First 10 gallon day

[Yooper]

I've been telling every new brewer that you can do AG on a shoestring if you have to. No sculpture or "fancy" stuff, but I do have a nice keggle (thanks, Sause!). No ballvalve on the keggle, though.

You can see from the height that I can drain the first runnings into the keggle, just by putting the keggle on the ground. But after that, I'm going to have to draw off the second runnings into another pot and gently pour it into the BK. Unless I batch sparge, and can raise the MLT higher- I haven't decided yet. Lifting large quantities of nearly boiling liquids over my head is not a pleasant experience, so I'll probably keep as is.

My chiminea is where my magnetic thermometer is sticking.

 

[flyangler18]

Looks an awful lot like my ghetto-fabulous design, Lorena, and you've seen it on brewcasts!

The only 'high-tech' addition that I've made is a March pump to run the wort through the CFC.

 

[Yooper]

Looks an awful lot like my ghetto-fabulous design, Lorena, and you've seen it on brewcasts!

The only 'high-tech' addition that I've made is a March pump to run the wort through the CFC.

As Bob was watching me set this up last night, he said, "You know, you really should see if you can get John's Welding to build you a sculpture". He's seen those cool tier systems- he told me I'm not smart enough to run a pump on a system! So, I think a sculpture is in my future- he just has no idea of the cost. We're buying a car this summer, so no sculpture for me for a while! The other thing is that the weather stinks about 9 months out of the year for us- no outdoor hoses from about November until March for sure. I thought the garage might make a decent brewhouse, if I could figure out the water issue.

 

[Yooper]

Another thought I've been having is we have a laundry room right where that white door is. That would make a great brewhouse, if I could figure out space and ventilation. And find a new home for the washer and dryer.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Washer and dryer would look great on the patio! Priorities

There are some good indoor threads around here. Ed and Yuri could probably help you out with ventilation as they've both set it up in their brew sheds.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I was going to make a smartass comment about how you only get to brew outside for about another 2 months, but you already beat me to it, Yoop.

 

[Yooper]

I was going to make a smartass comment about how you only get to brew outside for about another 2 months, but you already beat me to it, Yoop.

Ahhh, but the summers are glorious! It's hot today- I might even turn on a fan later, but there is always a breeze and sunshine and cool evenings. The fishing has been great, and the water temperature at the lake cottage is warm enough for swimming and wading. Two or three months of that is enough to keep me here, at least spring through fall.

I'm finally ready to mash in- it's a new burner and I was afraid to turn it up too high at first so it took a while to heat up the four gallons of strike water.

 

[Yooper]

Some things I've learned today. 22 pounds of grain and 27.50 quarts of water will fill a 10 gallon Igloo to the tippy top of the cooler. Good thing that was all that I planned! My mash temp was 153- exactly as planned! Again, good thing, since I had NO room at all to add more water!

 

[drunkatuw]

The other thing is that the weather stinks about 9 months out of the year for us- no outdoor hoses from about November until March for sure. I thought the garage might make a decent brewhouse, if I could figure out the water issue.

You can still use the outside hose in the winter. You just have to make sure you disconnect it as soon as you turn off the water. I know in MN I left the hose connected for under 5 min in January andI had to get a pipe wrench to disconnect the hose because it had frozen solid.

 

[Yooper]

You can still use the outside hose in the winter. You just have to make sure you disconnect it as soon as you turn off the water. I know in MN I left the hose connected for under 5 min in January andI had to get a pipe wrench to disconnect the hose because it had frozen solid.

I don't think I'd be able to drain the faucet, though. At the cottage, I can drain the faucet because I have a "drain valve" just before it. I don't think it would work for me here at the house. I had a friend who used her hose last fall, and didn't drain it- and this spring her basement pipes (leading to the faucet) burst and caused $25,000 worth of damage to the finished basement.

And of course, running a chiller would be a bear- where would the water go? It would have to go in the driveway.

I'd have to think some more about it, that's for sure!

 

[mmb]

As Bob was watching me set this up last night, he said, "You know, you really should see if you can get John's Welding to build you a sculpture". He's seen those cool tier systems- he told me I'm not smart enough to run a pump on a system! So, I think a sculpture is in my future- he just has no idea of the cost. We're buying a car this summer, so no sculpture for me for a while! The other thing is that the weather stinks about 9 months out of the year for us- no outdoor hoses from about November until March for sure. I thought the garage might make a decent brewhouse, if I could figure out the water issue.

I run an RV hose from the laundry tub in the house and use a shut-off on the end in the garage when brewing in the winter.

It's cozy with the burners going full blast.

 

[Yooper]

I run an RV hose from the laundry tub in the house and use a shut-off on the end in the garage when brewing in the winter.

It's cozy with the burners going full blast.

cozy, huh? Like above 0? I might have to give it a try, if the temp is above 0 or so on a warm winter day.

 

[mmb]

cozy, huh? Like above 0? I might have to give it a try, if the temp is above 0 or so on a warm winter day.

Well, any dripped brewing water doesn't freeze instantly, if that's what you mean.

I brewed fairly comfortably during that 10° stretch in January. What you forget is that we trolls get some of the cold weather you get but we don't have the piles of snow insulating our houses like an igloo.

 

[springer]

looks good but then again anything is good compared to my set up If you want to brew outside longer might I suggest a frost proof sill cock they are easy to install and you never have to drain the sill cock .. hey thats what its called

I have two of these but winter is much shorter here than where you are

frostproof

 

[Yooper]

More pics! I went inside to get the hops, and came back to a glorious boilover. I got a picture just as the boilover was ending:



The mess on the patio:


The pile of hops (homegrown cascade, the last of it from last year, and centennial):

 

[Runyanka]

Some things I've learned today. 22 pounds of grain and 27.50 quarts of water will fill a 10 gallon Igloo to the tippy top of the cooler. Good thing that was all that I planned! My mash temp was 153- exactly as planned! Again, good thing, since I had NO room at all to add more water!
View attachment 11777

I like how you keep 4 or 5 thermometers around on brew day. I usually have my digital, analog dial, and liquid ones all at had.

 

[EdWort]

Congrats on the big day! I'm still brewing ghetto on my back deck too. I put the boil kettle on cinder blocks to raise it enough to pour in a bucket. My MLT is on a table with the legs extended plus it sits on 2x4 to raise it to the hight of my BK.

I use a graduated bucket to move hot water to my MLT. So far the system has worked very well for batch sparging.

 

[Thor the Mighty]

Looks an awful lot like my ghetto-fabulous design, Lorena, and you've seen it on brewcasts!

The only 'high-tech' addition that I've made is a March pump to run the wort through the CFC.

i literally have everything in that setup as well. even the same burner hahaha