Setting up Crown 40L Urn for BIAB

[upxplorer]

I've recently purchased a Crown 40L urn with an exposed element for getting into AG with a BIAB setup. Based on how excited I am already, I'm sure I'll want to get it up and running as soon as it gets here. That being said, I was hoping someone who already runs such a setup could help me out with internal dimensions of the urn so I can be ready for its arrival.

I'd like to order a bag (likely from http://www.bagbrewer.com/) as I'm rubbish with sewing. The guy at bagbrewer just asks for the height and width of the kettle, but I can't find that online.
I'd also like to buy/make a rack to stop the bag from sitting on the element, but once again I don't know the width of the pot or the clearance needed for the element.

Any help/advice/etc would be greatly appreciated!

 

[kegs23]

just turn a pasta strainer up side down that should stop the bag from touching the bottom,,i never have my bag in there with the element on,,,never done any step mashing ,,,most of my beer just mash in at 68deg/C

 

[upxplorer]

Okay that makes sense. No reason to over-complicate things when the element will be off during the mash. Thanks! Now all I need is the bag...

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I have a concealed element Crown urn, the internal dimensions for that are 500mm deep x 335mm wide.

Not sure what the depth of an exposed urn is, but the length of the bag I use is 700mm which I'm pretty sure would be sufficient.

One thing you should consider is removing the tap (faucet) that comes with it and in its place fit a 3 piece stainless steel ball valve.

 

[tavas]

Dimensions found here: http://www.crownindustries.com.au/content_urns.php. Note that height would be overall height not internal. But if you use overall height you'll have more then enough bag.

 

[Bribie G]

Hi upxplorer - I've been BIABing in exposed element urns for almost 5 years and a couple of points:

I've owned several bags but eventually settled on just a circle of voile material, hemmed round the edge.
Get a square of voile off the "dressmaking" roll at the fabric store where the old gals hang out , lay on garage floor and put the urn in the middle. Then with a marker, draw out as accurate a circle as you can then cut it out with scissors. Get it hemmed, if you know someone with a sewing machine or an overlocker you should get out of the whole thing for around ten bucks.

Advantage is that there aren't any weak seams, it hangs like a tear drop, and dead easy to clean up. Throttle it with a cord tied in a hangman's noose to lift it and drain.

To prevent the bag touching the element, a good bit of kit is a curved roasting rack from a kitchen shop. Later on you might want to do stepped mashes, and by stirring the mash with the bag in place, while applying heat from the element. You can easily ramp up the temp step by step up to mashout without any danger of cooking the bag material. Tie a length of nylon string to the rack to fish it out after the bag has been hoisted.





Bet you're excited, all the best for the first brew. It's interesting that you got a Crown in Michigan - are they available locally or did you get it shipped from OS?

 

[ajmuzza]

Hey Bribie what's the diameter of your viole circle? Max width I can seem to find is 140cm. Also the prices must have gone up. Seems to be about $20 a metre at the places I can find online (no spotlight near me unfortunately).

 

[Bribie G]

I get mine from Spotlight, which doesn't help you unfortunately, and it's about six feet in the old money, because it's basically curtain material. Bought a few metres for the daughter and she's turned it into curtains. I'll check out Spotlight when I'm in town tomorrow, I'll get the current price and width off the roll, then I could always post you a square if you like, live round the corner from the PO.

 

[NewtownClown]

also check out cheap sheer curtains at Target, K-mart etc... Most are made from swiss voile

 

[upxplorer]

Excellent, thanks for all the replies!

I actually bought the urn from craftbrewer.com.au, so it has to come across the pond from Australia. I bought a Crown because no one currently sells 40 liter / 10gal urns in the US and because the internet is full of Australian forums talking Crown vs Birko. I emailed Crown and they said it'd work on our 220V 60Hz outlets, so now I just have to wait and prepare!

Cheers!

 

[upxplorer]

Just as an update for the internets, the website glitched and quoted free international shipping, when it actually costs $350 to ship such a large item internationally. So, even though I'd love to join you guys brewing in coffee urns, I'll probably just have to build my own equivalent setup.

Happy brewing!

 

[jakethesnake559]

I have a Birko exposed element.
First couple of brews, I used a colander upside down to protect the bag.
But now I'm using a cake rack.
I find the cake rack is better as it allows the hot water around the element to escape better...quicker to heat to mash-out temp.
Good to see you supporting Aussie manufacturing :beerbang:

 

[jakethesnake559]

$350 shipping...oh, that's why we can't export anything :blink: