| Author |
Message |
    
Eric Lord
Junior Member
Username: Eric_lord
Post Number: 56
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 12:31 am: | 
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I brew 20gl. batches, so when a friend came to me wanting to brew in his small apt, I was short of answers. He is very intersted in all grain, and doesn't want to do extract. Basically, I would like some ideas on how others do all grain in their small kitchens, where space is at a premium.
Any ideas out there?
Eric. |
Wm John Ivey
Intermediate Member
Username: Fat_elvis
Post Number: 287
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 01:04 am: |
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First question is does he have a baloncy and can he use that space for a turkey fryer, if yes then everything is great if he'll do a dennybrew.
Otherwise trying to get the amount of water to temp might take a good day to brew.
John |
Brian Wickman
New Member
Username: Ringtheorist
Post Number: 4
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 01:27 am: |
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My tip is to not rely upon your stovetop burners to be able to handle an all-grain boil. If you have a balcony or patio, great -- do propane outdoors. Me, I don't have any outdoors space.
My solution was to go all-electric using a bunch of electric water heater elements. I first made sure this was kosher by opening the breaker box in my apartment and checking out the different circuits and their capabilities. I then mapped out which breakers corresponded to which outlets.
I am fortunate in that I have an electric range and two window A/C units, all running on 240VAC. The former is on a 40A circuit and the latter two are on 20A circuits (though the recepticles are NEMA 6-15, only rated up to 15A). I have two 3000W/240V elements that I use on the window A/C circuits and they can bring 8 gallons of wort from mash-out temperatures to boiling in under 15 minutes.
The alternative is to run maybe 2-3 elements off 120V on separate circuits. My kitchen has 3 120V/20A circuits (2 for outlets, 1 for disposal). It should be noted that if you use the disposal outlet, it is likely behind a switch and the switch is almost never rated as high as your element unless it's for very intermittent loads.
Two final points.. It's critical to make sure you don't overload any of your outlets. In one scenario, your breaker trips. In another, you fry your outlet or get an electrical fire. Either way, you won't have your beer at the end of the day. Secondly, for heating wort, make sure you use only low-watt or ultra-low watt density elements (<50W/sq.in). For heating water, anything goes.
If you can't modify a kettle to add electric water heating elements, you can built heat sticks. A very well-thought illustration of these is at
http://www.cedarcreeknetworks.com/heatstick.htm
Hope that helps!
brian |
Eric Lord
Junior Member
Username: Eric_lord
Post Number: 57
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 02:30 am: |
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Thanks for the info. Unfortunately this guy does not have a balcony, and has a very small kitchen. The heating sticks are an excellant idea.
What do you use for a mash tun?
And what about cooling, counterflow, or immersion?
I am trying to get this guy set up for little money, and little equipment. I have two of everything, but I brew in the garage.
Eric. |
David Woods
Intermediate Member
Username: Beericon
Post Number: 490
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 03:02 am: |
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Eric,
I have been brewing 5 gallons all grain in a one bedroom apt for 4 years. Buckets stack when not in use, I use a 5 gallon cylindrical cooler for a mash tun, and my bucket fermenter sits inside the 40qt boil kettle when I'm done (to condense the size and clutter and just in case it leaks!)
As for the boil, the 40qt pot fits over two burners, so I turn them on when I have about two gallons of wort collected and it is close to a boil by the time I am finished sparging.
I usually have a 6 to 6.5 hour brewday. It helps to put the water on before you even measure the grains out.
Now as to where to put the bottles? I have them stacked up in the large milk crates for space next to the closet.
Good luck,
David |
Belly Buster Bob
Senior Member
Username: Canman
Post Number: 2070
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 12:14 pm: |
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http://www.northernbrewer.com/allgrain.html
\
for small scale brewing, I think northern Brewer has some of the best "ready to use" gear out there. If he is somewhat handy he can put this stuff together himself.
I think it was Marty Tippin that put to gether an electric boiling bucket. I'll look for the link
Bellybuster Bob
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
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Belly Buster Bob
Senior Member
Username: Canman
Post Number: 2071
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 12:19 pm: |
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http://brewery.org/brewery/library/ElectBrKS0396.html
it was here all along
Bellybuster Bob
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
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Belly Buster Bob
Senior Member
Username: Canman
Post Number: 2072
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 12:19 pm: |
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by Ken Schwartz....sorry Ken
Bellybuster Bob
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
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ahancbrew1
Junior Member
Username: Ahancbrew1
Post Number: 84
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 01:24 pm: |
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I've been brewing all grain 5 gallon batches in my apartment for 10 years using a mush tun like this one this one and a 33qt. enamelware pot that sits on 2 burners of my electric stove. I made my own wort cooler from 50 feet of copper tubing from the local hardware store. I do have a 2nd refrigerator to ferment in, but it's not a requirement.
Andy |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 2048
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 02:22 pm: |
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If you use a pot that straddles two burners on the stove, be sure to place a double thickness of aluminum foil under the space between the burners when you boil.
In general, a gas stove is better than electric, but resourceful homebrewers manage to find ways to do the job. The heatsticks are a worthy alternative. |
Paul Hayslett
Advanced Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 623
Registered: 02-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 02:41 pm: |
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I brew in the kitchen when it is just too windy to brew outside. I, too, have found that a wide pot over two stove burners (gas in my case) works just fine, if a little slow. The biggest problem is venting the steam -- I put a fan in a nearby window pointing out. And boilovers are harder to clean up, so put a little anti-foam in just before it comes to a boil.
If he's *really* cramped for storage space, he can mash and lauter in his kettle with a Bazooka (tm) or some such for a manifold, catching the runoff in a bucket. One less large vessel to store.
My question: what will he do with the spent grain? |
J. Steinhauer
Intermediate Member
Username: Jstein6870
Post Number: 421
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 02:51 pm: |
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There is also no shame in 3 gallon brewlengths and partial wort boils for 5 gallons, which are probably the least complicated solutions. |
Bob Boufford
Member
Username: Bobb
Post Number: 203
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 02:52 pm: |
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Eric,
I live in a 14th floor apartment fortunately with a balcony. If the sun is shining and the wind blowing from the right direction, I can do brewing down to -18C (0F). But that always doesn't happen, so it's back to inside brewing.
I would recommend downsizing to 3 gallon batches when doing all grain. Actually, being in a small apartment, I would recommend 3 gallon batches for just about any type of brewing. My stove can handle a 5 gallon pot with 4 gallons of wort very well but struggles with 7.5 gallon pot and 6 gallons of wort. For mashing I have two 5 gallon round coolers that do a pretty good job.
As David mentioned, storage is often the bigger problem, which another key reason I stick with 3 gallon batches. Getting the equipment neatly stored is a challenge along with all the beer. Fortunately, 11 liter carboys are common around here. They are narrower and taller than the 2.5 gallon carboys (half-height 5 gallon carboys). The 11 liter carboys also fit inside a bottling bucket, the fermentation bucket or the 5 gallon coolers.
Most of my bottles are now 500 ml swing tops and I'm slowly shifting to mini-kegs also. The mini-kegs fit nicely in a typical apartment size refrigerator.
Bob |
George Schmidt
Intermediate Member
Username: Gschmidt
Post Number: 373
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 03:45 pm: |
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Like J. Steinhauer said, a partial boil AG is not only possible, it's really easy. Makes great beer, too. I've made 6 batches this way with no noticable darkening, or 'twangy' flavors. It works with one electric stove burner and cleanup is a snap.
Here is the procedure I use.
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss. ~~Robert A. Heinlein: The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
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