Caveman Engineering

[yardglass]

feast your eyes on the Caveman Engineering Mash Tun.

a total of $38.00 and 30 minutes labour.




i'm going to make use of the MSB 11.5lt Carboy and do a 10lt AG.

cheers
yard

[gregb]

That stainless steel mesh, what do I ask for in the hardware shop?

Thanks,
Greg


BTW - Good to see you wearing the safety boots in the production area.

[yardglass]

1/2F'' X 1/2F'' X 450mm Strongflex.

Stainlees Steel Braid. Water Connector.

cut the ends off and pull the rubber insert out with a pair of long nose pliers.

yard

[Ed]

No leaks and drains off quite fast.

Yard, I'm impressed. This looks good. Easier than having to make a manifold out of copper.

Couple of questions. Does the braid clog and when you say fast drainage, is it slow enough to do the job?

Cheers, Ed

[yardglass]

thanks Ed,
i'll have to let you know about the clogging issue after it's maiden voyage.
saying that, i think it must work ok because there are a lot of Tuns out there that are using it.
if clogging is an issue i'll make up a T-piece and add another length of braid.

the sparge rate is easily controlled by the tap, i had it running at under a litre a minute in a wet test yeserday.
i'm thinking of using an idea from one of the guys here for sparging, a 2lt jug with a plethora of holes in the base, or maybe just batch sparge.

it's a bit primitive but it'll do..

yardy

[Dogger Dan]

Yep,

Had a chat with a guy about the stainless braid elsewhere, it works fine for him. Stuck a sparge on a big wheat but normally all is good. I like the manifold, wouldn't solder it next time though, easier cleaning.

This looks like a good system, bet it makes damn fine beer.

Dogger

[recharge]

is that a rubber bung?
If so will it impart any horrible rubber taste?

Richard

[yardglass]

thanks Dogger,
how do you remedy a stuck sparge btw ?

nothing is soldered btw, everything pulls apart for cleaning.

recharge,
yeah it's a drilled rubber bung from HBS, i guess i'll find out about any rubbery taste, but i don't think it will be a problem.

yard

[Ed]

the sparge rate is easily controlled by the tap, i had it running at under a litre a minute in a wet test yeserday.
it's a bit primitive but it'll do..

Didn't even consider the tap Must be because the neighbors rooster woke me up at 5.30 yet again, my brain's not in gear today.

I reckon it's not primitive at all. Simple ideas are usually the best. I'd like to make one for myself. Discovered I've a perfect mill laying around at work. It's a tripple roll mill, fully adjustable for roller clearance, running off 3 phase, and geared down for slow speed. Was originally used for milling plastisol inks and pigments.
Maybe a bit overkill for grain, but hey it'll work

Cheers, Ed

[yardglass]

Discovered I've a perfect mill laying around at work. It's a tripple roll mill, fully adjustable for roller clearance, running off 3 phase, and geared down for slow speed. Was originally used for milling plastisol inks and pigments.
Maybe a bit overkill for grain, but hey it'll work

Cheers, Ed

what a find !!!!!!!

thats next on the list.
(i'll swap you a brand new Tun for the Mill).

yard

[Ed]

what a find !!!!!!!

thats next on the list.
(i'll swap you a brand new Tun for the Mill).

yard

Nice try, but I think I'll keep the mill

Cheers, Ed

[yardglass]

Didn't think you'd go for it.

make sure you post a pic when you're done, always good to compare ideas.

i'm thinking of wrapping the tun in bubble wrap and then gaffa tape over that to see if i can get it to hold the heat a bit more efficiently.

it dropped about 5*C over 60min, not certain what the norm is ?

yardy

[Ed]

Actually don't have much to do re getting it ready except a good clean up and maybe stick a larger hopper on it. When I've got my shit together, I'll see if a few members in Perth want to make a batch of crush. She's quite a big machine, the rollers are solid steel, probably 6cm diameter x 30cm long and I guess the whole thing weighs in at around 100kg

5C drop doesn't sound like much to me, but then again never having done it, I wouldn't know. Was that drop measured after a pre-heat of the turn? I have read that a pre-heat with hot water will help with retention.

I'm also making use of bubble wrap to help hold 21C for ales in out-of-fridge brewing. Seems to be helping. I have the fermentor sitting in a larger rectangular plastic bucket with ice blocks in the base. The bubble wrap is jammed in the gaps. Temp stays very stable.

Cheers, Ed

[yardglass]

being a boily, i'd be interested in having a look at the mill, how the rollers are set-up etc for a reference.
60mm dia X 300mm rollers,
mate, that is some serious crusher give up the printing and go full time Milling....
seriously though, if you ever found it too big you could probably cut the whole roller set in half and make two out of it.

you reckon the drop in heat sounds ok ?
it was after a pre heat with very hot water.

yardy

[Ed]

Buggered if I know, like I said, never had any experience. You probably already have this info below.

The dimentions of the rollers are a guess, I'll try and remember to take a pic and true measurements when back at work on Monday and post it so you can have a look.
Cheers, Ed

16.1 Single Temperature Infusion
This method is the simplest, and does the job for most beer styles. All of the crushed malt is mixed (infused) with hot water to achieve a mash temperature of 150-158F, depending on the style of beer being made. The infusion water temperature varies with the water-to-grain ratio being used for the mash, but generally the initial "strike water" temperature is 10-15°F above the target mash temperature. The equation is listed below in the section, "Calculations for Infusions." The mash should be held at the saccharification temperature for about an hour, hopefully losing no more than a couple degrees. The mash temperature can be maintained by placing the mash tun in a warm oven, an insulated box or by adding heat from the stove. The goal is to achieve a steady temperature.
One of the best ways to maintain the mash temperature is to use an ice chest or picnic cooler as the mash tun. This is the method I recommend throughout the rest of this section of the book. Instructions for building a picnic cooler mash/lauter tun are given in Appendix D.
If the initial infusion of water does not achieve the desired temperature, you can add more hot water according to the infusion calculations.

[yardglass]

thanks, i hadn't read that.

[Dogger Dan]

Stuck sparges,

I do a nasty thing, I put my lips around the hose and blow back, "holy crap Dogger you will oxidize your beer" I hear being cried out in unison.

Never had it happen so until I do, blow back for me.

Dogger

[yardglass]

holy crap Dogger you will oxidise your beer.

but if it sticks, i will blow.

thanks mate
yard

[Shaun]

Stuck sparges,

I do a nasty thing, I put my lips around the hose and blow back, "holy crap Dogger you will oxidize your beer" I hear being cried out in unison.

Never had it happen so until I do, blow back for me.

Dogger

I find this interesting twice in a couple of days in different threads by different people oxidation has been raised as an issue before the yeast has been pitched. When yeast is pitched it needs oxygen in the wort to help it multiple quickly and reduce the lage time. Some brews even go to the extent of pumping pure oxygen into the wort before pitching the yeast to insure there is sufficient oxygen in the wort to give the yeast a nice environment to start in. Others splash the wort around to oxygenate it.

Now we know that yeast needs oxygen when first pitched so why worry about oxidation prior to pitching the yeast, worry about it after the yeast has started fermenting.

[Ed]

Yardy, I sure got the roller size wrong . They are actually about 160 x 70. Here's a pic with the cover off the gearbox. That's just a little bit of surface rust and years of dust on the rollers which will easily polish off. Notice the monster pulley (it belt drives from a big 3 phase motor housed underneath). Like I said it'll be overkill

Cheers, Ed