Going AG Need Some Guideance with Equipment

[ACESFULL]

As the title says I am going AG. Now I have decided that I am going the cooler MT route. Leaning heavily toward the HD round 10Gal version. Also tracking down a keg for a keggle. I have turkey fryer kettle that I will use for HLT so I am set there. Now I havent decided how I will sparge yet. Cant seem to locate the pro's/con's to either. My question in lies with the parts to make everything.

AHBS has this kit - Sparge arm, false bottom, 3 piece vales, hoses etc. Now do I need to spend this much or would I be better off piecing it together with parts from Lowes and or HD?

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_82_449&products_id=13048

 

[hops2it]

Idk but decide your sparge method first because you don't need any of that or a HLT if you batch sparge.

 

[Ace_Club]

An HLT is still useful for batch sparging. However, that equipment from AHS is way overpriced, IMO. You can get by with getting some valves from bargain fittings (or HD if you don't mind brass) and then use a SS braid from the hardware store for a filter in the MLT. This is especially true for batch sparging.

If fly sparging, you could probably get by with a cheaper false bottom made from PVC or copper tubing from the hardware store.

I currently batch sparge with a cooler MLT (70 qt. Coleman Xtreme, as it was bigger and cheaper than the round coolers) and use a SS water heater braid. I get 85% efficiency and didn't spend near the amount AHS is asking on my fittings.

 

[nate456789]

I went with the double 10g coolers. One as a mash tun and one HLT. Was a kit. I have had nothing but problems with it. Leaking etc. The mash tun kit had a false bottom. I have done 2 batches with it and the bottom of the cooler swells up between 150 and 155 and plugs the bottom of the false bottom.
Stuck sparge but not by the grain. If you do a cooler I would do a manifold.
I am switching to sanke kegs for mash tun and boil kettle so I can keep using the false bottom.
I should have just taken the time and built this from the beginning. I wanted to do the fast track and jump into all grain. Cost me more in the long run and now I have to wait even longer before I get a decent all grain beer.

 

[nspringstead]

I use a coleman 48 qt rect. cooler for my MLT and batch sparge so no HLT. Also made a CPVC manifold following post on HBT and have gotten about 80 to 84% efficiency on the first three runs. Very easy and cleans up nice.

 

[danorocks17]

I currently batch sparge with a cooler MLT (70 qt. Coleman Xtreme, as it was bigger and cheaper than the round coolers) and use a SS water heater braid. I get 85% efficiency and didn't spend near the amount AHS is asking on my fittings.

I second this. I converted the same cooler, and everything besides the cooler was like 30 bucks at Lowe's. I didn't get 85% efficiency but i was right around 75%, which is what i was shooting for

 

[ACESFULL]

Great responses... Another question. Do you really need 3 piece valves? What makes them so much better?

 

[Ace_Club]

Great responses... Another question. Do you really need 3 piece valves? What makes them so much better?

No, you don't need 3-piece valves. A two-piece valve is more than enough.

People like them because they are easier to clean and are more expensive (making them think they get a better product).

Since the valves are either pre-boil or attached to your kettle, you don't really have to worry about cleaning them out since you will either be boiling the product or the heat from the boil will sanitize the valve internals.

Two-piece valves for the win.

 

[ACESFULL]

No, you don't need 3-piece valves. A two-piece valve is more than enough.

People like them because they are easier to clean and are more expensive (making them think they get a better product).

Since the valves are either pre-boil or attached to your kettle, you don't really have to worry about cleaning them out since you will either be boiling the product or the heat from the boil will sanitize the valve internals.

Two-piece valves for the win.

Great that saves a ton of cash... Is there a big difference in brass and SS I have seen both other than cost pro/con on those?

 

[Ace_Club]

Great that saves a ton of cash... Is there a big difference in brass and SS I have seen both other than cost pro/con on those?

From what I've read, either is fine for brewing applications. I went with SS, but a lot of brewers use brass with no issues. Do a search, though, as I'm not sure if pickling the brass to remove surface lead is really an issue or not.

 

[ACESFULL]

From what I've read, either is fine for brewing applications. I went with SS, but a lot of brewers use brass with no issues. Do a search, though, as I'm not sure if pickling the brass to remove surface lead is really an issue or not.

Thanks for all your help. Clears a lot of things up for me.

 

[Ace_Club]

No problem.

 

[nate456789]

I second that you really don't need 3 piece valves. But they were only like $5 more so why not. Every few batches take them apart and clean them for peace of mind.

Bargainfittings.com has them for $20 right now.
I bought most of my fittings from him because he was fast to fill the orders. At my door in 2 days.
Some things were a little more and some cheaper. Buy from one place and save on shipping and it worked out to be the same or a little better on parts.
Plus stainless is a lot more sexy.

 

[huge1s]

Is that really you ACES? I was going to post my MLT construction at the other place... have been trolling this site for a little while and saw you were a member and decided to join. My first batch (extract) still has a week to go in bottles, but am moving to AG. Have two AG kits sitting in my house right now.

 

[aceinthehole]

Hey huge1s, yeah, there are a couple of us here. I just recently joined also for some additional help if I need any.

 

[Ace_Club]

Crap, did I just wander into the Ace thread?

 

[huge1s]

Crap, did I just wander into the Ace thread?

lol. ACESFULL and I are members of another forum where I started a "hey, I am gonna start brewing" thread. We are 2 of the ~5 people that have pushed that thread to 12 pages long. I have been lingering here for a couple months and had intended to join...then saw a familiar face and decided to go ahead with it.

I won't threadjack ACES thread... but I did my first brew where I modified the recipe for a hefe and made it a peach hefe. Going AG now, and this forum has been quite helpful.

 

[ACESFULL]

Is that really you ACES? I was going to post my MLT construction at the other place... have been trolling this site for a little while and saw you were a member and decided to join. My first batch (extract) still has a week to go in bottles, but am moving to AG. Have two AG kits sitting in my house right now.

What is this the PMC south?? LOL Post away bro would like to see it.

 

[huge1s]

What is this the PMC south?? LOL Post away bro would like to see it.

Haven't started it yet... but have a 7 gallon rectangle cooler that I got for free. Bought all my copper and valves etc. I will do construction pics when I build it.

 

[ACESFULL]

Haven't started it yet... but have a 7 gallon rectangle cooler that I got for free. Bought all my copper and valves etc. I will do construction pics when I build it.

Sweet... My b-day is coming up and I am gather lists to hit HD/Lowes for all the parts. Cant wait. AG brewing here I come!

 

[CidahMastah]

Acesfull - do you ever plan on doing 10G batches? Or barley wine?

If so - You may want to consider upping your MT size to 15G.

I would just do batch sparge instead of getting crazy with sparge arms etc. I batch sparge on 10G batches and get 76-78% efficiency. Why bother with fly sparging unless you have efficiency issues.

 

[joeldp144]

I use my kettle as my HLT. I sparge my cooler mash tun with water from my kettle. Then, I use a CPVC manifold in the bottom of the mash tun to drain it into a bucket (my spare fermenter bucket). I mash out with water from kettle. While I am draining the tun, I heat up the sparge water in the kettle. I do my final sparge with water from the kettle, and then I pour the remaining water out so that it is empty and ready to boil my wort.

I can't see the real benefit to having an HLT at this point. FWIW.....I brew multiple batches in a day often times, and this has never been a real problem.

For your first batch, keep it simple. You can always add stuff, but I think you'll find that your beer will be awesome without that other crap. I make better beer with my rig than my friends with complex setups. I think your money is better spent on fermentation temperature control (which I don't have but understand is helpful) than HLT's and false bottoms. My two cents.....

 

[ACESFULL]

Acesfull - do you ever plan on doing 10G batches? Or barley wine?

If so - You may want to consider upping your MT size to 15G.

I would just do batch sparge instead of getting crazy with sparge arms etc. I batch sparge on 10G batches and get 76-78% efficiency. Why bother with fly sparging unless you have efficiency issues.

I am not sure on the barley wine but I think at some point just for the sake of having more beer on hand that and all the samples I keep giving out I might be more apt to go with 10gal batches. I will have to look into the 15 gal MT thanks for that bit of info!!

 

[CidahMastah]

I am not sure on the barley wine but I think at some point just for the sake of having more beer on hand that and all the samples I keep giving out I might be more apt to go with 10gal batches. I will have to look into the 15 gal MT thanks for that bit of info!!

If you are even considering 10G batches now - get the 15G size or larger. You will be brewing 10G later It is a great size to brew in, and all I brew in now.

You might have to looking into rectangle MT's to get that size locally, or at a good price (not sure - I have the 15G blingman MT).

 

[ACESFULL]

If you are even considering 10G batches now - get the 15G size or larger. You will be brewing 10G later It is a great size to brew in, and all I brew in now.

You might have to looking into rectangle MT's to get that size locally, or at a good price (not sure - I have the 15G blingman MT).

What are your thoughts on this cooler...? Its right at 15 gal. Was going to go with a manifold and not the braided ss line that seems pretty popular.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod1180460&navAction=

 

[CidahMastah]

Looks pretty good. I am not an expert on the cooler MT's, but I would assume there would be plenty of space to lay in your manifold (I also assume there is a drain hole in teh back or side for your hardware).

 

[hops2it]

What are your thoughts on this cooler...? Its right at 15 gal. Was going to go with a manifold and not the braided ss line that seems pretty popular.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod1180460&navAction=

Many of the wheeled coolers have a shelf inside above the axle rod for the wheels. Often times the drain plug is somewhere on that shelf and may be at an odd angle and/or higher than you want off the bottom. Try to find a cooler with a low drain port to avoid dead space issues. I just ran into this myself.

 

[ACESFULL]

Many of the wheeled coolers have a shelf inside above the axle rod for the wheels. Often times the drain plug is somewhere on that shelf and may be at an odd angle and/or higher than you want off the bottom. Try to find a cooler with a low drain port to avoid dead space issues. I just ran into this myself.

Thats good to know. I was thinking that might pose and issue but wasnt real sure. Thanks!