AG help please.

[Jack166s]

I need help,
I want to start all grain but for some reason I just don't understand. I am looking for some instructions to build equipment and some instructions on how to do this. I have brewed about 10 extract kits and want to up grade. I am sure when someone tells me in a way that I understand it will click. I also want to brew 10 gal batches.
Please help.
Jack

[BrewDog]

Jack-

I'd start by reading the all grain section on John Palmer's web site (http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/index.html)

In a nutshell, AG works like this:

You soak the grain in hot (150ish) water for about an hour. The temperature activates some chemicals in the barley malt that converts the starches into sugars.

You then strain off all the "juice", and rinse the grains to get more "juice". So, your mash tun is essentially a big strainer.

At this point, you are at EXACTLY the same point as having mixed a bunch of malt extract with hot water forming your wort.

That is an over simplified description of what happens, but it is accurate. As far as building equipment, the mash tun section of Palmers web site (http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD.html) will describe a way to make one.

The idea is to separate the grains from the juice, so anything that acts like a strainer will work. Some guys make them out of slotted pipes (like Palmer). Others use the stainless steel braided mesh that covers a washing machine hose. Others use a steel plate with a zillion holes in it (a false bottom). All these things do is allow you to strain out the juice.

There is a book called

Brew Ware: How to Find, Adapt & Build Homebrewing Equipment (http://www.amazon.com/Brew-Ware-Adapt-Homebrewing-Equipment/dp/0882669265/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/103-1758633-9479038?ie=UTF8&qid=1181525789&sr=8-1) That I bought that might help.

Do some research and then come back and ask away. You will find plenty of help here.

HTH-

[Mad Scientist]

And yuor LHBS will give you pleanty of help, unless they are snotty jerks.