• My gravity and muscle powered free form cooler based all grain setup.

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    My setup is a basic 5 gallon cooler based all grain system, with no pumps or tiered stand. I typically brew 2.5 - 3 gallon beers with it. I use a smaller (BIAB) setup for indoor brewing, or low gravity batches.I hope to build a more permanent setup, using induction, pumps, and some 8-10g kettles.

    Water -     I filter my pepperell town tap water using a 10 inch filter housing with a carbon block filter. I've had this sent off for testing at ward labs.

    Hot Liquor tank / BIAB Pot / Small batch kettle
    I use the 7 gallon aluminum pot from my turkey fryer setup. It now has a ball valve, and thermometer. It has enough volume for batch sparging my full sized all grain batches and boiling 3 gallon batches. The aluminum pot also functions as the pot for my brew in a bag setup. I use a 5 gallon bucket bag in it and can brew a decent gravity 3g full boil batch.

    Cooler Lauter / Mash Tun
    A converted 5 gallon igloo circular cooler. It is using a stainless false bottom. It was easy to assemble, reasonably priced. When I was using a mesh braid I found I always had to use rice hulls. I no longer do.
  • Hot Side Continued
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    Brew Kettle
    My large brew kettle is a 10.5 gallon (42.5 quart) Polarware Brew kettle with two piece ball valve, a dip tube, and false bottom for whole hop and trube blocking. I have also added a brewmometer which is pointless for a boil kettle, but it looks nice.

    Burner
    This is a cheap walmart turkey fryer. I have modified it to negate the 15 minute timer. It runs terribly rich, and I can't get a well adjusted flame despite polish the runners on it.

    Immersion Chiller
    A 50 ft coil of copper, wound around a keg until it's a nice round shape. I then secured the shape with copper wire and a cut up high temp hose. Two hoses are attached with worm clamps. One of the hoses has a garden hose adapter to connect to a water source. One of the easiest and first DIY brewing projects I succeeded at.


  • Cold Side, Service, Etc.
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    Fermentation Vessels and Temperature control
    I use glass carboys, and will be slowly switching over to better better bottles. To maintain fermentation temperature, I use a water bath consisting of a large rubbermade container, and a fish tank heater. This works for 68+ fermentations, which is on the high side of ale temperatures. However it's better to maintain a higher consistent temperature than to have a lower but swinging temperature. I look forward to building a fermentation chamber using a dual stage temperature controller and a chest freezer or dorm fridge in the future.

    Keggerator
    I converted a 5 cfg freezer that a friend gave me to a 2 faucet keggerator. It can hold about 15 gallons of beer, I currently have 5 kegs, 3 5g ball lock kegs, and 2 2.5g stackable kegs ball lock kegs. The keggerator is functional but far from a show piece.

    Brewing Day Box
    One of the Most helpful additions to my brew day has been adding a brew day tool box. I am using a workforce tool box. It has to divided boxes on top with easy access to my kettle salts, whir flock tablets, hose clips, etc. The top tray has some tools like a screw driver for worm clamps, my thermometer, refractometer, ruler, and bbq starter. Below that I keep my hydrometer and testing jar, hop bags, my scale, iodine, hop bag hanger, and my chef alarm. Basically one place to find everything I need on a brew day in an easy to transport box.