Esky Mashtun Conversion

[facter]

Okay..

a couple of weeks ago, I got myself a stainless steel manifold plus all the fittings required for a proper mashtun, so I can do awya with the old bucket I was using.

The eksy that I have for the conversion is a 44liter one .. however, it is fairly wide/shallow and not one of those high and short ones ...

Does the depth of the mash make a massive difference? As i wont be moving to AG as yet, I'll probably be doing around 12 liters of partial ina 44 liter tun .. will this severly affect the mashing temperature or will it better?

Is a 44liter esky too big for a 12 liter partial mash?

 

[Stuster]

It'll be fine for mashing in if you are batch sparging. As I understand it, it could be an issue with fly sparging, depending on your exact set-up.

I'd have to ask though, since you have the esky, why not do an AG instead of a partial. Shouldn't take any longer.

 

[facter]

I'm only doing batch sparging - not fly sparging ..though I have seen some fly setups with the square ones?


Mate, I would love to do an AG - this is pretty much what I am aiming for...

Firstly, I only have a 20 liter pot! And Ive busted this weeks budget for beer related items .. I have a .. stainless.. steel.. thing... lying around, but no way of cutting it ...

Also, I only have an electric stove! ..

I just dont think an entire AG would fit into my little 20 liter, alas.


Need a new boiler, just have to wait a week or two. Man I really really want to do an AG ...

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Put some sort in insulation in the mash tun on top of the water + grains

It'll help it retain the mash temp

Cheers

 

[Stuster]

Also, I only have an electric stove! ..

I just dont think an entire AG would fit into my little 20 liter, alas.
Need a new boiler, just have to wait a week or two. Man I really really want to do an AG ...

I did my first few AGs on our stove with a 20L pot and several other small pots. It wasn't the easiest way to go about it, but it worked and I did 3-4 like that before getting a proper kettle and burner sorted out. I just split the hops up by eye and added the wort from the smaller pots to the big post as the wort evaporated from the big one. I know other brewers have done the same to get started. I'd say go for it. You know you want to.

 

[BOG]

I'm only doing batch sparging - not fly sparging ..though I have seen some fly setups with the square ones?
Mate, I would love to do an AG - this is pretty much what I am aiming for...

Firstly, I only have a 20 liter pot! And Ive busted this weeks budget for beer related items .. I have a .. stainless.. steel.. thing... lying around, but no way of cutting it ...

Also, I only have an electric stove! ..

I just dont think an entire AG would fit into my little 20 liter, alas.
Need a new boiler, just have to wait a week or two. Man I really really want to do an AG ...

Facter,

I'm in the same boat with a 20L pot but was still able to get my first AG done last week.

The esky is a 44L (the only size that comes with a tape you can remove). The fittings cost about $30 in Bunnings. No holes no damage to the esky. I can put it back the way it was if required.

I mash in 10L of water plus the grain and the thing is just under half full.

I sparge with 10L in 2 batches. (Oh, and pick up one of the empty fresh wort kit cubes from your HBS, They are very useful. They are only a couple of $$)
The wort goes into the cube and more water heated in the pot.

After all sparging the cube has about 14L of wort. Poured into the 20L pot and done.

The burner is a 3 ring gas burner from a camping store for $25 and a Reg for another $20.
Gas cylinder from the BBQ.

Basically all up (except for the Pot) I got into AG for less than $100.



BOG

 

[facter]

AAhhhhhhhhh


Man. Okay. Stuff it.

I'm going to go buy a pot at lunchtime lol


Gotta be somewhere here in Ozzy park that sells them...

 

[facter]

hmmm. Eek. Maybe not.

50 liter robinox at gibsons and patersons for $220


Bugger. If only I had something to cut that ... keggish ...shaped ... metal ... thing ... sitting around I'd just go and buy a burner from the camping store and use that! Would be cheaper to just buy the burner and reg than the pot!

 

[yardy]

hmmm. Eek. Maybe not.




Bugger. If only I had something to cut that ... keggish ...shaped ... metal ... thing ... sitting around I'd just go and buy a burner from the camping store and use that!

facter,
got a 5" grinder ?

remove the spear with a set of stilsons and a pinch bar, mark a circle and cut using the thinnest cutting wheels you can buy, sometimes reffered to as 1mm cut wheels.

Clean up the cut with a Flap Wheel, 80 grade is ok.

don't forget eye protection h34r:

Cheers

Yard

 

[Guest Lurker]

Bugger. If only I had something to cut that ... keggish ...shaped ... metal ... thing ... sitting around I'd just go and buy a burner from the camping store and use that! Would be cheaper to just buy the burner and reg than the pot!

The following offer should not be construed as containing advice that building an esky mashtun and having a single pot is a better way to start AG than BIAB. The offer is made on the basis that the original poster has made the decision to proceed in this manner, and appears to need some help.


Hey Facter

There must be someone bettter qualified than I to offer assistance, given that I am quite tool challenged, and my arm is broken in 2 places and has a cast on it.

But if no one else does offer, and you wait 4 weeks for me to get the cast off, I have one of those roundy roundy noisy things, so feel free to come round and we will get the top off and stick a hole in the bottom while we are at it.

 

[Stuster]

The following offer should not be construed as containing advice that building an esky mashtun and having a single pot is a better way to start AG than BIAB. The offer is made on the basis that the original poster has made the decision to proceed in this manner, and appears to need some help.

:lol: :lol:

 

[tipsy_mcstagger]

I am in padbury, bring it up on sunday and we can do it. might have a beer at the same time. I have a decent grinder & cut off wheels.

 

[user 1153]

facter,
got a 5" grinder ?

remove the spear with a set of stilsons and a pinch bar, mark a circle and cut using the thinnest cutting wheels you can buy, sometimes reffered to as 1mm cut wheels.

don't forget eye protection h34r:

Cheers

Yard

I am the master of all TOOLTARDS, but even I managed to do this one ok. I haven't bought a "Flap Wheel" yet as I am a tight-arse, so the finish isn't the best but I must admit it wasn't to hard.

Impressed I didn't **** it up. The holes to mount the heater elements in are another story however. Drilling these things is a big ******* pain in the arse!!!

Agree with the protection bit though. I had gloves, eye goggles and hearing protection on for this one. (Normally I wouldn't bother with that stuff either )

Troy

 

[therook]

I am the master of all TOOLTARDS, but even I managed to do this one ok. I haven't bought a "Flap Wheel" yet as I am a tight-arse, so the finish isn't the best but I must admit it wasn't to hard.

Impressed I didn't **** it up. The holes to mount the heater elements in are another story however. Drilling these things is a big ******* pain in the arse!!!

Agree with the protection bit though. I had gloves, eye goggles and hearing protection on for this one. (Normally I wouldn't bother with that stuff either )

Troy

Simple solution Troy to not drilling a hole is to do as i did and buy an immersion element and just hang it over the side of the HLT

Rook

 

[user 1153]

Simple solution Troy to not drilling a hole is to do as i did and buy an immersion element and just hang it over the side of the HLT
Rook

Yes just got myself one of those (Arrived in the post today actually ) looking forward to trying it out.

 

[facter]

Gotcvha!

Yes,t hats what I need - one of those angle grinder whatchamajiggers. Id be scared of cutting my hand off.

tipsy: Padbury eh? where abouts in Padbury> I grew up there, my parents are still there ... and theres also a Second ... vessel .. of .. the metal ... type ...

Sunday could be a goer - gotta visit them anyways. Hmm.


rook: Wouldnt you have to dril a hole for a tap anyways as well, not jsut the element?


And where did you buy the immersion element from?


I am not going BIAB as I really want to go the traditional route, and learn all those steps by doing it on a smaller scale - I've heard good things and may convert to it ata later date when its all ironed out, but for now I want to get ym hands dirty in AG with all the normal run of things

 

[therook]

I didn't think of that facter, for my tap, i just used a 1/8 drill bit and made about 20 holes and then filed it .

rook

 

[Kingy]

all these threads on mash tuns is making me really want one :huh:

 

[domonsura]

Man you guys CRACK me up. 'Tooltard' - never heard that one before......roundy roundy noisy thing is a new one too!
I've got one of those electric sparky fire squirtey thingos for cutting stuff, and a pointy metal melter glue gun as well for sticking bits onto things...... :blink:

All in the name of beer....lordy lordy.....

 

[ant]

And where did you buy the immersion element from?

Tobins have great hand held immersion heaters, search on part # 4108. They cost some change, but are super handy for bringing temps up quick when you miss strike temps (easy to do when getting to know your system), want to get your boil going quicker, etc. One of best brewing equipment investments I've ever made (except that it's a bit gutless now it's running on 110v).

I am not going BIAB as I really want to go the traditional route, and learn all those steps by doing it on a smaller scale - I've heard good things and may convert to it ata later date when its all ironed out, but for now I want to get ym hands dirty in AG with all the normal run of things

If you want to get into AG on a smaller scale, and haven't got the gear sorted, just make a smaller batch to fit your 20L pot?


PS - GL... that disclaimer was gold