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Mash Tun Build

Started by BrewBilly, July 08, 2013, 09:28:04 AM

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BrewBilly

Hi Folks

Had a very productive weekend, managed to get my mash tun sorted. I used the concept from the instructables website - http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Brewery-for-Under-100-STEP-1-/?ALLSTEPS

I had posted it previously on a different thread, so all materials and methodology can be seen on the site.

I did include a pic of the mandatory homebrew while doing homebrew in the album an Extract American Pale Ale.

Hope you all enjoy, comments and suggestions welcome.

Album:
http://s1334.photobucket.com/user/AndyCatlett/slideshow/Mash%20Tun%20Build

Cheers
BrewBilly - aka Andy
Addicted Amateur

DJ: Empty
FV1: Ausie Pale Ale
FV2: Hefeweizen
Plans: Centennial SMaSH

Bill_00

Certainly looks the part. I guess the test will be how good your efficiencies are!

BrewBilly

Quote from: Bill_00 on July 08, 2013, 01:37:13 PM
Certainly looks the part. I guess the test will be how good your efficiencies are!

That is the next test. I still have some of the foil left over so might engineer some sort of coverall for during the mash.
Addicted Amateur

DJ: Empty
FV1: Ausie Pale Ale
FV2: Hefeweizen
Plans: Centennial SMaSH

sub82

Looks great! Where did you get your thermal foil from?

BrewBilly

Quote from: sub82 on July 08, 2013, 05:57:32 PM
Looks great! Where did you get your thermal foil from?

Chris, I got the foil from B&Q £13.99 I think, its a multi-purpose insulation. I did three layers on the tun and still have a few meters left to play around with. A quick question, would the 36l be sufficient to do a 23l AG brew? and would it be suitable for a stove top, or would a gas burner be recommended?

Addicted Amateur

DJ: Empty
FV1: Ausie Pale Ale
FV2: Hefeweizen
Plans: Centennial SMaSH

sub82

Cool will check it out!

Yeah definitely, we've made 25L in our 36L pot and there was still plenty of room.

Should be grand on the stove top depending on the strength of your stove - ours was definitely tested by the 25L. The only thing is ours never gets to a good rolling boil which is why i'm interested in the insulation.

matthewdick23

not sure you'd wanna go gas now that you have insulation on the outside

BrewBilly

Quote from: matthewdick23 on July 08, 2013, 10:06:46 PM
not sure you'd wanna go gas now that you have insulation on the outside

I was asking Chris about his pot size and if it was too heavy to go on the stove, I'm definitely not going to insulate the pot if I get one.

I think my next project would be to rice up making an electric boiler from a 33l FV with kettle elements and a tap, or just get a pot. Not sure yet.

Any thoughts?
Addicted Amateur

DJ: Empty
FV1: Ausie Pale Ale
FV2: Hefeweizen
Plans: Centennial SMaSH

matthewdick23

ah! makes sense, I was confused why you'd want to heat a mt!

Not sure, but don't think I'd use a plastic fv for boiling liquids. read a thread on another forum before how it split.

maybe others havent had a problem with it, though

BrewBilly

Quote from: matthewdick23 on July 09, 2013, 07:50:06 AM
ah! makes sense, I was confused why you'd want to heat a mt!

Not sure, but don't think I'd use a plastic fv for boiling liquids. read a thread on another forum before how it split.

maybe others havent had a problem with it, though

I am a bit torn as to whether I should get the 36l from Makro, or build an electric boiler.

The HBC do a boiler in a plastic 33l FV, looks like its their standard 33l fv with the kettle elements and tap inserted etc, worth a go?

Anyone else had experience using a plastic FV as a boiler?
Addicted Amateur

DJ: Empty
FV1: Ausie Pale Ale
FV2: Hefeweizen
Plans: Centennial SMaSH

Hop Bomb

Quote from: matthewdick23 on July 08, 2013, 10:06:46 PM
not sure you'd wanna go gas now that you have insulation on the outside

Im gas & have that stuff on my HLT & BK keggles. You need to do the first burn outside. That way anything that is going to burn or melt
wont stink your house out. Grand then after that. The bottom third kinda melts off but its hot there anyway because of the direct flame.
On tap: Flanders, Gose,
Fermenting: Oatmeal Brown, 200ish Fathoms,
Ageing: bretted 1890 export stout.
To brew:  2015 RIS, Kellerbier, Altbier.

sub82

Quote from: BrewBilly on July 08, 2013, 10:21:27 PM
I was asking Chris about his pot size and if it was too heavy to go on the stove, I'm definitely not going to insulate the pot if I get one.

It might be worth insulating the brewing kettle as Hop Bomb does. Ours never achieves a good boil so we're thinking of insulting the pot and using it as a HLT, mash tun and brew kettle!

Definitely test how strong your hob is - can you get approx 25-30kg of weight from somewhere? Ours seems grand but a weaker hob might not take it.

mr.drankin

I think gas is the best way,although  I made a mistake with my mash tun.  Its is a 70litre pot which leaves alot of dead space between grains and lid, even though I had insulated the pot with b & q foil it still lost 10c over 90 mins.  I have no way to heat this up gas or electric as its wrapped top to bottom in foil.

My next brew I made a dead space block, which consisted of cutting a circular piece of aluminium and wrapping and securing it in b & q foil.  Its pushes nicely down just above grains so the heat has nowhere to travel.
Cheers

mr.drankin

BrewBilly

Quote from: mr.drankin on July 18, 2013, 01:05:10 PM
My next brew I made a dead space block, which consisted of cutting a circular piece of aluminium and wrapping and securing it in b & q foil.  Its pushes nicely down just above grains so the heat has nowhere to travel.

That is a great idea to keep the heat in. Did you find an improvement in your heatloss this way?

I was going to use the extra foil to create a box-like covering for over the whole tun, but not sure if I'm going to bother, might try out a few brews first then adapt the build.

I did receive my 33l bucket so just getting bit and bobs together to get the boiler going. I am going to put a layer or two of foil wrap around it to minimise heat loss and speed up the time to rolling boil.
Addicted Amateur

DJ: Empty
FV1: Ausie Pale Ale
FV2: Hefeweizen
Plans: Centennial SMaSH

mr.drankin

I think I lost 1 degree with the dead space block,  The week before I lost 10 degrees without it.  I cant complain as the size of the mash tun, 2 handles,thermometer and valve in the sides which could also lose heat.

Cheers

mr.drankin