All Grain Equipment For Under $10

[berazafi]

Ok have recived a reply from bunnings saying that the buckets are not food grade and that they sell 20L food grade buckets for $9.95

Im not sure if they based this information just on the labels of there containers.

So use these buckets at you own risk, they are PP plastic so they will withstand the heat.

I will be using these for this batch, one guy mentioned about that chemicals could leach at above 77degC, there should be no reason for the plastic to be sitting at this temperature for any period of time during this so i will be taking the risk.

The alternative is to do as others have suggested and find the food grade white 20L buckets, using this style of bucket will also save you some time on the brew day, and be a longer lasting solution

If you cant work out how to modify the design usint 2 20L buckets instead of 4 10L buckets Pm me and i will help you out

Dave

 

[PostModern]

This is only anectdotal evidence, so take it for what it's worth.

I use one of those 89c Bunnings buckets as a filter vessel. ie, I cut a hole the size of a Britta cartridge in the bottom and inserted a filter cartridge. I then rest this inside the neck of a fermenter and add water to the bucket, which filters down into the fermenter. I then use this as a source of chlorine-free filtered water for mashing. Normally, I remove the bucket as soon as the water is full, but one time I left the bucket sitting in the top of the fermenter for about 2 hours then tasted the water - plastic!

I imagine the plastic taste would be stronger with hotter water. Did you taste the water from your temperature test?

 

[berazafi]

No i didnt actully, i will have to try that tonight, i will l put some 70deg water in there and give it a taste, thanks for the feedback

 

[Steve]

Looking good Dave.
Cheers
Steve

 

[apd]

An idea for keeping a not-so-well-insulated bucket-in-bucket mash tun warm...

Put your mash tun in a largish tray that you can heat on a stove. Fill tray with water and heat. Re-application of heat to the tray may be needed but the warm water and air surrounding your mash tun should help keep the temperature stable.

I saw this on a web site that I've lost now. Their mash/lauter tun was actually a single bucket (similar to berazafi's 89c Bunnings buckets) with an upturned plastic strainer used as a false bottom. I don't remember if they had a tap or simple hole in the bottom for lautering.

 

[berazafi]

Hey all

Have some bad news, unfortunatly i wont be able to have this done this weekend. The reasons are as follows

1. The plastic in the buckets is concerning me
2. I am going to change the inital concept a little from off the shelf new to include secondhand items, because i realy dont belive anymore that you can get all the required items new for under $10
3. I am waiting on some 20L white food buckets from my local chicken shop

I was suprised at how easy it was to obtain these buckets, I would suggest that if you were even thinking about trying this that you would try over this weekend or next week to obtain some, they have so many uses.

The other thing you will need to obtain is enough pots to boil a total of 30-40L on your stove or bbq, etc. It doesnt mater if you cant do all the boiling at once, there is no reason why you can do muliple lots, however your will need to be able to store the 30-40l in pots ready to be boiled

In conclusion i have failed at my original challange and will modify the first post to include the new critera and required items as soon as i have obtained them

 

[Steve]

Onya Dave - you favent failed youve convinced me to buy a drill on the weekend - so thats a winner!
Cheers
Steve

P.S. Would be great if you kept the thread going :beer:

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

In conclusion i have failed at my original challange and will modify the first post to include the new critera and required items as soon as i have obtained them

No way man! You never made this post "NEW All grain equipment for under $10"

Stop and think about this before you adjust the original concept. Why did you start this thread? Because non-AG brewers are always saying its too expensive. You wanted to demonstrate how cheaply you can do an AG brew. Already you have taught me a heap with this thread.

As far as I am concerned, it is completely legitimate to "obtain" equipment or get it second hand. Geez I dont go looking for new equipment first regardless what it is for. I will try to think where I can get it cheaply (so I am a tight arse).


Now I might consider that you were cutting corners if you said, "My cousin has a 100lt SS kettle with a tap and built in element so I am going to use that".

Since we all know that 20lt food grade buckets are relatively easy to obtain from restaurants, deli's etc, I do not think you have exceeded the bounds of the initial challenge you have set yourself.

Also consider this, you are setting up a system to show new AG brewers what to do for a "BASIC" AG brew. I think it is very important that that first brew doesnt taste of plastic or contain potentially carcenogenic chemicals in it.

I say go for the food grade 20lt containers and you havent failed yet in my eyes. Use a drill as nearly everyone can borrow one for a couple of hours and you could probably get one from bunnings for $10 these days anyway.

Premake some insulating blankets out of newspaper (For wrapping arround the mash tun) for all I care. It just has to be cheap and work. Since I will probably be doing somthing along these lines I am following this thread with interest

I reckon your doing a great job. Keep it up.

cheers

ATOMT

 

[jimmysuperlative]

Yes! Please keep this thread going ...it's providing the inspiration to jump in and have a go ...and to realise its doable without needing a shite load of expensive gear :beer:

...and while I've read plenty about people brewing with this sort of equipment, it's great to finally see it backed up with pictures and explanations.

Top stuff, berazafi !

 

[matti]

Sorry to drag the prize over 10 bucks.
I've mentioned it in other post I use. kitchen utensils for partial.
gotto go bigger for ag.
I've been looking for a cheap BIG circular drinks esky with tap. though not sure if its the ideal.
Made up a stainless steel false bottom for me big rectangular esky as an mash/lautering tun. Though the efficiency will be some what compromised, I will most likely adopt decoction method. A Coleman 7 ltr esky will do for me partial for now, and no plastic taste evident.
You should see kitchen on brewday. Organized chaos.
And the clean up. 5h day.
OH, I spent $22 in stockpot and $5 dollar on sheetmetal for false bottom i havent used yet.
Matti

 

[berazafi]

Thanks for the comments, they are much apprechated, I will keep this going and hopfully by the end of next weekend i will have the batch fermenting

Dave

 

[DrewCarey82]

Sorry to drag the prize over 10 bucks.
I've mentioned it in other post I use. kitchen utensils for partial.
gotto go bigger for ag.
I've been looking for a cheap BIG circular drinks esky with tap. though not sure if its the ideal.
Made up a stainless steel false bottom for me big rectangular esky as an mash/lautering tun. Though the efficiency will be some what compromised, I will most likely adopt decoction method. A Coleman 7 ltr esky will do for me partial for now, and no plastic taste evident.
You should see kitchen on brewday. Organized chaos.
And the clean up. 5h day.
OH, I spent $22 in stockpot and $5 dollar on sheetmetal for false bottom i havent used yet.
Matti

Go the bunnings around $50.

 

[bconnery]

Thanks for the comments, they are much apprechated, I will keep this going and hopfully by the end of next weekend i will have the batch fermenting

Dave

Even if this whole thing comes out at less than $50 it would be awesome...



I've already gotten a lot of ideas for a move into partials without too much extra equipment and effort.



Looking forward to the results. Keep up the good work!!

 

[berazafi]

Thanks for the comments, they are much apprechated, I will keep this going and hopfully by the end of next weekend i will have the batch fermenting

Dave

Even if this whole thing comes out at less than $50 it would be awesome...



I've already gotten a lot of ideas for a move into partials without too much extra equipment and effort.



Looking forward to the results. Keep up the good work!!

You would have quite a nice setup for $50 dollars, the thing is the boiler you need to be able to boil around 30L, a single 40L or maybe two 20L pots would be suitable, 4 10L pots etc. If you guys can work out your boilers you will have quality AG equipment for under $50. There are 3 basic things needed, these are a mash/lauter tun, a good thermometer, and a boiler

I already have all these things, so dont realy want to go out and spend $50 showing you guys how do do it

But i will show you how to make a mash tun, get a cheap thermometer, grab some pots for the stove and do the proccess,

From there, you guys can spend as little or as much as you want effectivly producing the same beer

Dave

 

[GMK]

Those 7.50 camp bed mattress - the ones taht come rolled up - makes good cheap insulation for the bucket in bucket mash tun - also bubble wrap is good.
U can get cheap kettles - do a search on here - under 10.00 where you can take the element out - drill a hole in one of your 10.00 plastic buckets - insert element and it is now a HLT or a kettle - might need to add 2 elements for the kettel.

Hope this helps

 

[poppa joe]

BERAZAFFI
I downloaded info on boiler/mushtun/stirrer..etc..have it on floppy
Can email info if anyone wants it..
cheers
PJ

 

[poppa joe]

Berazafi
I GOOGLED "cd's old electric wort boiler" Link still working.
There are other links on page.
Cheers
PJ

 

[jimmysuperlative]

I had a go at making a "bucket o' death" plastic electric HLT ...

... 25L Handypail from Supercheap $7
2 x electric jug from The Warehouse @ $7.99 ea.
1 power cable from old computer (see pic)

Because I am only experimenting at this stage, I used both elements from the electric kettles in the HLT. However, I only fired them up one at a time ...I was worried I'd overload the circuit. BTW I was using an earth leakage detector.

Using one element I got 20L of tap water to around 80c "strike temp" in about 25 mins.
Noticed a cool spot at the bottom of the bucket on the opposite side to the element ...used a plastic brew spoon to remedy this - although I had read about this in another post - and part of the reason for putting two elements on either side at different heights (try to get the heat to circulate).

... anyway, I was pretty happy with the simplicity of the project. I'll look at jiffy boxing the wiring on the real HLT which i think will be a 36L fermenter ...maybe a temp controller and tap (with locking nut), and fixed thermometer.

Berazafi, how goes the battle? Mate I'd still love to see how your AG gear project turns out. Any progress? Keep us posted.

 

[Zizzle]

Pat's Brewing In A Bag, with the no chiller method would cut some costs. If you already have a pot, then under $10 may be possible.

I think I paid $6 for the material to make my brewing bag. But it's big enough to do a double batch.

Only need a decent thermometer after that, and away you go.

 

[Beerpig]

That just looks dangerous .................. exposed wires, electricity, water etc etc

Cheers