Show us your sculpture or brew rig

[DeBrewer]

Omfg I think i may of fainted that is one killer mood setting brew area my friend many props killer set up

Ha! Thanks. The brew stand and the tap wall have colored LED strips above them. Looks cool with the steam. I prefer the red or random colors but blue seemed to show up best in the pics.

 

[AnOldUR]

Was using an old piece of laminate desktop for my brewing surface. It gave me more space, but was beat up and didn't handle liquids well. Any moisture on it left the area an ugly white spot for a few weeks and it started bubbling up in places. I was thinking of a way to cover it with a thin piece of stainless, but found a eight foot long piece of butcher block from Sears for $152. Really happy with the result. Looks so much better and the glossy finish should be easy to maintain.

I needed an 82" piece, so had enough leftover from the 8' to replace the plywood shelf being used for my HLT gravity feed.

(edit to add: If you like this idea, Sears had the best price I could find on butcher block. They also have a 6' length for $124.)

 

[chiefairwrench]

Here is the three I built in the brewery

View attachment 1435866565802.jpg

 

[brettwasbtd]

Here is the three I built in the brewery

C'mon, 3?! Don't be greedy

 

[beskone]

Here's my 2 tier, 1 pump setup I built.

Design:

Implementation:

A few mods, and in use on a brewday:

Process:

1. Heat strike water, pump to igloo to mash in.

2. Once mash is complete, heat sparge water and pump to MLT

3. Pump sparge water from MLT to top of igloo, gravity drain to boil kettle.

Works great

I've removed the 90º elbow from the pump input, it really wan't necessary.

 

[BadDeacon]

C'mon, 3?! Don't be greedy

Agreed!!! I like the middle one!

 

[RocketBrewer]

Here is the three I built in the brewery

Are you building them to sell, or are you really planning to brew 3 at a time?
Very nice work too!

 

[chiefairwrench]

I build them for friends that BIAB since they are made with bed frames they are easy to build. But i am thinking about making kits and plans. So what do the forum thinks?

 

[hafmpty]

I build them for friends that BIAB since they are made with bed frames they are easy to build. But i am thinking about making kits and plans. So what do the forum thinks?

I'd love to see the plans...especially if it didn't require welding skills. That's my problem. The guys that can weld are usually willing and able to make their own stands because it often seems they have the tools to do it. I'm not one of those guys. [emoji107]

 

[chiefairwrench]

Good point I'll work on that

 

[conglominoid]

Just about done with my system as designed originally, but I am sure it will change soon enough.

 

[day_trippr]

Sweet looking rig!
But, fwiw, the pump on the right has the head in the "not recommended" orientation.
For horizontal orientation the input should be on the left...

Cheers!

 

[iijakii]

Yup, good advice from Mr tripper of days. Think about it in terms of the complete system. You want your liquid at the lowest point at all times so that it can push air out -- if you leave places for air to pocket it leads to flow stoppage and/or ruined pumps due to cavitation.

 

[chiefairwrench]

That is a very nice rig

 

[1fast636]

Just about done with my system as designed originally, but I am sure it will change soon enough.

How do you like there bottom drain mash tun? Thinking about pulling the trigger but not sure yet lol

 

[conglominoid]

How do you like there bottom drain mash tun? Thinking about pulling the trigger but not sure yet lol

I really like the concept. However, if I had to do it again, I would look a bit more in to the side drain mash tuns from Glacier Tanks and Brewer's Hardware.

One thing I really like about the BH kettles is their use of full 1.5" TC ferrules at all vessel outlets and temp probe locations; it really opens up the options for valves, pickup tubes, thermowells, etc. I'm not a huge fan of the standard vessel outlets (3/4" tubing x 1.5" TC flange) on the Stout kettles.

Also, I will be replacing the stock false bottom from the Stout MLT with a Jaybird false bottom when I get around to it...those things are nice.

Yup, good advice from Mr tripper of days. Think about it in terms of the complete system. You want your liquid at the lowest point at all times so that it can push air out -- if you leave places for air to pocket it leads to flow stoppage and/or ruined pumps due to cavitation.

Thanks for noticing that day_trippr and iijakii. I should have noticed the incorrect orientation - I am glad I posted up a pic so you guys would notice it before I burned up a pump.

Here is a shot of the TC pump heads - TIG welded, ground, and polished:

 

[JonW]

One thing I really like about the BH kettles is their use of full 1.5" TC ferrules at all vessel outlets and temp probe locations; it really opens up the options for valves, pickup tubes, thermowells, etc. I'm not a huge fan of the standard vessel outlets (3/4" tubing x 1.5" TC flange) on the Stout kettles.

Ditto this! I'm building a new rig right now with 3, 30 gallon BH kettles. Cool thing is they can add any other custom ports you need, so I'm having them do return ports up high/left on all 3 kettles just like my current rig.

 

[hmmmbeer]

Waiting on three 10"banjos, 40psi regulator, cam fittings, all new 3 part ball valves and tubing and I'm brewing again after treating down my 3 tier... Getting pumped (pun intended) to brew again!

View attachment 1436245372821.jpg

 

[cantrell00]

Added a second pump.

 

[liquidlunch]

Added a second pump.

Nice I just did as well. You in the fire protection business? Noticed a 3 gallon Ansul wet chem cut in half in your system

 

[cantrell00]

Nice I just did as well. You in the fire protection business? Noticed a 3 gallon Ansul wet chem cut in half in your system

Scrap business.

Yeah, chopped in half, ground down the sharp edge, soldered a 1/2" coupling to the bottom - attached a camlock female.

Makes for a awesome lauter grant!

 

[Droyd2583]

Finally finished my new brewing rig single tier stand. What isn't pictured is my 30 plate chill and the electric toggle switches (shown seperate) I use to control the 2 pumps. Ran a wet test on thursday and things went well. Christening the stand on 7/18 with my Robust Porter Recipe! Can't wait!

 

[RocketBrewer]

Finally finished my new brewing rig single tier stand. What isn't pictured is my 30 plate chill and the electric toggle switches (shown seperate) I use to control the 2 pumps. Ran a wet test on thursday and things went well. Christening the stand on 7/18 with my Robust Porter Recipe! Can't wait!

Looks nice. Is that galvanized pipe on your gas manifold? I believe Galvanized is a no no with gas. Maybe someone else can chime in.

 

[Droyd2583]

Looks nice. Is that galvanized pipe on your gas manifold? I believe Galvanized is a no no with gas. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Everything I have read states it is ok to use but there was concern of flakes jamming the valves or orfices. This appears to have been disproven at this point. For the most part it is based on local code.

It was located right next to the black pipe in the gas section and for me that works. It is not a huge amount of piping so I don't see it causing an issue.

 

[Wolfairious]

Finished welding up my sculpture this past weekend and broke it's Cherry on Sat. and again on Sunday. I made this out of 2 bed frames and donor steel from a wall bracket from some pump-jacks. The 2 small out riggers in the middle of the base (added tip over protection that isn't really needed) fold up. The brackets bolt on and off when in use. I want to eventually hard plumb the gas lines but for now it works. (I also welded on some wheels to one end so I can tip it up and wheel it around easier. The lower burner rests inside the angle iron base. I can slide it closer or farther from the center. I have it closer to the Mash tun when draining and then slide it out to give myself room from under the HLT before I start the boil. Easier to stir/add hops/chill ect with it slid out.

 

[jbb3]

Finished welding up my sculpture this past weekend and broke it's Cherry on Sat. and again on Sunday. I made this out of 2 bed frames and donor steel from a wall bracket from some pump-jacks. The 2 small out riggers in the middle of the base (added tip over protection that isn't really needed) fold up. The brackets bolt on and off when in use. I want to eventually hard plumb the gas lines but for now it works. (I also welded on some wheels to one end so I can tip it up and wheel it around easier. The lower burner rests inside the angle iron base. I can slide it closer or farther from the center. I have it closer to the Mash tun when draining and then slide it out to give myself room from under the HLT before I start the boil. Easier to stir/add hops/chill ect with it slid out.

To be honest, it looks a little scary... Maybe the steel is of a thicker gauge then it appears? At very least, I would add a strap to the ends of the two horizontal supports holding your mash tun. That would prevent the weight of a full tun from spreading the end of the supports and dumping the mash tun on the ground.

Sorry... Don't mean to be a downer but 160 deg + liquid is not something to take chances with. Be careful...

Good luck!

 

[Wolfairious]

To be honest, it looks a little scary... Maybe the steel is of a thicker gauge then it appears? At very least, I would add a strap to the ends of the two horizontal supports holding your mash tun. That would prevent the weight of a full tun from spreading the end of the supports and dumping the mash tun on the ground.

Sorry... Don't mean to be a downer but 160 deg + liquid is not something to take chances with. Be careful...

Good luck!

I also thought of that, my brew partner (father) talked me out of it. I did try to spread them apart but they didn't seem to budge. They are recessed into the angle iron of the uprights. It won't take much to weld on a strap between the 2 underneath at the end though. Err on the side of safety is always a good thing.

 

[Carlscan26]

Have you ever held the metal he used? It's plenty strong for this. Most of the rigs we see here are massively over built. Don't get me wrong I'm all for safety and a cross bar is a good idea but that steel he used is plenty strong for the task.

 

[Rivenin]

my old brew stand was built out of bed frames. works just fine

 

[Wolfairious]

Welded that last brace at the end of the mash tun arms. All good now, nothing moving.