DIY all grain gear

[labrewski]

I'm going to try move to ag next year
but I'm not one to spend money if I don't have to so
I'm thinking of using my buckets with kettle elements or finding old kegs and a gas burner or maybe another way that I didn't figure out yet lol
Just wondering would anyone like to share what contraptions they have to give me some inspiration or ideas
Thanks in advance

 

[Gerryjo]

I'm going to try move to ag next year
but I'm not one to spend money if I don't have to so
I'm thinking of using my buckets with kettle elements or finding old kegs and a gas burner or maybe another way that I didn't figure out yet lol
Just wondering would anyone like to share what contraptions they have to give me some inspiration or ideas
Thanks in advance

TBH if you are thinking of tinkering and faffing about cost will creep up before you know it.A Burco 30l boiler is £90 and a sturdy build,with BIAB there are no mods and all you need is a grain bag and a thermometer.Been there done that and won't even try to count the cost with 50p here a £1 there and it's only a Tenner as it all adds up plus there is safety in mind.
Don't get me wrong as I'm a very competent person with engineering skills and I love tinkering with things and that costs money and so does grain,yeast and hops.
Last mod I made was a manifold for my mashtun which I only used twice as I bought an all in one but still cost £25 for pipe and fittings and is fantastic for which I will be using for big grainbills but do I need it really

 

[labrewski]

TBH if you are thinking of tinkering and faffing about cost will creep up before you know it.A Burco 30l boiler is £90 and a sturdy build,with BIAB there are no mods and all you need is a grain bag and a thermometer.Been there done that and won't even try to count the cost with 50p here a £1 there and it's only a Tenner as it all adds up plus there is safety in mind.
Don't get me wrong as I'm a very competent person with engineering skills and I love tinkering with things and that costs money and so does grain,yeast and hops.
Last mod I made was a manifold for my mashtun which I only used twice as I bought an all in one but still cost £25 for pipe and fittings and is fantastic for which I will be using for big grainbills but do I need it really

Understand you completely thinking about it I think it's more satisfying to say I threw this or that together and now I'm making this beer from that
I think I'll probably bumble threw it with a contraption.
Then buy an all in one and say what a waste of time that was lol

 

[Drunkula]

This:

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/media/inductiana-jones-drunkulas-tight-fisted-invention.915/
Turn anything into an induction boiler/hlt/heated mash tun. Tried to embed it as an image - didn't work.

I have one fermenter with the lid in to heat the strike water and mash in and with the lid on a string I haul it out and put it into another fermenter for the boil while I sparge the first.

 

[labrewski]

Seen an add for sale with 3 kegs with tops cut off and converted into a 3 tier brew system looks good for biggish brews 25 to 40 liters I think

 

[labrewski]

Looks good

 

[Drunkula]

My manifold is piece with 3/8" pipe with holes dremeled into it inserted into a john guest T piece so it makes a ring with the other bit used for the pipe to drain it. I put it in a Lidl fruit bag to act as an extra filter. It works great.

 

[labrewski]

Oops sry thought it would be ok if found in the dump or something

 

[labrewski]

Maybe get some one to make 3 large pots if any one in the business of steel and welding??!

 

[Neilos1988]

I'm going to try move to ag next year
but I'm not one to spend money if I don't have to so
I'm thinking of using my buckets with kettle elements or finding old kegs and a gas burner or maybe another way that I didn't figure out yet lol
Just wondering would anyone like to share what contraptions they have to give me some inspiration or ideas
Thanks in advance

Check my profile I made a boiler with a fermentation bucket and 2 cheap kettle elements, extracted from tesco value range kettles. The kettles are now £7,50 each.
You just drill the hole and transfer over the elements all the fitting are there.

 

[Redwulf]

Just remember that not all brewing buckets are created equally. I've seen the Richies ones used in this way and there is a thread somewhere which says what sort of Plastic you need.

I got a peco boiler, a grain bag and a false bottom for about £45 on Ebay which is about what I estimated doing a diy job from a decent bucket and a couple of kettle elements would cost me once I factored in the time and frustration factor. I've still got to mod it which a proper tap and filter.

I paid £25 for 38l Coolbox on Ebay and followed the instructions on the diy mash tun thread and paid about £20 for the pipe work.

So I am about £100 in.

My next step is to set up some temperature control and recirculation on the mash tun, which will probably cost about £50-60.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Hopefully this link will still work and may be of use. I am still using the mash tun shown and actually prefer it to the expensive SS Brewtek one I have.
I must get round to updating it though with some of the extra kit I now have.

Kitchen All Grain Guide | The HomeBrew Forum

 

[Neilos1988]

Just remember that not all brewing buckets are created equally. I've seen the Richies ones used in this way and a there is a thread somewhere which says what sort of Plastic you need.

I got a peco boiler, a grain bag and a false bottom for about £45 on Ebay which is about what I estimated doing a diy job from a decent bucket and a couple of kettle elements would cost me once I factored in the time and frustration factor. I've still got to mod it which a proper tap and filter.

I paid £25 for 38l Coolbox on Ebay and followed the instructions on the diy mash tun thread and paid about £20 for the pipe work.

So I am about £100 in.

My next step is to set up some temperature control and recirculation on the mash tun, which will probably cost about £50-60.

Yeah you got to check the plastic won't give of harmful chemicals under heat. Not sure of the details but a few Google searches should clear it up. I just use it to sparge in as I managed to bag a burco boiler for free and have attached a voltage regulator to control the rolling boil, worked a treat and only cost something like £2.50 from ebay. I also going to add a voltage meter so I can see what voltage provides a rolling boil then just set it to that every time, and it will look the part .

 

[Ashman]

I’m converting a 20L tea urn (small so might be a problem ). The urn came with I think 1/8 barb ports for a sight glass (really just a plastic tube with a ball hacked on with cable ties). I bought a solar pump so I’m planning to hook to the ports using 12v power supply. I also bought the grainfather wortometer which is an inline thermowell.

Unfortunately the urn has keep warm thermostat but will look at that later. I’m also not sure whether to add a grain basket. Well I mean I’m struggling to find something cheap that is stainless, fit in 29cm diameter and perforated. Wayfair carry a 10l stainless steel bin but I have my doubts whether it’s actually stainless!