BrewCraftUSA kit question....? Or any extract kit question..

[Ozwald]

You'll also want to keep in mind that 5 gal is going to be harder to cool down than 3 gal, most folks will have some sort of wort chilling device in order to do a full 5.

I made my own 50' copper immersion chiller for this purpose. I plan to be in for the long haul. Check out my video I made this evening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD-YtjAuUmE

I plan to do this in a full boil, I also have a 10.5 gallon ss kettle, and it has a SS ball valve for discharge to! I already have the tubing. I tried to plan ahead.

You can buy a 2 gallon cylindrical water cooler for really cheap to use as a steeping vessel. You don't need a full 3 gallons to steep in; half of that volume will work just dandy. Not as much of a dandy as Spider, but dandy nonetheless.

[TheHamNerd]

You can buy a 2 gallon cylindrical water cooler for really cheap to use as a steeping vessel. You don't need a full 3 gallons to steep in; half of that volume will work just dandy. Not as much of a dandy as Spider, but dandy nonetheless.

My ole lady has a much smaller stock pot, it might be around 5 gallons, or less probably less. It is SS and I think I might try to steep in the kitchen on the stove while the rest of the water outside in my 10.5 gallon kettle is heating up. Then once steeping is done, I would move the water outside to my brew kettle where the full boil action will take place Let me know if I am off base here, but this sounds logical. Or I could go with the cooler idea since they do hold heat and cold well! Thinking outside the box!

[Ozwald]

You can buy a 2 gallon cylindrical water cooler for really cheap to use as a steeping vessel. You don't need a full 3 gallons to steep in; half of that volume will work just dandy. Not as much of a dandy as Spider, but dandy nonetheless.

My ole lady has a much smaller stock pot, it might be around 5 gallons, or less probably less. It is SS and I think I might try to steep in the kitchen on the stove while the rest of the water outside in my 10.5 gallon kettle is heating up. Then once steeping is done, I would move the water outside to my brew kettle where the full boil action will take place Let me know if I am off base here, but this sounds logical. Or I could go with the cooler idea since they do hold heat and cold well! Thinking outside the box!

It'll work, but I'd still go with a cooler for more stable temps if it's on the table. Dialing in the strike temp will be a little tougher with the stockpot (you can preheat the cooler off your main kettle, dump it back in, warm it up & strike), and a small volume between 1-3 gallons doesn't have a lot of thermal mass so you're likely to have slight trouble holding your temps up (not that it's all that critical for steeping grains, but it's helpful). You could use blankets, towels, sleeping bag, etc. to insulate the stock pot. I've heard of folks putting the pot in the oven on the lowest setting with the door cracked as well. You've got options, but the one time expense on a small cooler will be the cheapest & easiest in the long run. You can even - now or later - convert it into a mini-MLT very easily & cheaply for small batches, mini mashes or AG starters. It won't outlast it's usefulness.

[spiderwrangler]

I've heard of folks putting the pot in the oven on the lowest setting

+1 I do this if I'm running a steep or partial mash in the kettle. I thought Hammie might be the one who'd built the chiller, but I couldn't recall and was too lazy to check the threads.

[Ozwald]

I've heard of folks putting the pot in the oven on the lowest setting

+1 I do this if I'm running a steep or partial mash in the kettle. I thought Hammie might be the one who'd built the chiller, but I couldn't recall and was too lazy to check the threads.

I was just taking a guess. If I was wrong I was just going to insist he did & suggest he be screened for early signs of dementia.

[spiderwrangler]

I was just going to insist he did & suggest he be screened for early signs of dementia.

All those Ham waves make you guys all a little nuts.

[Ozwald]

I'm safe. The secret is to line the foil helmet with magnets!

[TheHamNerd]

My first homebrew 18 hours later!!! I had to insert a blow off tube, my airlock bubbled over and had just started to make a mess on top of my bucket. This is 18 hours after I finished the brew. I injected it with pure oxygen with a hepa filter and .5 micron stone. I am surprised it has taken off and showing this much action. I had to move it into a room that is a bit warmer, my cats were too curious, and I was afraid they would knock off the sir lock and contaminate my brew. I need to come up with a better plan for my brew if this room does not work out and my beer taste funny. I made sure everything was sanitized, and clean including my hands during the whole process. I even sanitized my airlock just a bit ago when I added this tube, and cleaned everything with solution. I have a bucket of solution on standby now with a lid on it just in case shit starts to get real!!! LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpPqD8OgpXk

I hope this wheat turns out well, I busted my ass to try to do everything right.