It's been a slow go. I have had these kegs for too long with out being able to utilize them. Hopefully by end of March I will get the first brew out of it. It's been friggin cold hear in ND to want to do anything outside.
All that's left:
-add wheels because everything is nice and easy with wheels. even the brew dresser and the compound saw in the background has wheels.
-Mount burners got the small bayou classic burners for the HLT and MT. For the propane I am running hose with barbs and needle valves and cobbled fittings.
-drill hole in HLT and plumb dip tubes in HLT and MT etc. made my own false bottom out of keg top by drilling many many holes (not sure if I will do it again but gave me a reason to buy the drill press. doing it by hand was to overwhelming). I cut down the shank of the keg top down to about a 1/16"+/- above the inside lip and hand made my own washer to fit inside the keg shank for the copper dip tube to run through.
already have a march pump bought from last seasons cider bottling, also have therminator plate chiller. I haven't decided when chilling the wort if I was going to pump it or do it gravity fed. Previous experience 5 to 6 gallons gravity fed is not that slow and adding hose and wort loss may come into factor (mat be some trial runs). that is why the BK is mounted on top for extra gravity feed.
This is not the prettiest build but it will be way more efficient than searching for everything then setting up for a brew day. the keggles will fit between the 2x6 and 2x4 so I should be able to tip the stand vertical and store it with out taking up a lot of room as you can see the garage is space limited.
wish list: thermometers, not sure if I will make my own digital or buy some. and ss valves I will have to settle for brass for now, it won't kill me but ss looks like chrome on a classic car.
This is my experimental build and my learning process so I can improve on it and build a more permanent brewery. I just need it functional for this year and then only dream of what it can become.
By the way coming up with household projects that appeal to the fiance (i can't remember the acronym) to buy tools that are duel purpose for home brewing makes a purchase of a tool much easier, but the backlash is you have to do the project on the house first. Just got a stick welder with tig option but i am sure the front step railing is closer to the top of the list than any home brew stuff.
All that's left:
-add wheels because everything is nice and easy with wheels. even the brew dresser and the compound saw in the background has wheels.
-Mount burners got the small bayou classic burners for the HLT and MT. For the propane I am running hose with barbs and needle valves and cobbled fittings.
-drill hole in HLT and plumb dip tubes in HLT and MT etc. made my own false bottom out of keg top by drilling many many holes (not sure if I will do it again but gave me a reason to buy the drill press. doing it by hand was to overwhelming). I cut down the shank of the keg top down to about a 1/16"+/- above the inside lip and hand made my own washer to fit inside the keg shank for the copper dip tube to run through.
already have a march pump bought from last seasons cider bottling, also have therminator plate chiller. I haven't decided when chilling the wort if I was going to pump it or do it gravity fed. Previous experience 5 to 6 gallons gravity fed is not that slow and adding hose and wort loss may come into factor (mat be some trial runs). that is why the BK is mounted on top for extra gravity feed.
This is not the prettiest build but it will be way more efficient than searching for everything then setting up for a brew day. the keggles will fit between the 2x6 and 2x4 so I should be able to tip the stand vertical and store it with out taking up a lot of room as you can see the garage is space limited.
wish list: thermometers, not sure if I will make my own digital or buy some. and ss valves I will have to settle for brass for now, it won't kill me but ss looks like chrome on a classic car.
This is my experimental build and my learning process so I can improve on it and build a more permanent brewery. I just need it functional for this year and then only dream of what it can become.
By the way coming up with household projects that appeal to the fiance (i can't remember the acronym) to buy tools that are duel purpose for home brewing makes a purchase of a tool much easier, but the backlash is you have to do the project on the house first. Just got a stick welder with tig option but i am sure the front step railing is closer to the top of the list than any home brew stuff.
