Easiest/Cheapest Way to Get Into All Grain?

[Surly]

Whatever direction a new brewer takes as he/she begins upgrading, I recommend they keep one simple factor in mind.

Buy equipment one time. If you know you want to get into bigger beers or more volume, design your kettle and mash tun to handle them right from the start. Don't waste money settling for less.

Craig's List is your friend.

 

[tjcavitt]

Trying to capture all of the resources here . . .

Tried my first AG pumpkin and came out with NO pumpkin flavor and heavy spice (used 1 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin spice at 5 min). Long story short . . . Do you get more of a pumpkin flavor by putting the pumpkin into the boil or into the mash? I put mine in the mash and didn't get squat for pumpkin flavor. Suggestions? Trying to duplicate Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale.

 

[sportscrazed2]

so i just bought a turkey fryer from bass pro shop. will brew in a bag work with a 30 quart pot?

 

[Cazamodo]

I set out to see how cheaply I could brew All-Grain. All I wanted to make at a time is 5 Gal batch, and some high grav beers would be a squeeze (although the 1.072 oatmeal stout i tried was fine!)

Its a complete plastic/electric build, and cost me under £100 to build.

3 x 33L fermentation bins.
4 x Kettles from tesco
4 x IEC adapters
1 x Roll of thermawrap
3 x ball valve taps
Length of copper for IC
assorted clips and tank connectors.



I took the elements from the kettles, and put two in the bottom of one bucket for the BK, and the same to another bucket for the HLT. I boil ALL my water first due to my hard water, and a full 33l bucket straight from the outside tap, which is probably around 13'C at the moment takes 45mins avg to bring to boil.

The third bucket is wrapped in layers of therma wrap, and used as the mashtun, I lose at most 1degree over a 60min mash. I have an old plate with holes as a false bottom.

Each bucket has a brass tank connector, with a dip tube on the inside of the bucket, and a ball valve tap, with a brass elbow and siphon tube on each.

The IC is 10m of 10mm copper pipe, and it was bent around a paintpot, and as my outside tap water is so cold, it cools very well!


The elements are very very simple to take from the kettle, and put into the buckets. Just disassemble the kettle, cut the size hole in the bucket, and re-assemble the elements around the buckets hole. The IEC adapters are for the kettles lead to be attatched to. I followed a very good guide that I've lost atm, but it was very helpfull.


Anyway, just thought I would share how I have my working, but very crude, All-Grain system. Its not the prettiest, but it gets the job done, and it was the easy and cheap!


However! The £100 mark includes, MLT, HLT, BK, and IC. I also had a bunch of fermenter, thermometers, hydrometer, and other bits and pieces from my cider making.
Also, as you would have guessed from the very first bit, I'm in the UK, so thats why using gas here would of been a much more expensive and not so easy way to go!

 

[sportscrazed2]

so brew in a bag looks like the simplest method. no need to really recirculate or vorlouf since most of the grain will be caught by the bag. also you could adjust temps if they drop too far just by turning the heat back on. wouldn't a colander over the brewpot when transfering wort catch any grain that managed to sneak out of bag? also no need for adding water for mashout since you could just crank the heat up until you hit right temp right? finally can you just leave the flame on low without having temps rise or drop?

 

[electronjunkie]

Cheapest way: go to store, buy beer. Done.

Not always true, but usually true. The beer I like costs $3-4 a 12oz bottle. A BIAB setup is super cheap and including ingredients would pay for itself on the 1st batch with that beer. You can reuse yeast 5 or so times so you can save $$ there too.

Now my kegging setup on the other hand....not so cheap. You don't have to keg, but I like to brew, not bottle.

 

[ftlstrings]

@ electronjunkie: Fair point there. My main message was that he ought to think about where he will want to be in a few years and work towards that if possible, rather than trying to scrap something together quickly that may or may not work for him. Saves money and frustration in the long run, no?

 

[sportscrazed2]

where do i want to be in 2 years? with the ability to do all grain but also have the ability to do full boil extract for when i'm feeling lazy

 

[ftlstrings]

gas, electric, steam? 5 gallons? 10, 20? Single vessel, 3 tier? Etc.