Complete AG setup for a newbie.

[commsbiff]

Right, I joined this forum about 2 weeks ago, and have been brewing (2 kits) for the same length of time. I keep reading that homebrewing is very addictive, but I must admit that I find this forum just as adictive - as I find myself at my PC every half hour or so (when I can) checking latest posts etc. On reading these (particularly the keg conversion thread) I find myself more and more drawn to the thought of an AG setup in my new house (when I move to Newark in June).

I reckon I can get my hands on (so to speak) quite a few 80 (or so) pint kegs for nothing, or next to nothing legitimately. I even think I can get someone to do any work to them that is required eg drill holes and cut tops off etc. I'm still not sure though exactly what equipment I need for a setup. I gather I need a HLT (what does that stand for and what does it do?), a mash tun (again, what does it do?), a boiler/kettle? (what for?), and then an FV, and then a cornie keg or bottles?

I would really appreciate it if someone could 'lead me by the hand' and let me know, step by step (in layman/stupid terms) what I need and why? If this has already been explained somewhereelse, then I apologise.

Thanks for your input gents. :

 

[Wez]

AG is easy!

HLT - Hot Liquor Tank - used to heat up water for use in the mash tun & also to heat up water to sparge.

MT - Mash Tun - This is where your grains will steep in water you heated in the HLT (to extract the sugars you need)

Boiler/Kettle - Also called a copper - Once you have extracted your sugars (sweet wort) you need to bitter them and flavour them with hops - this is where you do this...

Right..

This is is a very simple AG brew process ignoring a few bits but it gives you an idea:

Heat Mash Liquor in HLT
Transfer Mash Liquor to Mash tun
Add Grains (called doughing in)
Cover & leave tun for 60 to 90 mins
..meanwhile - heat sparge water to 80c in HLT
After 60 to 90 mins run off a few L from the tun and pour back over mash (through perforated tin foil)
When the runnings have no big bits start collecting wort into boiler & sparge (sparge = rinse grains using spinny sparger or other..)
Stop when runnings get too low 1.010 is low
Top up boiler to about 8 to 10L more than you need in fermenters
Bring to boil
When boiling - watch out for the milk pan effect!
Add bittering hops
Boil for 90 mins (or 60)
15 mins from end of boil add late flavour/aroma hops
at the end of the boil cool quickly with immersion cooler or other method
Transfer to FV
pitch yeast as you would a kit

Wow - hope that adds up :thumb:

 

[commsbiff]

Awesome reply - exactly what I needed - thanks Wez :clap:

I guess I could do the follwing?:

Keg 1 = HLT: Add 2 kettle elements and a tap (holds plain water - right?).
Keg 2 or Cooler box = MT: Fabricate some good insulation from whatever. Add a seive/filter bottom and a tap.
Keg 3 = Boiler: Again add 2 kettle elements and a tap (could I reuse the HLT here?)
Kegs 4 & 5 = FVs: Fit a slightly higher tap (to allow for grist?)

Keep up the good work :thumb:

 

[bramswell]

HLT = In my HLT i am only having one element, you could set a timer so it switches on before you get up so when your ready to brew it would be at a good temp, plus you have another 60-90 mins during the mash to heat up the water for sparging.
but 2 elements would get to required temp quicker, but i havent found the need yet.

MT = if you already have the kegs for free use that for MT, saves spending on a cool box, i used a plastic plate for a false bottom with lots of small holes drilled in it and it works great.

Boiler = 2 elements is good, get to the boil quick and switch one off to maintain a rolling boil. you can use the boiler as an HLT but there will be a bit of jiggling to be done, you will need to run off your wort from the MT into something else while you sparge, then transfer all the collected wort into the boiler. It's more convienient to have an HLT, and as you will have enough kegs IMO have an HLT

Don't forget you need a hop strainer in the boiler.


FV's = the tap will be fairly high due to the shape of the bottom of the keg, i am going to fit a tube onto my tap to get lower into the keg, leaving abount 1 1/2" from the bottom so i dont drag any yeast sediment into the keg or bottles.

the only thing i found is the kegs don't fit in my fridge for fermenting so i will be building an extention cupboard for this.

 

[commsbiff]

Another top notch reply - thanks Bramswell.

Hop strainer - would that be similar to the drilled plate in the bottom of the MT?

I see your point about the kegs being large. I too think that an extension cupboard will be the way to go. I'm thinking about something just big enough to house 2 fermenting kegs and about 80 pint bottles. It'll be out to the elements, so I was thinking about using loft type insulation all around and a small thermostatically controlled heater in the extension. Any thoughts?

 

[bramswell]

Hop strainer - would that be similar to the drilled plate in the bottom of the MT?

not quite the same, i currently use a brupaks stainer, bottom of the page
http://www.brupaks.com/boilers%20mashtuns.htm

although it works well i am going to make a bazooka T strainer
http://www.zymico.com/bazooka/

for the FV cupboard i am using celotex kingspan boards, easy to cut and ridgid.
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?a ... earch=true

i will make a plywood box, line it with the celotex, remove the fridge door and align the box with the fridge fit a small tube heater as it is in the shed, and control it with one of these
http://www.forttex.com/index.php?main_p ... Path=1_5_8

 

[commsbiff]

hmm... interesting :hmm:

 

[chappo]

Get in to it... You'll never regret it.