Campsite Mash Tun Build

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barneey
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Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:08 pm

Following on from my Campsite brewday thread, I really want to brew on a few more campsites. The trouble is that the 50l Thermopot I used last time is a little on the big and heavy side + takes up a lot of room.

I was after an igloo cooler box to convert into a new mash tun but couldn't buy one at a sensible price, then I thought about using just a normal rectangular cool box with a copper manifold but again those were expensive to buy.

I was gifted by another member a few years back a rather nice Stainless pot which I used on my last adventure as the HLT. Having a HLT on a campsite brew is a bit of a luxury so why not convert the pot to a mash tun :D

There doesn't seem to be many "old style" build threads on JBK anymore so thought I would take the time whilst making the MT to take a few photos of the build this morning.

Rather al lot of photos so will spread over a couple of posts.

The pot had a bottom skirt to it, I wanted the outlet as low as possible in the pot whilst still being able to use a brewpi 1/2 nut (best nuts available). so the skirt had to be modified first. Next was actually making the tap hole, whilst still making sure everything would fit. I couldn't find a commercially available false bottom and the spare blichmann one I had was too big so had to make my own.

I still need to make the silicone gasket & put some feet on the FB + strip the whole build back down for a clean up.
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Last edited by barneey on Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:08 pm

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Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.

Name the Movie + song :)

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:09 pm

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Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.

Name the Movie + song :)

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:49 pm

Making the gasket for the FB, which will be left to cure over night.
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Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
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FUBAR
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by FUBAR » Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:25 pm

barneey wrote:
Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:49 pm
Making the gasket for the FB, which will be left to cure over night.

IMG_9753.JPGIMG_9754.JPG
Is that one of the seals from a GF grain basket ? .
I buy my grain & hops from here http://www.homebrewkent.co.uk/


I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me - Winston Churchill

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:15 pm

:D :shock: :D :shock: Err no those bloody things are horrible :D :shock: :D :shock: It has to be the least favourite thing on the Grainfather bloody stupid gaskets, I really don't like them, too easy to spring off even when using a lubricant :wink: (that and ability of the GF to scorch stuff to the element when it thinks your not looking :) )

This is more of a heavy duty gasket which whilst does take up more room doesn't tend to spring off at every available opportunity. I have thought about making one for the GF malt tube but that would probably involve reducing the diameter of the perforated plate to allow for the extra thickness of the gasket.

I have also used on many build a simple piece of silicone hose spit down the middle, this also works but the gasket I use now is far superior IMHO.

The gasket is from Braumeister it is used as a seal on there stainless(or copper) domes for the BM 20 / 50 range (might even be the on 10 if they have a dome available?).

As I had a spare gasket or 2 I just cut them down to suit what I am building, note to "glue" them first cut to length smear the glue over both pieces and place together (don't stretch at this point). After say 24hrs using scissors' cut down the line (the glue will be in there. Then stretch over the FB then smear some additional glue over the joint. Leave for 24 hours and trim off any excess glue. = Good heavy duty gasket which will also take up any irregularities on the FB / pot, if there are any + it shouldnt spring off if you have your dimensions right, will provide a good seal.

I haven't bothered to look if you can buy lengths of the gaskets, you must beable to somewhere, if anyone finds lengths for sale please let me know :)
Last edited by barneey on Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Hops, cider pips & hello.

Name the Movie + song :)

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:17 pm

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BTW I believe the GF people are bring out a new style of FB / gasket. Fingers crossed its better than the original one.
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.

Name the Movie + song :)

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:46 pm

Just checked on my gasket and its firm. I have ordered some bolts + flanged nuts + domed nuts + a ring pull from ebay to make the offset for the FB. Will fit those sometime during the week before a complete strip down to tidy the mechanics of the build up.

Insulations wise :D a single skinned pot as a MT isnt going to work that well, so will be using a mixture of neoprene sleeves + a dinosaur FV jacket to keep the heat in. Ideally will be testing with just water first to see how it copes with heat retention. Plus being a camping set up the dinosaur FV jacket has enough room for a single elcheapo sleeping bag wrap so multi purpose. Anyone remember the days of a plastic bin + bright red hot water cylinder jacket? :D

Storage wise this pot did used to fit in the 50l boiler, I will need to check if it still does with the tap fitted.

Next up will be the HLT, the thinking is that a separate HLT is a luxury on a campsite brew so it means either a large water carrier or use the wort no chill keg as a water carrier /heat the HLT water in the boiler to say 80c+ transfer back to keg (this will cool until needed) lay keg down choc bloc the keg either side fit tap + hose to sankey and let gravity do the rest (not spear in sankey for the keg is very short - no floats in sankey tap). On the first brew I had cleaned & steamed the keg ready for the wort but in theory wort at 100c - will do.

Just need the time to finish the project, next weekend is the Green Hop brewday at home & the following week the B/Stairs food fest with hopefully some interesting green hopped beers + a meet up with fellow JBK members. Also need to finish my canvas brew tent (another story 50 year old canvas tent purchase (think Carry on camping bright orange tent & Terry Scott with buck shot in his errr Butt) + still trying to find a reasonably priced canvas tarp.

If I had enough room in the car I would also love to take my cold smoker with me again smoking your own malts is another story all together.

Sorry for all the waffle, its a fun project :lol:
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.

Name the Movie + song :)

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:54 pm

Finished work a little early today, as I have a busy weekend I thought I would finish the FB offsets.
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FUBAR
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by FUBAR » Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:27 pm

barneey wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:17 pm
IMG_9756.JPGIMG_9758.JPG

BTW I believe the GF people are bring out a new style of FB / gasket. Fingers crossed its better than the original one.
That does look a very sturdy gasket you have made , I have tried to make one for my GF false bottom but everything tried has been too bulky including a GF grain basket gasket . Yeah a new improved gasket would be ideal .
I buy my grain & hops from here http://www.homebrewkent.co.uk/


I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me - Winston Churchill

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barneey
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by barneey » Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:34 pm

:wink: this FB is a very tight fit, I had to spray with water to get the thing to sit. Did the gasket move [-X nah of course not

If I have time, I'll work on the Jacket over the weekend but with the hop harvest + brew day + bottle swap bottles + tent water proofing I think think I'll have enough time.
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MashBag
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by MashBag » Sat Oct 02, 2021 4:36 pm

Gaskets.

I like silicone pipe. You can buy the wall thickness you want. 2/3/4 mm.
Sticky tape it to the bench and slice 1 wall. Voila gasket.

If you push down 2cm from the edge a false bottom / filter plate etc will just pop up & come out easier than drawing them up like a syringe.
Last edited by MashBag on Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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floydmeddler
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Re: Campsite Mash Tun Build

Post by floydmeddler » Sun Oct 03, 2021 12:23 pm

NICE!

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