Busy day today - 4912 convert, mash tun DIY, and more...

[RoaringBrewer]

So, I was up at the butt-crack of dawn running to two different hardware stores and walmart to pick up some last minute items for my beer projects I planned to do on my day off. I took my time throughout the day, but at the end of the day I have a brand new Sanyo 4912 dual-tap kegerator with perlicks (woot!) and my first mash tun as I plan on starting my first AG brew sometime this week as well! I'll spare everyone the 4912 DIY since we have great ones from Orpheus and others (unless someone requests specific pics - I took many) but here are a few pics of my day.

Started by building a "Sanyo-Hut" for my little nephew... He loved it for at least a few hours:

Got the kegerator all done early this evening - no major issues. Some trouble getting the shanks out of the tower to extend the line to 10' and needed to wait for the drill battery to recharge once, but its done. Here you can peep a spy shot of it in the garage after completion with my other two babies - i.e. the car (pardon its filthiness) and the newly built rubbermaid mash tun with stainless braid. I didn't take detailed pics of that project but I followed the DIY by flyguy (I believe):

Then I moved the 4912 conversion to my 'beer basement', cleaned/santized the a line, and hooked up my first kegged beer (kegged last night), an English Special Bitter - here's an interior shot and exterior shot:

You can peep part of my pint glass collection and my brewing books/mags on/in the stand in the corner!

All in all, a very successful day! (Insert dancing banana here since I'm at my 4 picture max for this post)

 

[RoaringBrewer]

And finally... (ok I admit I did the shake method since I had no other option if I wanted to tap before 7-14 days)

The first tap drawn from my 4912:

Well, it wasn't the first. I had to get rid of a couple cups of foam before I realized I should bleed the pressure off the keg a few times and then tap. My shake method was cool to 36F, 30PSI, shake for 3 mins - repeated about 6 hours later - hooked up in 4912 at 8psi where I plan to serve it. As I said, once I remembed to bleed the keg prior to tapping, it drew nicely and is actually carbed about where I want it for an English-style bitter (around 2.0 volumes of CO2).

From now on I'm going with the set and forget method though. I need to get brewing more though!

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Nice job! I like the "Sanyo Hut" pic. When I was little my dad ran a mom-and-pop TV and appliance store. We had boxes like that to play in all the time.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Looks good, man! I'm going to finish mine up this Friday and will make the first draw from the tap on 12/8.

 

[Bulls Beers]

Great pic's..Your making me thirsty...I have to start kegging..

 

[tgreene7]

ever since i got the sanyo, I been jonesing for a chest freezer, and second co2 rig so I can have kegs conditioned and ready to go. Do not want any down time.

 

[adx]

I'm jealous. I keep trying to talk SWMBO into letting me build a kegerator, but she insists that we should save up for our house first. I then demand that I get to build a chest freezer up, instead of a 4912. So I guess waiting a few months isn't too bad.

 

[Joe American]

SWMBO has been supportive up till just recently...
I've purchased TWO chest freezers off craigslist, one nearly new for 80.00 one a little dingy, but works perfectly, for 40.00 DELIVERED!
4 used cornies, also I was compiling a list of asst. fittings, manifolds, tubing, shanks, etc on a website and she goes and logs in and buys the whole shebang, and tells me "happy birthday" !!!!

So I go back to the site, review the stuff, and buy another 50.00 worth of gadgets that I needed but hadn't clicked on yet, and yesterday she kinda 'hints' that the car that's been sitting out front really needs to get fixed or leave, alluding to my "obsession" with my hobby.

What's a guy to do?