I'm tempted to do AG

[Benson_JV]

Will do, thanks Steve

I need a job, this equipment lark is expensive

[Benson_JV]

Parents are now okay with me brewing AG as long as i pay myself
Went to get a Argos coolbox today, the £14.99 one, sold out

I'm going to pop into hooties on the weekend. Is there any problem with using any old cool-box that's large enough?

[boingy]

The quality of the insulation varies, especially on the cheaper ones, but it's nothing that an old coat/quilt/sleeping bag cannot cure.
If you are on a severely limited budget you can syphon the wort out of the mash tun rather than fit a tap but will still have to arrange a grain strainer of some sort to stop the syphon tube from blocking.

[sparky Paul]

Went to get a Argos coolbox today, the £14.99 one, sold out

I'm going to pop into hooties on the weekend. Is there any problem with using any old cool-box that's large enough?

What about going down the 'camping mat insulated fermenter' route? I think that works out quite cheap, and they are very effective.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19813

[Benson_JV]

Hmm an interesting point Paul.

The 7 gallon FV would be suitable would it not, with a ball valve, or perhaps even with the original? I heard that the ball valves are better though?
Linky

Thanks Guys!

[sparky Paul]

The 7 gallon FV would be suitable would it not, with a ball valve?
Linky

That's exactly what I was considering, I've got one of those same buckets sat doing nothing.

[Benson_JV]

I would say how much do you want for it
Except i think postage would kill me off

I think then, that i shall buy one of those, stick with the old tap for a while til i get money, and use Daabs plate

[yashicamat]

Ball valves are nice but not essential. For a mash tun, you could probably get away with the standard white top tap fitted on FVs, but ideally it should be the black top one.

Ball valves can cost quite a bit once all the fittings are in - I have ball valves on my boiler and HLT, but the only reason for the boiler was because the orange tap on it kept coming loose (and I was redesigning the strainer anyway so thought may as well change it) and the HLT had no tap and I wanted a precise control on it.

You're welcome to the orange tap I've got if you want (suitable for boiling liquids etc.), but you'll need to source a backnut and a washer for it. There's nothing wrong with it per se, I just wanted to improve on it.

[Benson_JV]

Well to begin with then i'll stick with the original fittings.

Thanks for the offer yashicamat! I'll see what i can do when i get more money, then i might get that one off you, and fit a Ball valve tap to the boiler.
Just have to wait for that friend of mine to come back from holiday so i can get him to order the 60L bucket from H&G for the boiler for me

[yashicamat]

Well to begin with then i'll stick with the original fittings.

Thanks for the offer yashicamat! I'll see what i can do when i get more money, then i might get that one off you, and fit a Ball valve tap to the boiler.
Just have to wait for that friend of mine to come back from holiday so i can get him to order the 60L bucket from H&G for the boiler for me

No problem. It doesn't save you much but every penny counts when you're trying to fund a hobby with no income! My main hobby (and still is a main one) at your age was photography, you can imagine how much fun that was to try and buy things for! Remember this was pre-digital too, so I was buying reels of film, developing liquids etc.

[Benson_JV]

Ouch, i can imagine that was fun spendings

my hobbies seem to be the most expensive. I'm an avid audio technician/musician, so i've spent well over a grand or so on instruments/amps/etc
and now brewing as well

Just have to talk my dad now into ordering the mashtun FV from hop & grape for me

[yashicamat]

Ouch, i can imagine that was fun spendings

my hobbies seem to be the most expensive. I'm an avid audio technician/musician, so i've spent well over a grand or so on instruments/amps/etc
and now brewing as well

Just have to talk my dad now into ordering the mashtun FV from hop & grape for me

I'm sure you'll sort it out. Yep, I'm much the same too, guitarist here with similar spend issues .

[Benson_JV]

Let's hope this AG business is as good as you guys say it is

Thanks for the help so far guys, i'll keep you updated

[Parva]

Let's hope this AG business is as good as you guys say it is

Thanks for the help so far guys, i'll keep you updated

I've done kits many years ago and it was always 'homebrew', it had that twang and whilst I was happy to drink beer for 20p a bottle or whatever it never matched even the lowest beer I could get at the pub. Having been made redundant and getting a sum of cash I decided to wander into AG brewing and I can safely say that everything I produce is at least as good as anything Wetherspoons will serve and probably miles better!

You'll never look back!

[Benson_JV]

Right Here's a list of what i plan to get:

Code: Select all

7 Gallon Bucket With Tap - Mash Tun - Hop & Grape - £11.99

10 Gallon Bucket With Element & Ball Valve Holes - Boiler - Hop & Grape - £17.99 (Providing holes done by John = free)

Shallow Plastic Plate - Grain Stop - Camping Shop - 99p

Brass Tank Connecter - Grain Stop - Screwfix - £1.49

Copper - Immersion Chiller/Misc Piping - Cheapest Place

Kettle Elements - Boiler - Argos - £4.79 x2

Is that all that i need (apart from ingredients ) to start?

How much copper & what size for the IC and Daab's mash tun false bottom?

Thanks!