STEP BY STEP: DIY AG on the cheap

[muckey]

my 1 and only gripe, had you been listening to butters you would have known to put the kitten in the airlock not the mash tun h34r:

seriously good work though. Hopefully people will see how easy this AG caper is.

 

[Katherine]

Well done Manticle... love the burner!

 

[yardy]

Finally - thanks to:

Screwtop for PM'ed advice on mashing
Cocko for PM'ed advice on manifolds
Yardy for an easy to follow step by step on manifolds
Chappo for sending me his old manifold absolutely free (including postage). It didn't fit my tun but it gave me an indication that I was on the right track and was a magnanimous gesture from a person I've never met. I'll be helping a kit brewer go AG soon and Chappo's manifold will be put to good use as a result.
Butters for loads of great advice ever since joining
Brendo for demonstrating slightly higher tech AG than mine
Sappas for letting me taste all grain beer and offering me equipment loans and picking up my grain and lending me yeast and generally being a champ.

nice one champ :icon_cheers:

Yard

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Best job I have seen in ages !I have been tempted to do some thing like (raw flames) that on one of my 4WD adventures.
GB

 

[enoch]

I nearly forgot; don't forget to cut your finger at least once:

Been there! :excl: and burnt a finger or two when cutting the tube with an angle grinder. Hot copper burns you uber quick.

 

[manticle]

Thanks all for the kind words.

@Brendo: Your set-up was an inspiration and bit by bit as I buy new equipment, I'll be setting myself up using that as a benchmark. It's just easy to postpone what you know you want to do due to lack of finance but I always like to find a way. I've wanted to brew all grain ever since I was first told by a guy at the local home brew place (thankfully now defunkt) that it was more trouble than it's worth.

The advice and inspiration received from many here has been invaluable getting me this far and I'm pretty certain it will lead me further as I get my head around water chemistry and various other bits of technical data.

I had so much fun yesterday that I brewed again today - this time a 6 kg grain milk stout which is currently in the aforementioned chiller. It's not a proper brewday unless something goes wrong - this time I managed to break my 100 deg thermometer (fortunately after measuring strike water temp and also fortunately I'm in posession of a 50 degree version so I can still hit pitching temp).

True to form, all 6 kg of grain were cracked by hand using my Corona Grain mill. I intend to keep builiding the system so that it becomes a lot more simple but yes - AG brewing is easy enough. Working your way through the process from kit to extract to partial to AG is helpful (at least it was to me) and thinking your way around problems when you don't have the finance to purchase ready made equipment is a must. Even with ready made equipment things go wrong so an ability to problem solve is recommended.

When I say easy - it's easy enough once you're set-up. The set-up is probably the most difficult part but if I can do it anyone can. The brewing process is easy in the way making a proper beef stock is easy - simple processes, good ingredients and patience and care make all the difference. If you want to make cheap quick beer then AG may not be the way to go. If you enjoy a connection with what you're doing and control over the elements and subsequent outcome then have a crack. Making it work in spite of everything has made me feel pretty damn happy and that's before I get to drink the results.

As for the burner - I finally got evicted from the kitchen by my very patient and supportive lady friend who couldn't quite cope with the DMS from me boiling on the stove. There's always an alternative.

 

[buttersd70]

Easy...surprisingly, yes, it is. It's not rocket science....it can be as hard, or as easy, as you want to make it. :lol:

Way to go, buddy. Glad you got the bug.

 

[manticle]

my 1 and only gripe, had you been listening to butters you would have known to put the kitten in the airlock not the mash tun h34r:

NO, no, no, no. You have to mash the kitten in order to fit it in the airlock. Otherwise you just get fur in the lock and scratches on your chest.

 

[buttersd70]

You have to mash the kitten in order to fit it in the airlock.

Funny, that, when I saw Muckeys post, this is exactly what I was thinking. :lol:

 

[daemon]

Thanks for the pictures and details, always interesting to see how others are doing it. There's certainly nothing wrong with starting out simple and cheaply, the end result is all that matters (bit like BIAB / No-Chill methods!).

I started out my AG adventures with a $20 BigW pot and $6 of material, which isn't exactly a large outlay My setup now still isn't overly fancy, I was given a few bits (keggle etc), bought a 3 ring burner for $35 and converted the old esky with a bit of stainless braid ($20 worth of bits).

I still don't have a proper brewstand yet ($5 computer table) so that's next on my list, then it will be a better hlt setup (currently the BigW pot!). It all looks very basic and dodgy but my main concern is what's produced. I'm producing some good brews so this is what I care about most!! :icon_drunk:

 

[eric8]

TOP WORK Manticle!!! I think half the fun of brewing is getting yourself sorted to do it.
And the "burner" is by FAR the best I have seen.
:icon_cheers:

 

[troopa]

Excellent work there Manticle

I have to say im glad you didnt go BIAB though... hate to think what you would of done to yourself with a sewing machine

Tom

 

[kegpig]

great work manticle im just about to do it my self but worried about stuffing up the process, this helps me simplify it a little Cheers

 

[manticle]

Excellent work there Manticle

I have to say im glad you didnt go BIAB though... hate to think what you would of done to yourself with a sewing machine

Tom

Actually might have worked - my lady's father was a tailor and sewing runs in her blood. Myself, I struggle to sew on a button so I'd rather take my chances slicing up my digits with a diamond dremel wheel at 30,000 rpm.

 

[matt white]

You forgot to burn yourself in the process. I did!

Legend!!

 

[manticle]

Didn't forget - was just too busy swearing to take a photo.

 

[altone]

8. Now to brew:

First of all, pour yourself a nice glass of your last partial mash brew:

Glad to see you didn't cheap out on the most important item on brew day

Excellent job Manticle, just shows how little gear you really need to do an allgrain.

My first AG was done with 3 stockpots from Big W and a mashtun like yours but using
stainless braided hose instead of a hitech copper manifold like you put together.

Result tasted so good there's no turning back for me.

Great job in demistifying allgrain brewing :super:

 

[Power Wolf]

heck yeah mate!
I'll be making the jump from partial to AG soon funds and time permitting! Cheers for the step by step I'll defo refer back to this! Got at least 2 more partials to do. Always plan to stockpile before i jump to AG but i was born thirsty. looks like I'll have a long road of stupid questions and ijuries ahead of me!!
Cheers for the insight!!

 

[brendo]

It's not a proper brewday unless something goes wrong

and

Even with ready made equipment things go wrong so an ability to problem solve is recommended.

So you did take a few things away from my brew day... well done!! h34r:

Cheers,

Brendo

 

[Leigh]

Well done Manticle. Good work in doing an AG with whatever you have. I was like Brendan in that I managed to pick up a complete system, but already have many plans for upgrades to it.

Cheers