going AG esky advice

Beerdrinker32 · Post by **Beerdrinker32** » Friday Sep 29, 2006 11:29 pm

what would be the best type of esky for a mash tun? round or rectangle? any brands to avoid? am planning on doing 22l batches, what size would be optimum? thanks

starting off batch sparging, hoping to achieve better beers

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 3:08 am

I use a round 19 Litre with a copper manifold

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 6:19 am

My first one was too big, and without it being full of grain, couldn't maintain mash temp.

Beerdrinker32 · Post by **Beerdrinker32** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 8:27 am

cheers dogger im out to buy me one of those round ones and copy your manifold

and chiller

was thinking about a massive esky and 3foot long manifold

Beerdrinker32 · Post by **Beerdrinker32** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 8:29 am

where do you get those floating thermos from?

yardglass · Post by **yardglass** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 8:35 am

have a look at this cheap and quick tun

i only knocked it up as quick way to get into grains, not very attractive but it does the job.

cheers

yard

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 12:25 pm

I think i might grab myself a round one to, i have a rectangle esky but dont really want to dedicate it to AG as i still use it so for the minimal cost ill just grab one and use it for brewing only

Thats a snazzy manifold dogger

BierMeister · Post by **BierMeister** » Saturday Sep 30, 2006 5:42 pm

I can only recommend for all those who are thinking of starting AG to look at http://www.howtobrew.com Its by John Palmer the author of the same book and its free to look at and print off. It has great ideas for mash tuns etc and will give you a more scientific out look to making one.(round vs retangle, and spacing for the manifolds)

I get no commision for this, but it helped me to make that big step into the AG world a bit easier and my beer tastes better because of it.

Oh yeah, and did I say it's FREE

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Sunday Oct 01, 2006 1:40 am

I actually used Palmer a fair bit when I got started. He recommneds a small esky and fly/flood sparging, I agree with him. I also like a very deep grain bed, it really minimises any shance of channelling.

By the way, the slots for my manifold are underneath.

Dogger

50% Mogman · Post by **50% Mogman** » Sunday Oct 01, 2006 9:21 am

Beerdrinker32,

Livingstone Labs.....
http://www.livingstone.com.au/main.aspx?cat=lab
Supplies all sorts of beermaking (laboratory goodies).
They are located in Botany, sydney.
Delivery is free if you purchase over $100.oo worth of stuff.

You must log in to see the prices in the e-catalague.

Beerdrinker32 · Post by **Beerdrinker32** » Tuesday Oct 03, 2006 5:43 pm

cant find any round eskys bigger than 15L

anyone help? gonna check vinnies for a bargain! or should i just get a rectangular one?

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Tuesday Oct 03, 2006 5:59 pm

Beerdrinker32 wrote:cant find any round eskys bigger than 15L anyone help? gonna check vinnies for a bargain! or should i just get a rectangular one?

I got myself a 20 litre willow from bunnings ( round of course) for $60
Its a good brand and the only thing that is different from most is that it has the bunnings colour and logo on it but it will be put to use in the shed so i suppose it sort of fits

Beerdrinker32 · Post by **Beerdrinker32** » Tuesday Oct 03, 2006 11:23 pm

are eskys the go for a lauter tun? or would a modified 50l keg be better?

Beerdrinker32 · Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 12:05 am

just googled mash tuns using the image search,some heavy tuns out there!!! lookin pretty complicated

Ed · Post by Ed » Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 12:10 am

You can even use a plastic bucket if you want. The easy thing about a cooler is they are insulated, so are great for keeping the heat fairly constant during the mash. I think if you go too big, it would lead to extra heat loss and a shallower grain bed. So the 50 litre keg would be OK for a large batch, but maybe not so good for smaller runs. It would pay to insulate the keg if going that route. Some people use them and often in conjunction with a HERMS (heat exchange recirculated mash system).

A bucket-in-bucket system works, but I can't vouch for how well comparred to a cooler. I know a brewer who uses a system like that. The top bucket has large holes drilled in the base and a piece of shadecloth goes over this and is secured in place by a metal ring. This acts like a false bottom. He swears by it. And by the way, he has all the good gear at his disposal but still uses this system.

Cheers, Ed

Beerdrinker32 · Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 12:19 am

thanks for speedy reply ed! i meant using the 50l keg for heating and storing the sparge water

would the esky be preferable to this? think im gonna go a round25L esky for my mash tun

and a modified 50L keg to boil the wort

Ed · Post by Ed » Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 12:54 am

Ah OK, your talking about a HLT (hot liquor tank), not a lauter tun which is essentially your mash tun. Yes use whatever you can for the hot water. I use a 48 litre pot with immersion heater.

Think I've put up this link on this site already for this but if you want a look at mine, there's a thread here http://brodiescastlebrewing.com/index.php?topic=544.0 Scroll about halfway down the page for the photo of pot and heater. I'm very happy with the heater. It's portable so I didn't have to worry about fixing a heater element to the HLT. Prior to this, I was heating the mash and sparge water in 2 x 15 litre pots on the stove.

For me, I wanted the convenience that the immersion heater and big pot gives. If the temp of the water drops, just flick the switch and the heater soon gets it up again. Unfortunately everything costs $.

Cheers, Ed

Beerdrinker32 · Post by **Beerdrinker32** » Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 1:04 am

thanks again ed! im gonna buy one of those babies

this site has corrupted me something chronic

let the brewery building commence

Ed · Post by Ed » Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 10:44 am

Where are you located BD32? It would be handy to see how someone has set their system up or watch an all grain in progress. I'm sure that if you wanted to, you'd get offers because every brewer I've met is more than happy to share their knowledge. I was lucky enough to have Grabman show me how he brews, made all the difference because you can read all you like but it all falls into place in practice.

Cheers, Ed

Beerdrinker32 · Wednesday Oct 04, 2006 11:36 am

im out on th northern beaches of sydney,would be keen to check out an ag brew being done!