What brewing Equipment do you have?

[DrunkenSatyr]

What is your current system?

I am running with:
48 qt Ice Cube converted to a MLT batch sparge with SS hose
50" bastard 3/8 copper CFC that I sit in a 150 qt cooler with 60 lbs of ice
7 gal. SS pot
6 gal Alum pot for HLT
Propane jet style burner
Bottling set up (collects all the dust for the rest of the equipment)
6 ball lock kegs
20 lb Co2 tank w/ dual regulator
15 cubic foot chest freezer with 3 tap tower (Perlicks)
5 6.5 gal carboys
2 5 gal carboys
1 6.5 gal bucket
All the other little stuff...hydro, therms, paddles.......etc.

[Ó Flannagáin]

Pics or its fake... :P

[DrunkenSatyr]

LOL, I will get working on that this afternoon

[firepunk]

1 x 5 gal SS pot
1 x 6 gal better bottle with racking adapter
2 x 6.5 gal food grade plastic buckets with spigots

thats the main stuff. I also have various mesh bags, hydrometer, etc. also, my bottling junk.

I'm working on getting a kegerator + keg setup but that may be a while before I can afford that.

Thats the basic home brewery. For all extract brewing anyways. I have a 3 gal water cooler that i got for free that I intend to convert into a mash tun for PM. I just need to find the time to run to the hardware store for the parts.

[cheesefood]

44qt SS Bayou Classic turkey fryer kit
Keggle
Crankandstein
6 cornies
20 lb CO2
10 gallon Igloo cooler with copper manifold


Here's a cool mod: take the basket that comes with the turkey fryer kit. Cut the rim off of it and line it with screen. Fits perfectly in a 10 gallon round cooler and you now have a very nice form of false bottle, or the old "bucket in a bucket" device. Better yet, you can easily pull it out and dump your spent grains.

[sanders5x]

My basic equipment:

[sanders5x]

My kegorator holds 6 kegs and 4 cases of beer, best of all it cost $60 minus the cost of the kegs. I picked the fridge up for $10 at our schools surplus sale, its actually a climate controlled cold incubator, guess I will have to incubate some yeast! And all the liquid hardware came from my friend's dad who works for a AB distro.

[Ó Flannagáin]

Nice setup Sanders! I'll get mine up today.

[DrunkenSatyr]

Ok, here are the pics
Water Filtering
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/files/8912-filtering.GIF
Super Wort chiller
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/files/8912-Cold.GIF
The Beast
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/files/8912-IM000549.jpg
Really this photo does not do justice, I can fit 5 cornies a carboy and the 20# tank in there at the same time.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/files/8912-IM000550.jpg

[sanders5x]

I like the paint job!

[DrunkenSatyr]

Thanks. my wife (also brewer) painted it, it is still in the works, got to finish one side, coat the top, put chrome rails on the top, and clear coat the whole thing.

[sanders5x]

I like my 20 cu. ft. fridge because you can fit 6 kegs in it and you can run the shanks threw the front door.

My next project will be a 10 gallon mash tun from a round rubbermaid cooler, I hope to get one from our athletic training department.

I also plan on building a electric hlt

[DrunkenSatyr]

Are you batch or fly sparging?
If batch, don't worry about it being a round cooler. Igloo makes some GREAT square coolers that don't drop a single degree over an hour that sell for under 20 bucks!

[Ó Flannagáin]

I use a square cooler without an issue :D

[sanders5x]

although I have done both methods, I prefer batch sparging. However, the round cooler lets me do both and I can hopefully get one for free.

Side note: I got a bottle of iodine from my dad today. Its the kind they use for starch tests in the lab and it has a real red tint to it compared to the stuff you buy at the drug store.

[Short Drive]

1 Keggle
1 Keggle MLT with false bottom
1 48 qt picnic cooler with SS Braid MLT
1 60 qt HLT
1 single tier sculpture w/ 3 - 170,000 BTU burners
1 CFC
1 March pump
1 hose pump to recirculate water to CFC
1 JSP Malt Mill
4 glass carboys
4 Cornie Kegs with picnic taps
1 10lb CO2 tank with regulator
No kegerator yet :oops:

[sanders5x]

1 Keggle
1 Keggle MLT with false bottom
1 48 qt picnic cooler with SS Braid MLT
1 60 qt HLT
1 single tier sculpture w/ 3 - 170,000 BTU burners
1 CFC
1 March pump
1 hose pump to recirculate water to CFC
1 JSP Malt Mill
4 glass carboys
4 Cornie Kegs with picnic taps
1 10lb CO2 tank with regulator
No kegerator yet :oops:

How do you like the Keggle MLT vs. the cooler MLT? I was planning on building a Keggle MLT

[Ó Flannagáin]

I was thinking about the keggle MLT as well. How do you keep the temp though? Do you put insulation around it or do you have to watch the flame/thermometer constantly?

[Short Drive]

How do you like the Keggle MLT vs. the cooler MLT? I was planning on building a Keggle MLT

I've only used the Keggle MLT once. The temperature was hard to regulate. Now that I have a pump we'll see. The picnic cooler is great. But a 10 gallon batch of my Long Haul AIPA barely fit. Practicality goes to the cooler. But when I learn to regulate the heat the sheer volume it will hold will be a advantage.

So far I did it with direct heat and a thermometer and stirring. The March pump I just got should help by recirculating the wort. I can measure the temperature of that wort and make adjustments as needed.

[sanders5x]

I heard it works better to fill (double batches) the Keggle MLT because you have more volume and it takes longer for it to cool down because of the volume. of course the same is true with the heating of it too

[DrunkenSatyr]

Kick ass!


P.S. You CAN fly in a square cooler if the freebie does not work out. You just have to design the manifold a bit differently.

[sanders5x]

I just happened to have a 5 gallon power aid cooler and the valve on it was busted, so it was a no brainier to convert it to MLT

[BeerBilly]

My SWMBO brewpal and I built a single tier sculpture we crank out 10-12 gal batches with.
2 60k burners
62 qt X-treme cooler MLT
15 gal SS pot with spigot HLT
1/2 bbl Sanke keggle with spigot BK
March pump w/qds
25"3/8 IC
Porkert Mill
3 carboys
6 ferment buckets
4 keg keezer w/picnic taps
12 cornys
Lots of associated accessories
Been at it for 16 months...over 50 batches

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/11-244.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/brewsculpture006.jpg

[Ó Flannagáin]

Nice setup, Billy. I have a very similar equipment list, but I need to organize it a little better to make my brewdays go smoother. I usually have all the peices spread out in different spots of my front yard, which is ridiculous. People driving by have no fekkin clue what I'm doing.

[DrunkenSatyr]

Just tell them you are making Meth

[BeerBilly]

Check this out dudes.One of our neighbors turned us on to this:
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/DSCN0013.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/DSCN0012.jpg

It's a True brand keg cooler,a 6 footer designed for 3 Sankes.i think it'll hold near a dozen cornys.It has two single tap towers.....not near enough!Anyone familiar with these units and how do i upgrade to more taps.I imagine the hose conversion is pretty basic.Any thoughts?
BB

[Ó Flannagáin]

That's sweet, Billy. I have stand up fridge that'll hold 5 kegs and a 20lb tank, but as of right now I only own 4 kegs. need to put in another order of 4 soon though. I feel like I"m racing to empty one sometimes just so I can put a beer that's been sitting in secondary for a while in.

[DrunkenSatyr]

Looks like a nice find. As for upgrading the towers, It is a PITA to drill and add more taps (not much space to work with). You can either drill out the towers and go buy new shanks or buy new towers.

[BeerBilly]

Hey Flannigan
There's a fellow named Jason at kegamerica@hotmail.com selling cornies for $20 each plus postage.Check it out if you like.He did me right.
BB

[DrunkenSatyr]

I may have to send him an email also. Our LHBS just raised used cornies non refurbed to 30

[sanders5x]

Thats a nice find on the kegorator, if you are not in a hurry, you can find towers on ebay that are fairly reasonable, or I would go the route of drilling the towers and adding the elbow shanks.

As for the corneys, there have been some sellers on ebay if you buy more than one you can get like 4 for 100-120 shipped to your door. Pin lock seem to be cheeper, but not always. The key is to be patient.

[Ó Flannagáin]

kegconnection.com have 4 for around 100 bucks all the time, that's where I got my first 4.

[BeerBilly]

Tada!!We finished upgrading the recently acquired keg dispenser yesterday and proceded to get rather drunk.
Before
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/DSCN0013.jpg

After
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/DSCN0079.jpg

4 taps dispensing

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/Onescalerguy/DSCN0081.jpg
Left to right,Autumnweizen(not very good),Apfelwein,OtterPop IPA(frickin awesome..near 50 ibus)Swirlypearly Wheat beer(also very good)

[sanders5x]

Awsome! Now you just got to keep all four taps busy!

[MrMarbleHead]

So I totally missed this thread, so here goes:

My Pimpin' brew stand:
http://www.homebrewchatter.com/home2/galleries/137/7985-P1000819.jpg
Electric HLT (2 1500W elements)
48qt Rubermaid Cooler with SS Braid pick up
Keggle boil kettle
Cheap turkey fryer burner, beefed up to support the kettle

Homemade Counter Flow Chiller:
http://www.homebrewchatter.com/home2/galleries/137/7985-CFC2edit.jpg

My Classic Kegerator:
http://www.homebrewchatter.com/home2/galleries/137/7985-philco.jpg

[DrunkenSatyr]

Love the old Philco. used to have one at our last house. It was a PITA to haul it down a flight of stairs.

[MrMarbleHead]

Dude i would not want to move that beast down a flight of stairs! it is hard enough moving it around my garage.

[DrunkenSatyr]

Yeah it sucked. Took me and a buddy about 10 seconds though. Since it was not working it got put on its side and slid down the stairs. Almost took out a wall at the bottom of the staircase though.

[MrMarbleHead]

Ha that's funny dude, one way to get the job done quick though.

[DrunkenSatyr]

Hell yeah! There is NO WAY we were going to try to walk that beast down. It weighted more than my buddy and I combined.

[MrMarbleHead]

why the hell did you move it down there in the first place if it didn't work/how did you get it back up, or did you?

[DrunkenSatyr]

My buddy and I had carried it up there a few years previously from the garage (it was a beach house on stilts) but it died so we had to get it out so we could get the new fridge in.. When it took a dump we had to move it to get a new fridge in there.

[Monster Mash]

I built this little brewery out of old pool filters. The MT and HLT are electric and activated by timers, the boil pot is natural gas

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/dscn3101.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/DSCN3112.jpg

[Ó Flannagáin]

Helluva a first, monster! That's brewery's is awesome!!

[sanders5x]

I am so jealous! Could you take a picture of your stirring mechanism ? I plan on building something like that.

[Monster Mash]

I only use a stirrer in the HLT to prevent stratification around the HERMS. With the water constantly moving around the coil the HERMS works much better. I was going to make a mash stirrer as well but there is too much going on in my mash tun as it is.

I mounted the motor to the lid and made the blades out of SS tubing by hammering the hell out of it....
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/Misc%20Pictures/DSCN3010.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/Misc%20Pictures/DSCN3012.jpg

[Monster Mash]

This is what my mash tun looks like. Because of the trap door on the lid and the sparge arm dropping through the center there is no way to get a stir motor in there without making a new lid and swapping them out. It is easier to just stir in the grain, put the lid on and then set the temp so the pump turns on if the temp drops.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/DSCN3097.jpg

[sanders5x]

How fast does that motor spin at?

[Monster Mash]

It is a geared motor and the blade spins 60RPM. It is just fast enough to create a dimple in the water.

[sanders5x]

Monster, I like what I see! Now if only I could weld stainless steel!

[Monster Mash]

Luckily I found a welder that likes beer and as long as I have everything prepped and ready to weld he does it for free while I wait and I give him like 4 22oz beers each time.

My fermenters cost me $100 each to weld because of the set up and they needed to be sanitary welds. He cut the corny kegs for me and welded them on.

This is how I transfer to secondary, I push from primary to secondary on the cart. I pull out the primary and slide the secondary int othe fridge.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/Secondary1.jpg

Blow off!!
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/Foamy2.jpg

[DrunkenSatyr]

Well I finally got my friggin keg up here from Houston, so it should be going to the welding shop this weekend for fittings and the cut. 10 gallons here we come.

[sanders5x]

Let me know how much they charge, I need some welding done too but have been to lazy to call anyone yet.

[Jared311]

This is my current setup:

Customized 10 Gallon Cooler Mash Tun
- Removed the plastic spigot
- Inserted a stainless steel ball valve
- Attached a stainless steel mesh filter on the ball valve inside the mash tun

Customized 7.5 Gallon Stainless Steel Brew Pot
- Drilled hole towards base and inserted a stainless steel ball valve.
- Attached a stainless steel mesh filter on the ball valve inside the brew pot

7.5 Gallon Aluminum Water Boiling Pot

Propane Boiler

Custom Built Counter-Flow Wort Chiller
- Built using 3/8" soft copper tubing, 5/8" durable rubber hosing, and copper pipe fittings
- Cools 120F wort to 65F wort in less then 10 minutes with the use of around 5 gallons of water

Custom Built 3 Tier Racks
- Nothing fancy
- Uses gravity to get the job done

Everything connects together using stainless steel hoses such that the wort only comes in contact with copper or stainless steel components.

I love this setup, it makes brewing extremely easy. Just start at the top and work your way down.

[Ó Flannagáin]

Dude, I like that counterflow chiller! That's exactly what I need. I want to save water big time and immersion chiller just eats a TON of water.

[cheesefood]

Dude, I like that counterflow chiller! That's exactly what I need. I want to save water big time and immersion chiller just eats a TON of water. You can use the waste water to clean your gear or attach it to a sprinkler and water your lawn. CFCs still use a lot of water

[Ó Flannagáin]

Well, I just bought a pump so I'm gonna see if I can get a good recirculation thing going. Hopefully that'll work good enough.

[Barley-Davidson]

Well, I just bought a pump so I'm gonna see if I can get a good recirculation thing going. Hopefully that'll work good enough.

Be sure to post your experience with the recirc/pump setup; I want to try the same thing. Are you planning to pump ice water?

[Ó Flannagáin]

Yea, ice water. I will definitely post pics of the whole building process and my experience.

[rdwj]

I hate Monster Mash. He's like the guy in gym class that has a cock that hangs to his knees. You try not to be, but there is no way you can catch if glimpse of it and not feel totally innadaquate.

I guess you try to do what you can with what you have, and hope he wasn't there before you!

[sanders5x]

Well, I just bought a pump so I'm gonna see if I can get a good recirculation thing going. Hopefully that'll work good enough.

Be sure to post your experience with the recirc/pump setup; I want to try the same thing. Are you planning to pump ice water?


I find it works good to run the first 10 or so gallons off of the sink, and then switch to the ice water reculation, in the summer when its harder to produce ice, but in the winter I just run the pump as I make ice outside in the frigid cold! Setting the kettle in the snowbank for 10 minutes works good and makes it less of a hazard to transport into my apartment.

[Jared311]

Dude, I like that counterflow chiller! That's exactly what I need. I want to save water big time and immersion chiller just eats a TON of water.

The initial investment is kind of expensive, but OMG the results are killer. Its great being able to pitch the yeast in less then 10 minutes after you just turned the flame off from your boil. If you can get your hands on some cheap 3/8" soft copper tubing then I would definitely suggest you give it a try. I noticed that there aren't a ton of places where you can even purchase a decent counter-flow wort chiller. I have often thought about building a ton of these and selling them online. Oh, I forgot to mention the best part about using the counter-flow wort chiller. The water coming out is now the temperature of what the wort was going in. So all you need to do is catch it in a 5 gallon bucket and and throw in some cleaner and you are already to soak all your dirty gear. Efficiency! If I ever get around to it, I plan to write up a bill of materials and detailed instructions so that you all can give it a try. Once you go counter-flow its the only way to go.

[AGBrewer]

8 tap keezer
2 tap kegerator
27 cornies
2 sanke fermenters
crankandstein mill (motorized)
And of course my baby:
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd72/agbrewer_2007/sophiawinford.jpg
Sorry bout the pic, don't know how to resize Help?
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd72 ... inford.jpg (http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd72/agbrewer_2007/sophiawinford.jpg)

[DrunkenSatyr]

Nice little setup you have going there.

[sanders5x]

AB called, the want their kegs back!

[Ó Flannagáin]

SWeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet, AG! Ilike the green too. Not often you see color on a brewstand. Really adds character!

[AGBrewer]

Thanks fellas, tell AB they are welcome to come and pry them out of my cold dead hands

[DrunkenSatyr]

I have a feeling any man with a J.D. green brew sculpture probably has a 12 gauge laying around to defend it.

[AGBrewer]

You might be a redneck if...

[DrunkenSatyr]

I am no redneck but in Texas we take our beer, guns, and home safety serious ;)

[AGBrewer]

Amen brother

[sanders5x]

I am no redneck but in Texas we take our beer, guns, and home safety serious ;)

The first stage is denial.

[Monster Mash]

It's not finished but at least it is almost useable. I have to get all of the electronics installed but meanwhile I will just set the control panel next to the brewery...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/brewstand/IMG_1045.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/brewstand/IMG_1044.jpg

[Barley-Davidson]

That's turnin into one sweet setup there, monster.

[BeerBilly]

That DOES look like rocket science....way above my head.How big are them kettles?

[Barley-Davidson]

That DOES look like rocket science....way above my head.How big are them kettles?

No shit. As soon as I see control panels I'm done

[Monster Mash]

That DOES look like rocket science....way above my head.How big are them kettles?

They are 30 gallon pool filter housings, I will have the welding on them finished today and I plumbed the gas last night. I just have to weld a few more things to make it useable but there is a LOT more work ahead before it is finished.

[Monster Mash]

Here are some updated pictures. I have to finish our kitchen before I can start adding the electronics to the stand but for now it works fine with the control box on the side....

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/brewstand/IMG_1122.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/brewstand/IMG_1123.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g309/BelgianBrewer/brewstand/IMG_1124.jpg

[rdwj]

That's sweet Monster. It looks so much different that how it started - amazing!

[NoonInGodinTepe]

First, WOW, what a system. You're a sick little puppy MM. Beautiful!

So now to my chinsy little system --- I just test fired my new burner... KAB4

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Bayou%20Classic%20KAB4%20Kick%20A%20Banjo%20Burn er:2003002745:page=large-image;_ylt=Ak2i_X8HPnWTe6UfA4GdJKnmv8Uu;_ylu=X3oDM TBkZmZ1NDR2BHNlYwNwcm9kc3BlY3M-

I was shocked when I opened the box. This thing is as big as a frisbee. The flame was very nice. Even 3 feet above the flame, the heat coming off it was extreme. Also, it is very adjustable. I was able to reduce it to a trickle flame. I can't wait to use it in battle --- 2 weeks and counting!!

[Barley-Davidson]

I'm going to go throw rocks at my turkey fryer and cooler mlt now