Researching Ag Setup Equipment

[milestron]

Hey all just wanted to get some advice on a basic AG Setup. I've been looking into an eski conversion type deal and I came across the ESB pre-made mash tun http://www.esbeer.com.au/category38_1.htm. Just wondering if anyone's used this because there's not much info on the site. Alternatively if anyone's got any other suggestions for pre-made types. I've been watching youtube vids on how to make it yourself with toilet hoses and the like but honestly I've got no handyman skills whatsoever. This one's $300 + postage but I figure if it's well made it could be worth the investment.

My first thoughts were BIAB (read the 'go AG for under $30 thread), but the only thing putting me off is the size of the batches. If anything I'd be hoping to go to bigger batches and this thing is 36 litres (or whatever size esky you get I suppose) vs my 19 ltr bigw pot. Also I'll have to pick up a new esky either way.

Cheers for any help

 

[felten]

No help here w/ the esky setup, but BIAB isn't limited to small batch sizes, the bigger your pot the bigger your batch size. My thinking when picking a mash setup was, if you're going to be doing full sized batches you need a larger kettle anyway, might as well mash in it instead of paying extra cash for a mash tun.

 

[DKS]

Hey all just wanted to get some advice on a basic AG Setup. I've been looking into an eski conversion type deal and I came across the ESB pre-made mash tun http://www.esbeer.com.au/category38_1.htm. Just wondering if anyone's used this because there's not much info on the site. Alternatively if anyone's got any other suggestions for pre-made types. I've been watching youtube vids on how to make it yourself with toilet hoses and the like but honestly I've got no handyman skills whatsoever. This one's $300 + postage but I figure if it's well made it could be worth the investment.

My first thoughts were BIAB (read the 'go AG for under $30 thread), but the only thing putting me off is the size of the batches. If anything I'd be hoping to go to bigger batches and this thing is 36 litres (or whatever size esky you get I suppose) vs my 19 ltr bigw pot. Also I'll have to pick up a new esky either way.

Cheers for any help

Where are you milestron? I cant help you with pre-made purchase. I can only suggest getting assistance.
Plenty of handy type helpers out there.
Supply the beer and they will come.
Most of those jobs are very quick and easy.
Daz

 

[petesbrew]

Hey all just wanted to get some advice on a basic AG Setup. I've been looking into an eski conversion type deal and I came across the ESB pre-made mash tun http://www.esbeer.com.au/category38_1.htm. Just wondering if anyone's used this because there's not much info on the site. Alternatively if anyone's got any other suggestions for pre-made types. I've been watching youtube vids on how to make it yourself with toilet hoses and the like but honestly I've got no handyman skills whatsoever. This one's $300 + postage but I figure if it's well made it could be worth the investment.

My first thoughts were BIAB (read the 'go AG for under $30 thread), but the only thing putting me off is the size of the batches. If anything I'd be hoping to go to bigger batches and this thing is 36 litres (or whatever size esky you get I suppose) vs my 19 ltr bigw pot. Also I'll have to pick up a new esky either way.

Cheers for any help

If you want ultra basic, the Zapap bucket-in-bucket setup can do about 5kg grain easy enough.
It's just a bucket with a thousand tiny holes in the bottom, sitting in another bucket with a tap on it.
Pretty easy to make, and just pass it onto another new AG-er when you upgrade.

As for my 25L esky setup, this can do up to 7-8kg grain. (8kg is the most I've been able to mash in it successfully). Yeah my DIY skills are pretty shoddy too. Here's some pic's of my setup. Not the best, but it works pretty well. All the gear can be found in bunnings.

 

[DJR]

It's not that hard/expensive... i use a Handy Pail with a bulkhead fitting on the bottom and a bit of braided hose, much like Petesbrew's setup but with a handy pail instead. With a chopped up camping mat around it is is pretty cheap - others have used chopped up bits of styrofoam (find a broccoli box) glued/taped around the sides to insulate it.

$300 is quite a lot for one of those coolers with all the bits done, mine is probably $15 for the pail and about $50 for all the fittings/camping mat.

Chuck in a burner and a 40L ally pot and you're up to about $150-200 total.

 

[stuchambers]

Hi guys
Where would I find the braided hose that you use in the mash tun.
I think this is a much easier option that trying to make a copper manifold.
Cheers Stu

 

[petesbrew]

Hi guys
Where would I find the braided hose that you use in the mash tun.
I think this is a much easier option that trying to make a copper manifold.
Cheers Stu

Bunnings/hardware store.
Just make sure you attach it somehow to the bottom of your esky, otherwise it'll just float around.

 

[DJR]

Hi guys
Where would I find the braided hose that you use in the mash tun.
I think this is a much easier option that trying to make a copper manifold.
Cheers Stu

Toilet connector hose - cut each end off with pliers and rip the inside out - should cost all of $10 for a 30cm one

 

[Bribie G]

BIAB in a 40L urn or pot will handle virtually any beer you want to make in 23L batches. Early on the piece I used to say "BIAB is great for regular beer styles of around 4.5 to 5.5 % ABV but would struggle when making higher alcohol brews"
However I've proven myself quite wrong on this - starting with my American Malt Liquor 8.5% ABV tramp beer experiments last year. I've just made a 5.8% ABV Youngs Special style and achieved 80% efficiency, so I can recommend BIAB for:

• batches up to 25L
• any strength you like, basically

Also costwise, I was in at a well known HB supplier yesterday and a guy I was with was checking out 60L pots which came out at around $200. If you are going to spend that amount on a pot then a mash tun then a boiler then tap-work, an urn is a good alternative unless you are going for double batches. I do double batches - I use two urns :lol: - set me back probably the same as a top-end 3V system at the end of the day.

Don't forget the mashtun is the least of your worries in the sense that you can adapt all sorts of eskies etc. However the kettle is the thing and if you are going three vessel then get the best kettle - and tap - and heating system - that you possibly can - especially if using gas - then you have made the best possible investment that will last you forever. And then look at the mash tun.

 

[manticle]

Hey all just wanted to get some advice on a basic AG Setup. I've been looking into an eski conversion type deal and I came across the ESB pre-made mash tun http://www.esbeer.com.au/category38_1.htm. Just wondering if anyone's used this because there's not much info on the site. Alternatively if anyone's got any other suggestions for pre-made types. I've been watching youtube vids on how to make it yourself with toilet hoses and the like but honestly I've got no handyman skills whatsoever. This one's $300 + postage but I figure if it's well made it could be worth the investment.

My first thoughts were BIAB (read the 'go AG for under $30 thread), but the only thing putting me off is the size of the batches. If anything I'd be hoping to go to bigger batches and this thing is 36 litres (or whatever size esky you get I suppose) vs my 19 ltr bigw pot. Also I'll have to pick up a new esky either way.

Cheers for any help

I'm not a BIABER but if I had 300 to spend and was setting myself up again I'd look at getting a really decent kettle (big SS or thik aluminium pot) first. You'll be able to get help plumbing it - it's pretty simple process. Drill hole, fit tap, check for leaks. Your next door neighbour would probably help for beer (or someone from here who's local to you). Thing is you can start with BIAB and always add a tun to it later if you want to head 3V. The kettle is essential to all types of brewing - get a good one now and you won't regret it.

Little bit in line with Bribie's suggestion - start with the kettle, add tun later.

 

[DanRayner]

I agree with Manticle and Bribie (in part).

I started out with an aluminium pot, a plastic fermenter, a 2400W electric element and an esky. And all the the tools I really needed were a drill and a hack-saw.

I bought a cheap (el cheapo!) rectagular 36L esky for about $40. Put a hole in the side, bought some copper pipe and elbows and made a manifold (lots of boring hack-saw cuts), installed the manifold with with a ball valve tap the outside of the esky (tightened to hand-tightened pressure - not so hard that it warps the esky) which served as a mash tun. Mash tun made this way from scrounged parts probably cost around $100

Aluminium pot was about 35-40L and was bought second-hand for about $40 but I think you can buy aluminium pots on eBay new for not more than $100? Drilled a hole in the side and installed another ball-valve tap with a weldess fitting - using a threaded nipple pipe and lock/back nuts on either side - and I bought some silicone cookware from Coles/Woolies and made my own heat-proof washers (I thought I might used a burner) this set-up was my kettle (and later a HLT). This cost about $80? Ball-valves were surprisingly expensive

Then the fermenter acted as a HLT while sparging from the mash-tun to the kettle and then reverted to being a fermenter.

The electric element went from the fermenter-HLT into the kettle when I wanted to boil. And these elements cost about $120.

I went on to a burner but the electric element I sold for $80 so it was still a pretty reasonable investment

And I made all of this on the cheap knowing that sooner or later I would slowly upgrade bits and pieces until today when I have a silly-super-bling stainless kit but this way I could jump right in and not take months and months to slowly buy each bit of expensive kit. It also allowed me to see where my designs fucked-up with out them ******* up on expensive stainless pots etc... And some of my best beers I made on this el cheapo kit. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the excellent Barry Cranston work off an old esky kit? And he produces some of the best beers in Oz

 

[argon]

My first thoughts were BIAB (read the 'go AG for under $30 thread), but the only thing putting me off is the size of the batches.

If you want to do bigger batches with minimal equipment try reading here and giving that a go. Can get a full size batch with minimal outlay.

 

[manticle]

I think you can buy aluminium pots on eBay new for not more than $100?

I bought a pot for my HLT from a hospitality store. 4 mm thick, 40 L under $90. Something to be said for aluminium - comparable size in SS was upwards of 200 and I'm not sure if the lid was included.

 

[bum]

Something to be said for aluminium

Sure, but who can remember what it is?

But, naturally, I jest. Ally is cool.

I disagree with the assertion that 3V is as cheap to set for up as BIAB. I wanted to go the 3V route and had a disposable income (which I miss dearly) but don't enjoy building stuff and wanted everything done right the first time so I bought as much as I could ready to go (some DIY was unavoidable for the gear I wanted, sadly) so my rig isn't the most economical. However, while planning my set-up I worked out I could easily have gone BIAB for the cost of the proposed HLT in my rig plus the bag (2/5 of bugger all in the scheme of things). BIAB is easily the cheapest system to set up - but is it right for every brewer? 'Course not.

 

[ekul]

I was at the scrap metal yard the other day and they had a few old stockpots. Onewas a 50L aluminium pot and the other was a 40L stainless pot. Everything there is sold on weight so they would have been a few bucks at most. THey also had some old kegs there (some legal looking) which would also work as a good sized single batch pot.

And there was a massive copper pot witha copper coil inside of it. NOt sure what it was but it had a definite 'homebrew' feel about it.

So maybe check out yourlocal scrap yard for some pots, you might get lucky.

 

[RdeVjun]

My first thoughts were BIAB (read the 'go AG for under $30 thread), but the only thing putting me off is the size of the batches. If anything I'd be hoping to go to bigger batches and this thing is 36 litres (or whatever size esky you get I suppose) vs my 19 ltr bigw pot. Also I'll have to pick up a new esky either way.

If the only thing putting you off is the batch size, then as per argon's link and particularly if you've already got the 19L stockpot, you can actually quite simply try Maxi-BIAB method or Nick_JD's alternate 20L stovetop tutorial- all you'd need is the voile material or a pre- made BIAB bag (sponsors) and a bucket (15L is good). That's going to cost you far less than the hundreds of dollars for a multi- vessel setup, plus the stockpot doesn't need any modifications at all, so can get you underway in a jiffy.
I make 23- 25L batches like this regularly, however while this method isn't really that complex and has some quite nifty features, it would be sensible to start with the stock BIAB as per the $30AG thread first, its pretty darned simple and easy to follow if you've not mashed grain before. Either way, you already have the stockpot and should be able to get started pronto! B)

 

[brando]

40L BIAB urn would have to be the best option IMO.

I bought a Birko for $300 and have done about 20 brews so far with it. It's totally unmodified, and I imagine the resale value would be very good.

Personally I do batches up to 28L no probs, and have done up to 7.5%ABV beers. The 28L fills a 25L cube perfectly, and is about upper limit that I can put into a 30L fermenter. Without these restrictions, and without having to do concentrated worts, I expect the upper practical limit for the urn would be about 35L (using top-up water during the boil).

 

[milestron]

Guys I have just read through the replies now cheers again for the advice. I think I'm sold on the BIAB idea for the moment. It does make sense to probably put a bit more investment into the pot (maybe that 40 ltr ebay job) first given that I will also be using that for the boil. Plus I'm sure it will come in handy otherwise for cooking and whatever. Whereas the esky + toilet filter is a fairly specialised piece of equipment. I still like the esky concept but I can always move to that later (and in which case I will still need the pot). Seems like BIAB has alot of supporters, whereas I actually expected they would be minority. Also yeh I could buy the urn for $300 which would be the BIAB mash + the pot for the same price as the pre-made esky.

 

[DanRayner]

It does make sense to probably put a bit more investment into the pot (maybe that 40 ltr ebay job) first given that I will also be using that for the boil.

Good decision

Seems like BIAB has alot of supporters, whereas I actually expected they would be minority.

I think they are a highly vocal minority

 

[Bribie G]

The main reason that BIAB has, until recently, been very much in the minority is that the overwhelming majority of brewers already have their 3V systems, HERMs, RIMs, etc and are more than happy with the results, so why fix what ain't broke. Having said that I do know of some 3V guys contemplating BIAB because of time constraints - particularly the cleaning and maintenance aspect.

BIAB as a "mainstream" method has only been around for two or three years and most practitioners are first time AG brewers moving on from kits n extracts so it's taking some time to get the runs on the board. Fast forward to 2016 and it will be a different story for sure.

:beerbang: