My plan for an "All Grain System"

[aggieactuary]

I've been doing some research on putting together an all grain setup, and I think my plan is just about ready. Thanks for all the great info on the forum here.

I'm hoping that I can get some tips or warnings if there's something missing or wrong here. I'm building this from the ground up, so if you see something missing feel free to let me know.


*10 gallon Rubbermaid mash and lauter tun - seems like the ss braid is the most common way to go here, but I might go with the 12" ss false bottom.

*10 gallon aluminum brew kettle - planning to install a ball valve

*Bayou SP10 burner

*copper immersion wort chiller - make my own, maybe 50ft

*primary fermenter - trying to decide between a glass carboy and a cornelius keg

*not planning to get a secondary fermenter at this point

*other stuff: thermometers, stirring paddle, hydrometer, starsan, PBW, bench capper, I have bombers from previous brewing, caps, bottle brush


Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JasonInBTR]

Looks like a plan. I just started using a 10G beverage cooler and it worked great with a SS braid. Got my fittings and whatnot from bargainfittings.com. As far as the misc stuff get the basics and pick up little things as you go. After every brewday (4 so far) I've just made a list and gotten a couple of things on each order. Make sure you get a decent thermometer. I started with a turkey fryer thermo and after getting a lab thermometer I found that it was off by 20F! Pick up a couple of buckets from HD/Lowes for cleaning and whatnot.

 

[Frodo]

You'll need something for a hot liquor tank (could be your boil kettle, if you drain the runnings into something else then transfer back into the pot after sparging). Could use a rectangular cooler if you already have one laying around though. You might also consider upping the side of your kettle to 15 gallons, in case you either end up wanting to do a 10 gallon batch, or do a batch with a really long boil time.

 

[MX1]

Pretty much where I started out at.
Had a second 5 gallon pot for the HLT, so I could start the burner on the BK after the 1st running's.

Not sure where or if you already picked up your pots, but do yourself a favor and run by a few party stores that supply kegs, and at least ask if they have any defective ones.

I did just the other day, and now I have 2 13 gallon pots in the making for the grand total of around $80.

also if your going weldless, and can afford it you might as well get the thermo set up for the kettles as well...not that they need it, but I will be hitting the trifecta on both the kegs valve / sight glass / thermometer.

my euro cent

Tim

 

[Boar Beer]

we started with two 10 gallon Rubbermaid coolers one for the HLT and the other for the Mash tun. worked great.

I would go with a 15 gallon brew kettle if you don't already have one

As for the primary. Just go glass. you want to see whats going on and you want to know its clean..

good luck

 

[RichBenn]

You'll need something for a hot liquor tank (could be your boil kettle, if you drain the runnings into something else then transfer back into the pot after sparging). Could use a rectangular cooler if you already have one laying around though. You might also consider upping the side of your kettle to 15 gallons, in case you either end up wanting to do a 10 gallon batch, or do a batch with a really long boil time.

These are really good comments. I use another one to two pots on the stove, and heat water for sparging that way. But it's not as convenient as if the things were all together.

The 10 gallon cooler could do a low gravity 10 gallon brew with multiple sparging, but you always need at least a few gallons head space in the brew kettle to feel comfortable. I make 5 gallon batches, which means at least 5.5 gallons post boil (trub and hop losses), 6.5 to 7 gallons pre-boil, so an 9 gallon vessel is just right for me (I use alot of hops). With 11 gallons post boil, a 15 gallon vessel IS needed and about the miniumum. I think that's why old kegs with the top cut out (15.5 gallons) are so popular for boiling.

 

[coastwx]

I'd second the SS braid. I've never had a stuck mash/sparge. My last session was the first stout that had oats and flaked barley and it never came close to slowing down.

I use a this cooler, which allows 10 gal batches. I drilled a hole in the top for a thermo. It maintains a constant mash temperature very well. Mine also doubles as fermentation temp control vessel in the summer. The carboy fits in it nicely, just throw in water and a few frozen gatorade qt bottles a few times a day.
http://www.igloocoolers.com/Ice-Cube

 

[maida7]

What type of sparge are you planning to do?

I'd recommend fermenting in better bottles and using the kegs for the finished beer.

What means of fermentation temp control do you use?

 

[aggieactuary]

coastwx, which Ice Cube do you have? 60Qt? I don't see a spout on those. Did you drill a hole for the valve or do they have a spout?

I'm planning to start with batch sparging.

I'd like to bottle in bombers, so that it's more portable. So, for now I'm thinking I'll get either a carboy or better bottle.

As far as fermentaion temp control, I haven't brewed in the place I'm in now. But I was thinking it would ferment in the guest bathroom. The only problem is it's a shower only. So, should I get some kind of tub for a water bath? I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing the temperature is fairly stable in the bathroom.

Any other suggestions on temp control?

 

[coastwx]

coastwx, which Ice Cube do you have? 60Qt? I don't see a spout on those. Did you drill a hole for the valve or do they have a spout?

I'm planning to start with batch sparging.

I'd like to bottle in bombers, so that it's more portable. So, for now I'm thinking I'll get either a carboy or better bottle.

As far as fermentaion temp control, I haven't brewed in the place I'm in now. But I was thinking it would ferment in the guest bathroom. The only problem is it's a shower only. So, should I get some kind of tub for a water bath? I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing the temperature is fairly stable in the bathroom.

Any other suggestions on temp control?

Mine is 48qt. It does not have a spout, but there is a kind of bulkhead on the bottom that is set up for drilling a hole for a spout. I ordered the SS ball value, washers, etc from barginfittings.com. Works nice up to 10 gal IPA grain bill (~25-28 lb grain) as I get 6 gal of wort from the mash and another 6 gal from the sparge. As indicated, I use it for a water bath ferm temp control too. Actually have two of them as I split my 10 gal batches to 5 gal carboys. You just have to clean it real well with oxiclean.

 

[logdrum]

*copper immersion wort chiller - make my own, maybe 50ft

If you stick w/ a 10g pot, 50' of copper probably won't all fit.

-d

 

[Powers]

+1 on the SS braid. never had a stuck mash. but next time i would use a website that sells the SS sleeving itself, and not buy a hose from the hardware store where i have to work my @#$ off to remove the inner rubber hose. the chinese finger trap effect is maddening....

 

[Powers]

on the copper coil issues, i found that the price of pre-made copper coil was pretty attractive once you viewed the prices of copper tubing, the hassle of making the coil yourself, and the prospect of kinking the tubing in the process...

 

[Frodo]

Any other suggestions on temp control?

I use a rope bucket from Home Depot for a water bath for my carboy... it was $6 IIRC. Not as cool as the 48qt cooler idea though.

I can't find it on the homedepot.com website, but it looks something like this pretty much:
http://www.nextag.com/Fortiflex-70-...rices-html?nxtg=133f0a1c0521-A4F30A0984ADF2B2

 

[aggieactuary]

If you stick w/ a 10g pot, 50' of copper probably won't all fit.

-d

I am sticking with the 10gal pot. Is a 25' wort chiller enough?


Also, for converting the cooler is this all I need plus the SS braid, a plug and 2 clamps? : bronze-cooler-valve-kit-w-barb

 

[logdrum]

without the exact dimensions of your pot (and the diameter of your coil), it's difficult to say exactly. I use a 14" diameter 8g pot & 25' comes to the top of my 5.75g final volume. If you're doing 5g batches in a 10g pot (a much better idea than using an 8g pot!) I would venture to say that 25' is plenty.
as far as the cooler conversion, you'll also need another barb on the inside (3/8" barb x 1/2" MNPT) to attach the braid to the coupling.

-d

 

[aggieactuary]

I picked up a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler form Home Depot for $40 yesterday.

I just ordered this brew pot: 40 Qt Aluminum Stock Pot

It says it's 14" diameter and 14.75" deep.

I think I'm going to buy an immersion wort chiller rather than making one. I don't want to worry about soldering or kinks. So, I think I'll get a 25' chiller.

Also, I read a thread where a guy said he didn't see the need to get a kettle with a ball valve since he's using an immersion wort chiller, and he can just siphon the cooled wort to his primary fermenter. Since I'm using an immersion chiller, is there any reason I should install a ball valve on my brew kettle?

 

[Frodo]

Also, I read a thread where a guy said he didn't see the need to get a kettle with a ball valve since he's using an immersion wort chiller, and he can just siphon the cooled wort to his primary fermenter. Since I'm using an immersion chiller, is there any reason I should install a ball valve on my brew kettle?

Hops are very difficult to siphon through, esp hop pellets... They'll clog almost any filtering mechanism it seems. Frankly I haven't found the perfect solution but recently got a bazooka screen for my ball valve and the first time I had it/used it, it worked fine despite 4 oz of hop pellets in the boil. Siphoning with hop pellets in the boil is "ok"... but the siphon will clog, and I've had to "pump" the wort using the autosiphon (before I got the bazooka screen when the ball valve clogged; NOT fun).

 

[logdrum]

When I use an IC, I whirlpool & let the wort settle a bit, then siphon. I start the siphon 1/2 way into the wort & follow the level down. I also use a hop bag for most of my additions.
I just ordered a plate chiller from keg cowboy, so a ball valve & some sort of kettle filter is in my near future.

-d

 

[aggieactuary]

When I use an IC, I whirlpool & let the wort settle a bit, then siphon. I start the siphon 1/2 way into the wort & follow the level down. I also use a hop bag for most of my additions.
I just ordered a plate chiller from keg cowboy, so a ball valve & some sort of kettle filter is in my near future.

-d

So, if I do add the ball valve to the kettle, then I'd need to have some sort of kettle filter, too?

 

[maida7]

So, if I do add the ball valve to the kettle, then I'd need to have some sort of kettle filter, too?

no not really. If you were using a plate chiller you may want to filter for that. Otherwise I would not worry to much about trub in your fermenter. It will all settle out at the end of the ferment.

 

[aggieactuary]

Ok, thanks.

I live in a condo, and I don't have access to a faucet outside. So, my plan is to run two hoses between the wort chiller and the kitchen sink. Is there any reason that won't work, or I shouldn't do that? And do I need to worry about what kind of hoses I use? I'm planning to get whatever cheap 50' hoses I can find at the local hardware store.

 

[Powers]

if you are just running water through the coiling coil, then the hoses and sink are fine. i brew inside all winter and just attach one hose to the faucet and let the other drain back into the sink. most times i use the tail water from cooling to wash my brewing equipment and save some water.

 

[maida7]

Ok, thanks.

I live in a condo, and I don't have access to a faucet outside. So, my plan is to run two hoses between the wort chiller and the kitchen sink. Is there any reason that won't work, or I shouldn't do that? And do I need to worry about what kind of hoses I use? I'm planning to get whatever cheap 50' hoses I can find at the local hardware store.

some immersion chillers come this the hoses. clear vinyl tubing works great and there are adapters for the sink threading.

When I brewed indoors I'd just place the pot on the counter next to the sink, hook up the tubing to the faucet and let'r rip

 

[aggieactuary]

Also, I was planning on getting the Bayou SP10 burner, but now I'm worried about how loud it is. I've read multiple threads where people talk about how loud they are.

People have said the KAB4 is fairly quiet. Would the Bayou KAB4 be significantly more quiet than the SP10?

 

[maida7]

Also, I was planning on getting the Bayou SP10 burner, but now I'm worried about how loud it is. I've read multiple threads where people talk about how loud they are.

People have said the KAB4 is fairly quiet. Would the Bayou KAB4 be significantly more quiet than the SP10?

Umm yes. The SP10 sounds like a jet engine (my friend calls it the conversation killer). The KAB4 is whisper quite.

Another option is the SQ14. The SQ14 is also very quite, affordable and has a big surface that will easily support a keggle. The SQ14 is not as powerful as the others but it has enough to boil 5-10 gallon batches.

 

[mjohnson]

Ok, thanks.

I live in a condo, and I don't have access to a faucet outside. So, my plan is to run two hoses between the wort chiller and the kitchen sink. Is there any reason that won't work, or I shouldn't do that? And do I need to worry about what kind of hoses I use? I'm planning to get whatever cheap 50' hoses I can find at the local hardware store.

You can also get a cheap pump from harbor freight to pump cool water. I've been using this instead of the faucet fitting. The nice thing about it is that you can easily use a bucket of ice water if your ground water isn't that cold. Look for the 145 GPH Mini Submersible Pump - its like 15 bucks and as really helped me out.

 

[aggieactuary]

You can also get a cheap pump from harbor freight to pump cool water. I've been using this instead of the faucet fitting. The nice thing about it is that you can easily use a bucket of ice water if your ground water isn't that cold. Look for the 145 GPH Mini Submersible Pump - its like 15 bucks and as really helped me out.

What kind of hose or connection do you need with this pump?

 

[mjohnson]

What kind of hose or connection do you need with this pump?

I was able to just use some 1/2 inch vinyl tubing that came with my immersion chiller. I heated the tubing up a bit to make it easier to get it on the barb, but it wasn't difficult at all.

 

[MX1]

You can also get a cheap pump from harbor freight to pump cool water. I've been using this instead of the faucet fitting. The nice thing about it is that you can easily use a bucket of ice water if your ground water isn't that cold. Look for the 145 GPH Mini Submersible Pump - its like 15 bucks and as really helped me out.

I might be missing something here. or it is just way to early, but what would I use this for?

Tim