ANVIL FOUNDRY ALL-GRAIN BREWING SYSTEM

[Brushwood Brewing]

Hand tight is all you need.

Hand tight for the portion that attached directly to the wall of the foundry? (Circled in red in the photo below.) Unfortunately that hasn't been my experience.

 

[DuncB]

I replaced a tap just like that in my Guten 70 with a ball lock with cam lock fitting. On the inside I fitted a tube to use for whirlpool.
But my unit is only single skinned.

 

[Brewer Mike]

Hand tight for the portion that attached directly to the wall of the foundry? (Circled in red in the photo below.) Unfortunately that hasn't been my experience.

View attachment 846620

Yes.

 

[kevin58]

Hand tight for the portion that attached directly to the wall of the foundry? (Circled in red in the photo below.) Unfortunately that hasn't been my experience.

View attachment 846620

Yes.

 

[wepeeler]

My 10.5 is arriving in the mail tomorrow. Anything I should know or do for the initial cleaning? I'll be throwing some PBW in and scrubbing her down good!

I plan to push the limit right away. Going to brew my NEIPA. I was getting about 85% mash efficiency with 5 gal batches on my current 15 gal kettle (propane), step mashing in about 9 gal of water, boiling off 1.5 gal, and getting 6.5-7 gal into my unitanks. I know I'm going to take a mash efficiency hit with the Foundry, which I'm ok with, but I'm trying to minimize the learning curve. I scaled my recipe to 75% mash efficiency. My plan is to skip the malt pipe and just use my bag. Mash in with 8 gal water for 60 min. Recirculate the mash. Pull, squeeze, boil. Am I crazy for expecting 75% efficiency? Should I still use the basket? Basket AND bag? I'll be running her on 120v, so I'm expecting 1/2 gal boil off. (I also have some dme on hand if for whatever reason I get 60% mash efficiency.)

 

[tracer bullet]

Just a thorough clean, you should be good to go.

Bag only should be about 75%, it is for me with no extra steps. With the pipe you can lift it, let it drain maybe 10 sec, and then slowly put it bac so you can mix in the dead water space around the sides of the pipe. Do that 3 or 4 times over the hour and you might again hit a similar 75% or at least 70%.

That's the sorts of numbers I see anyhow. It shouldn't be terribly far off form your current method, think of it like a cooler, but with a built in heater.

 

[wepeeler]

Just a thorough clean, you should be good to go.

Bag only should be about 75%, it is for me with no extra steps. With the pipe you can lift it, let it drain maybe 10 sec, and then slowly put it bac so you can mix in the dead water space around the sides of the pipe. Do that 3 or 4 times over the hour and you might again hit a similar 75% or at least 70%.

That's the sorts of numbers I see anyhow. It shouldn't be terribly far off form your current method, think of it like a cooler, but with a built in heater.

Sweet. I love the idea of using the malt pipe, but it seems like it's not the best design for efficiency with the dead space. Maybe I'll try only the bag for the bigger grain bill neipa and try the bag out the basket for my next 10# grist brew. Thanks!

 

[Knightshade]

Hand tight for the portion that attached directly to the wall of the foundry? (Circled in red in the photo below.) Unfortunately that hasn't been my experience

Realize BrewerMike already spoke to this, but just confirming I hand tighten mine as well. I'll give the valve a twist to see if I can still move it prior to adding any water. If I can't, it is too tight.

I've also attached a cam lock fitting to the existing valve. Just utilized some teflon tape on the threads and it works great.

and..found the post that has the pics.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...n-brewing-system.666090/page-62#post-10254877

 

[Brewer Mike]

Realize BrewerMike already spoke to this, but just confirming I hand tighten mine as well. I'll give the valve a twist to see if I can still move it prior to adding any water. If I can't, it is too tight.

I've also attached a cam lock fitting to the existing valve. Just utilized some teflon tape on the threads and it works great.

and..found the post that has the pics.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...n-brewing-system.666090/page-62#post-10254877

Also, when turning the spigot (I turn it to 90 degrees for whirlpooling), I always try to go clockwise, so it's going in a tightening motion rather than counter-clockwise which might loosen it.

 

[wepeeler]

Brewed my first batch on the Foundry 10.5 yesterday, and so far so good. I removed the pipe and just went with a bag. 16# grain in 8 gal of strike water = 80% mash efficiency. I ended up with slightly more final volume than I wanted, but that's ok because it's a neipa, and my dry hop will affect my yield. I'll adjust for lighter beers and future neipas.

Question concerning Mash Tun Dead Space in the Brewfather software. Looks like for the 10.5 the default is 1.17 gal. I'm assuming that's with the malt pipe? Can I lower that to zero with just the bag?

 

[tracer bullet]

Question concerning Mash Tun Dead Space in the Brewfather software.

I've measured and it's a tiny bit under a gallon under the basket, and between 25-30% of what's left is outside of the basket. It's kind of a lot.

So, subtract a gallon and multiply the remainder by say .75 and you're about there for the gallons of water actually with the grain.

Funny thing though is if you lift and lower, then it still works pretty well. And I never know if I should calculate the dead space in with the 1.25 quarts per pound target or not. Kinda yes, kinda no.

 

[wepeeler]

I've measured and it's a tiny bit under a gallon under the basket, and between 25-30% of what's left is outside of the basket. It's kind of a lot.

So, subtract a gallon and multiply the remainder by say .75 and you're about there for the gallons of water actually with the grain.

Funny thing though is if you lift and lower, then it still works pretty well. And I never know if I should calculate the dead space in with the 1.25 quarts per pound target or not. Kinda yes, kinda no.

Thanks. I didn't use the pipe though. Am I safe to assume it's zero?

 

[tracer bullet]

Thanks. I didn't use the pipe though. Am I safe to assume it's zero?

Yes, sorry on a 2nd reading I suppose that was your actual question. If you used only a bag, then yeah I'd say close enough to zero. I'm sure there are nooks and crannies especially if the bag is stiff ("brew bag" vs Wiser for example).

 

[wepeeler]

Yes, sorry on a 2nd reading I suppose that was your actual question. If you used only a bag, then yeah I'd say close enough to zero. I'm sure there are nooks and crannies especially if the bag is stiff ("brew bag" vs Wiser for example).

It was a Wilser bag. Used clips to keep it off the bottom, and it worked great.

 

[David Coy]

Pardon the interruption, do you mind sharing what type of tubing you are using?

 

[wepeeler]

Pardon the interruption, do you mind sharing what type of tubing you are using?

All good! https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/1-2-id-thermoplastic-tubing

 

[tracer bullet]

It was a Wilser bag. Used clips to keep it off the bottom, and it worked great.

Lol - if you suspended it then there was probably some dead space

Obviously you did fine though and need not worry about it. If the water level is above the grain itself, and you got good efficiency, then certainly just repeat that process!!!

For their dead space entry, I wonder why they have it? To try and ensure you've got enough water to keep the grain wet?

 

[wepeeler]

Lol - if you suspended it then there was probably some dead space

Obviously you did fine though and need not worry about it. If the water level is above the grain itself, and you got good efficiency, then certainly just repeat that process!!!

For their dead space entry, I wonder why they have it? To try and ensure you've got enough water to keep the grain wet?

I thinking dead space is where water and grain can't mix, but the bag is mesh everywhere which means water and grain are in constant contact? Maybe I'm overthinking this lol. I got 80% efficiency, and hit my numbers, so I'll just roll with what I did for future batches.

 

[Brewer Mike]

I thinking dead space is where water and grain can't mix, but the bag is mesh everywhere which means water and grain are in constant contact? Maybe I'm overthinking this lol. I got 80% efficiency, and hit my numbers, so I'll just roll with what I did for future batches.

I think it depends on how you're defining dead space. I think traditionally, it's the space in your mash tun, where you can't drain all the wort - like below the spigot. Some define it as where the mash isn't occurring (at least effectively), like between the mash pipe and and wall of Foundry. You'd have to look at what your software is defining it as.

 

[wepeeler]

I think it depends on how you're defining dead space. I think traditionally, it's the space in your mash tun, where you can't drain all the wort - like below the spigot. Some define it as where the mash isn't occurring (at least effectively), like between the mash pipe and and wall of Foundry. You'd have to look at what your software is defining it as.

"Recoverable mash deadspace". That's what I'm trying to understand. If I'm not using the malt pipe, I shouldn't have any dead space, for mashing purposes. If I recirculate, the wort from the bottom moves over the grain bed and technically all the water has access to all the grain?

 

[Brewer Mike]

"Recoverable mash deadspace". That's what I'm trying to understand. If I'm not using the malt pipe, I shouldn't have any dead space, for mashing purposes. If I recirculate, the wort from the bottom moves over the grain bed and technically all the water has access to all the grain?

Sounds right to me.

 

[Brushwood Brewing]

Anyone know what the bulkhead thread type is, on the exterior half? Or, identically, what the thread type of the female end of the spigot is?

I’m looking to replace my spigot with a non-anvil spigot, or maybe a camlock connector and then a spigot, but figure I’ll keep the existing bulkhead.

 

[wepeeler]

Anyone notice a slight metallic flavor to your beer when you switched to the Foundry? I cleaned it thoroughly before brewing with it, but there's a similar slightly metallic flavor in every brew I've done with it thus far. It's not off putting, just not something I've ever had in my beer before.

RO water, with water adjustments.

 

[kevin58]

Anyone notice a slight metallic flavor to your beer when you switched to the Foundry? I cleaned it thoroughly before brewing with it, but there's a similar slightly metallic flavor in every brew I've done with it thus far. It's not off putting, just not something I've ever had in my beer before.

RO water, with water adjustments.

I have two Founry's. I washed both with Bar Keepers Friend. Then I passivate. One I passivated with a paste of Bar Keepers friend and the other with a higher than normal use concentration of Star San. Apply the passivation media and let it air dry. Thoroughly rinse and you should be good.

 

[wepeeler]

Sooooo, brewed on the 10.5 gal 120V for the 6th time tonight. I always leave the element on 100% and never have any issues. Some soft grey stuff on the bottom to clean up at the end, but nothing too difficult with some hot PBW. Tonight?? A black semi circle of stuck on crud that took me an hour to clean up. Had to run to the store to get some Bar Keeper's Friend and scrub and scrub. 97% Pilsner malt 3% Vienna. 1 1/2 oz of hops. What the fuuuuu??

Wort smelled and tasted fine - no scorching that affected the final product. But cleaning was something else. Am I missing something?

 

[RyPA]

How much wort do you guys dump after transferring to the fermenter? I finally measured my wasted wort today and it's around 0.75 gallons. Granted, there's a ton of hop matter and crap intertwined, but seems like a lot of wasted fluid.

 

[wepeeler]

How much wort do you guys dump after transferring to the fermenter? I finally measured my wasted wort today and it's around 0.75 gallons. Granted, there's a ton of hop matter and crap intertwined, but seems like a lot of wasted fluid.

I get around 0.4-0.5 gal.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

How much wort do you guys dump after transferring to the fermenter? I finally measured my wasted wort today and it's around 0.75 gallons. Granted, there's a ton of hop matter and crap intertwined, but seems like a lot of wasted fluid.

it really depends on the batch size, I brew a 6.5 just to get a 5 gallon keg full, lots of waste

 

[RyPA]

it really depends on the batch size, I brew a 6.5 just to get a 5 gallon keg full, lots of waste

I ferment in a 6g Torpedo keg and fill up to a few inches from the top, estimating 5.6 gallons or so.

Today i did a batch using 13.5 lbs of malt and 8 gallons of water. Wondering if i should dial back the water by 0.5 gallon and put everything into the keg/fermenter.

 

[wepeeler]

it really depends on the batch size, I brew a 6.5 just to get a 5 gallon keg full, lots of waste

Same-ish. I start with 7gal strike water for lighter beers and 7.25-7.5 for NEIPA. End with 5 gal in keg.