Allgrain In Small Apartment?

[chug!chug!]

Hi Everybody!

I would like to get into allgrain brewing :chug: :chug:

I live in a small apartment in a high density area. I have no garage and only common grounds.

My electric stove is too small for a decent size pot so I am thinking of an electric boiler with kettle elements in a 50L stainless vessel.

Before I start to get the gear together i'd like to know if I boil a 23L wort in my apartment would it stink out the building/neighbourhood :blink: :angry: ?????

What do you think?

 

[Zwickel]

Before I start to get the gear together i'd like to know if I boil a 23L wort in my apartment would it stink out the building/neighbourhood :blink: :angry: ?????

Hi chug!chug!,

certainly it will!

anyway, a long vigorous boil have to be done, about 90min.

... for some people it stinks, for others its a wonderful smell

Cheers

 

[peas_and_corn]

I've gotten complaints about the smell of the mash (I think it's wonderful) and the boil- thus the reason why I do it outside

 

[MHD]

I live in a medium density apartment but fortunately I have a balcony!

People comment on the smell but all positive so far (lots of young people in my neighboorhood so all cool!)

Do people play their music so all can hear it? Yes! So why shouldn't you brew?

But yes, do it outside, Lots of stuff evaporates out of the boil (which is one of the reasons you do it) and I dont like your chances of caking the walls with crap

 

[MHD]

ps: where are you in the NB?? I used to live in Beacon Hill....

 

[PistolPatch]

Now this is the thread I love to see! I'm in a 1 bedroom Chug. I'm in the final throes (nearly death throes at times) of getting all my brewing equipment to fit either inside or on top of a standard fridge. Only 1 or 2 things to fine tune and you could probably learn (and save!) from my thousands of mistakes. So, if you want a few tips just PM me and I'll give you what I can.

As for the boil, I'm lucky as I nearly always have a strong breeze through the apartment heading in the perfect direction.

Good luck!
PP

 

[chug!chug!]

Thanks for your input guys.

I had a second look at my stove and worked out that I can fit a BigW 19L SS pot
on the edges of 3 elements and utilise the rangehood. I will start doing 11.5L batches.

MHD: Its a beach pad @ DY. Great spot but surrounded by restaurants and apartments.

PP: I love your posts & your enthusiasm!!!! I like how you maximise your space
especially in your upright freezer. I will no doubt get some tips off you as we are in the same (small) boat!

Cheers :chug: :chug:

 

[Jazzafish]

My electric stove is too small for a decent size pot so I am thinking of an electric boiler with kettle elements in a 50L stainless vessel.

My friend has a setup like this, completely electric. I did a brew with him the other day.

To be honest, I think the elements in the pot are great for heating say 20 litres of sparge water, provided you have two power outlets (his elements trip 10 amp power boards). But it ends there.

Avoid boiling worts with elements. He had one of those hand held elements in a keg to boil the wort. It took hours to get to a rolling boil. We had a look at the electricity meter, and it was spinning pretty quick!

Go with gas, it pays for itself by saving time and power costs!

As for space, I find you don't need much. A table and milk crates is all I use to make a 3 level system. You just need a supply to water and maybe power. With the apartments, invite a whole bunch of mates around and brew it with them. The way I see it it is no different to a BBQ. If anything invite the neighbours!

 

[Jazzafish]

I had a second look at my stove and worked out that I can fit a BigW 19L SS pot on the edges of 3 elements and utilise the rangehood. I will start doing 11.5L batches

5 to 6 hours for a 11 litre batch? May as well spend the same time for a 20 to 40 litre batch... But It is a good place to start

 

[PistolPatch]

Thanks Chug for your feedback. Really appreciated. I'm doing a post here shortly with pics that will be called, Turning a Fermenter Into a Mash Tun so have a look at that and we'll see from the feedback if there's going to be any problems.

Cheers
PP

 

[sintax69]

Iam sort on space 2 all i have is a 2m shed that houses brew gear, garden mower etc and renavation stuff two its all on 2 moving trollys
Go full electrics i have been doing it for a year now and for 20l boils its fine you just need more that a emmersion element I find 2 belle elements good most of the time but I can also dump in my emmersion element in if I get behind on time so 3 belle and switchs would work well
Just finished redisgning my grain mill to fit all of it into a 20lt pail next is the chiller

 

[BrissyBrew]

I brew in a single garage (I am thankful for it). However I must admit I wanted to heat up 30L in my 50L keg onday in a hurry, my 2400W immersion heater does the job no worries but it takes a little while. So I put the keg on one of those camping gas stoves the ones that use the little cylinders and cost less than $20.00 in big W. Well to my surprise I can maintain a rolling boil for 30L of water in a SS keg with a $20.00 butane stove. I was amazed. Go grabe one and I think you will be surprised. How it ever supported the weight I dont know. You need to take the pot support off so the keg can sit on the base of the portable stove.

That's right $20.00 portable gas stove will boil a keg with 30L of water. I still use my 2400W immersion heater though but the gas is there when I want it.