Plunging into All Grain

[Popspicker]

I want to make the big step but not sure what to get.
Did I read somewhere, not to buy SS or is that just one man's view?
I'm getting my family to club together, so I don't want absolutely basic stuff that I would have to repace in a couple of years.

 

[periolus]

SS is the 'top notch', will last forever, but it is more expensive. I am just about to build (after xmas) and have, after a lot of research and deliberation, going SS for all my pots.

BUT - it is not essential. A number of coolboxes make excellent mash tuns, for example. BUT - for not much more, you could go SS you see.

See what other people come back with, but SS is a sound investment.

 

[StubbsPKS]

Def DO get stainless steel!

There are some GREAT pieces of kit on ebay France that you can convert quite easily into a boiler and mash tun.

Boiler

Mash Tun

You should not need to replace these unless you decide to open a micro brewery

They do, of course, sell smaller versions that are a bit cheaper as well if you weren't wanting to jump straight into a 100L boiler with an 80L mash tun.

There are tons of threads on how to convert these as well:
Vossy's Boiler Howto
Vossy's Mashtun Howto

Now, the mashtun conversion requires quite a few tools (angle grinder, etc), but that is just one way to convert the thermobox into a MT. You could also just fit a tap and a copper manifold rather than doing a bottom drain and false bottom.

Hope this helps :thumb:

 

[WelshPaul]

My mashtun was built out of a 32l coolbox for under £30 and does the job just fine.
I was tempted to build a nice SS boiler but I just don't have the cutting tools so will be building a 60l plastic boiler next week for under £60.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

If in it for the long term I would definitely go Stainless Steel, then when you are not brewing you can stand back and admire it's shininess.

The pots from ebay are ideal and the conversion of the Mash Tun is easier than it looks, even I managed it. I didn't do it quite like Vossy, I used Alemans method with the Through Deck Fitting, which may be a bit easier.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

If you buy plastic you'll buy twice cos one day you will go down the SS route..

Nothing wrong with plastic but nowdays the prices are very similar.

BB :thumb:

 

[WelshPaul]

True. The main thing that put me off making a 70l SS boiler was that plastic is just much easier to work with.

 

[Hawks]

I started with plastic, which was good, but then wanted to go from 5 gallons to 10 gallons so moved over to stainless at the same time - if you have the opportunity to go stainless from the start then I would :thumb:

 

[periolus]

The ebay site that was linked is excellent, and where I will get my pots. I am getting two 70L cocottes for HLT and Boiler, and a 50L Thermos for the Mash Tun. These will let me produce a pretty decent quantity of beer, and in the future, if I really need to go bigger, then I will thoroughly enjoy the process of building again!

I think I am right in saying that with my size pots, I should be able to comfortably produce up to around 46L of average-strength beer, which is what I do now each time I make kits, as I make two at once to save time.

 

[pjbiker]

+1 for ebay France stock pots and 'baine marie's'. You can't beat'em. Yes you will need a few tools. Get friendly with someone who has them or see if you can borrow if there's folks local to you that already have a 22mm and 1 1/2" Qmax cutter and . If you don't have an angle grinder and drill I'm sure you'll find a friendly chap who does in your street who likes bottles of free beer.

I started plastic 5 gallon and went 10 gallon SS eventually. Won't really get any bigger til I go 8BBL one day

 

[periolus]

I have no practical experience with steel, angle grinders or Q-max cutters so kind of fear the false bottom and deck drain method. I was just going to have braided SS hose and a tee-piece to filter! However, if I can find someone who knows what they're doing to help me, then maybe I should go the 'full hog'.

Is there a link to Aleman's method anywhere, as a how-to? Is that the one where you cut a channel in the bottom to accommodate the drain-pipe and just fit the deck-drain in the bottom?

IS THERE ANYONE IN OR NEAR BRISTOL THAT HAS DONE THIS THAT WOULD HELP FOR PAYMENT IN BOOZE!

 

[Popspicker]

Thanks for all your advice boys..a whole new exciting world out there eh?
:clap:

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

True. The main thing that put me off making a 70l SS boiler was that plastic is just much easier to work with.

I found the stainless as easy to do as when I did my plastic after receiving advice from members on here and buying a couple of quality Q-Max cutters for the holes.

BB :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

I have no practical experience with steel, angle grinders or Q-max cutters so kind of fear the false bottom and deck drain method

Most of the time I've used tools to make brewery gear it'll be the 1st time I used them, holesaws, q-max, angle grinder etc...drill I've just about got the hang of after 20+ years :lol:
The thermobox conversion I did was shown to me by Derek Speeding of the NCBA IIRC, I just did it my way and posted about it, as others do.
In one way I find ss easier to work with in that it's not that easy to make a mistake...

now plastic on the other hand.....I've just dropped a major bollock with one of my 40ltr HDPE conicals which wouldn't have been as easy to do if it were ss

Get stuck in, borrow gear if you have to, ask another member to help out, it's all part of the fun

 

[StubbsPKS]

You will also want to consider a chiller. With that volume I'd think counterflow or plate. I use an immersion chiller, so I'm afraid I'm not much help on that front.

 

[periolus]

Counterflow is more compliacated, but now I have seen one in action, and being built, they aren't actually that hard to make. As I have already got all the bits and tubing for my immersion chiller, I am going to stick with that.

There is a great "how to" posted on the forum by Big Yin on building a twin coil immersion chiller. I am following that design. I have found Vossy, Aleman and MuddyDisco very good people to speak to on here about building shiney breweries. They are very experienced, patient and helpful

Good luck - keep asking away!

 

[StubbsPKS]

There is a great "how to" posted on the forum by Big Yin on building a twin coil immersion chiller

Yea, BigYin made my IC, but I thought it might be cheaper to make a counter flow for your size of pots :)

 

[periolus]

Yea, BigYin made my IC, but I thought it might be cheaper to make a counter flow for your size of pots :)

It might be, and in fact I might still be able to make an immersion chiller and use some of the spare copper tubing to make a small immersion chiller, as I will be doing some small SMaSH brews of about 10-12L in a small 3 gallon fermenter. I'll see - I still have a few weeks to sort it out