A best Bitter in an experimental mash tun

[craigite]

I've always used a simple plastic brew bucket with a grain bag sitting on polystyrene base wrapped in a sleeping bag. Never dropped more than 1.5degC but the bag squeezed the grain and hindered the spurge, so:
Mash tun experiment. Took old brew bucket a squirted expanding foam all around it. Made and added a slotted copper pipe filter.
Tested it last night. half filled with hot water and it only dropped 1degC in 3hrs. (only dropped 5deg over 12hrs). It looks terrible though, but as long as it works. I try to brew for fun with the simplest equipment I can. (OK I'm too tight to spend the money - or it is just that I get ale that me and the Mrs really like)

Todays brew:
3.896kg Pale malt
0.256 crystal malt
0.071 wheat malt
0.100 chocolate malt

mash 8.5 l @68 for 105mins
spurge approx 3.8 l
boil 105mins

Golding 45g for 90min
Fuggle 20g for 15mins
Fuggle 10g at end of boil.

Mash started about 15mins ago so will take a few pics and post :thumb:

 

[rickthebrew]

sounds good to me!! Good luck with the brew :clap:

 

[prolix]

craigite we need a photo of this mash tun.... please :pray:

 

[craigite]

OK, the mash tun worked, but I'm going back to a simple bin with a sleeping bag wrapped around it. A lot easier when it comes to cleaning the bucket.

On a better note, I'll improve the copper strainer but mark 1 is a lot better and the wort is a lot brighter.

Grain bag now relegated to straining the last of the spent grain to pass onto the neighbors as draff for chickens.

I've taken a few pics and will try to post later.

Boil started about 15mins ago. :clap:

 

[craigite]

First pic upload attempt. Did it work?

Note Sally the Lab. That's at least two black labs called Sally on this forum.

http://picasaweb.google.com/the.gaulds/Brew

I note some upload pics into thread; which is the best way?
:wha:

Edit: Aleman

Use the img /img Tags

Like [+img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_-1U81V98-xo/S1MrhK2OhlI/AAAAAAAAACk/kZRZofRF-sU/IMGP0613.JPG[/+img]

Which Give this result when the + is removed from the tags above

 

[llannige]

Don't worry about the look of your gear, as long as you are comfortable with it.

The bottom line is the finished product.

Hope it turns out well. :thumb:

 

[Wez]

Sounds like the experimenting is going OK :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

How did you finish up c ?

 

[craigite]

How did you finish up c ?

Brew formenting in the cupboard as I type. Gravity hit the design expected and efficiency although low was as designed.
The mash tun worked but the extra girth round the barrel made it hard to move , clean and fit through the hatch to the garage storage area.

So going to try the cool box mash tun; in the post off ebay.

Fitting doors to kitchen this weekend so might try a brew next weekend.

 

[fivetide]

That is without doubt the BEST looking mash tun I have ever seen in my whole life.

Well done that man! :