Starting an AG setup

[bennyd]

I now have $370 that I can put towards moving toward an AG setup. I have everything needed to do full boils outside including an immersion chiller and a 7.5 gallon pot.

I'd be interested to hear your opinions on which route to go when beginnig AG. Cooler MLT and HLT? Worry about fly sparging yet or batch sparge? Buy another burner? Just gathering info at this point.

 

[msa8967]

I started with a cooler MLT and batch sparging when I began all grain. I also recommend looking into some online brewing software like beersmith if you want to start trying your own recipes or modifying other recipes. It is just $25 and you can get a free 30 day trial w/o having to make an committment. The spreadsheet format really helped me understand how the numbers work in the mashing process.

 

[milholen]

Since you already have the kettle and outdoor burner, I'd say get the following with your $370:

Cooler mash tun conversion = ~$70
Large cheap aluminum pot for HLT (can heat on stovetop) = ~$35-50
Grain Mill = ~$125

use the rest on ingredients, fermenters, sanitizers, or whatever little things you might need.

Having your own grain mill is awesome. It's so worth it. You don't have to rely on the LHBS anymore and will be able to brew whenever you want.

 

[Malticulous]

Get another pot for a HLT and a good size cooler for a MLT. Another burner would be nice for the HLT but not necessary (neither is the pot for the HLT--you can use the boil kettle but you'll have to drain wort into a bucket.) I'd get atleast a 40 qt pot and use the older 30 qt for a HLT. I still use the one that came with my turkey fryer for my HLT. For some 11 gallon batches I have to use my 60 qt boil pot for the strike because my HLT is too small.

I would not bother fly sparging if I could start over. Batch sparging is more simple and works just as well.

I would get a mill and a sack or two of base malt.

As for me now I would like a 100 qt boil kettle and use my 60 qt for a HLT. I never will have a big enough pot.

 

[bennyd]

Thank you for the ideas. I appreciate them. Keep 'em coming if you have opinions.

 

[japhroaig]

I agree with milholen. Only other thing I would recommend is a high temp march pump and quick disconnects (bargainfittings.com)

 

[McCuckerson]

I would seriously research RIMS and HERMS and then build one of those. My HERMS cost about $500. I started with a cooler MLT and I NEVER had good results or felt very comfortable using it. Now I fill my system, set the temp and make great beer. Temp control and mash profiles are everything when going AG. I cannot imagine going back to a cooler.

Of course, it is important that you "grow" with your system as we all do. Do what you are comfortable doing and remember to have fun. +1 on the mill, and don't skip out and get a corona mill.

 

[Dave46382]

A good thermometer.

 

[bennyd]

Thank you for the replies. They are very helpful. What I envision (at the moment) is something gravity fed using a cooelr for the MLT and a kettle on another burner for the HLT. At least the first batch or two I do AG will be a kit. Then I'll probably buy ingredients so I'll need the mill and I want to get a good thermometer.

I know that the amount that I have won't cover all of this but I'll worry about that later.

I definitely need to learn the process and "grow with the system" as someone put it. And it's not that I'm not interested in HERMS and RIMS, but at this point I haven't even done an AG batch and I'm really not handy enough to make anything like that. I can't imagine how much something like those would cost to buy.

 

[Pappers_]

Hi Benny. I'll second the notions of a cooler mashtun and a grain mill. For the mashtun, you can order conversion kits from the online stores, which makes it even simpler.

For the automated systems, they're not for me. I prefer simplicity. One of my most useful all grain brewing tools is a half-gallon pitcher - I measure with it, move water with it, collect wort in it.

 

[dpittard]

Cheap, cheap cooler (rectangle) MLT Of course you could always go with the round MLT. I find the round coolers are more expensive, though.

I think a nice size MLT is a good idea. I did a BIAB once, and while the results turned out nice (tapped the keg last night), I can't brew bigger beers due to wet grain weight. Gonna build the rectangle MLT soon and probably break it in a with a big, heart warming RIS.

 

[msa8967]

I have been doing all grain brewing since last spring with just one outdoor propane burner, a cooler mashtun, 8 gal brew pot and my bottling bucket to catch all of the runnings from the mashtun. The only reason why I do this outdoors is than our electric stove cannot boil 6 gallons of wort. I am mentioning this because you don't need a HLT to get started in all grain brewing. I would recommend getting a few batches done and then seeing where you want the direction of your brewing system to go.

 

[msa8967]

Here is the link that many people use for converting a cooler into a mash tun.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

 

[bennyd]

Thanks msa. That's a good point about not needing the HLT if I plan on batch sparging to start. I still have some thinking to do. I really appreciate everyone's views. They are a HUGE help!

 

[Patirck]

I was in a similar boat a few months ago. I did a few extract batches and decided I wanted to do all grain but didn't want to spend too much. I bought a round home depot cooler and went to 3 or 4 local stores finding parts for it - the lesson here is to buy the kit online - it is cheaper and much easier than chasing down all the parts. I use a turkey fryer with a 11.6 gallon keggle I bought off craigslist. I use the 8 gallon alluminium pot for an hlt on my gas stove. I recently bought a chugger pump and have only used it once but I must say that recirculating wort makes for much better clearer end result. My efficiency varies still as I have done 8 batches and am still adding little things here and there (like the chugger pump recirculation) but I have gotten anywere from 40% to 80% and average around 70%.

I have not tried it myself but if I didn't already have all the stuff, I would be very inclined to try the brew in a bag method and save a bunch of money/time/effort in exchange for maybe a little lower efficiency. I have seen a bunch of posts on it and it seems like a much simpler way to do all grain. You can use your existing brew kettle and just get the bag and away you go. You may want to try this with one batch and see how it works for you.

 

[Malticulous]

The thing I don't like about that thread's MLT is the braid is up off the bottom of the MLT and makes for more dead space than is necessary. I short dip tube would help. I like the Coleman extreme coolers more because they are cheaper per qt and drain completely with that same setup.

Read Denny's write up. He does have the dip tube to the bottom of the MLT. I think he could do a little better. He said it doesn't leave more than a few teaspoons behind. I don't believe it.
http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/

 

[Hex]

Here's what I did:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/st...iphon-lauter-three-tier-inspirational-210132/

HBT gallery page:
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/showgallery.php?ppuser=45382

My last run was with 14 lbs of Castle Pilsner and I think I can manage 16-17 lbs if I need to in the 7.5 gal ss lauter tun.:
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=41564&cat=all&ppuser=45382

False bottom $65,
9 gal ss stock pot $80,
4 feet of Silicon tubing 3/8" $10,
Lead free brass valves and compression fittings $40,
10 ft 3/8" Copper tubing $15.
I already had a 5 gal and 7.5 gal ss stock pots...

It works great, and allows me to do step mashing depending on the recipe.
I'm thinking about a pump for a stovetop RIMS, stirring and lifting 9 gal pot full of grain and water is about my limit.

 

[Malticulous]

I can step mash just fine in my cooler with infusions or decoctions. Here's my current one.

It's been used over a hundred times now. Works like a champ and holds temp very well. It is a little better than a braid. It has siphon to less than 1/4 inch and is more rigid. The design of the Coleman extreme allows it to continue to drain even after siphon is lost. Cost was under $50 total.

 

[japhroaig]

Before I got a pump I used a heavy duty shelf from Costco for a three tier, gravity setup. Worked like a champ. Transfer hot water to the top tier via a quart Pyrex measuring cup, and yer good to go.

 

[HH60gunner]

I went with the 52qt coleman xtreme as well. It cost me a total of 55 bucks to build.

Here's my build thread. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/52-qt-coleman-xtreme-mash-tun-build-194395/