Help with my new AG "system"!

[ZachY2072]

Hi!
Fairly new-ish brewer, long time drinker, and about the second time posting so forgive me for any etiquette mistakes! Also I will be posting from my phone because of the firewall here at work. Anyway, enough with the disclaimer on to my situation!
I have recently tried to make the switch from extract to all grain. I tried to use the "BIAB" method with little to no success, so I will be putting in more money to complete my system. I will just list what I have:

-1 8 Gal brew kettle w/ball valve and thermometer
-1 5 Gal igloo cooler w/10' copper coil immersion cooler w/ball valve (didn't cool well)
-1 10 Gal igloo cooler (I plan to convert this to a mash tun)

What else do I need to add to this system? I've seen the three tiered systems and I like those, just don't know where the plans are for them. I would probably build it out of wood. Any help here would be great because my BIAB experience wasn't great.
Thanks,
-Zach

**P.S. Bonus question (suddenly remembered): I have a BULK amount of bottles I need to remove labels from and THOROUGHLY clean, any suggestions on how to tackle this efficiently? Thanks again!**

 

[evrose]

My first question would be to ask why your BIAB experience wasn't great? What went wrong? It would be ashame if there was a simple (and cheap) fix that could save you the hassle to a more complicated system. BIAB is simple all-grain brewing. More traditional systems are great, but they are also more complicated... I'd hate to see you make things more difficult, invest a lot, and end up with problems...

Options for removing labels:
1. Don't bother.
2. Bucket + oxyclean solution + soak overnight = fall right off. (takes care of labels and cleaning requirement. Buy a cheap bottle brush at your LHBS)

 

[MadCnty]

Sounds like you have most of the stuff you need already... For my AG setup I use a keggle for my boil pot, a 10 gallon igloo cooler for MLT, and a 24 qt stock pot for strike/sparge water... I have been doing batch sparges and getting very good efficiency, in fact I hit my estimated OG spot on last batch (2nd one btw) by scaling back water from my 1st batch notes...
I do not have a "system" yet but with help its easy to move the stuffs for a 5 gallon batch...
As for cleaning the bottles that depends on your water... Most will recommend oxyclean FREE but I have hard water and it will film up the bottles BAD... So I go with PBW...

 

[greatschmaltez]

Not sure why you need two coolers? One 10 gallon for the mash tun is good. Upsize your pot to 10 gallons, you'll boil over otherwise. You'll need another 5 gallon pot to make you're sparge water in while you are draining out your first drippings from the mash tun. Your initial boil is going to be 7-8 gallons in volume. You need at least a 25' IC or you'll never cool that wort down. Get a good burner or you'll be waiting for that thing to boil for 2 days. Consider getting a fountain pump and setting up a recirc ice bath for your chiller, this is more Eco friendly and efficient, it takes about 40 lbs of ice to chill a 5-6 gallon batch (this is optional though if you live in cooler climates).

Oh and you need a mash paddle.

 

[ZachY2072]

My first question would be to ask why your BIAB experience wasn't great? What went wrong?

Meh, bag ripped. The real reason I wanted to switch over is already have everything I need for an actual mash tun to save me from that heavy bag lifting, haha. The 10 gallon igloo could be my mash tun, I also already have a false bottom to fit it.

 

[ZachY2072]

Sounds like you have most of the stuff you need already... For my AG setup I use a keggle for my boil pot, a 10 gallon igloo cooler for MLT, and a 24 qt stock pot for strike/sparge water... I have been doing batch sparges and getting very good efficiency, in fact I hit my estimated OG spot on last batch (2nd one btw) by scaling back water from my 1st batch notes...

What do you use as a wort chiller? The oddball is the 5 gallon immersion igloo cooler with the copper tubing. So that is where I am. The other poster has me nervous about my 8 gal brew pot as well , haha.

 

[ZachY2072]

Not sure why you need two coolers? One 10 gallon for the mash tun is good. Upsize your pot to 10 gallons, you'll boil over otherwise. You'll need another 5 gallon pot to make you're sparge water in while you are draining out your first drippings from the mash tun. Your initial boil is going to be 7-8 gallons in volume. You need at least a 25' IC or you'll never cool that wort down. Get a good burner or you'll be waiting for that thing to boil for 2 days. Consider getting a fountain pump and setting up a recirc ice bath for your chiller, this is more Eco friendly and efficient, it takes about 40 lbs of ice to chill a 5-6 gallon batch (this is optional though if you live in cooler climates).

Oh and you need a mash paddle.

Yeah, really need a mash paddle. Thanks!

I've gotta use the 8 gal pot, it was a gift and I think I'm past the return date haha. The copper immersion cooler is the odd man out I guess, should I just add more copper to the coil and use it or what? What is the best way to cool wort?

 

[ZachY2072]

Bump

Also this

 

[kh54s10]

Here is my wood 3 tier sculpture:

To dimension it; I took my Fermenter and sat it on the floor. I then determined how high I needed the boil kettle to drain into it. Then I did the same for the mash tun and then the HLT. I use 10 gallon pots and a 10 gallon cooler. 8 gallons for the BK would work but you will really have to watch carefully for boil overs. For cooling I made two 20' copper tubing coils one goes it the BK the other in a bucket of cold water. When the temperature is close to tap water temperature and I need to go lower I add ice to the cold water. I can cool mid summer to 60 degrees in about 1/2=3/4 hour.

I have also turned the rig around have the BK by the sink for cooling.

If you get 2 propane burners put the 8 gallon pot as your HLT and drain directly into the tun. That makes it much easier than heating sparge water and lifting it to the HLT or mash tun.

I first heat my mash water and while waiting on the mash I refill the HLT and heat the sparge water. The HLT is also plumbed now so that I only have to open a valve to fill it.

 

[MadCnty]

What do you use as a wort chiller? The oddball is the 5 gallon immersion igloo cooler with the copper tubing. So that is where I am. The other poster has me nervous about my 8 gal brew pot as well , haha.

I use a dyi wort chiller that I made from copper tubing with vinyl tubing... I just make sure that the vinyl doesn't touch the wort at all... Again I have hard water (well water) so cooling is not a problem for me as its temp is @ 55 degrees...

 

[MadCnty]

And I would use the kettle you have for a HLT for strike/sparge water...