I'm looking to make the transition to all-grain within the next year. I'm still in the planning stages at this time. My research is making me realize how expensive it will be. Any tips for doing it more economically? I would appreciate any input regarding inexpensive rigs, equipment, etc. Thanks in advance!
How to go All-Grain without breaking the bank
- Thread starter jmart84
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BIAB.
An 8 gallon or larger kettle, and a bag. You can cheap and grab the HD 5 gallon paint strainers or get a real bag by a that dude who makes killer bags here. Someone help me out, I forgot his name.
You likely have most everything else you need.
EDIT: wilserbrewer makes killer bags custom to your kettle.
An 8 gallon or larger kettle, and a bag. You can cheap and grab the HD 5 gallon paint strainers or get a real bag by a that dude who makes killer bags here. Someone help me out, I forgot his name.
You likely have most everything else you need.
EDIT: wilserbrewer makes killer bags custom to your kettle.
GrogNerd
mean old man
FirstAidBrewing
Well-Known Member
BIAB is probably the easiest/cheapest way to get into AG. Next would be the cooler mash tun, which is my current setup. Build your own; the markups I've seen online are crazy.
A 5 gallon paint strainer bag (or one made for BIAB, wilserbrewer, a sponsor sells them: http://biabbags.webs.com/)
And a pot. Many start BIAB with a turkey fryer kit. $50 - $75. I started with this one: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-45-000-BTU-Propane-Gas-Outdoor-Turkey-Fryer-with-30-qt-Pot-815-4001-S/202038907
Start with milled grains, then add equipment as you decide what style of all grain brewing you want to do. I have a 3 tier all gravity system. 10 gallon HLT on the turkey fryer burner, 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler Mash Tun, 10 gallon BK on a Bayou Classic SP10 burner.
And a pot. Many start BIAB with a turkey fryer kit. $50 - $75. I started with this one: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-45-000-BTU-Propane-Gas-Outdoor-Turkey-Fryer-with-30-qt-Pot-815-4001-S/202038907
Start with milled grains, then add equipment as you decide what style of all grain brewing you want to do. I have a 3 tier all gravity system. 10 gallon HLT on the turkey fryer burner, 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler Mash Tun, 10 gallon BK on a Bayou Classic SP10 burner.
Helloworld
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IDK, But the one I linked to is in the sponsor section of this site.
I don't actually find the markup to be that steep - morebeer sold me my cooler mash tun for $160, but looking right now, they've marked it up more. That seemed reasonable at the time, since getting the same rubbermaid cooler was like $75, false bottom for $30-40, valve for another $35 - basically I was paying them $15 for labor, which I was fine with. Today, you would be paying them like $35 for building the thing vs. individual parts. (That's not to say that those individual parts are actually required, just that you aren't going to find them cheaper)
That said, if I was to do-over today, knowing what I know now, I would be using a BIAB cooler liner for a 10gal Igloo cooler from walmart. Total setup would be ~$100, since those coolers are like $35, a valve is $35, and the bag is ~$30. I've actually removed the false bottom from my mash tun and use a bag liner now. It's been way better than false bottoms or braids.
If you've been doing partial boils for extract, you might also need a bigger pot and burner. It's not that bad making the jump to all-grain, and the equipment cost is made up quickly in the extract vs grain price. That's not the real reason to brew all-grain though. The reason is for recipe control.
If you already have a kettle big enough and heat source powerful enough to do a full boil, you can already do BIAB with the purchase of a big grain bag, like these guys said. And if your heat source isn't powerful enough, you can still do partial boil BIAB, you'll just have to take a big hit on mash efficiency since you won't be able to sparge enough (or mash thin enough in the case of no-sparge BIAB) to extract all the sugars.
If you want to go the more traditional route, don't think you have to purchase a fancy pump-driven three tier set-up. You can buy a 10 gallon cylindrical drink cooler from the hardware store for cheap, buy the bulkhead/ballvalve parts for fairly cheap, make a braid or manifold for cheap (although I'd just spend the money and buy a false bottom personally, they're much less prone to failure and much more efficient should you decide to fly sparge), and then you'd need a second kettle for sparge water. I have a 10 gallon boil kettle, a 10 gallon cooler MLT w/ false bottom, and a 5 gallon kettle I use as HLT (and an auxiliary 3 gallon kettle that I use on occasion if I'm doing a larger batch or a partigyle or decoction mash or the like, but don't need it for most beers).
You don't need pumps or a tiered system, just a table or counter. Pumps make life easier, but if you can lift things up and down, that's all you need. All my brewing is done between my gas stove, my kitchen counter, and my kitchen floor.
If you want to go the more traditional route, don't think you have to purchase a fancy pump-driven three tier set-up. You can buy a 10 gallon cylindrical drink cooler from the hardware store for cheap, buy the bulkhead/ballvalve parts for fairly cheap, make a braid or manifold for cheap (although I'd just spend the money and buy a false bottom personally, they're much less prone to failure and much more efficient should you decide to fly sparge), and then you'd need a second kettle for sparge water. I have a 10 gallon boil kettle, a 10 gallon cooler MLT w/ false bottom, and a 5 gallon kettle I use as HLT (and an auxiliary 3 gallon kettle that I use on occasion if I'm doing a larger batch or a partigyle or decoction mash or the like, but don't need it for most beers).
You don't need pumps or a tiered system, just a table or counter. Pumps make life easier, but if you can lift things up and down, that's all you need. All my brewing is done between my gas stove, my kitchen counter, and my kitchen floor.
Do you have a 5 gallon kettle already? And a heat source big enough to bring it to a boil? If so, you can do 4 gallon AG batches by just buying a 5-gallon bag at Home Depot.
That's what I'm doing until I can get a larger kettle -- but I'm in no hurry to move up because 4 gallons is a good size.
That's what I'm doing until I can get a larger kettle -- but I'm in no hurry to move up because 4 gallons is a good size.
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
He was referring to this one...
Www.Biabbags.webs.com
Excellent bags in my biased
opinion and less money. Plug over....
jspain3
Well-Known Member
I bought a $30 rolling igloo cooler (15 gallons). I replaced the spigot with a ball valve plus fittings ($15?) and then built a manifold from CPVC pipe ($10). I've only used it once, but it worked great.
jekeane
Well-Known Member
I got a wilser bag for 3.5 gallon trial batches a little while back and I love it. For starting all grain on the cheap BIAB is the way to go in my opinion. I have a pretty top of the line 3 vessel herms system and if im brewing 5 gallons or less I will almost always default to biab now.
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
I do both BIAB, and cooler batch sparge, both work well.
Can't beat BIAB for the ease and simplicity. Crush fine, heat full volume to 160-162....add grain, pull bag after 30-60 minutes and boil....doesn't get much easier
Don't count out BIAB for larger 10-15 gallon batches either, with the addition of an inexpensive ratchet pulley, removing the bag is not that difficult.
"brew on"
Can't beat BIAB for the ease and simplicity. Crush fine, heat full volume to 160-162....add grain, pull bag after 30-60 minutes and boil....doesn't get much easier
Don't count out BIAB for larger 10-15 gallon batches either, with the addition of an inexpensive ratchet pulley, removing the bag is not that difficult.
"brew on"
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