Mash Tun - I realize now that I aligned the cross pieces in the wrong direction, but it works great. First run through it took a looooooong time to drain, so I drilled out the holes to a larger diameter. Second run through was great! Picked up the cooler used for $10, hinges were broken, who cares!
I have a similar setup, but I drilled a hole in the bottom the drain. I lose very little wort. I soldered a washer to a 1/2"x3" nipple with a homemade silicone washer to make it water tight. Added a valve.
Has anyone cut a 55L/15g keg (you know the full sized ones) cut one to about 40L/10g kettle? I did cut the top off one to use for a HLT but don't think i need a full sized one for boiling 30L/8g of wort.
I boil 7.5gal in mine all the time. Left the handles on and cut inside them. Can only actually fit 14gal so not really to bad of overkill.
Repurposed the first kettle I ever bought. Took me some time to figure out what size and brand it was however I finally found it. When I first started all grain, I thought I would do more 10 gallon batches however 7 years later, I've done maybe a handful of them. So, I initially purchased a 50 quart Concord kettle - 12.5 Gallon capacity. Since upgrading my system and moving to keggles, that kettle was used here and there depending on what was clean, etc on brew day. Since last spring I've been using a 10 gallon HD Cooler and a 9" false bottom. I had an epiphany and said, "why can't I use that as my mash tun!?". I was having some slight recirculation issues with the HD Cooler and I was contributing it to the height of it. The kettle is a bit wider and it won't be as deep so I'm hoping that'll help. I've been doing fine with a false bottom that doesn't cover the entire bottom so I'm eager to test it out on my next brew day. I'm going to add a port for recirculating and going to try out a 3-4' section of tubing, similiar to the Electric Brewery's mashtun.
found a better way to use these cheap jugs as a fermentation vessel , thermalwell in the cap and blow off on the vent
Wanted to show progress of the Recirc port install. I also tore down the mash tun to clean the valve and fittings, etc. I also replaced the old red gasket with a clear silicone one for a cleaner look. Here's the temperature probe T. I made it so that I can move it around in the system for mash temps and also to watch cooling temps so I know when I can start the transfer to the fermenter. Interior of Mash tun with line and false bottom Valve and fittings cleaned with new gasket
You never cease to Amaze me Snook! I think I know what I'm building next! Now you've go that hooked up to both your gas and liquid side of the keg right?
Yup, both sides same time. As long as you have some restriction on the main line, it seems to push plenty of volume through both simultaneously. Thanks Trialben
Looks good, how did you do the posts off the pump? I need to add those into mine and am at a bit of a loss on the best way to do it.
Yeah those buckets are handy! 3/4 female garden hose adapter. Here's the list of parts. Found out today with a run with PBW that though the pump is submersible, it's rubber is breaking down. Need to find a way to keep it out of solution for sanitary reasons.
Hmm you used a different design than me, I have a sump pump going straight up so I need to do some brazing most likely. I also need to actually go to Home Depot or somewhere and remember to get parts for a change.
I could imagine that the PBW might "affect" the rubber. Is the pump itself rubber clad? Or is it the rubber hoses that are breaking down?
