New Guy Looking At Ag

[geoffi]

My one suggestion at this stage of setting up your AG brewery is if you think there's a chance you'll get pretty seriously into it, don't get too small a mash tun at first. I started out with a 15L mash tun but it didn't take me long putting up with overflowing mashes to upgrade to one of those 38L gatorade style coolers. If it means saving up a little while longer, I recommend it as you can do so much more with a larger mash tun.

I agree. Err on the side of big. You can do a small batch with a 'big rig' (my tun holds about 44 L), but not the other way round. As with mash tuns, so with boilers. I have a 50 litre aluminium boiler. I mainly do double batches now (same effort, twice the beer)and I wish I'd paid the extra few $$ for a 70 litre.

 

[Gavo]

don't get too small a mash tun at first. I started out with a 15L mash tun but it didn't take me long putting up with overflowing mashes to upgrade to one of those 38L gatorade style coolers. If it means saving up a little while longer, I recommend it as you can do so much more with a larger mash tun.

Josh, I would tend to agree. Damage already done though and am already looking at making a larger larger one. Still the small Tun will be good for Partials.

Cheers
Gavo

 

[raven19]

Welcome to the forum also!

Also check out the gallery link on the top of the page to view the many different AG rigs out there.

 

[brettprevans]

+1 for going big.

if your brewing and like it odds are you'll keep brewing so why waste money on a setup that your going to have to upgrade? even if you stopped brewing you could flog it off to someone on AHB.

You dont have to go double batch big just normal size.

check out this thread (although theres heaps of other ones). I asked some questions about size etc when I was planning my rig. the responses are quite useful

EDIT:
you could get away with a 30L HLT/urn, 50L tun, 65L kettle. but thats about as small as you'd want to go.

Im going a 50L HLT, 50L tun, ~80L kettle. I could maybe alomst fit a double batch in there if I was careful. but single batches no worries.

 

[bonj]

He makes it looks easy lol

That's because it is. It's a really simple process that can be over complexified (is that a real word? firefox says no :lol: ) by thinking about it too much.

 

[Batz]

Location is 45mins west of toowoomba town called Pittsworth

Ras

I often stay at the Tatts in Pittsworth when working at millmerrian power,we will have to catch up for a beer or three next time.

Batz

 

[Spartan 117]

That's because it is. It's a really simple process that can be over complexified (is that a real word? firefox says no :lol: ) by thinking about it too much.

very true, in essence its the same as baking a cake (is it?), there are steps that need to be followed and when you do its easy, when you think about everything all at once mistakes are made and the end product is no good.

Aaron

 

[Ras77]

Hey Guys

Well i was looking at 40 to 50 lt for each but might looks at getting a bigger kettle.

Was looking at making a Rims setup atm


Batz you stay at the tatts omg the brick pub have better rooms mate but sure when you are in town send as a post cannot promise that i will have homebrew beer as i'm giving myself 2 to 3 months to setup before my first Ag want to get it right



Thanks Again Guys

Ras

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Rims will take a bit of work..

I would get a few decent AG brews under your belt before going RIMS/Herms

:icon_cheers:

 

[Ras77]

ok will try just a simple brew method but aiming for a rims setup

My brother who is a in the boilermaker trade is going to be buzy :icon_cheers:


Ras

 

[jurule]

Can i do All Grain home brew with just the kit fermenter ya buy from a shop?

 

[Bribie G]

Can i do All Grain home brew with just the kit fermenter ya buy from a shop?

Yes, for most all grain brewers the finished wort goes into the bog stanard fermenter. The difference is that:

1. Kit home brew consists of a can of hopped malt extract that has been produced for you. You mix it with hot water, pour into fermenter with other additions like sugar or extra malt extract. Pitch yeast and make beer.

2. All grain you start with a heap of malted barley and other grains, mash the grains at a certain temperature, strain into boiler, boil with hops..... What you are doing is basically what the kit manufacturers have done for you already. Then the resulting wort goes into the fermenter.... as above.

The fermentation part is the same. It's the preparation part that differs.

Put it this way, kit brews are a bit like Nescafe, you get a drinkable coffee. All grain brews are more like an espresso lovingly prepared for you by a barrista using the finest coffee beans. Stretching the analogy, but you know what I mean

 

[jurule]

Thanks for putting it so simply - makes sense. Do ya have to 'mash' the grains or can you just 'steep' them in a bag like i've seen on youtube?

 

[clean brewer]

Thanks for putting it so simply - makes sense. Do ya have to 'mash' the grains or can you just 'steep' them in a bag like i've seen on youtube?

Some Grains have to be Mashed(base malts) and Some(specialty malts) can be steeped or mashed with Base Malts..

If you were doing Kits, you can steep some Crystal or Other Spec Malts and give a Nice boost to your Kit..

If you do Partials, you can use kit/extract and mash a smaller amount of Base malt and some specialty Malt..

 

[Jakechan]

Whats the difference between mashing and steeping? Isnt mashing just steeping anyway?

 

[reg]

Thanks for putting it so simply - makes sense. Do ya have to 'mash' the grains or can you just 'steep' them in a bag like i've seen on youtube?

If you do a search for Brew in a bag (BIAB) there is more info on this.
Basically BIAB is steeping grain but on a larger scale.

Reg

 

[bonj]

Whats the difference between mashing and steeping? Isnt mashing just steeping anyway?

You are correct. Mashing is just steeping, with extra attention paid to keeping the temperature where you want it. That temperature depends on your recipe, style, whether you're after a dry beer, fulle bodied beer, etc. In general, the range is between 60C and 70C. The lower end for drier, the higher end for fuller bodied. It has to do with the enzymes in the malt and there is plenty of reading available if you're more interested. Look up mashing and alpha and beta amylase.

 

[Jakechan]

You are correct. Mashing is just steeping, with extra attention paid to keeping the temperature where you want it. That temperature depends on your recipe, style, whether you're after a dry beer, fulle bodied beer, etc. In general, the range is between 60C and 70C. The lower end for drier, the higher end for fuller bodied. It has to do with the enzymes in the malt and there is plenty of reading available if you're more interested. Look up mashing and alpha and beta amylase.

Thanks, yeah Ive read all the guff on mashing. But when people start talking about steeping instead of mashing I was wondering about the semantics of it.
Cheers,
Jake

 

[daemon]

I live west of Toowoomba so if anyone in the Toowoomba area wouldn't mined me tagging along to there next brew day to get some design idea's and basic elements of brewing the would be great.

Thanks
Ras

I'm only new to AG brewing but certainly in your area (and the right side of town too!). So far I've made a few small batches using Brew-In-A-Bag (BIAB), but now have a full mash tun and keggle to use. I need to buy a few more items before I can give it all a test run, but I'll let you know when I'm going to give it a go. I'm looking forward to brewing in 2009, that's for sure

Raz,

Toowoomba has plenty of AG brewers & has it's own homebrew club.
Drop me an email & I'll put you in contact with them

cheers

Ross

Will also send you an email, I'm also keen to find a few more AG brewers in the area. I didn't know there was a club either, nothing seems to show up with a web search.

 

[Ross]

Just contacted Wayne to check I could post his details here...

Saint Arnold's Brew Club
Contact: Wayne
Email: [email protected]


He's looking forward to hearing from you guys...


Cheers Ross