SLO Brewer

Dave July 27th, 2008

All the major construction on my new brew sculpture is complete. It’s based on the MoreBeer 1550 except it’s equipped for 5 gallon batches with Blichmann Boilermaker kettles. Also, since I was going for a smaller size I skipped the complexity of the tippy dump mash tun.

Here are a few pictures:

My New Sculpture. Three 10 gallon Blichmann Boilermakers, a 1×2 metal frame, plumbed propane, levelers, and hose rack

A Smoker BBQ Cover Fits Nicely

I still have a few things to complete this week:

• Attaching the March pump (it’s currently in my ammo box setup but I’ve got a nice stainless mounting bracket)
• Putting together the silicone hoses with quick disconnects
• Installing the third burner (just waiting on it to arrive from George)
• Upgrading the regulator (it’s currently a fixed pressure regulator that’s way under what I need. I’ve ordered an adjustable 0-30 PSI one.)
• Mounting the Ranco temp controller

The overall height is just perfect as I planned it so I can easily see into the mash tun.

Some time in the future I plan to upgrade the following:

• Add a control panel to hold my temp controllers and perhaps a float switch
• Add automatic ignition for the burners
• Upgrade to an ASCO valve on the HLT so I can control the burner with a temp controller

I did all the construction myself. Total cost without the pump and kettles was roughly $300 for all materials and consumables. Of course that assumes you’ve got access to a MIG welder and chopsaw, the skills or willingness to learn, and roughly 12 hours.

I’ve got a cutlist and a Sketchup file of the sculpture. Contact me if you’d like copies. Updated: I’ve made a follow up post with these docs: http://www.slobrewer.com/2008/07/29/brew-sculpture-details/

Dave.

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