New to all grain. Need help with set up

[stastny.chris_yahoo.com (GolfBum)]

@denny

I think I paid between $50-75 for my setup at a hardware store.  Included a burner/stand and a 7-7.5 gal. AL pot which I still use.

Thanks, looks like I’ll be doing all grain sooner than I thought. making a mortgage payment and a rent payment at the same time for a month will slow it down a bit. Gives me time to think about my first all grain recipe.

[onehoppyguy (bo)]

Thanks for all the info guys! I have been brewing a little while with extract and grains. Just moving into a place with more room for me to store my equipment. I use a bucket of water right now to keep fermentation temps constent. It works for now. The place I am moving into will have an extra full size fridge and my girlfriend has said it’s dedicated to beer and drinks. So I have that to play with.

But after reading I will stick to 5 gallon batches but will upgrade to a bigger pot to go full boil. And I will pick up a cooler for mashing. One thing I want to get though is a turkey fryer and brew outside. Anyone have useful info about those? I’ve seen them at the LHBS but don’t know about pricing on those.

I can’t wait to finally get some money saved up to start brewing all grain and have full control over my beer.

Check out the major sporting goods stores, like Dicks, Academy, etc.  I bought a high pressure burner, alone, for under $20.

[veldy]

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So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a “starter” set up that I can upgrade easily?

Thanks a bunch.

I second the link to Denny’s site.  Also consider John Palmer’s site.  http://howtobrew.com/section3/index.html

[greyghost]

Nobody has said anything about the Brew In A Bag method. It works very well and is easy and cheap way to do all grain. http://biabrewer.info/ .

[stadelman]

I just recently wrote a post that takes you from stovetop extract to all grain outside, using current deals, for $191 shipped…

Summer Wheat Beer Kits – All Grain & Extract – from… $23.99, Save 20%,...

So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a “starter” set up that I can upgrade easily?

Thanks a bunch.

[stastny.chris_yahoo.com (GolfBum)]

@stadelman

I just recently wrote a post that takes you from stovetop extract to all grain outside, using current deals, for $191 shipped…
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/05/from-stove-top-extract-to-all-grain.html

That is a very helpful writeup. 200 ain’t bad either. So that tube screen goes inside the mash tun and keeps the grain out of the wort?

[stadelman]

Yep.  It screws into the back of the bulkhead.

[stastny.chris_yahoo.com (GolfBum)]

@stadelman

Yep.  It screws into the back of the bulkhead.

With this would I still need a false bottom? I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to have both but wondering if just the hose would be good enough.

[stadelman]

No.  It’s either a screen or a false bottom.  You don’t need both.

@stadelman

Yep.  It screws into the back of the bulkhead.

With this would I still need a false bottom? I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to have both but wondering if just the hose would be good enough.

[davidgzach]

Pay a trip to YouTube as well.  There are a ton of do-it-yourself videos.  The more you research, the more one particular set-up will make sense to you.

Dave

[jmcamerlengo]

I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the “exit” is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a “V” shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You’ll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

[gsrepine (repo)]

@jmcamerlengo

I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the “exit” is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a “V” shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You’ll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

Um no, no, no. This statement is not accurate. You need to go to dennybrew.com for a cheap, easy,efficient system. It’s been recommended before and now again.

[jmcamerlengo]

@jmcamerlengo

I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the “exit” is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a “V” shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You’ll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

Um no, no, no. This statement is not accurate. You need to go to dennybrew.com for a cheap, easy,efficient system. It’s been recommended before and now again.

Denny’s mesh screen there would certainly work much better as it covers much more of the cooler’s surface area. One of those purchased ones dont stick out very far. Theyre much better served in the kettle as a filter for whole hops imo.

I should mention that batch sparging is much easier to use with a hose braid like above. Im a fly sparger at heart and that screen did not fair well for me fly sparging.

[onehoppyguy (bo)]

You won’t get channeling if you are batching sparging. Fly sparging is when that becomes a problem and then a large manifold or false bottom is needed.

[jmcamerlengo]

You won’t get channeling if you are batching sparging. Fly sparging is when that becomes a problem and then a large manifold or false bottom is needed.

This! Sorry, I was only thinking along the lines of my own experience. I tend to forget about batch sparging!

[gsrepine (repo)]

@jmcamerlengo

@jmcamerlengo

I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the “exit” is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a “V” shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You’ll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

Um no, no, no. This statement is not accurate. You need to go to dennybrew.com for a cheap, easy,efficient system. It’s been recommended before and now again.

Denny’s mesh screen there would certainly work much better as it covers much more of the cooler’s surface area. One of those purchased ones dont stick out very far. Theyre much better served in the kettle as a filter for whole hops imo.

I should mention that batch sparging is much easier to use with a hose braid like above. Im a fly sparger at heart and that screen did not fair well for me fly sparging.

Yes it will not be effective for fly sparging. In the set up shown it was a round cooler, which will just hold the kettle screen. The liquid will exit right next to the output, it will not flow down the length of the screen and exit. The lenght is useful in preventing clogs.

[denny]

@jmcamerlengo

Denny’s mesh screen there would certainly work much better as it covers much more of the cooler’s surface area. One of those purchased ones dont stick out very far. Theyre much better served in the kettle as a filter for whole hops imo.

I should mention that batch sparging is much easier to use with a hose braid like above. Im a fly sparger at heart and that screen did not fair well for me fly sparging.

The only reason that braid runs the length of t he cooler is that I’d been experimenting with different lengths and that was the last one I tried.  A 3" piece worked equally well.  If you batch sparge, channeling doesn’t matter (or happen).  Unlike fly sparging, which is a rinsing process that requires even coverage, batch sparging is a draining process and happens at the outlet.