Brew Stand Design --- |

[Carboy]

Hi,

I've got my AG gear organised with the exception of my stand. I've designed a quality gravity feed brew stand, but now after seeing some nice horizontal rigs with a march pump installed, I'm now wondering what's better gravity feed or march pump.

That said I'm now turning to the experts (you guys) for some feedback/advice please.

Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Carboy :icon_cheers:

 

[Gavo]

Gravity fed is simple and no pumps to maintain, that said it's also a PITA filling the HLT.

Gavo.

 

[Screwtop]

Purely personal preference.

Screwy

 

[NickB]

Depends on what you prefer.

A gravity rig is simple as there's less to go wrong, and it's unlikely gravity will ever not move your liquid.

I went with the march pump setup for one simple reason, lifting liquids is a PITA. Oh, and because I run a HERMS as well, so if this is in your future, then go with the pump setup.

Cheers

 

[schooey]

IMO.. a couple of things to consider..

You have your vessels already, so I'm assuming nothing is changing there which ever way you jump.... So are they able to filled at a decent height without any lifting of heavy or hot liquids? Will your kettle tap height allow you to fill straight into a cube/fermenter without having to lift it? Will there be enough ceiling height where you are brewing if you go gravity (not a problem if you're brewing outside).

If you go March its purely cost I guess... Not only will you need the pump, you will need valves and hoses and fittings. You can chew through $4-500 pretty quickly (Including the pump)...

I have a 3 vessel level system with interchangable 50lt & 70lt mash tuns and 50lt & 80lt kettles.. It's on castors which makes it easy to move around the garage and store away. Plus I look the look of it, I'm not a fan of the 'tower of terror' look , but that's just a prsonal thing...

 

[FNQ Bunyip]

So so many options...

As Screwtop says Its personal preference....
Sqyre's gravity setup is the top of the line .. but you could still add a pump and a herms later ...

I went with,2tier so a bit of both .. but its going to be a constantly evolving setup .. so not painted and always adding and cutting bits off ...

cheers

Edit ( &$@ every time I use pics its diferant )

 

[gjhansford]

Hi,

I've got my AG gear organised with the exception of my stand. I've designed a quality gravity feed brew stand, but now after seeing some nice horizontal rigs with a march pump installed, I'm now wondering what's better gravity feed or march pump.

That said I'm now turning to the experts (you guys) for some feedback/advice please.

Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Carboy :icon_cheers:

After much planning and design, this was the gravity feed tower that I ended up with as my 20 litre system:



I bought the 25 x 25 ml stainless steel from Tubemakers for about $150 and had it made up by a mate of a mate who runs a steel fabrication shop for another $200. Pop riveted on the aluminium decks. Looks a bit wonky in the photo ... but that's just the wide angle lens.

To fill the HLT (a 30 litre Electric Urn) I use a tight 'U' shaped thingee I made up from bits of irrigation pipe from Bunnings. It attached to a hose with standard garden hose snap lock fittings and works really well for me ... so long as don't turn away from it when filling to do another simple job and end up with an overflow!



Would I do anything different if I had my time over ... no. But I will be buying or sourcing a bigger Mash Tun and Kettle in due course so I can make 40 litre brews.

Garry :icon_cheers:

 

[Tony M]

I used gravity for a few years but seemed to spend half my life up a ladder. I use gravity now only to dump from the boiler so I dont have to worry about sterilising my scrounged washing machine pump-- and it's great to stay on the ground.

 

[stew.w]

heres mine. i made most of it from unistrut so i was able to put most of it together without welding apart from the base and a couple of other things.
you can get unistrut from any plumbing supplier and the best thing about it is you can unbolt and adjust it.
wheels are also a good idea.
has 2 mongolian burners on it, had to put a fibro sheet between them and the esky to stop it melting, it got really hot when i was testing it.
i do 40L batches with it


Cheers,

Stewart

 

[QldKev]

Get yourself a pump, and go herms. You will end up there anyway so wave the experimenting $$ and go for it.

Once you have a pump everything on the same level.

Qldkev

 

[warra48]

Here's my gravity fed rig.

I don't have to do any lifting. The HLT is refilled with my immersion chiller water, and is ready for the next time I brew. I keep a lid on it, so no crap falls into it. I reckon leaving the water to stand allows some of the chlorine type chemicals to dissipate.
The kettle still needs a burner installed under it. It's sitting in the box on the floor on the right hand side of the picture. I'm apparently not allowed to open it until Santa decides the day is right.
All up, the rig cost me about $50 to construct.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

This thread will also provide some inspiration

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...c=27934&hl=

Cheers

 

[Steve]

G'day Carboy. If I had could id be going a single level set up with pumps. Good to see you're nearly there.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Zwickel]

May be, my brewing concept gives you some inspirations: http://www.elcom-mayer.de/bier/Brewing_Concept.pdf

 

[raven19]

fwiw - I went 2 tier to allow for gravity now (buckets from MT to Kettle).

Then possible a pump later.

Linky for piccie.

 

[glaab]

I want one so i can chill in the kettle

 

[winkle]

I'm in the process of upgrading my old 3V gravity system.

Into a 2 tier with a few more options. I extended the frame, added a larger esky/MT, better casters, non-slip matting.

And have just about got the new control box to the point where me sparky mate can finish it off. Pump, HERMES and HLT switches and controllers.

HERMES and march pump are going in under the 2 tiered section once I get around to them.

 

[Bribie G]

How do you hoist the bag?


:icon_cheers:

 

[NickB]

Looking the goods, Perry!

 

[winkle]

Ta Nick, I'll have to do a brew day and see how it stands up to heckling. :icon_cheers:
Migrated the mashmaster into its new home, so now stage one is done and I'm hoping to sneak in a batch of saison tomorrow arvo.