottom?

edit... oops, forgot about the FDA until 140degF.

 

I say build it! Why not? We are AmeriCANS not AmeriCAN"TS! Lets go, weld that sucker and start mashin"!

Seriously though, I would go with that hot tub thingy

 

Convert one of these: 275 gallon container $140 with free delivery

A little bigger than you planned but already has a port and was used for olive oil so it's food safe.

 

Use one of those oval handicap whirlpool stainless tubs that they use for sore muscles, the circulation jet pump is added on the outside with the jet tube inside that can be removed. Reason mentioning a family member installs handicap stair rail chairs and has a tub in the business storage area. Only one opening looks like a 1/12" drain out one side near the bottom. A light went on instantly 3 months ago when first seen.
Clean and in stanless no plastic or galvanized zinc chemical worries or off flavors, price not a clue for a new one not alone this used tub in storage I spotted.

 

The tightwad in me always likes dual use equipment, but I think a 154˚ mash would be uncomfortable as a whirlpool

OK, now for a positive contribution to the thread,

WHITEHALL WHIRLPOOL THERAPY TUB, IN GREAT SHAPE - eBay (item 370135986717 end time Sep-22-09 10:38:03 PDT)

 

That would be awesome!!!

 

That's the same looking tub I see in the boat loft storage area without the pump but it must hold 50 gallons or more as I can fit inside below the rim my whole body. A correction I typed 1/12" when the side drain is 1 1/2". Not a clue if a straight thread or NPT thread as I didn't want to look too excited about it when I might try and grab it. Same family person sold me a 150 cu/ft owner owned nitrogen bottle for $30 plus gave me worm gear reduction 1/2hp motor units for grain mill drives.

 

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=49
So this looks like the best one for me. I am going to show my noobness but what else would I need for this?

 

Just curious what the plans are to clean that bad boy? Cleaning the inside of something over 6.5 feet tall through a 5 inch hole is going to be interesting. Do you plan on having a port welded on the bottom?

 

your 100% right. There is no way thats going to happen.

 

Cold Steel,

What about this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stainless-Steel...ming?hash=item439a578df0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

or this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/150-GAL-STAINLE...0?hash=item45ecc07f39&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

 

the first one has promise. it just breaks the bank. the second one is down right scary. What do you think that was used for?

You know I am wondering if should just get a real mash tun.