Custom Shelves for Brewery Bling

[TheDom]

Ok... after some editing, I believe this problem is solved. Everyone should be able to see the pics now. Sorry that this thread started out like a monkey trying to eff a football. I hope to post more tomorrow (or, later today). It's after 4 in the morning, and I'm really tired... goodnight everybody in homebrewtalk land!

Well, it looks like the monkey was victorious. Those shelves look awesome man!

 

[akthor]

great woodwork!

 

[vonZwicky]

Finally finished this sucker up, right on schedule. This is how it all went down:

I had to spend some time watching the last coat of varnish dry.

 

[vonZwicky]

After getting all the pieces upstairs, it was time for assembly.

 

[Pappers_]

There's something seriously wrong here if you've gotten all that blingage together but haven't brewed a drop yet!! (Although I learned quickly once I finished my brewstand that suddenly having ten gallons of beer at a time meant I needed a kegerator STAT!)

I agree - get brewing, man!

 

[vonZwicky]

Here we go:

 

[vonZwicky]

These carriage bolts (16, total) are responsible for holding the entire structure together.

These angled braces on the backside take the wobble out, make shelves "strong like bull."

 

[Pappers_]

They look great, really. But for god's sake, start brewing!

 

[vonZwicky]

 

[vonZwicky]

They look great, really. But for god's sake, start brewing!

Thanks, and I'm taking your advice to heart Pappers... I'm enjoying some staycation days right now, and I hope to have a bubbling airlock by the end of the week.

 

[jbrookeiv]

Bitchin' shelves. I want to see a picture with all the equipment on it. Also, time to break the equipment in!

 

[vonZwicky]

Just a few more pics of 'em loaded up:

 

[jbrookeiv]

Just a few more pics of 'em loaded up:

*snip*

Dude, I'm seriously envious.

 

[vonZwicky]

That's pretty much where she is right now. One of these days, after I learn how to weld, and I have the space, I'll be designing and building a brewstand for some of this stuff. Until then, these shelves have solved my immediate storage problems. Plus I have a little room for expansion. I imagine I can fit a bunch more cornelius kegs on these shelves.

Off topic- They've also given me a little more room to house some of my vinyl record collection, which has outgrown it's current space.

 

[vonZwicky]

Thanks, jbrookeiv... Now I just need to pick out a recipe, score some ingredients, and fire up the burner. I'll post some more about my first brew (elsewhere) once I get it going. Wish me luck!

 

[Flomaster]

that's a thing of beauty, I can't wait to see the wood work you do on a Keezer

-=Jason=-

 

[vonZwicky]

that's a thing of beauty, I can't wait to see the wood work you do on a Keezer

-=Jason=-

Thanks, Flomaster. My keezer was actually my very first homebrew project, built back in January. I definitely put the cart before the horse. The thread for that build can be found here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/vonzwickys-keezer-build-158421/

The keezer has served me well, hosting a chain of commercial brews. Now I'm ready to have some of my own in there!

 

[wilceaser]

Darn nice! you taking orders yet?

 

[vonZwicky]

I appreciate it wilceaser. I doubt I'll be building any more of these... and certainly not for a price that anyone would consider reasonable. The materials were relatively cheap (all pine), but the tedium involved in all the labor (LOTS of little notches) nearly ate my lunch. Someone with a few more tools than I have, and a dedicated wood shop would probably have an easier time with it. The basic design could be executed in a more rough-hewn fashion in much less time.

 

[vonZwicky]

That's a sweet tank! What was it originally for? Dairy? You could make that baby electric and have an awesome steam vent over the lid just like in a real brewery!

That could be an option at some point... probably after I have a brewstand. Right now I'm trying to avoid electricity in the process as much as I can. Pumps and RIMS/HERMS will have to come later. On the to do list today... fill this tank with hot water, keep records of how well and how long it keeps the temp, and use that water and pbw to clean out some kegs.

 

[vonZwicky]

Finally got around to my first brew... The thread for it can be found here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/year-zero-day-one-today-210761/

 

[FoundersBrew]

Nice work on the shelves! Where did you get the MLT cover?

 

[Pappers_]

Finally got around to my first brew... The thread for it can be found here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/year-zero-day-one-today-210761/

13 months later! You are a methodical, cautious sort, huh? No jumping into the deep end

Congratulations on your first brew -and again, your shelves are gorgeous.

 

[vonZwicky]

Nice work on the shelves! Where did you get the MLT cover?

Thank you! The keg jacket is sold on a few sites, but the best price I found was at chicompany.net.

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php...id=370&zenid=f7f3c82d7c66a409aa0d552e04e45790

The picture on the site is not accurate. If you order it, you'll get the brown canvas one, like I have. I had to contact the company to make sure before I ordered... I wanted to make sure it was indeed canvas, and not vinyl, since I'm using it for "hot" insulation.

 

[vonZwicky]

13 months later! You are a methodical, cautious sort, huh? No jumping into the deep end

Congratulations on your first brew -and again, your shelves are gorgeous.

Thanks Jolly Old St Pappers... I'm really enjoying the revolving door of all your name changes! If you find one you really like... don't change it! Remember, you can never go back...

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Shelves look great, nice to see your brewing now.
Next your need a shelf for the carboys and a keggerator, just a word of warning.
Once I got my keggerator, my todo list just got longer, but I spend all my time drinking my great drinks and not doing them.

 

[vonZwicky]

Thanks Kauai Kahuna! I already have a keezer, and hopefully my brewery wont outgrow this shelf space anytime soon. Should be able to fit a few more carboys on there in the future. Right now I'm fermenting my brew in a 50 liter (~13.2 gal) keg. Just woke up to a bubbling airlock this morning! I was starting to sweat the long lag time.

 

[starsailor]

That could be an option at some point... probably after I have a brewstand. Right now I'm trying to avoid electricity in the process as much as I can. Pumps and RIMS/HERMS will have to come later. On the to do list today... fill this tank with hot water, keep records of how well and how long it keeps the temp, and use that water and pbw to clean out some kegs.

That big SS domed tank is definitely a military field kitchen coffee urn. We used these when I was in the army. At the field kitchen they'd fill these up and with hot brewed coffee and put the hot cooked rations in some similar oblong 3 compartment insulated, but green, field ration boxes and throw them on a truck for distribution to the troops. That would be called a "B" ration. The coffee would stay hot even over night in one of those sitting on the steel bed of a truck at near freezing outside temps.

So it's probably not a good for a fermenter. You'd probly wind up cooking your yeast from the self generated heat! Sure would make a great HLT or even a MLT with the addition of a false bottom. I would not even try to add any additional holes though as you'd likely ruin the double walled construction and insulating capability.

I wish I could find one!

 

[vonZwicky]

That big SS domed tank is definitely a military field kitchen coffee urn. We used these when I was in the army. At the field kitchen they'd fill these up and with hot brewed coffee and put the hot cooked rations in some similar oblong 3 compartment insulated, but green, field ration boxes and throw them on a truck for distribution to the troops. That would be called a "B" ration. The coffee would stay hot even over night in one of those sitting on the steel bed of a truck at near freezing outside temps.

So it's probably not a good for a fermenter. You'd probly wind up cooking your yeast from the self generated heat! Sure would make a great HLT or even a MLT with the addition of a false bottom. I would not even try to add any additional holes though as you'd likely ruin the double walled construction and insulating capability.

I wish I could find one!

I just used this for the first time on my first brew last week. I abandoned the idea of using it for a fermenter for just the reason you mentioned, but it makes a great HLT! I filled it with boiling water, which brought it down to 180, then mixed in a little cold to bring it down to 170. Sparge water... which will maybe lose a degree in about an hour an a half. You can see it in use here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/year-zero-day-one-today-210761/

Edit: Thanks! I was hoping somebody with military experience would chime in and give me a little more info about this urn.

 

[vonZwicky]

Also, as I mentioned earlier, the threads for the fittings on this urn turned out to be "beer thread," the same used on sankey couplers, so it was easy to replace the original spigot with a shut off valve and a tailpiece for a hose connection.