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SOGOAK
Grandmaster Brewer
I'm not going to second guess palmer-who with papzian can give you about 80% of the know how you need. 10% more from fellow brewers and 10% for "what works for you."
Anyway- I have heard this argued 6 ways to Sunday. My first question is: Fly or batch sparge?
With fly, you'll need a neat manifold to trickle spargewater in. The loop design could cause the pooling.
With Batch and the stirring and draining, much of that SS snake will go unused, and the wort will run out right by BBR's "T." Still might get a stuck sparge, but maybe not as likely.
BBR, Your plan B is to just eliminate the T and shorten the SS braid in a straight line.
Otherwise you are AG
Anyway- I have heard this argued 6 ways to Sunday. My first question is: Fly or batch sparge?
With fly, you'll need a neat manifold to trickle spargewater in. The loop design could cause the pooling.
With Batch and the stirring and draining, much of that SS snake will go unused, and the wort will run out right by BBR's "T." Still might get a stuck sparge, but maybe not as likely.
BBR, Your plan B is to just eliminate the T and shorten the SS braid in a straight line.
Otherwise you are AG
B
BeerBatteredRob
MaltLicker said:
hmmm...makes sense now that i'm seeing it...guess the easiest fix will be just removing the T and running the straight braided hose from the center of it, like SOGOAK said.
Actually BBRob,
Your setup looks a lot like mine. What I did to keep the braid away from the walls, was to add copper wire "spreaders" (just copper wire from electrical wire) to pull the braid away from the sides.
My last brew with a modified fly sparge (<25 minutes) had a 95% efficiency for 6.5 gal in the fermenter.
I'd keep the loop. Just my 2 Lincolns.
Brew on,
jeff
Your setup looks a lot like mine. What I did to keep the braid away from the walls, was to add copper wire "spreaders" (just copper wire from electrical wire) to pull the braid away from the sides.
My last brew with a modified fly sparge (<25 minutes) had a 95% efficiency for 6.5 gal in the fermenter.
I'd keep the loop. Just my 2 Lincolns.
Brew on,
jeff
B
BeerBatteredRob
jeff said:Actually BBRob,
Your setup looks a lot like mine. What I did to keep the braid away from the walls, was to add copper wire "spreaders" (just copper wire from electrical wire) to pull the braid away from the sides.
My last brew with a modified fly sparge (<25 minutes) had a 95% efficiency for 6.5 gal in the fermenter.
I'd keep the loop. Just my 2 Lincolns.
Brew on,
jeff
i was thinking about doing something like that with it also...i was thinking i could take some of the extra 1/2" PVC and cut it down the middle, creating a "U" and can set the braid in the "U"...just trying to figure out how to fasten down the "U"s if i do it that way...your approach seems much more simple though, so that might be how it turns out!
SOGOAK
Grandmaster Brewer
Yea, +1 on Jeff's zwei pfennig. BBR-definately go your own way on the mashtun. You'll always have the straight pipe idea for a fall back.
Rob,
I just stripped a piece of Romex, pulled the insulation off one of the wires, or just use the ground; wrap a loop around the braid, figure the length of the "spreader" to keep the braid away from the wall and wrap a loop around the braid on the opposite side of the tun. You don't need to make it perfect you just want to keep the braid about 1-1 1/2 inch from the wall of the cooler (and don't worry about fastening it down.) I put two of these "spreaders" on my SS braid manifold. The description is probably more confusing than the actual process. should take you all of 3 minutes to do the entire job.
Good luck,
and
Brew on,
jeff
I just stripped a piece of Romex, pulled the insulation off one of the wires, or just use the ground; wrap a loop around the braid, figure the length of the "spreader" to keep the braid away from the wall and wrap a loop around the braid on the opposite side of the tun. You don't need to make it perfect you just want to keep the braid about 1-1 1/2 inch from the wall of the cooler (and don't worry about fastening it down.) I put two of these "spreaders" on my SS braid manifold. The description is probably more confusing than the actual process. should take you all of 3 minutes to do the entire job.
Good luck,
and
Brew on,
jeff
B
bretski
Great thread! This has given me lots of good ideas.
I'm going to try using one of my extra rectangular coolers for my first attempt. Will post some pictures when I get it done (for feedback).
I'm going to try using one of my extra rectangular coolers for my first attempt. Will post some pictures when I get it done (for feedback).
B
BeerBatteredRob
jeff said:Rob,
I just stripped a piece of Romex, pulled the insulation off one of the wires, or just use the ground; wrap a loop around the braid, figure the length of the "spreader" to keep the braid away from the wall and wrap a loop around the braid on the opposite side of the tun. You don't need to make it perfect you just want to keep the braid about 1-1 1/2 inch from the wall of the cooler (and don't worry about fastening it down.) I put two of these "spreaders" on my SS braid manifold. The description is probably more confusing than the actual process. should take you all of 3 minutes to do the entire job.
Good luck,
and
Brew on,
jeff
jeff, thanks...actually your description makes pretty good sense...cleared it up from how i was picturing it in my mind, and i will definitely being this route with it. I used to work as an electrician's helper one summer when home from college a couple years ago, and i think i might even still have some wire that i can use floating around in the tool box of my truck (hopefully i havent cleaned it out in a while!)
B
BeerBatteredRob
bretski said:
bretski, i was actually expecting it to be harder than it was...but once i got my idea in place and my parts list together...it was a breeze. so good luck! and have fun! looking forward to seeing it.
B
bretski
I will. Still in my planning stages. I'm waffling between using a rectangular cooler, or a beverage cooler. I kinda like the idea of making a false-bottom for the beverage cooler...
Not to hijack....But......
I have another keggle I could use for a mashtun. I currently use a 10G Gott.
I haven't test-fitted it, but I could use the SS false bottom from the 10G in the keggle.
Dumb question, but do people heat their SS mashtun? I imagine the heat loss will be horrible. Any ideas of what to do for insulation? I have a welding blanket I can wrap on the outside.
I was also at CostCo and saw their 166Quart igloo for $80.... Just WAY too long at about 4'.
I have another keggle I could use for a mashtun. I currently use a 10G Gott.
I haven't test-fitted it, but I could use the SS false bottom from the 10G in the keggle.
Dumb question, but do people heat their SS mashtun? I imagine the heat loss will be horrible. Any ideas of what to do for insulation? I have a welding blanket I can wrap on the outside.
I was also at CostCo and saw their 166Quart igloo for $80.... Just WAY too long at about 4'.
SOGOAK
Grandmaster Brewer
Henway, I've seen people with welding blankets or insulation jacketing on their mashtun keggles. Those are mostly the really hi-tech brew rigs. For hicks like me, I still think a good cooler offers too many advantages to pass up. I have the igloo 60qt icecube. That should suffice for almost any batch size.
Maiden mash is Saturday!
Maiden mash is Saturday!
B
BeerBatteredRob
SOGOAK, good luck with the first mash! I'm waiting to get a bigger pot before i venture into it, hopefully will be doing that this weekend, and will go ahead and order my ingredients so hopefully my maiden voyage on the all grain ship will be next weekend. Again, good luck, and let us know how it goes!
SOGOAK
Grandmaster Brewer
I'll have to do a post with pics later. But my AG mission went well.
The biggest challenges were how hot to run the burner that I wasn't familiar with. It took a long time to boil down to 5gal. I also messed up and didn't do good hydro readings. A hazzard of drinking while brewing and getting done super late. Based on I think I'm in good shape because I planned my effeciency at only 60% my mashtun worked great. I got a good start and now just need to let it ferment.
The biggest challenges were how hot to run the burner that I wasn't familiar with. It took a long time to boil down to 5gal. I also messed up and didn't do good hydro readings. A hazzard of drinking while brewing and getting done super late. Based on I think I'm in good shape because I planned my effeciency at only 60% my mashtun worked great. I got a good start and now just need to let it ferment.
SOGOAK,
Congratulations...
Glad to see you jumped in with your first all grain batch.
It's not that difficult and picnic cooler mash tuns make it that much easier.
I also messed up and didn't do good hydro readings. A hazzard of drinking while brewing and getting done super late.
Not being a jerk, but that's why my first beer is after all is cleaned and put away.
Good luck with the ferment.
Brew on,
jeff
Congratulations...
Glad to see you jumped in with your first all grain batch.
It's not that difficult and picnic cooler mash tuns make it that much easier.
I also messed up and didn't do good hydro readings. A hazzard of drinking while brewing and getting done super late.
Not being a jerk, but that's why my first beer is after all is cleaned and put away.
Good luck with the ferment.
Brew on,
jeff
B
BeerBatteredRob
Awesome SOGOAK. I've got a batch of Palilalia IPA (slightly altered) bottle conditioning, and a extract recipe from northernbrewer, Peace Coffee Stout Porter that ill be brewing this weekend, then i'm finally going to make the jump to AG.
this might be a silly question, but i dont think that the brew pot that i'm using right now will be big enough to handle the AG brewing, what size do some of you all use?
this might be a silly question, but i dont think that the brew pot that i'm using right now will be big enough to handle the AG brewing, what size do some of you all use?
Rob,
I use a 15 gal keggle, but I've heard of people squeezing a 5 gal batch into a 7.5 gal turkey fryer pot. Just watch for boilovers... When I went all grain I bought a 15 gal aluminum stock pot. Made great beers in that pot. It is now one of my hot liquor tanks.
Good luck,
Brew on,
jeff
I use a 15 gal keggle, but I've heard of people squeezing a 5 gal batch into a 7.5 gal turkey fryer pot. Just watch for boilovers... When I went all grain I bought a 15 gal aluminum stock pot. Made great beers in that pot. It is now one of my hot liquor tanks.
Good luck,
Brew on,
jeff
B
bretski
+1 on the keggle. Gives you plenty of room that way. I bought mine from New Belgium for the paltry sum of $15. YMMV.
I won't open the obvious can-o-worms on how to obtain a keg. Do the right thing, because karma's a bee-yotch.
I won't open the obvious can-o-worms on how to obtain a keg. Do the right thing, because karma's a bee-yotch.