Back to business!

[cerbera84]

Hi guys!
I'm excited to be getting back to home-brewing, I've been out of the game for a couple of years as life got in the way, my son came along and I had amassed a ridiculous amount of brewing gear that took over the garage! I had some hits and misses with brews previously, built a few things like "The MaltMother" and a CFC, but ultimately struggled with a lack of space to clean all the brewing gear and since moving back to Wolverhampton (hard water) from Birmingham (soft water), struggled to produce decent pale beers (could make a good stout though!). I had bought John Palmer's water treatment book but took the decision that I didn't have time to concentrate on beer. I ended up with three brewing systems I built, fermenters everywhere, six corny kegs, a keezer, a kegerator, 4 beer taps etc and just had a total clearout.

So, this time round, I promised myself it would be different. No more endless purchasing of gear. Just concentrate on the basics. Utility sink in the garage now so cleaning is much easier. I started with converting a free Thermos cooler into a mashtun (which holds temps better than anything else I've used before), a 50 litre Bergland stock pot and a plastic fermenter. Splashed out on a syphon. No going crazy. All I need is my fishtank heater and a bucket of water to hold temps. Saw an Angram beer engine going cheap locally. Maybe a polypin setup, I thought? That'll do me. A few bottles maybe.

Well, two brews in and its happened again. I've acquired a True Coca-Cola fridge, a Beko fridge, Elegance beer tap, ODL regulator, 4 way CO2 manifold, two AEB corny kegs, built a twin coil immersion chiller (nicknamed "the Tornado"), a 35L Fermentasaurus snubnose, Inkbird ITC-308 for the True fermentation fridge and currently rebuilding my control box with an Inkbird ITC-100VH to control my two element boil kettle. Water sample sent to Phoenix Analytical for testing. Next four brews lined up (Mosaic pale, Honey ale, Kolsch, Belgian Tripel).

I'm all in fellas. I'm a decent spunding valve away from completion, if anyone has a recommendation?

Cheers, Ben

 

[user 18729]

Hi guys!
I'm excited to be getting back to home-brewing, I've been out of the game for a couple of years as life got in the way, my son came along and I had amassed a ridiculous amount of brewing gear that took over the garage! I had some hits and misses with brews previously, built a few things like "The MaltMother" and a CFC, but ultimately struggled with a lack of space to clean all the brewing gear and since moving back to Wolverhampton (hard water) from Birmingham (soft water), struggled to produce decent pale beers (could make a good stout though!). I had bought John Palmer's water treatment book but took the decision that I didn't have time to concentrate on beer. I ended up with three brewing systems I built, fermenters everywhere, six corny kegs, a keezer, a kegerator, 4 beer taps etc and just had a total clearout.

So, this time round, I promised myself it would be different. No more endless purchasing of gear. Just concentrate on the basics. Utility sink in the garage now so cleaning is much easier. I started with converting a free Thermos cooler into a mashtun (which holds temps better than anything else I've used before), a 50 litre Bergland stock pot and a plastic fermenter. Splashed out on a syphon. No going crazy. All I need is my fishtank heater and a bucket of water to hold temps. Saw an Angram beer engine going cheap locally. Maybe a polypin setup, I thought? That'll do me. A few bottles maybe.

Well, two brews in and its happened again. I've acquired a True Coca-Cola fridge, a Beko fridge, Elegance beer tap, ODL regulator, 4 way CO2 manifold, two AEB corny kegs, built a twin coil immersion chiller (nicknamed "the Tornado"), a 35L Fermentasaurus snubnose, Inkbird ITC-308 for the True fermentation fridge and currently rebuilding my control box with an Inkbird ITC-100VH to control my two element boil kettle. Water sample sent to Phoenix Analytical for testing. Next four brews lined up (Mosaic pale, Honey ale, Kolsch, Belgian Tripel).

I'm all in fellas. I'm a decent spunding valve away from completion, if anyone has a recommendation?

Cheers, Ben

Look out, he’s back!

Your ‘maltmother’ looked like a cracking build. I enjoyed reading through that thread

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome back looks like you've been busy

 

[Session]

Hello!
I like the BlowTie from KegLand - it works really well and is reasonably priced

 

[cerbera84]

Look out, he’s back!

Your ‘maltmother’ looked like a cracking build. I enjoyed reading through that thread

Thanks for your reply, it was fun to use! I did think about assembling it again at the start, it did speed up brewday a lot! In fact, I still have the malt pipe in the garage somewhere.... Argh. Must. Not. Build. Lots. Of. Brewgear!

 

[cerbera84]

Hello!
I like the BlowTie from KegLand - it works really well and is reasonably priced

Hi Session, would it be this one BlowTie Complete Kit (Diaphragm Spunding Valve) ?

A quick Google reveals a bit of difference in price, already imported vs needs importing...

I was after the one used by New2Homebrew Tom on YouTube in his Fermentasaurus review - its made of brass with the pressure scale engraved on it - he says that KegKing posted it over with his Fermentasaurus but KegKing's website doesn't appear to offer postage to the UK. This one or this one

 

[Session]

Hi Session, would it be this one BlowTie Complete Kit (Diaphragm Spunding Valve) ?

A quick Google reveals a bit of difference in price, already imported vs needs importing...

View attachment 26396

I was after the one used by New2Homebrew Tom on YouTube in his Fermentasaurus review - its made of brass with the pressure scale engraved on it - he says that KegKing posted it over with his Fermentasaurus but KegKing's website doesn't appear to offer postage to the UK. This one or this one

Yup that’s the one. The BlowTie is really good. I got mine from Alixpress and it works perfectly.

I would strongly advise against using a model similar to the brass one you linked to. It uses a poppet closure which, whilst they may open at the correct pressure, are notorious for having an unreliable closing pressure. The BlowTie uses a diaphragm design which is much more accurate.

 

[cerbera84]

Thanks Session, I will look to see if I can find just the diaphragm part, as I have all the other components in my spares box