Mash tun kettle recommendations

[NicksMaint]

I have been brewing beer for quite a long time using extracts and doing some simple infusion mashing of grain in most recipes.

I would like to start using all grains and I am looking for some recommendations in purchasing a mash tun. It appears that a kettle like a Polarware would be a worthwhile investment, but I thought I would try and get some opinions before taking the plunge.

I only make 5 gallons of beer at a time, so it appears a smaller kettle will suffice (I think they are around 40 quarts).

If anyone has experience with a commercial brew kettle, I would be interested in hearing about your experience.

TIA.

[MichaelM]

Get a cooler.... from what I understand they make great mash/lauter tuns...

Moving to allgrain real soon and thats what I will be using

[Trogger]

I use a 6.5 gallon bottling bucket. It workes well. I highly recommend a false bottom.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

I use a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler with a Stainless Steel Braided Hose as a Manifold.

As far as a kettle I would use no less than 7.5 gallon on a Turkey Fryer, the begger the kettle the better.

[HogieWan]

I use a converted keg with a stainless false bottom. I have an identical setup for my kettle, except I have a thermometer on my MLT but not my kettle.

[Vienna Lager]

Use what ever is A&A. Go with the bucket in bucket system like Trog I think does or the rectangular cooler with either a SS braided hose for manifold like Otis. I use the cooler but had some spare 1/2" copper tubing laying around so made a manifold out of that. Some people use those round Gott type coolers and a SS screen as a false bottom.

What it comes down to is what can you afford and what is avaliable. If you have an old cooler and some copper tubing in your gargage and are somewhat handy with tools, make as much stuff as you can. If you are short on time, have a large amount of disposable $$$, and are a klutz when it come to handling simple shop tools, then go to the LHBS and buy all your stuff.

Easy of operation will only come with time and experience and efficiency will improve likewise.

[Trogger]

Originally posted by Vienna Lager
...Go with the bucket in bucket system like Trog I think does...

I actually use a SS false bottom in a bucket.
The A&A point is what I used. When I'm done saving money for my wedding and honeymoon (to occur May and June of '07, respectively) I plan to expand a bit and might get a cooler. From my experience with efficiencies, I think the round shape is better, so I'd go with a round cooler or bucket, depending on budget.

[Vienna Lager]

Congrats Trog on your upcoming marriage. That ought to be some reception with some decent home brew flowing.

[Mill Rat]

My wife and I had our reception at a local brewpub (America's Brewing Company, Aurora, IL). They have a section that's pretty much devoted to meetings and catered events, and they did one heck of a job with a nice package deal including food, cake, and of course open bar with all their craft brews (no BMC in sight!). Trogger, you might want to see if you can find a similar facility near you.

[Trogger]

Thanks for the suggestions. Actually, we are getting married in Florida, on a beach. I actually asked the resort if I could bring some homebrew in, and they said no, for liability reasons, so there won't be any homebrew at my wedding. Ah well. 'Tis not important. What's more important is that my future wife love micro and home brews and she's the one who encouraged me to start it. She's actually a hop head--loves those IPAs.
As for beer at the wedding, in general, I'm gong to encourage people to drink hard liquor, wine or bubbly... No offense to anyone from there, but Florida sucks for beer selection--at least on Sanibel Island. The "beer list" for this resort consists of Bud, Coors light, Heineken, and their "dark beer" (actually the way the lady put it) is Heineken Amber--and to top it all off, it's all served in cans. This is a very expensive, high class resort. Yech... So I actually negotiated it into the contract to get different beer (MGD and MGD light, since at least it's a beer from our home state) and am having them obtain it in bottles for us. Like I said, I'm going to encourage people to drink wine, etc. Heck, it is already paid for--flat fee open bar, same price per person regardless of what they drink, so have them drink the expensive stuff...

[dparsons]

I use a cooler as well. I do recommend the false bottom for more even flow, and a round tun. I've liked the idea of having a SS tun because of the ability to add heat easily. I haven't tried it, but may in the future.

[jandro]

I just did my first all grain batch using a 10 gallon coleman cooler with a Bazooka screen and a KewlerKit (sp?). It was a qiece of cake. Cooler only lost 1 degree of temp over a 1 hour mash. Got plenty of flow from this setup too, the cooler drained incredibly quickly. Also plenty of room to do big beers, which is mostly what I make. Only drawback with this setup was that there was a little wort trapped in the cooler below the outlet, maybe a cup or two. No big deal though, I still beat my target (Okay, I realize that shooting for 1.079 and getting 1.080 isn't beating the target by much, but I'm still excited.)

[toneyc]

Originally posted by jandro (Okay, I realize that shooting for 1.079 and getting 1.080 isn't beating the target by much, but I'm still excited.) [/B]

It ain't bad, either! I know I was getting about 55% eff. on my first 3-4 AG batches and was almost ready to give up and go back to all extract.

:)
Toney.

[thekulman]

I use a 54 q Coleman cooler to mash in and a bucket-within-a-bucket to lauter. Get about 70% eff, but I think that's due to draining too quickly.

I'm going to quit the bucket-bucket lauter tun because it's a drag to use and messy moving the mash from the cooler to it plus it won't hold the entire volume of sparge.

I'm going with the braided hose at the bottom of the coleman and will be able to add my full volume of sparge water to it, stir, let rest for 10 minutes, and drain.
From some reading I've been doing, with this type of full batch sparging, I don't have to worry too much about draining too fast.

I usually use 10 lbs. base plus specialty grains, so I don't really worry about eff., even the 70% with my old system gives me pitching gravities of 1.052 ish.

Kul

[jandro]

One other drawback of my setup is now I need to build a multi-tiered setup. Draining the mash into a bucket then lifting and pouring the bucket into the boil kettle sucks.

[danno]

Originally posted by jandro
One other drawback of my setup is now I need to build a multi-tiered setup. Draining the mash into a bucket then lifting and pouring the bucket into the boil kettle sucks. you need a pump... go buy a pump...

[thekulman]

Originally posted by jandro
...Only drawback with this setup was that there was a little wort trapped in the cooler below the outlet, maybe a cup or two...

Tip the cooler over towards the drain to get every bit you can out.

[stringy]

Originally posted by toneyc
It ain't bad, either! I know I was getting about 55% eff. on my first 3-4 AG batches and was almost ready to give up and go back to all extract.


Just out od interest, what did you change to increase your efficieny?? Or was it just a case of getting used to the set up?


Stringy