So, it's not big, and it's not particularly shiny, but a long time ago I promised to post pictures of my set-up for doing my 1 gallon batches. I have limited space, hence the tiny batch size, but that also allows me to experiment with out wasting large quantities of ingredients, so that once I get more space I will know what to brew! The small batches are a great learning curve for me - I went straight to AG and not regretted it!
Here's what I put together:
I started out with two food-grade plastic buckets (with lids - will get back to that later), took off the handles and cut off the knobbly bits that the handles attach to:
I drilled an awful lot of holes in one:
Yes, i nearly cried before I was done, took a few rounds to get done, but I got there!
I drilled one hole in the centre of the other to take a 15mm tank connector:
Next step was to install the tank connector - I added in an extra rubber washer, so that there is one on the inside and one on the outside. Better safe than sorry, and I had one lying about anyway! Didn't need the olive that came with the tank connector as I would be adding an internal compression reducer:
Here's the connector installed:
Then came a moment's madness: I decided to try and get away with using a bit of syphon tube with the compression joint - needless to say, it didn't work, couldn't stop it leaking... Well, best not to dwell on it! On with the build!
After having come to my senses, I needed a 2in piece of 10mm Microbore copper tube, which I didn't have! However, THBF came to the help in the form of evanvine - thank you, thank you, thank you! So after receiving a helping hand, I got on with it. The pipe piece was cut in half and each half soldered to either end of a solder ring elbow fitting. The bits before sawing and soldering:
Here the bits have been attached to the tank connector using the internal compression reducer:
Then I attahced a bit of the tubing from the afore-mentioned syphon using a jubilee hose clip:
Now on to the shiny-ish part - the cooler keg:
The little tap was removed:
To make sure that the pipework underneath the plastic bucket from before doesn't get ruined, I made this contraption for it to rest on - as the bottom of the cooler slopes, I had to add dowels with holes drilled at different depths to the legs of the (former) microwave grill (recycling at its best!). The orange bits are the protecter from the legs of the grill, now protecting me from scratching myself!
I then popped the grill in the cooler, the bucket with pipework on top of it and fed the tubing out through the hole where the tap previously was. The little tap that came with the syphon was attached to the tubing with another jubilee hose clip, and some more tubing was in turn attached to the tap's outlet - again using a jubilee hose clip:
All that remained was to pop in the second bucket - the one with all the little holes!
And that was it! Worked a treat on brewday, though I did struggle a bit with maintaining mash temperature during my first mash. The second mash that day seemed to do better. So I decided to make a proper lid for the buckets inside the cooler. I used the lids that had come with the two buckets along with a wooden blinds acorn and a screw. I added insulation to the lid in the form of bubble wrap, hot-glued to one lid, and covered with alu-foil. I also added insulation to the outside of the bucket with pipework, and I have taken to filling the void in the cooler under the bucket with some of those styro-foam bits you get in parcels, plus pre-heating the tun with hot water. I now have no problems maintaining the correct mash temperature! I haven't taken any pictures of the up-grade work, but can do if anyone's interested!
Oh, and if this post doesn't qualify for this section, feel free to move it! Cheers!
Dennis
Here's what I put together:
I started out with two food-grade plastic buckets (with lids - will get back to that later), took off the handles and cut off the knobbly bits that the handles attach to:
I drilled an awful lot of holes in one:
Yes, i nearly cried before I was done, took a few rounds to get done, but I got there!
I drilled one hole in the centre of the other to take a 15mm tank connector:
Next step was to install the tank connector - I added in an extra rubber washer, so that there is one on the inside and one on the outside. Better safe than sorry, and I had one lying about anyway! Didn't need the olive that came with the tank connector as I would be adding an internal compression reducer:
Here's the connector installed:
Then came a moment's madness: I decided to try and get away with using a bit of syphon tube with the compression joint - needless to say, it didn't work, couldn't stop it leaking... Well, best not to dwell on it! On with the build!
After having come to my senses, I needed a 2in piece of 10mm Microbore copper tube, which I didn't have! However, THBF came to the help in the form of evanvine - thank you, thank you, thank you! So after receiving a helping hand, I got on with it. The pipe piece was cut in half and each half soldered to either end of a solder ring elbow fitting. The bits before sawing and soldering:
Here the bits have been attached to the tank connector using the internal compression reducer:
Then I attahced a bit of the tubing from the afore-mentioned syphon using a jubilee hose clip:
Now on to the shiny-ish part - the cooler keg:
The little tap was removed:
To make sure that the pipework underneath the plastic bucket from before doesn't get ruined, I made this contraption for it to rest on - as the bottom of the cooler slopes, I had to add dowels with holes drilled at different depths to the legs of the (former) microwave grill (recycling at its best!). The orange bits are the protecter from the legs of the grill, now protecting me from scratching myself!
I then popped the grill in the cooler, the bucket with pipework on top of it and fed the tubing out through the hole where the tap previously was. The little tap that came with the syphon was attached to the tubing with another jubilee hose clip, and some more tubing was in turn attached to the tap's outlet - again using a jubilee hose clip:
All that remained was to pop in the second bucket - the one with all the little holes!
And that was it! Worked a treat on brewday, though I did struggle a bit with maintaining mash temperature during my first mash. The second mash that day seemed to do better. So I decided to make a proper lid for the buckets inside the cooler. I used the lids that had come with the two buckets along with a wooden blinds acorn and a screw. I added insulation to the lid in the form of bubble wrap, hot-glued to one lid, and covered with alu-foil. I also added insulation to the outside of the bucket with pipework, and I have taken to filling the void in the cooler under the bucket with some of those styro-foam bits you get in parcels, plus pre-heating the tun with hot water. I now have no problems maintaining the correct mash temperature! I haven't taken any pictures of the up-grade work, but can do if anyone's interested!
Oh, and if this post doesn't qualify for this section, feel free to move it! Cheers!
Dennis
