Mini Mash System for Extract Brewers

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

I was quite pleased to receive my 3 gal cooler from Rubbermaid last Friday. Their website still said processing and their call center people said it would take 3 weeks to deliver. I was pleasantly surprised to receive it in 1 week.

I ran to my LHBS and bought the ingredients to brew an ESB using the partial mash method with a grain bag that was described in a BYO article (link above). I followed the procedure that was listed in the BYO article but had a lower OG than expected. I measured 1036 at 66 degrees F, as opposed to the 1044 that the recipe stated. Not trusting the original method, I stirred the wort in the primary for a few minutes (with a sanitized spoon) and took another sample out. It was the same gravity.

My guess is that the grain bag method isn't real efficient. I wasn't planning on brewing a low alcohol session beer this time around, but I wanted to make one eventually. I am going to let the fermentation go and see how it ends up.

Before my next batch, I am going to do the mods and add the braided hose and valve. It gets to be a pain in the arse holding the spout open while collecting the liquid from the cooler. A ball valve would be much nicer.

Thanks again to everyone who has been contributing info on this thread and inspiring extract brewers, like myself, to take the next step in brewing.

 

[PseudoChef]

not me ya dingbat. I was referring to the 3 gallon cooler.

D'oh!

 

[bigben]

I was quite pleased to receive my 3 gal cooler from Rubbermaid last Friday. Their website still said processing and their call center people said it would take 3 weeks to deliver. I was pleasantly surprised to receive it in 1 week.

I ran to my LHBS and bought the ingredients to brew an ESB using the partial mash method with a grain bag that was described in a BYO article (link above). I followed the procedure that was listed in the BYO article but had a lower OG than expected. I measured 1036 at 66 degrees F, as opposed to the 1044 that the recipe stated. Not trusting the original method, I stirred the wort in the primary for a few minutes (with a sanitized spoon) and took another sample out. It was the same gravity.

My guess is that the grain bag method isn't real efficient. I wasn't planning on brewing a low alcohol session beer this time around, but I wanted to make one eventually. I am going to let the fermentation go and see how it ends up.

Before my next batch, I am going to do the mods and add the braided hose and valve. It gets to be a pain in the arse holding the spout open while collecting the liquid from the cooler. A ball valve would be much nicer.

Thanks again to everyone who has been contributing info on this thread and inspiring extract brewers, like myself, to take the next step in brewing.

Cool beans man.

You will definitely see an increase in efficiency with the SS Braid vs the Bag. I did. First time I use the bag I missed my target OG by about 12 points. My first PM with my cooler and braid I only missed it by 3 points.

Enjoy your beer!

 

[Saulski]

I know this thread is pretty dated, but I would love a more thorough exploration of the pros/cons and general experiences with a mini mash system. Yesterday I purchased a 2 gallon Rubbermaid cooler at a Big 5 for $14 and will spend the weekend trying to find the right hardware and fittings to turn it into a mash tun. When it's all said and done, I can't imagine spending more than $30 on the project.
This is my first step into having more control over grain selection and sugar/color extraction, and I would like to hear from any other extract brewers making the step into PM and AG brewing. I will definitely share my experiences. Cheers!

 

[tieflyer]

I use a little mini lauter Tun, "Phil's mini Lauter Tun" goes for about 25$ Basically just a 2 gallon bucket, a false bottom, and tube with hose adjustable clamp, mine came with a lid. Works great for 5 pounds of grain. I have done the dousing the grains in the water, but this is the next step I suppose. My first wheat partial mash in which I used this system, should be bottling next weekend. Basically steeped at 150-160* I forget exact #s, and then sparged with 180* which only brought the temp up to ~165* at best. Then boiled, and I boiled the malt, although they say you don't have to, I thought it prudent to at least sterilize the extract for the last 15 minutes or so of an hour boil. Then filled it up with 5 gallons of cool water at the end.

I got mine from Annapolis home brew, a local home brew shop (LHBS?),

http://www.annapolishomebrew.com/shopmashing.asp

they have great instructions as well as I think some great partial mash recipes. I forget precisely, but it was like 4 pounds pale malt extract/wheat malt extract, and then 5 lbs wheat/malt don't know precisely their recipe... But all their premade recipes have an option for all extract with steeping grains, partial mash, or all grain. The Partial mash is based on the Phil's mini lauter tun.

Has anyone seen this Phil's mini lauter tun for sale anymore, cheapest I can find a mini Lauter Tun is 230 bucks.

 

[Wilsons]

Tons of info here! This is a great thread and i would really like to build a mini masher out of a small cooler, but there are a few aspects of this process that i just cannot wrap my brain around and i was wondering if anyone who has built or uses this woudnt mind me calling them up to go over some details before i brew my first mini mash kit, no clubs/brew shops around here so got noone to just talk to about this lol

 

[StLouisBrews]

I know this thread is pretty dated, but I would love a more thorough exploration of the pros/cons and general experiences with a mini mash system. Yesterday I purchased a 2 gallon Rubbermaid cooler at a Big 5 for $14 and will spend the weekend trying to find the right hardware and fittings to turn it into a mash tun. When it's all said and done, I can't imagine spending more than $30 on the project.
This is my first step into having more control over grain selection and sugar/color extraction, and I would like to hear from any other extract brewers making the step into PM and AG brewing. I will definitely share my experiences. Cheers!

I just started PM and will be trying my first AG in a month or so. For the PM I've been using deathbrewers method and plan on doing the same with his AG method. Its honestly the best thing I've seen for brewers who want make the jump for cheap.

 

[tieflyer]

Has anyone seen this Phil's mini lauter tun for sale anymore, cheapest I can find a mini Lauter Tun is 230 bucks.

bump

 

[Rover]

I've been using Deathbrewers PM method for my last two batches. I got 80 and 85% efficiency with them. For my next batch I'll be brewing my first AG, Biermuncher's Centennial Blond, being that it has a small grain bill it should be an easy first go. The way I look at it, the BIAB (Brew In A bag) method is the best for next to no extra investment if you are allready doing full boils.

 

[guitarman123]

I am primarily interested in Octoberfest type of beer and I want to use build it yourself equipment for small batches but of two different types. Now that we have the mix and the yeast right we should be able to use the minimum store bought vessels? Robbie

 

[Maltomarko]

Holy Cow!

I am a noob to todays techniques but not to brewing.

I spent a couple of hours reading this entire thread and got a wealth of information!

Thank you RichBrewer, your original thought and build really helped teach an old dog some new tricks.

Cheers!

 

[RichBrewer]

Boy I am wishing I hadn't given away my mini mash tun. Oh well. When you do something out of the kindness of your heart it really isn't a big deal unless it hurts... right...?

Oh well. I think I can do a bit of a conversion on my 5 gallon cooler/ HLT. It might hold temp OK with just a gallon of water.