ebstauffer
Well-Known Member
Well it's spring time here in Indy. Again this year that means a garage brewery reorg. I've nearly gotten rid of the last vestiges of my 3V setup and have wholly embraced BIAB. Also got around to installing my on demand water heater and HFT lift. All coming along nicely.
Now my gripe: I have to Colorado Brewing System setups -- one 160 quart to make single malt for distilling (I advise at a local craft distillery) and brewing BIG batches (it's 8 gallons to the bottom of the basket) and my home-use 80 quart rig. Purchased about a year apart, CBS really changed how these things are made (without advisement). The 160 quart baskets is all mesh and has legs -- very well made; very big. Smallest batch I've done is 15 gallons and even that's a bit tricky.
The 80 quart has solid sides and a cross member attached to the top (it is removable) which sets on the rim of the kettle which makes it impossible to put the lid on. Honestly I don't even know why it ships with a lid. I've rigged up a lid from reflectix but it's hardly perfect. I've considered cutting the lid into two semi-circles and use it that way. Furthermore, for the life of me I can't figure out why they opted to vertically align the drain port with the handle. Of course it has no bearing on functionality but it looks so janky.
I've seen a couple other pics of CBS systems like my 80q. What have other done for a lid?
Now my gripe: I have to Colorado Brewing System setups -- one 160 quart to make single malt for distilling (I advise at a local craft distillery) and brewing BIG batches (it's 8 gallons to the bottom of the basket) and my home-use 80 quart rig. Purchased about a year apart, CBS really changed how these things are made (without advisement). The 160 quart baskets is all mesh and has legs -- very well made; very big. Smallest batch I've done is 15 gallons and even that's a bit tricky.
The 80 quart has solid sides and a cross member attached to the top (it is removable) which sets on the rim of the kettle which makes it impossible to put the lid on. Honestly I don't even know why it ships with a lid. I've rigged up a lid from reflectix but it's hardly perfect. I've considered cutting the lid into two semi-circles and use it that way. Furthermore, for the life of me I can't figure out why they opted to vertically align the drain port with the handle. Of course it has no bearing on functionality but it looks so janky.
I've seen a couple other pics of CBS systems like my 80q. What have other done for a lid?
