Going all grain.... eventually

[Ludesbrews]

All,

Thinking about going all grain and I have a couple of questions.

1) Could I get away with two 5 gallon coolers if I am doing only 5 gallon batches?

2) what do people suggest, getting a kit with everything included, or buying all the parts separately and constructing it themselves.

Thanks,
LB

 

[ncbrewer]

I used a 9 gallon Coleman extreme cooler - it worked well. Why do you want to use two coolers?

There are lots of options for a set-up. A kit could be good for getting a workable system, but you could probably get closer to what you want by assembling it yourself. I used a braided stainless hose covering as the solids separator - it's pretty common. If I was to do it again, I might use a bag inside the cooler instead.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

I suggest going BIAB it's cheaper, faster and more efficient points I find hard to argue with

 

[rhys333]

I second the BIAB suggestion. There are many positives and I don't know of any downsides.

 

[bracconiere]

yes you can do a 5 gal batch in a 5gal cooler. and i just use a 10 gal cooler, for a 10 gal batch, and my plastic fermenter to hold the sparge water, and pot and colander to put it in the mash tun for sparging...

 

[gnef]

I think it all depends on the gravity of the batches you want to be able to brew. If you don't plan on doing any high gravity beers, you should be fine, or if you are willing to do smaller final batch sized for bigger beers, it can work too.

As for kits or buying ingredients separately, it really depends on what you want to do, and where you want to spend your time and money. I buy everything in bulk, so I find recipes, and then measure everything out myself and then mill it. This may not be your situation though, and it may be easiest to start with kits and have the store mill everything for you.

As you get more comfortable with your brewing, or want more control, you can look into a mill and buying in bulk (buying in bulk is where I save a good amount of money and it lets me brew whenever I want, not reliant on being able to make it to the LHBS or hoping it is open).

I do have two mash tuns that I use, one is a 60 Qt, the other a 120Qt. I typically do 5-10 gallon batches in the 60 Qt cooler, and only use the 120 Qt for my really big beers (highest I've hit was 1.154 for 6 gallons going into the fermenter, I believe). So if you want more options, you can make a second, larger mash tun for when you need it.

 

[BrewInspector]

Not sure how you intended to use the 2nd 5 gallon cooler.... Split the grain and do some sort of dual mash? One to hold sparge water?

Yes, you can do 5 gallon batches as long as the recipe does not require more grain and water than the cooler can hold. Most will be fine.

I did not buy a kit setup when I went all grain. I repurposed an aluminum 7 gallon propane turkey fryer, a well used 10 gallon cooler, a 6 gallon bucket (to hold the wort since I had only the one kettle), a braid from a water hose and a valve that tightly fit the cooler outlet (since I couldn't find a compression weldless version locally) and brewed a recipe that I created based on several similar ones that I thought I would like.

I still have and use these same pieces 5+years later. The 7 gallon is now my hot liquor thank ( I have a larger stainless kettle now), the cooler, braid and valve are the same and I even still brew that 1st recipe on a regular basis. (Tried several variations but keep going back to the original)

 

[mongoose33]

Hard to argue against BIAB. I've done both a traditional mash tun w/ sparge, and BIAB. BIAB is easier, simpler....it's just hard to argue against it, based on my experience.

To do 5-gallon batches you'll want a 10-gallon kettle. Something that heats it fast would also be good.

You'll also want to figure out some way to hoist the bag. I've attached a pulley to my garage door rails, and to an eye hook screwed into the ceiling of my garage. Others that don't have the same arrangements have created a little hoist out of 2x4s or tubular steel or what have you.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I don’t particularly care for two cooler systems...unless of course one or both have heating elements installed.

Perhaps if your pumping your brewing water around two coolers would be more tolerable. Otherwise too much moving liquid imo.