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here is my take on ag brewing its what i have will try and add pics after next brew
Ag brewing on the cheap
This is how I did it may not be correct.
Hlt (hot liquor tun) was easy it’s a lidl fruit preserver. Mash tun is a 28ltr cool box bough second hand has a hole drilled and a tank connector and ball valve. The strainer is a piece of outer stainless braided hose. Being into cars had some lying about.
Boiler is a 65ltr fermented (£14 Karl)and 2 asda kettles(£5 each) tank connector and ball valve hop strainer another bit of braided stainless. To use kettles just drill 2 38mm holes in fv and disassemble kettles. Put silicon grommet in hole in fv. On the outside half of kettle remove top metal ring and twist bottom one till you can remove pin then twist it back into place. I use printer leads as they fit and are rated at 13amp do not use computer leads as they are only rated at 7 amp or less. Usually it’s printed on plug what the rating is.
Buy grain from online at £23 per 25kg hops are £1.99 per 100g.
For a basic brew I add 15 liters of water to lidl boiler, cause I have a combi boiler I just put hot water in and the temp controller on boiler is marked at 72deg C when this is reached most is added to mash tun then grain is added and stirred as it is being added to try and stop dough balls once grain is in a temp reading is taken and more hot water added to get to 66deg. Once this temp is achieved the lid is put on and covered with sleeping bag. Wait 1 hour then get another 20ltr of water and put in hlt. Wait for it to get to temp 72deg. When this is achieved I remove lid from mash tun and I use a plastic biscuit box which fits neatly in my mash tun, which I have punched lots of little holes. With boiler on floor attach hose to output on tun and put jug in boiler and hose into jug. Then slowly open tap till liquor flows. I return first few liters to plastic box in mashtun then let rest flow into boiler. Adding water from hlt to biscuit box to keep mash tun full continue to all water used. Tilt mash tun to get last later from it. Then the boiler is started on both elements. Once boil reached one is switched off. Add 1st hops and wait 1hour 15 mins then add profolec tab and second hops. After 15 mins switch off boiler. I then lift boiler onto work bench and connect sanitised hose into sanitized fermenting vessel. And jug is used to collect 1st few liters of wort and returned to boiler the rest is drained to fermenting vessel. I did try cooling in bath etc but now just put lid on and leave overnight to cool. I don’t have water in loft is the problem. In summer I intend to use a shed to brew which will have access to water so will probably try an immersion chiller. After it has cooled I add yeast and leave to ferment usually 5 to 7 days then transfer to a better bottle and leave for another week or 2. Then siphoned into a cornie and 60g sugar added. Left in warm for 2 weeks then shed for at least 4 weeks.
<a href="http://s739.photobucket.com/albums/xx31/iantevans/?action=view&current=102_1910.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx31/iantevans/102_1910.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
mash on
sparging
the boil on one element
full set up
Ag brewing on the cheap
This is how I did it may not be correct.
Hlt (hot liquor tun) was easy it’s a lidl fruit preserver. Mash tun is a 28ltr cool box bough second hand has a hole drilled and a tank connector and ball valve. The strainer is a piece of outer stainless braided hose. Being into cars had some lying about.
Boiler is a 65ltr fermented (£14 Karl)and 2 asda kettles(£5 each) tank connector and ball valve hop strainer another bit of braided stainless. To use kettles just drill 2 38mm holes in fv and disassemble kettles. Put silicon grommet in hole in fv. On the outside half of kettle remove top metal ring and twist bottom one till you can remove pin then twist it back into place. I use printer leads as they fit and are rated at 13amp do not use computer leads as they are only rated at 7 amp or less. Usually it’s printed on plug what the rating is.
Buy grain from online at £23 per 25kg hops are £1.99 per 100g.
For a basic brew I add 15 liters of water to lidl boiler, cause I have a combi boiler I just put hot water in and the temp controller on boiler is marked at 72deg C when this is reached most is added to mash tun then grain is added and stirred as it is being added to try and stop dough balls once grain is in a temp reading is taken and more hot water added to get to 66deg. Once this temp is achieved the lid is put on and covered with sleeping bag. Wait 1 hour then get another 20ltr of water and put in hlt. Wait for it to get to temp 72deg. When this is achieved I remove lid from mash tun and I use a plastic biscuit box which fits neatly in my mash tun, which I have punched lots of little holes. With boiler on floor attach hose to output on tun and put jug in boiler and hose into jug. Then slowly open tap till liquor flows. I return first few liters to plastic box in mashtun then let rest flow into boiler. Adding water from hlt to biscuit box to keep mash tun full continue to all water used. Tilt mash tun to get last later from it. Then the boiler is started on both elements. Once boil reached one is switched off. Add 1st hops and wait 1hour 15 mins then add profolec tab and second hops. After 15 mins switch off boiler. I then lift boiler onto work bench and connect sanitised hose into sanitized fermenting vessel. And jug is used to collect 1st few liters of wort and returned to boiler the rest is drained to fermenting vessel. I did try cooling in bath etc but now just put lid on and leave overnight to cool. I don’t have water in loft is the problem. In summer I intend to use a shed to brew which will have access to water so will probably try an immersion chiller. After it has cooled I add yeast and leave to ferment usually 5 to 7 days then transfer to a better bottle and leave for another week or 2. Then siphoned into a cornie and 60g sugar added. Left in warm for 2 weeks then shed for at least 4 weeks.
<a href="http://s739.photobucket.com/albums/xx31/iantevans/?action=view&current=102_1910.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx31/iantevans/102_1910.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
mash on
sparging
the boil on one element
full set up
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