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Author Topic: I REALLY need a brew stand!  (Read 5443 times)

Offline lbrewski

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I REALLY need a brew stand!
« on: March 11, 2011, 05:57:22 pm »
After looking at the video I made of my new sparge arm in action (see below) I realized that I just can't take it any more.

The set up shown in the video is when I'm brewing in the garage, when I drag everything out to the back yard (on a nice day) I use my built in BBQ side burner to fire the HLT. But it takes SO much time to set this up not to mention so many trips when I use the back yard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgXlB-xcfbI

I'd opt for the Blichman but it won't fit down the narrow opening on the side of the house. So I have been designing a stand that I can make out of Superstrut pieces, but I wish there was a 3 tier stand that was reconfigurable that I could just buy.

Offline Will's Swill

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Re: I REALLY need a brew stand!
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2011, 07:25:47 pm »
Some details about your process may help with answers.  It looks like you're using a cooler for your HLT so you don't need a burner there, right?  Though you mention you do use a burner in the backyard, so perhaps you do want a separate burner for the HLT?  And then it appears that you're using a kettle for a mash grant and pumping the wort somewhere.  Where is the wort being pumped?
Is that a counter-pressure bottle filler in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Offline euge

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Re: I REALLY need a brew stand!
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2011, 12:14:25 am »
You want something easy to roll around?

The pump fills the hot liquor tank- I think. And is involved in chilling maybe. Your spritzing idea is so simply elegant that I want to quit batch sparging lol.



The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline lbrewski

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Re: I REALLY need a brew stand!
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2011, 10:11:47 am »
The primary use for the pump is during whirlpool chilling, but the garage set up is single burner so I use the pump to move strike water into the mash tun and sparge water into two coolers. The small cooler is actually a mini-mash tun that is doing duty as a HLT, the rest of the sparge water is added from the 2nd cooler when it runs low.

The backyard setup utilizes a 7.5 gal kettle as the HLT:



This is the system during chilling, a pond pump in an ice bath helps when I get below 100f




The pump is also used to transfer wort into the fermenter, a ball valve keeps the flow rate down to avoid disturbing the cone:



So I really do want a two burner stand at first and to move up to 10 gallons as the next step. I need it to be in-line (narrow) and on casters.

The sparge arm worked out well, I have batched sparged and that worked too but got comfortable with fly and prefer it so this was a good addition to the system. The brackets are funky, need improvement but functional. Here the underside of it:



And one more shot of it in action:



Offline beersk

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Re: I REALLY need a brew stand!
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2011, 09:11:09 am »
Sweet, looks like you got a nice setup already.  What size is that cooler that the 6.5 gal carboy is sitting in?  I wouldn't mind getting one of those for fermenting in the summer when temp control is a little more difficult...
I'm pretty happy with my cooler and kettle setup; getting a little tired of hauling carboys and kettles full of wort around though...
Jesse

Offline lbrewski

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Re: I REALLY need a brew stand!
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2011, 09:47:02 am »
The cooler is a 60 Qt Igloo, does make it easier to move the carboy around. During warmer months I set up  temp control using a pond pump and second cooler with a immersion chiller in water with ice bottles. The pump is connected to a Love controller. Change the 2 liter ice bottle twice a day. I'll try to find pics of the set up when I get a chance.

Offline beersk

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Re: I REALLY need a brew stand!
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2011, 11:49:31 am »
Right on.  I've been looking for a new way to move carboys full of wort around, getting sick of carrying those buggers!  Thought about just getting a cart and putting them on there.  Also, would like to use one for the full kettle.
The cooler might also act as a little fermentation chamber by using a piece of insulating foam on top of the carboy with a hole in it for the neck/airlock.  Might look into that.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2011, 11:51:44 am by beersk »
Jesse