Mark1964
Landlord.
has anyone ever used the electrim boiler/mashtun to actually do a mash. it has a thermostat so can keep the desired temp etc 
electrim boiler/mashtun
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Mark1964
Landlord.
i think your supposed to use a grain bag with them just wondering if it kept temp ok
tubthumper
Regular.
i did it was more than 20 years ago and i got a fealing this is what made me stop brewing all those years ago
I now got it sorted so I got a mashtun was the first thing i made when i started brewing again
not worth it for the sake of a bucket plastic plate and some isulation and some pipe fittings.
I now got it sorted so I got a mashtun was the first thing i made when i started brewing again
not worth it for the sake of a bucket plastic plate and some isulation and some pipe fittings.
BigYin
Regular.
23 litre bucket with lid - £6
insulation from homebase - £15
some duct tape to tape the insulation on.
tank connector and ball valve from screwfix - £5 or so all in
Mine only lost 1.3c in a 90 minute mash :thumb:
insulation from homebase - £15
some duct tape to tape the insulation on.
tank connector and ball valve from screwfix - £5 or so all in
Mine only lost 1.3c in a 90 minute mash :thumb:
hairybiker
Landlord.
I did when I first started AG brewing (about 15 years ago), I used a grain bag to hold the malt above the element (see above for reasons) Sparged using a kettle and well it worked, and worked fine for a couple of years.
I now use a picnic coolbox (e.g. £7 from Asda) and a copper strainer (I think you could use plastic here as there is no heat transfer necessity) and have been using this type of setup for the past 12+ years very efficient, low heat loss and easily replaceable also available in various sizes (25l is fine for 5gal brews, 32l if you want higher gravity larger/brews, +)
I have just this year got around to making a hlt :shock: Never really needed it until my back started hurting, and a couple of "accidents" in the kitchen, now I try and not move 5gals of hot stuff about. I just used my FV as a holder for the sparge water, that was heated in the boiler then transfered to the FV and then via some siphon tube to the sparge arm, worked fine as I say for 12+ years.
I now use a picnic coolbox (e.g. £7 from Asda) and a copper strainer (I think you could use plastic here as there is no heat transfer necessity) and have been using this type of setup for the past 12+ years very efficient, low heat loss and easily replaceable also available in various sizes (25l is fine for 5gal brews, 32l if you want higher gravity larger/brews, +)
I have just this year got around to making a hlt :shock: Never really needed it until my back started hurting, and a couple of "accidents" in the kitchen, now I try and not move 5gals of hot stuff about. I just used my FV as a holder for the sparge water, that was heated in the boiler then transfered to the FV and then via some siphon tube to the sparge arm, worked fine as I say for 12+ years.
Mark1964
Landlord.
Ok thanks guys exactly how and what do you need to make the tun from a cool box. A cool box obviously and i reckon you would need a tap and some kind of filter in the bottom. Do you drill holes in picnic box etc. Anyone have any pictures :
hairybiker
Landlord.
Don't have any pics but here is the basics.
Get a cool box
get a tap (W&D or ball valve & tank connector)
Get TWO circular hole saws - one the same size as your connector on the tap and one slightly larger
Measure up from the bottom of the box and mark the center of the hole for the tap, this needs to be high enough to allow you to put the nut on the back of the tap on the inside, so don't drill too low.
Drill the LARGER hole through the OUTSIDE of the box
Remove the large and drill with the smaller one all the way through, you should now have a hole to insert the tap and its shoulder.
For the mash collector, make SLOTS in the copper/plastic. I use a simple U shaped filter with 2 elbows at the front leading to a 22-15mm tee that feeds the back of the tap. Others use a lot more slots/shapes but this works fine. Drill/saw slots every 1/2" or so (a diamond saw attachment for angle grinders is apparently the easiest way) I used a hack saw the fist time and it takes a while :)
Something like this:
|=====================] <- elbow at each end or bend the outside one
| |
| =-- <- 22-15 tee
| |
[=====================] <- elbow at each end or bend the outside one
Adjust the size according to your MT dimensions.
Then a piece of pipe on the 15mm side to the back of the tap/tank connector
Get a cool box
get a tap (W&D or ball valve & tank connector)
Get TWO circular hole saws - one the same size as your connector on the tap and one slightly larger
Measure up from the bottom of the box and mark the center of the hole for the tap, this needs to be high enough to allow you to put the nut on the back of the tap on the inside, so don't drill too low.
Drill the LARGER hole through the OUTSIDE of the box
Remove the large and drill with the smaller one all the way through, you should now have a hole to insert the tap and its shoulder.
For the mash collector, make SLOTS in the copper/plastic. I use a simple U shaped filter with 2 elbows at the front leading to a 22-15mm tee that feeds the back of the tap. Others use a lot more slots/shapes but this works fine. Drill/saw slots every 1/2" or so (a diamond saw attachment for angle grinders is apparently the easiest way) I used a hack saw the fist time and it takes a while :)
Something like this:
|=====================] <- elbow at each end or bend the outside one
| |
| =-- <- 22-15 tee
| |
[=====================] <- elbow at each end or bend the outside one
Adjust the size according to your MT dimensions.
Then a piece of pipe on the 15mm side to the back of the tap/tank connector
Mark1964
Landlord.
Thats great many thanks will be giving it a go :
Mark1964
Landlord.
What type of insulation did you use and did you insulate the lidBigYin said:
hairybiker
Landlord.
The insulation I use was designed to be put behind radiators (Silver stuff looks like thick tin foil) Got it at Tesco last year then they were selling the stuff off @ something like 50p a roll (still got a spare one) I just put it over the lid, haven't bothered lagging it as it doesn't loose that much over 90min <1deg.
I lagged my boiler using most of this, rolled round twice and sealed with tape. The remainder of the roll (about 6' left) just sits over the top of the MT when it is in use. :
I lagged my boiler using most of this, rolled round twice and sealed with tape. The remainder of the roll (about 6' left) just sits over the top of the MT when it is in use. :
Mark1964
Landlord.
Hi At what temp was your sparge water and also what does everyone use to insulate fv when its used to keep hot water in Thankshairybiker said:
tubthumper
Regular.
you can allways cut some wood to put on top its what they use in comesrial brewerys to insulate the top
you can sparge probly at 80C thats the recomended in most books but aleman will prob give a better or tem
the other question is taht I dont insulate the FV
as i dont need it till after the boil use the boiler to heat to stike temp run it into mash tun
then refill and heat for sparge
run off mash tun into a holding bucket till sparge is finished then empty the boiler and fill with whats in the holding bucket
then just boil with the hops
so you need
1 boiler (used as hlt and boiler)
1 mashtun ( either another boiler and grain bag or picknick cooler)
1 spare bucket ( to collect wort)
1 fermenting bucket
hope that makes sense
you can sparge probly at 80C thats the recomended in most books but aleman will prob give a better or tem
the other question is taht I dont insulate the FV
as i dont need it till after the boil use the boiler to heat to stike temp run it into mash tun
then refill and heat for sparge
run off mash tun into a holding bucket till sparge is finished then empty the boiler and fill with whats in the holding bucket
then just boil with the hops
so you need
1 boiler (used as hlt and boiler)
1 mashtun ( either another boiler and grain bag or picknick cooler)
1 spare bucket ( to collect wort)
1 fermenting bucket
hope that makes sense
hairybiker
Landlord.
For the sparge water container, I don't personally bother to insulate it. I sparge at about 76deg (when I start) and just let it flow into the MT via the sparge arm. It then flows directly into my boiler so I can get the elements on when they are covered so saving some time.
BigYin
Regular.
mark1964 said:
Homebase ThermaWrap general purpose
It's "Coated aluminium and PE bubble" - I put 3 layers around the bucket and three on the lid using the offcuts :thumb:
tubthumper
Regular.
camping mats are also good
and they can be got for £5 and usually have enough to do a bin sides top and bottom and still have left over
and they can be got for £5 and usually have enough to do a bin sides top and bottom and still have left over
tubthumper
Regular.
here is how to make the false bottom of a mash tun out of a plate
Daabs plate
Daabs plate
tubthumper
Regular.
Mark1964
Landlord.
Ive been slaving in kitchen for 2 hours tonight ive made the mash tun from a 5 gallon fv insulated with the silver radiator insulation. Ive done the sides twice and taped it on and the bottom and lid. Just heated up some water put it in see what the results are at 8.55pm Temp was 66 degrees i hope it works when i check it later
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