 |
I've been brewing since 1992 and doing all grain since 1994. One of the best investments I've made is a grain mill. Its allowed me to purchase grains (mostly base malts) in bulk at a reduced price. The savings paid for the mill after the 5th sack of grain. I use a JSP adjustable MaltMill. The preset gap on it gives me such a nice crush that I've felt no need to adjust it and can recommend purchasing the non-adjustable model to save some money. Its motorized with a high torque drill. I can crush 12 lbs. of grain in about 3 min. |
 |
I mash in a 10 gal. Rubbermaid/Gott cooler with a Phils Phalse Bottom. I plumbed it by removing the spigot assembly and replacing the bushing with one that is slighty thicker. This bushing accomodates a high temp. CPVC pipe (O.D.=5/8" I.D.=1/2") such that no sealant to the cooler is needed. This pipe is connected to the false bottom by a short piece clear hose (O.D.=1/2" I.D.=3/8"), the pipe end of the hose is glued. The 2 brass fittings hold the false bottom down and prevent an accidental disconnection from the false bottom when they are slid to the center. The outflow end of the pipe has a barbed plastic ball valve (O.D.=1/2") glued in place (see pict below). |
 |
This is a typical mash (note the high tech floating thermometer). |
 |
My arrangement during conversion. You can see the barbed ball valve on the end of the CPVC pipe. My system is 2-tiered so I heat my infusion and sparge water in a 32 qt. enamel canning pot on a propane fired King Kooker (170K BTU) and move the water manually. The gravity feed also necessitates that I manually collect and recirculate the first runnings until clear. |
 |
Here is the sweet wort moving to the boil tun. |
 |
The wort is moving down the keg wall to minimize aeration. |
 |
I boil in a donated (thanks Zymie!) converted 1/2 bbl. Sanke keg. |
 |
I received the keg with the top precut and a short threaded drain pipe. Inside I added a brass compression fitting to hold the soft copper dip tube in place (the copper ChoreBoy helps filter hops and break). I added a brass ball valve to the outside of the keg which accepts a plastic connector threaded on the keg end and barbed on the other to hold vinyl tubing for moving the wort to the primary (see pict below). |
 |
This is the boil tun in action (note the nice foam forming). |
 |
I remove this foam with a hand held kitchen sieve. I feel removing the foam reduces my chances of a boil over and removes proteins that will end up as hotbreak. |
 |
I use an immersion chiller to cool my wort. |
 |
The wort chiller in action (I have a pizza pan to cover the boil tun during cooling). |
 |
This is the finished product of the day being moved to the primary fermenter. |
 |
Of course, at the end of a brew day its appropriate to enjoy the fruits of brew days past. |
