Heater for mash tun?

[liams1989]

Originally I wanted to build one of these Automated All Grain Electric Beer Brewery for 100 €/USD - there is def a million different and great ways to go diy.

If you have any klarstein questions just shout, but I look forward to seeing what you build. Post pics!

I will do if I build one otherwise great to know there’s someone I can ask questions about the Klarstein thank you

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

The Burco Cygnet 30L boilers are worth the money by the way - well constructed and it’s nice to support a UK manufacturer (someone will now tell me they are made in the Far East…)

 

[liams1989]

The Burco Cygnet 30L boilers are worth the money by the way - well constructed and it’s nice to support a UK manufacturer (someone will now tell me they are made in the Far East…)

That’s the one I’d be looking at getting. I wonder if I did go for an all in one setup, would I still need a boiler anyway for the sparge water. My other thoughts are o just get a suitable plastic bucket/barrel like the electrim ones

 

[liams1989]

On the plus side, I’ve just found the cool box in the loft. It’s a 32l rubbermaid one. Hopefully that will be big enough

 

[stripeyjoe]

I wonder if I did go for an all in one setup, would I still need a boiler anyway for the sparge water.

You can heat the whole 30l up to strike temp and pour out 10 or so into a bucket for sparging with later (leaving you with 20l for initial mash). Towards the end of mash time top the sparge water up with a couple of kettles of boiling water to raise the temp and give you the 14 or so litres you’ll probably need for sparging with.
Just keep your eye out for a used 20 or 30l one you can use as a sparge heater later on if you get into it.

the 30l boilers are a lot cheaper that the 40l ones, at that point you’re probably better off with the grainfather 40l sparge heater.
Having said all that I am Jonesing for the new grainfather G40!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I started totting up what I needed it was cheaper to get an all in one for me and takes up a lot less room.

This is a very good point!
I never really totted up the full cost of my setup because I built it up bit-by-bit (and I guess the fermentation/storage/dispense equipment is the same either way). But roughly speaking:

boiler	Burco cygnet 30L	£90
	HW cylinder insulation (optional)	£12
	ball valve tap and 'bazooka' filter (not what I use but close enough)	£19
	PID controller (not what I use but close enough)	£17
mash tun	two 25L buckets (£7 each, assuming you buy 5)	£14
	fine SS mesh sheet	£10
	3/8" JG bulkhead fitting and tap	£10
	HW cylinder insulation	see above
counterflow chiller / heat exchanger (optional)	10m x 8mm microbore copper tubing (screwfix)	£23
	10m braided PVC hose	£10
	pipe fittings	£15 ?
HERMS mash heater (optional)	2 x 12v hot water pumps	£20
	cheap kettle	£10
	PID controller	£20
	fittings and pipework	£15 ?

So I'd say (wet finger) the 'basic' cost was about £170 for the boiler and DIY mash tun.
Then I guess I added a further £113 or so with the "optional extras" like the counterflow chiller (very useful, saves a lot of time) and the HERMS setup.

Of course there are other costs to add too like cleaning/sterilising solution, random plumbing bits (I reckon I have accumulated pretty much every John Guest fitting under the sun...), books, ingredients, water treatment chemicals, ... ... ...

The biggest investment compared to an all-in-one is the time taken to design/build it (but I enjoyed that bit), and the time to set it up and clean/disassemble it on brew days (which I enjoy less...)

 

[Smokey.]

Before I got my Klarstein I used to wrap my coolbox mash tun in a sleeping bag as that's what the tutorial I used for my first AG said to do.

 

[stripeyjoe]

The biggest investment compared to an all-in-one is the time taken to design/build it (but I enjoyed that bit), and the time to set it up and clean/disassemble it on brew days (which I enjoy less...)

That is what is tempting me to the G40, I must spend a good 2-3 hours or so on a brew day setting up, taking down and cleaning...

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

That’s the one I’d be looking at getting. I wonder if I did go for an all in one setup, would I still need a boiler anyway for the sparge water. My other thoughts are o just get a suitable plastic bucket/barrel like the electrim ones

I've heard the plastic ones are OK too but IMHO stainless is a bit easier to keep clean and feels (to me) like a safer way of containing 20-30kg of boiling wort...?
Just my opinion, but I like the philosophy of 'buy quality, buy once'...

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

That is what is tempting me to the G40, I must spend a good 2-3 hours or so on a brew day setting up, taking down and cleaning...

I feel your pain mate... I thought I was taking up brewing as a hobby: turns out it was actually cleaning and sterilising

 

[liams1989]

I've heard the plastic ones are OK too but IMHO stainless is a bit easier to keep clean and feels (to me) like a safer way of containing 20-30kg of boiling wort...?
Just my opinion, but I like the philosophy of 'buy quality, buy once'...

I do agree with you about the whole plastic and being heated up to those temps.
My mum said she has a big metal pot, going over there later to see them so with a bit of luck it’s something like a nice 35l steel one but we will see

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I do agree with you about the whole plastic and being heated up to those temps.
My mum said she has a big metal pot, going over there later to see them so with a bit of luck it’s something like a nice 35l steel one but we will see

Heh - yes that would be nice eh? even a 20L one would still be fine for a stove-top BIAB brew though... you can make excellent beer that way. Just so long as it's not an aluminium one.

 

[liams1989]

Heh - yes that would be nice eh? even a 20L one would still be fine for a stove-top BIAB brew though... you can make excellent beer that way. Just so long as it's not an aluminium one.

We do have a pot but don’t think the mrs will be happy with me cutting holes in it for taps
I was thinking of trying a smaller batch first some how to see how I get on

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I was thinking of trying a smaller batch first some how to see how I get on

Very wise.

I could be wrong but I don't think a tap is necessary for a small batch. This thread is well worth a look in case you haven't already seen it: Have a go at simple AG

 

[gavp1979]

I do agree with you about the whole plastic and being heated up to those temps.
My mum said she has a big metal pot, going over there later to see them so with a bit of luck it’s something like a nice 35l steel one but we will see

I bought a Peco boiler BIAB starter set from the homebrew company about 3 years ago as a cheap easy way to get into AG brewing and got to say that it has been fine and nowhere near as flimsy as people seem to think, in fact I (very carefully and not to be recommended) carry mine from inside the garage to outside on the drive when it is about to start boiling and then carry it back inside again once it has cooled so that I can use gravity to fill the fermenter. Saying all that though I probably will buy an all in one at some point so I have more control over temperature etc

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Peco boiler [...] has been fine and nowhere near as flimsy as people seem to think

Useful to know

I try not to move my boiler about when it's full, but I can recommend using a 'dolly' (wheeled board) like removals people use.
I made one about 20 years ago for moving house: just a bit of 12mm ply, four heavy duty castor wheels and a pit of old carpet stapled to the top... still comes in handy more often than I can count :-)

 

[gavp1979]

Useful to know

I try not to move my boiler about when it's full, but I can recommend using a 'dolly' (wheeled board) like removals people use.
I made one about 20 years ago for moving house: just a bit of 12mm ply, four heavy duty castor wheels and a pit of old carpet stapled to the top... still comes in handy more often than I can count :-)

Unfortunately my drive isn't flat so a dolly trolley wouldn't work. I also want to make it clear that I am not suggesting or condoning carrying boilers full of almost boiling wort or even that the OP should go for a Peco, just showing that even though Pecos do have shortcomings that can be overcome by a better quality boiler (temp control, pumps, shiny) I have never found mine to be flimsy when boiling