DIY vs AG Kit

But he’ll never reach his potential maximum because his tun is RED. :wink:

Blue is the best color for round tuns.

:cheers:

[quote=“mojoman67”]I just built this MT yesterday in about two hours which include two trips to Lowe’s and a lot of time standing in the aisle looking at valves.[/quote]Is the clamp holding the braid galvanized? If so, switch it out for something stainless.

Yes that’s the only piece that I don’t like in there. The big clamp on the inside is bronze (electrical conduit clamp) and that little one was in the same section only galvanized. Would a simple worm clamp be better?

Not sure about the problem with the length of the braid… any stories?

[quote=“mojoman67”]Yes that’s the only piece that I don’t like in there. The big clamp on the inside is bronze (electrical conduit clamp) and that little one was in the same section only galvanized. Would a simple worm clamp be better?

Not sure about the problem with the length of the braid… any stories?[/quote]

There’s a good chance the braid will tangle as you stir. Not to mention the fact that there is noth9ing to gain from a braid that length.

[quote=“Denny”][quote=“mojoman67”]Yes that’s the only piece that I don’t like in there. The big clamp on the inside is bronze (electrical conduit clamp) and that little one was in the same section only galvanized. Would a simple worm clamp be better?

Not sure about the problem with the length of the braid… any stories?[/quote]

There’s a good chance the braid will tangle as you stir. Not to mention the fact that there is noth9ing to gain from a braid that length.[/quote]

I actually did a double take as the reflection on the side of the cooler makes it look a lot longer than it really is.

[quote=“mojoman67”]Would a simple worm clamp be better?[/quote]Yes, a stainless worm clamp is the way to go.

[quote=“560sdl”][quote=“Denny”][quote=“mojoman67”]Yes that’s the only piece that I don’t like in there. The big clamp on the inside is bronze (electrical conduit clamp) and that little one was in the same section only galvanized. Would a simple worm clamp be better?

Not sure about the problem with the length of the braid… any stories?[/quote]

There’s a good chance the braid will tangle as you stir. Not to mention the fact that there is noth9ing to gain from a braid that length.[/quote]

I actually did a double take as the reflection on the side of the cooler makes it look a lot longer than it really is.[/quote]

Oh, yeah! That’s what I was seeing! Still longer than it needs to be, though!

Try “brew in a bag”. It’s the easiest way to go all grain, IMO. All you really need is a $50 turkey fryer and a large sack (“paint strainer”).

Agreed, Ive done 5 BIAB batches including one partygyle, so incredibly simple, and I don’t see these “low efficiency”, or hazy beer problems people always talk about. I regularly get high 70’s. Plus its so easy to adapt it for a quick sparge or partigyle. No mash tun to clean either.

Agreed, Ive done 5 BIAB batches including one partygyle, so incredibly simple, and I don’t see these “low efficiency”, or hazy beer problems people always talk about. I regularly get high 70’s. Plus its so easy to adapt it for a quick sparge or partigyle. No mash tun to clean either.[/quote]

+1! I routinely hit 75% eff with BIAB. And my Belgian IPA that’s on tap right now is clear as can be!

I’ve considered BIAB, but for the beers I brew it just seems like too much hassle. 20 lb. of dry grain, plus whatever weight is added by water, steaming hot, and I’ve got to lift it somehow. Some people have suggested a lift. That’s easier than a cooler mash tun with a hose braid? I think it’s a great system if you have no alternative, and I have no doubt you can make good beer with it, but I’m not interested.

Agreed, Ive done 5 BIAB batches including one partygyle, so incredibly simple, and I don’t see these “low efficiency”, or hazy beer problems people always talk about. I regularly get high 70’s. Plus its so easy to adapt it for a quick sparge or partigyle. No mash tun to clean either.[/quote]

Being that runnings aren’t split from the mash tun like a typical partigyle, how are you accomplishing this?

[quote=“dsidab81”]Being that runnings aren’t split from the mash tun like a typical partigyle, how are you accomplishing this?[/quote]I don’t partigyle with BIAB, but all you would need to do is to use the mash as the first runnings, then dip the grain bags in a second kettle of water to remove the remaining sugar. I would then add at least a little of the “first runnings” to the second kettle to beef it up.

Agreed, Ive done 5 BIAB batches including one partygyle, so incredibly simple, and I don’t see these “low efficiency”, or hazy beer problems people always talk about. I regularly get high 70’s. Plus its so easy to adapt it for a quick sparge or partigyle. No mash tun to clean either.[/quote]

Being that runnings aren’t split from the mash tun like a typical partigyle, how are you accomplishing this?[/quote]

I account for the EXPECTED lower efficiency(due to not squeezing) on the main beer, then, when I pull the grains from Mash “A”, I put them in a kettle with warm water for beer “B” and let them sit for about 10 mins, give it a stir, a lil agitation, then pull the bag and squeeze it. Sometime I augment beer “B” with some LME to up the gravity a bit. I have 2 house recipes that are brewed with the same grains, and IPA for me, and then the partigyle Brown Ale(with 3.15 lbs or Dark LME added) for my wife.

Denny, considering 20 lbs of grain, I’m guessing you do 10 gal batches? I agree with you there. I don’t think you’d find me doing BIAB with anything over a 5 gal batch, but then again I have not tried…yet. And on the lift aspect, I have a handle on my bag, so I attach it to a hook hanging from my garage ceiling, I just let it hang a drip for a couple minutes, then give it a squeeze.

Cheers!

[quote=“shredd3r”]

Denny, considering 20 lbs of grain, I’m guessing you do 10 gal batches? I agree with you there. I don’t think you’d find me doing BIAB with anything over a 5 gal batch, but then again I have not tried…yet. And on the lift aspect, I have a handle on my bag, so I attach it to a hook hanging from my garage ceiling, I just let it hang a drip for a couple minutes, then give it a squeeze.

Cheers![/quote]

Actually, my average 5 gal. batch , like the Rye IPA, is more like 17 lb. Close enough. And even though you don’t use a lift, hanging a hot, wet, heavy bag of grain from a hook in the ceiling isn’t my idea of fun or easy! I think if I was brewing 2-3 gal. batches in the house, BIAB might be a viable alternative for me. But for what I want to accomplish, I don’t think I can be convinced BIAB is a better or easier alternative.

[quote=“Denny”][quote=“shredd3r”]

Denny, considering 20 lbs of grain, I’m guessing you do 10 gal batches? I agree with you there. I don’t think you’d find me doing BIAB with anything over a 5 gal batch, but then again I have not tried…yet. And on the lift aspect, I have a handle on my bag, so I attach it to a hook hanging from my garage ceiling, I just let it hang a drip for a couple minutes, then give it a squeeze.

Cheers![/quote]

Actually, my average 5 gal. batch , like the Rye IPA, is more like 17 lb. Close enough. And even though you don’t use a lift, hanging a hot, wet, heavy bag of grain from a hook in the ceiling isn’t my idea of fun or easy! I think if I was brewing 2-3 gal. batches in the house, BIAB might be a viable alternative for me. But for what I want to accomplish, I don’t think I can be convinced BIAB is a better or easier alternative.[/quote]

lOL, it doesn’t need to be better or easier when it’s less efficient. :wink:

cheers

Guess I’m too accustomed to single kettle brewing to think of doing a second dunk for another beer!!!
I’m guessing it would be easy enough to add a bit of base grain and/or some specialty to entirely change the second beer…with adding more base possibly letting the 2nd mash for at least 30.

+1000. I’ve tried the rest, this is the best.

I’m about to go all-grain and have been pondering the same question. I already had a 10 gal Rubbermaid (round orange) cooler. Just a question of whether to buy the conversion kit. In the end, I went ahead and bought the Northern Brewer kit along with the boil/lauter screen in order to do batch sparging.

I probably could have saved a few bucks building it myself and using the water-supply stainless steel braid. But I decided that I would have enough to think about with the new brewing process without also having to worry about my DIY build and it was worth a few bucks to limit my headaches.

I just picked the stuff up at the Minneapolis store yesterday and plan to assemble it all this weekend. Also picked up a couple of kits - Sierra Madre Pale Ale and British Bitter. I can’t wait to get started. :smiley:

Just built my first Denny-tun and am itching to use it. Used the SS braid (and hatchet!) but my cooler didn’t have a spigot so… 7/8" spade bit to punch through the side, 2 rubber 5/8" grommets on inside and outside wall, 4" of 1/2" cpvc and one 1/2" cpvc valve. Sounds like a bit, but super simple construction and the braid just expands onto the 1/2" cpvc. Do need to upgrade to a SS worm clamp I guess from reading previous posts.