ANVIL FOUNDRY ALL-GRAIN BREWING SYSTEM

[jnecessary]

I always hate when folks ask questions of a community then don't follow-up with what they did. I ended up going with the 20 gallon kettle from Clawhammer and paring with a Blichmann Hellfire burner. This will allow me to delay the electrical work and extra cost until next year's bonus season, but still get on with making 10 gallon batches.

 

[Pehlman17]

I have the 6.5gal foundry and have used it a few times without any major issues. I really enjoy the system overall! I’ve been reading through this forum and am excited to try out a few of the recommendations. Especially the one about lifting up the malt pipe a couple times during the mash in order to better mix the higher-concentration part of the mash liquor with the liquid in the space outside the pipe.

I just placed an order for the in-basket brew bag as well as the stainless steel Anvil pump head. I’m thinking I could put a ball valve on the pump outlet instead of that dumb clamp thing. Setting a recirculating flow rate has easily been the most frustrating part of using the foundry for me.

Any advice on grain crush using the bag in the malt pipe? Ive never done proper BIAB before. My plan is to still do no-sparge and recirculate during the mash. I’m not obsessed with efficiency or anything. I mostly just like the idea of using the bag to make cleanup easier. I’ll take ease of use and consistency over just about anything else these days.

Also, any recommendation for an immersion chiller upgrade that fits this system? I like to recirculate (whirlpool) post boil to aid in chilling but I’m not a fan of the included chiller at all.

Cheers!

 

[kevin58]

I have the 6.5gal foundry and have used it a few times without any major issues. I really enjoy the system overall! I’ve been reading through this forum and am excited to try out a few of the recommendations. Especially the one about lifting up the malt pipe a couple times during the mash in order to better mix the higher-concentration part of the mash liquor with the liquid in the space outside the pipe.

I just placed an order for the in-basket brew bag as well as the stainless steel Anvil pump head. I’m thinking I could put a ball valve on the pump outlet instead of that dumb clamp thing. Setting a recirculating flow rate has easily been the most frustrating part of using the foundry for me.

I just crank the clamp down about as far as it will go. I'm not worried about getting it just right. As far as I'm concerned you can't go too slow.

Any advice on grain crush using the bag in the malt pipe? Ive never done proper BIAB before. My plan is to still do no-sparge and recirculate during the mash. I’m not obsessed with efficiency or anything. I mostly just like the idea of using the bag to make cleanup easier. I’ll take ease of use and consistency over just about anything else these days.

Also, any recommendation for an immersion chiller upgrade that fits this system? I like to recirculate (whirlpool) post boil to aid in chilling but I’m not a fan of the included chiller at all.

Cheers!

The old rule of thumb for BIAB grain crush is to crush it finer and finer until you get scared. It' probably just about right at that point. 0.025 to 0.028 is not unheard of. As for immersion chillers you can't go wrong with the Hydra.

 

[DuncB]

@Pehlman17
I tried the lift malt pipe a bit and jiggle it about to mix the dead space water, I didn't have a full malt pipe of grain and so the up and down dunking popped the bottom malt pipe screen up a bit and I had to reposition it with the stir paddle.
I have a guten 70 so it's a bit bigger than the Anvils but use the coolossus counter flow chiller ( there is an upgraded bigger one now as well ) and then whirlpool via setup back thru the bottom tap. I fitted a three way in the vertical pipe to make this easier but you could just do it off the top of the recirc pipe it will be less efficient. There are also whirlpool arms designed for brewzilla that might work as well but in a different way. That inside picture shows the whirlpool I made at the bottom of the picture the other thing is the trubtrapper I made.

 

[Pehlman17]

I actually do have a counterflow chiller as well (Exchillerator) but I haven’t used it yet. The only reason that I whirlpool currently is just to move the wort around to speed up the chilling with the immersion chiller. Now that I’ll be getting the stainless steel pump head, maybe I should consider testing out the counterflow finally. Is recirculating wort through the chiller and back to the kettle just after the boil a good way to assure the chiller is sanitized before turning on the water and directing the wort into the fermenter?

 

[tracer bullet]

I have the 6.5gal foundry and have used it a few times without any major issues. I really enjoy the system overall! I’ve been reading through this forum and am excited to try out a few of the recommendations. Especially the one about lifting up the malt pipe a couple times during the mash in order to better mix the higher-concentration part of the mash liquor with the liquid in the space outside the pipe.

I just placed an order for the in-basket brew bag as well as the stainless steel Anvil pump head. I’m thinking I could put a ball valve on the pump outlet instead of that dumb clamp thing. Setting a recirculating flow rate has easily been the most frustrating part of using the foundry for me.

Any advice on grain crush using the bag in the malt pipe? Ive never done proper BIAB before. My plan is to still do no-sparge and recirculate during the mash. I’m not obsessed with efficiency or anything. I mostly just like the idea of using the bag to make cleanup easier. I’ll take ease of use and consistency over just about anything else these days.

Also, any recommendation for an immersion chiller upgrade that fits this system? I like to recirculate (whirlpool) post boil to aid in chilling but I’m not a fan of the included chiller at all.

Cheers!

The lift & lower along with a few stirs does make a big difference.

And yes one benefit to the stianless head is adding a ball valve right on the end of it. Go for it. Just don't forget to add a barb fitting on the other side of the valve as well to connect a hose.

I shoot for .030" gap on mine w/ feeler gauges. I'm sure oyu could go finer but I think after an hour mash you'll get everything the grain has to give up and finer may not help much if at all.

W/ the 6.5 I use an old copper chiller I already had. The hydra and others are crazy great but much too big for us 6.5 owners. Just be sure you get something that fits inside and also pay attention to the height vs. your typical wort level. A 50' piece of 3/8 copper is probably enough.

 

[bwible]

I have the 6.5gal foundry and have used it a few times without any major issues. I really enjoy the system overall! I’ve been reading through this forum and am excited to try out a few of the recommendations. Especially the one about lifting up the malt pipe a couple times during the mash in order to better mix the higher-concentration part of the mash liquor with the liquid in the space outside the pipe.

I just placed an order for the in-basket brew bag as well as the stainless steel Anvil pump head. I’m thinking I could put a ball valve on the pump outlet instead of that dumb clamp thing. Setting a recirculating flow rate has easily been the most frustrating part of using the foundry for me.

Any advice on grain crush using the bag in the malt pipe? Ive never done proper BIAB before. My plan is to still do no-sparge and recirculate during the mash. I’m not obsessed with efficiency or anything. I mostly just like the idea of using the bag to make cleanup easier. I’ll take ease of use and consistency over just about anything else these days.

Also, any recommendation for an immersion chiller upgrade that fits this system? I like to recirculate (whirlpool) post boil to aid in chilling but I’m not a fan of the included chiller at all.

Cheers!

I have the 6.5. I use it for 3 gallon batches. And I pretty much only use it as a mash tun. I have their pump and I recirculate the wort for the whole mash. It’s usually crystal clear by the end of the mash.

What I found is when you pull the basket at the end to drain you disturb and re-distubite all the junk you just spent an hour or more recirculating to get rid of. As soon as you pull the basket the wort is all cloudy.

So I don’t pull the basket. I drain all that crystal clear wort into my brewpot and boil on the stove. It works with a 3 gallon batch. I figure its saving some wear and tear on the Foundry, too.

Since I’m boiling in my brewpot I use the chiller I’ve had. I have a kitchen sink with a crappy spray head that I have to screw off and rig the chiller to. I’ve never been able to find the right connector. If I had a good connection I’d think about a plate chiller.

[edit] the dumb clamp thing drives me crazy. Pump flow gets slower and faster throughout the mash and it has to be constantly adjusted.

 

[Dancy]

Any advice on grain crush using the bag in the malt pipe? Ive never done proper BIAB before. My plan is to still do no-sparge and recirculate during the mash. I’m not obsessed with efficiency or anything. I mostly just like the idea of using the bag to make cleanup easier. I’ll take ease of use and consistency over just about anything else these days.

I use a Wilser bag on the malt pipe of the Mash&Boil — doubt that’s any different than doing so on the Foundry. I had the bag fitted to go around the outside of the unit so no grain would go down between the malt pipe and the kettle. I have a built-in pump and a couple pieces of grain would clog it. I also started lifting the pipe 2x during the mash and efficiency went up.

 

[tracer bullet]

For bag in pipe, I too use Wilser. It does the job and didn't cost much, and it's cut to the perfect size.

For bag only, well for no pipe, I use the brew bag branded one from the Anvil site. And a false bottom mentioned around here a few times. This bag is definitely stronger, and of course ought to be for like twice the price.

 

[DuncB]

I make sure the counteflow has a good rinse through after a brew, then recirculate the PBW before another washout and prop it up so it drains and dries out in the sun, which is hot here. Then plug it in and recirculate on the way to the boil for ten minutes so that I'm not running the pump with boiling wort going throug it.

 

[tracer bullet]

Curious if anyone is running the Foundry in 240V but using 2 separate 120V outlets? I only have 120V in my garage but do have 2 separate circuits that happen to be on opposite sides of the main panel (which is located on the opposite side of the house on a different level and not easy to run a new wire from). Considering an adapter to connect them, the pair of 120's that is, with a GFCI in-line. Currently brewing in the basement where I do have 240V and wouldn't mind getting some sun shining on my brewing over the next few months.

Not really interested in running the full brew day process with 120V. May end up however using a Foundry for mashing (only) with the 120V, then draining to a kettle for the rest of the steps (I have everything I need to brew w/ propane and have used it many times). It would be the "proper" way but of course the 240V idea is intriguing.

 

[doug293cz]

Curious if anyone is running the Foundry in 240V but using 2 separate 120V outlets? I only have 120V in my garage but do have 2 separate circuits that happen to be on opposite sides of the main panel (which is located on the opposite side of the house on a different level and not easy to run a new wire from). Considering an adapter to connect them, the pair of 120's that is, with a GFCI in-line. Currently brewing in the basement where I do have 240V and wouldn't mind getting some sun shining on my brewing over the next few months.

Not really interested in running the full brew day process with 120V. May end up however using a Foundry for mashing (only) with the 120V, then draining to a kettle for the rest of the steps (I have everything I need to brew w/ propane and have used it many times). It would be the "proper" way but of course the 240V idea is intriguing.

If your current 120V outlets in the garage are GFCI protected, this won't work. Using two 120V circuits on opposite phases to get 240V only works if neither of the circuits is GFCI protected. Current code requires garage outlets to be GFCI.

Brew on

 

[tracer bullet]

If your current 120V outlets in the garage are GFCI protected, this won't work. Using two 120V circuits on opposite phases to get 240V only works if neither of the circuits is GFCI protected. Current code requires garage outlets to be GFCI.

Brew on

Dang! They are indeed both GFCI protected. I knew to research having it this way, that it may not work, the combo may end up throwing them both off. I will call it confirmed. Thank you.

 

[capt_yo55arian]

Looking to grab a brew bag for the foundry 10.5… notice they come in 2 sizes (for malt pipe and w/o malt pipe).

Was about to pull the trigger on the larger bag (to be used without malt pipe), but wanted to run this by the forum… am I missing something ? Not sure whyd they give this option if the point was to move away from the inefficiencies of the malt pipe?

 

[tracer bullet]

It can help trap grain if you have issues w/ it escaping. Also helps some sparge styles (I for one lift the bag and stick it in a nearby pot). If you arne't sure why you'd need one for the pipe then - you probably don't and the bigger one is perfect.

 

[capt_yo55arian]

It can help trap grain if you have issues w/ it escaping. Also helps some sparge styles (I for one lift the bag and stick it in a nearby pot). If you arne't sure why you'd need one for the pipe then - you probably don't and the bigger one is perfect.

No real issue w/ grain escaping. Stuck recirculation / slow sparge have been my issues with the malt pipe. I wouldn’t mind keeping the sparge step if the bag in the malt pipe would alleviate these issues…. If not yea I’ll probably just go with the bigger one.

 

[tracer bullet]

Could consider a slightly bigger mill gap, at least .030" range if you have feeler gauges (credit card is quite close if not). Rice hulls. Or just stir it up and try again.

I'd say a bag in the pipe is convenient for cleaning, or moving grains if needed, but not necessarily a fix for anything. If you do try the bag inside consider a Wilser for it. I have one of each, and the Wilser is a lot less... rigid and less expensive as well. Potentially less robust but when used inside the pipe that should be OK.

 

[Dancy]

If you do try the bag inside consider a Wilser for it. I have one of each, and the Wilser is a lot less... rigid and less expensive as well. Potentially less robust but when used inside the pipe that should be OK.

I have both as well for my Mash & Boil and also agree on the Wilser due to less rigidity. Also, I had it made to fit the outside of the kettle, not the malt pipe. This eliminated the possibility of any grains getting in between the the pipe and the side of the kettle when poring the grain.I requested the Brew Bag be made this way but what they sent me was simply a bit bigger around the top But didn’t fit. I wish they’d simply said they couldn’t do it due to the rigidity. Very disappointed, money down the drain. I liked their bag I used in my 10G cooler for mashing. So I bought the Wilser for my M&B and its great.

 

[capt_yo55arian]

Could consider a slightly bigger mill gap, at least .030" range if you have feeler gauges (credit card is quite close if not). Rice hulls. Or just stir it up and try again.

I'd say a bag in the pipe is convenient for cleaning, or moving grains if needed, but not necessarily a fix for anything. If you do try the bag inside consider a Wilser for it. I have one of each, and the Wilser is a lot less... rigid and less expensive as well. Potentially less robust but when used inside the pipe that should be OK.

Thanks, might try that Wilser.. looks to be about half the price compared to the brew bag on Anvils website.

 

[bleme]

So I have been brewing on my Foundry for about 7 months now. A couple months ago, I took it over to a friend's house and brewed on his porch while he brewed a 10G batch on his 5500W/240V system. I was shocked when we both needed to chill at the same time! To be fair, he had just made some very big upgrades to his system and it took him extra time to dial things in, but still....

A month later, my back went out and I couldn't lift 5lbs, much less brew. My wife stepped up and made the whole beer as I just talked her through the steps. The only 'issue' we had was we had planned for 70% efficiency but got just over 78%. I really love the system, it's portability, and simplicity.

 

[tracer bullet]

Maiden voyage on my 10.5 yesterday. I've been brewing for decades, and used my 6.5 maybe 20+ times. Thought the 10.5 would be identical. I feel some of your pains now.

* That basket, w/ 14 pounds of grain, and lots of water, is heavy to lift especially w/ the Anvil on a countertop and you're standing on a 5 gallon bucket.
* If you do the lift & lower thing, the 10.5 (unlike the 6.5 for some reason) will slosh that water on the sides of the pipe up and out of the Anvil over the sides if you lower too quickly. It'll also push out of your recirculation pipe that you just hung onto the handle.
* Dunk sparging the grains in a separate pot is 50x harder as well.

No question I'll be doing the false bottom & bew bag method from here out. Then I can "just" stir, and not have dead space on the sides.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

My only issue with the basket is it clogs easy even with rice hulls so I don't get a good recirculation or sparge, I'm working on that, I've tried a bag inside the basket and it tore the first brew, I don't want a bag by its self, I did that for years before my herms set up

 

[tracer bullet]

I've had good experiences so far, maybe I'm lucky.

The more open pore bags seem to flow fine, both "brew bag" and Wilser. And the handle thing, I filed them a tiny bit where the bag might scrape on the way out, also they are curved slightly upwards / outwards as well which seems to help.

But, yeah, everyone has their preferences. It is often the "least of the evils".

 

[blkmagik98]

I just picked up an 18 gallon Foundry that came in last week. Now I'm waiting on a bag and the dealer that I bought it from sent a perforated disc from the recirculation kit for a smaller Foundry but the replacement will be here today. Was transferred with work to Seattle and was missing too many brew days due to rain as I had a covered deck in Denver, where it almost never rains anyway.

 

[renstyle]

For those of you that have purchased an aftermarket IC to replace/augment the SS chiller coil included with the kit, would you share what *displacement volume* you have seen when dropping the chiller into the kettle?

Was looking at some tri-coil units, but not sure how it would limit my volumes in the Anvil 6.5 unit.

 

[tracer bullet]

For those of you that have purchased an aftermarket IC to replace/augment the SS chiller coil included with the kit, would you share what *displacement volume* you have seen when dropping the chiller into the kettle?

Was looking at some tri-coil units, but not sure how it would limit my volumes in the Anvil 6.5 unit.

Sounds like overkill! My ancient, repurposed 25' copper chiller sees Anvil 6.5 duty and that wort, along with some recirculation through a whirlpool arm, is down from boil to room temp in... I dunno maybe 10 minutes if that. And that's while I'm doing other things anyhow. I think a tri-coil would maybe drop that in half but it'd be like a 5 minute savings.

For displacement you should be able to take the OD, length, do the #'s to get its cubic inches, and convert that to gallons.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I figured out the issue with mine in regards to recirculation, I was using the disk and while it does distribute the wort evenly there are not enough holes in it to complete the correct wort in and out velocity, the suction from the pump is greater than the holes in the disk will allow, a very weak pump will probably work but not a riptide, apparently the riptide has a cut off function when the valve is too closed

 

[renstyle]

Sounds like overkill! My ancient, repurposed 25' copper chiller sees Anvil 6.5 duty and that wort, along with some recirculation through a whirlpool arm, is down from boil to room temp in... I dunno maybe 10 minutes if that. And that's while I'm doing other things anyhow. I think a tri-coil would maybe drop that in half but it'd be like a 5 minute savings.

For displacement you should be able to take the OD, length, do the #'s to get its cubic inches, and convert that to gallons.

I too have a bog-standard 25' copper chiller that currently sits in my kettle. Since I have a 5gal cooler for MAIB, I've taken to use the vessel to hold some ice and the original SS coil as a pre-chiller. Using reusable ice packs, so no need to purchase frozen water. It looks Rube Goldberg initially, but it's fairly straightforward.

Even tho I have a 6.5 I push the kettle to ~23L often to get 21L into my fermenter.

So I was gauging the relative level of overkill (but with relative simplicity) vs the current system I utilize, and I appreciate your insight!

 

[bleme]

For those of you that have purchased an aftermarket IC to replace/augment the SS chiller coil included with the kit, would you share what *displacement volume* you have seen when dropping the chiller into the kettle?

Was looking at some tri-coil units, but not sure how it would limit my volumes in the Anvil 6.5 unit.

I use the Cuss Brewing TriCoil on my 10.5 without any problems so I never paid any attention to displacement. It is a tight fit on the width though. I'm not sure it would fit the 6.5. It chills insanely fast though - under 100F (I've been using kveik lately) in under 3 minutes.

 

[bleme]

I figured out the issue with mine in regards to recirculation, I was using the disk and while it does distribute the wort evenly there are not enough holes in it to complete the correct wort in and out velocity, the suction from the pump is greater than the holes in the disk will allow, a very weak pump will probably work but not a riptide, apparently the riptide has a cut off function when the valve is too closed

You need some kind of valve/clamp to restrict flow. Even the pump that comes with the Foundry is way too fast (and that clamp SUCKS but at least it works). It just occurred to me that I have a cheap/light vice lock from Harbor Freight that would likely do the job much better. I'll have to try it out this weekend!