I think I'm back...

[ericbw]

I've decided to convert my 5 gallon hot water tank to a mashtun. As usual, I am having major problems with the plumbing hardware. I bought a weldless Fermentap spigot from my LHBS and attempted to install it only to find the wall of my Rubbermaid cooler is way to thick. I even found instructions for installing the spigot into a Rubbermaid cooler. It is an older model (purchased in 1995) so I am thinking the newer ones have a thinner wall where the spigot is installed. Numerous attempts to modify the spigot have met with failure and frustration. I don't really want to modify the cooler any further and I think drilling a shoulder into the hole so the spigot will insert further is a bad idea (suggestion from guy at LHBS) because I think it will weaken the wall around the spigot and lead to a failure if the spigot is bumped. I haven't given up but I do remember why I am not very fond of plumbing hardware.

Is that different than a cooler conversion kit? You could do that with a longer nipple (home depot) but you'd also need more fender washers (hard to find).


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[RichBrewer]

Is that different than a cooler conversion kit? You could do that with a longer nipple (home depot) but you'd also need more fender washers (hard to find).


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

I actually fount some SS washers and a 1/2" nipple to install into the assembly to lengthen it. I couldn't get it to tighten up and there was a good size gap between the cooler wall and the silicone seal.

 

[bredle]

I just did my first brew in a bag and am sold on it for smaller batches and quicker brew days. I hit 85ish efficiency by following Brad Smith's (BeerSmith) tutorial on his website, and will be doing smaller batches. I like the Beersmith software because I can quickly convert my all grain recipes to smaller BIAB recipes.

Welcome back and good luck!

 

[RichBrewer]

Well, a new plan is emerging. I'm tired of fighting with the adaptation of hardware and besides my 5 gallon hot water tank is looking pretty bad (See photo below). Years of running nearly boiling water through it has warped it pretty bad.

Yesterday I went in search of a cooler that would work with the Fermentap spigot. I ended up looking at Lowes and two different Home Depots before finding a 5 gallon Igloo cooler at Wal-Mart. It was the only cooler I could find that has a wall thin enough for the spigot to fit. Good to go right? Not so fast! It installed quite easily. Problem is it leaks. I started at barely hand tight and increased in small steps until I used a bit of force with a wrench. It is to the point now that the silicone gasket is beginning to deform. I think the problem is trying to get a seal with a flat washer against the curved wall of the cooler. I'm thinking about getting another gasket and try 2 of them. Or, I might squirt some heat resistant RTV into the hole before installing the spigot. Maybe both!

Have I mentioned that I am not real fond of plumbing hardware?

Edit: I wonder if Permatex Blue RTV silicone gasket maker would be safe. It is good to 500 degrees but I wonder if it will hurt anything if wort contacts it.

 

[AnOldUR]

This is an old picture, but gets the idea across. I found the best way to get a seal on a cooler is to go with a large hole on the outer wall with clearance for the valve body and only compress on the inner wall.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Welcome back. I don't find the sound of the burner all that loud. I assume it being a new sound that it would make the neighbors wonder, but I can't imagine the wort smell being any better or worse than say curry. I lived above neighbors who lived off curry. You can imagine my distaste for it now.

I don't mind the smell of curry in small amounts. I have a friend who is half Indian and half Malaysian. He makes chicken wings and drumsticks with fusion blend of spices which is good and not bad smell wise or I'd never eat it.

Last week he made skate with same blend of spices. It was good too. Omfg.... the gas that you get is what is foul... eating spicy food and combined with the undigestable cartilage. They gas is very distinguishable from any other gas I had. Not that I am fart sommelier....The smell ....just know that I was aerating my place when it was below zero outside. It was that bad.

So yeah Indian spices, coupled with noxious BO... is worse than many things short of a decomposing skunk. BO = Butt Odor.

 

[RichBrewer]

Finally put together and it doesn't leak! I put a small amount of Permatex Blue RTV silicone gasket maker around the hole and the threads of the spigot. Tightened it up, let the RTV cure and tested it. No leaks.

 

[RichBrewer]

Last week he made skate with same blend of spices. It was good too. Omfg.... the gas that you get is what is foul... eating spicy food and combined with the undigestable cartilage. They gas is very distinguishable from any other gas I had. Not that I am fart sommelier....The smell ....just know that I was aerating my place when it was below zero outside. It was that bad.

So yeah Indian spices, coupled with noxious BO... is worse than many things short of a decomposing skunk. BO = Butt Odor.

I feel that this might be just a hair off topic. But then again, maybe I should have you over farting into the neighbors apartments. Then my brewing will smell fantastic to them!

 

[Schlenkerla]

I feel that this might be just a hair off topic. But then again, maybe I should have you over farting into the neighbors apartments. Then my brewing will smell fantastic to them!

Anything I can do to help..

Ironically, you mention your MLT leaking, I had to repair mine yesterday. I had to change a steel washer and replace a gasket. It's good as new now. It was leaking just enough to make a small puddle which really could lower my efficiency.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I feel your pain about brewing constraints. Can't control your apartment much.I've brewed PM and 1 gallon all-grain. I like the latter more and am building a mini-mash tun (or buying, haven't convinced myself its not worth the few extra bucks yet) to make it easier on me. Even when I'm fully set up to do larger batches, I'll still use my MMT, and make 1 gallon experimental batches. Don't need 2 cases of oak aged barley wine. Or the cost associated with that much

 

[RichBrewer]

I've got my ingredients so it looks like my first brew day back will be Sunday. I'll be mashing about 5 pounds of grain and then adding 3 pounds of dry extract. Because of my limited time and space, I'm doing a single stage fermentation for two or three weeks in a plastic bucket then straight into the keg. I'll be interested to see how this turns out
Now, I hope I can remember how to brew! It's like riding a bike right???

 

[RichBrewer]

Brewed last Saturday and that was the easiest session I have ever done! Nailed my rest temp (154) and the cooler only lost one degree in an hour. I had to recirculate less than a quart of wort and it was running nice and clear. The SS braid allowed for a nice sparge without a hint of getting stuck. The new element I installed on the stove brought the approximately 4 gallons of wort to boil in less than 20 minutes ( I started heating the wort during the sparge as soon as there was enough in the brew-pot to prevent burning). I did over shoot my OG. I hit 1.060 and was shooting for 1.056. I'm not too worried about that.
Everything was going to good to be true...
I checked on the fermenter about three hours after I pitched the yeast and the temp had climbed to 77 degrees F. Later that evening it rose to 79. I found a cooler place for it and it dropped to 70 degrees but it might have been too late. I'm not going to worry about it though. I'll just make the best of it and RDWHAHB. Oh, wait, I don't have any home brew. Guess I'll have to have a beer from Dry Dock!

All in all- it is good to be back!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Three hours at the higher temp isn't an issue. If you rehydrated the yeast prior to pitching, then had similar temps between the yeast slurry and wort I think you are good. I think it's more important that those two are close, even if it's slightly elevated

Even if you didn't do a starter, getting the yeast started at higher temps for a few hours probably got it going faster. I doubt any fusels or ester was generated. The yeast was probably taking in oxygen for a while.

Question about your mash process and your tight hold on the temperature... do you stir at intervals during the hour or two, - or - do you dough in stir well, cover and wait it out for the whole mash.

 

[RichBrewer]

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Question about your mash process and your tight hold on the temperature... do you stir at intervals during the hour or two, - or - do you dough in stir well, cover and wait it out for the whole mash.

I just dough in and stir very thoroughly to make sure all clumps are dissolved and all of the grist absorbs water. I don't stir after that until I add about a gallon of 180 degree water for a kind of mash-out. I don't like to keep opening my mashtun because I fear it will release heat every time. I went about 12 degrees hotter on my strike water this Time to insure that the cooler/ mashtun absorbed enough heat.
I hope you are right about the off flavors. Time will tell.
Oh, and I added some very hot water to the mashtun and let it sit for about 10 minutes before draining and adding the strike water.

 

[Yooper]

Sounds great to me! I'm glad it went so well for your first time back. When things go that well for me, I'm always suspicious that I'm missing something big!

 

[fearwig]

Sounds great to me! I'm glad it went so well for your first time back. When things go that well for me, I'm always suspicious that I'm missing something big!

That's usually when I realize I pitched without sanitizing my fermenter... which was just full of raw wort.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I hope you are right about the off flavors. Time will tell.

Oh BTW I fixed my grammar above.... can't believe I texted that sober.

Must have been too late....

I was attempting to say wort temp and yeast slurry should be close in temp when pitched. Also thinking slightly high for a short time is not bad.

 

[RichBrewer]

The beer has been kegged for two weeks now and it is tasting pretty good. I don't think it would win any awards but it is quite drinkable. The very warm fermentation temp didn't seem to hurt it too much. It could be though that I just don't know what I am tasting. Everyone here has become so much more sophisticated with their brewing that my beer would be pretty bad compared. Well, for now the beer tasted pretty good to me and maybe someday I can afford to have the brewery that I've always wanted. Brewing an OK beer is better than not brewing at all.

 

[Schlenkerla]

If you like then, that's all that matters. So you think no fusels are in your beer? A killer hangover would tell you...

 

[RichBrewer]

If you like then, that's all that matters. So you think no fusels are in your beer? A killer hangover would tell you...

I had more than a few of them Friday night and no problems. Actually, no hangover at all

 

[RichBrewer]

I've decided to take some of you guys advice and brew smaller batches (2 1/2 to 3 gallons). That way, I can brew all grain and avoid the cost of the malt extract. Plus I can brew more often!

 

[Homercidal]

I've decided to take some of you guys advice and brew smaller batches (2 1/2 to 3 gallons). That way, I can brew all grain and avoid the cost of the malt extract. Plus I can brew more often!

<Thumbs up!>


I like this plan. I tried it a while back and just decided that I didn't have the time to spend to do it. It takes pretty much the same amount of time for a smaller batch and you get less.

But if you have plenty of time and the interest to try more styles and methods, it's a great way to accomplish both.