I already showed Dave this, but I wanted to post this so I have some accountability to get this frankenstien created. I'll keep updating this as I get exact ideas on prices and progression.
I have a shop full of woodworking and some welding equipment that my grandfather left me. I used to use it all the time with him when he was alive, and this past year I made a promise to start using it more again. So this project kind of falls underneath that umbrella, even if I'm more a woodworker than welder.
Added bonus; theres a back room where the 4 wheeler, a wood chipper and a lawn mower were stored that I have no use for. Perfect place for a brewery! Only issue is no running water Hrmm :?
Basically, the aim is to create a three tiered brew system from some various materials. I've crafted up a few plansheets, and did some research into it. Hopefully, the aim is to make something similar to this:
The Frame:The frame will be crated from steel storage racks from Stor-it. We bought a bunch used from them for our company a few years back over half off the new price, and the shelving is all metal, which is neccesary to keep everything from falling and/or burning. If I recall the price was about 40 dollars per unit.
I looked at getting scrap metal and some metal bed frames to create a more customized height, but the storage racks have a really nice ability to be disconnected for travel and the shelves adjusted if the height needs any changes. The shelves can have holes cut into them as needed for burners, liquid lines, propane lines, etc.
Most of these units come in 72 inch heights. A single sided height of the unit shouldn't need to be more than three and a half feet, which means cutting the unit into a 42 inch and 30 inch side shelf should suffice in the total construction. Adding casters to be able to wheel the unit isn't necessary, but I'd like to try to do it, so the frame cost may be a little more than just the shelving, but not by much. I'm estimating 50$ total to create a frame.
The Burners:I'm on the hunt for burners at the moment. Canadian tire has outdoor fryers on for 50 dollars, which includes a complete frame and a 10 quart aluminum fish fryer. (Masterchef)
The frame looks like this:
I'm trying to find out if any of the propane/BBQ specialty shops in Saint John carry just the burners, without any pots. I Imagine they'd be ~40 bucks each. The burner frame is actually neccesary for this construction. It allows extra height on the hot liquor tub if the entire frame is attached, and by cutting a smaller hole than the burner, you can set the burner in the shelf itself for lower heights. And again, easy removal allows for easy deconstruction for travel.
Beyond the burners, a single propane tank with a three way valve allows for all three burners to run off one tank. The connections and the tubing might be a little pricey depending on length, so the goal s to try and keep everything compact. I've seen a dual splitter valve for around 30 or 40, so Im guessing 50 for a triway.
Total estimate cost for heating:
3 burners 120-150$
Propane fixtures: 75$
The Pots:The three pots will be the most expensive part of the whole thing.
The cheapest place online that I've seen so far is Home Brew Stuff. I've tried the Canadian sites but its super expensive....
http://www.homebrewstuff.com/servlet/th ... CategoriesPolarware 30qt Brew kettle 120$
Cheaper 32 qt Kettle 100$
8 Gallon Mash Tun 240$ w/ false bottom included
8 Gallon Hot liquor kettle with sight kit 206$
Total for pots = 550$.....ouch :|
And thats American. Plus the shipping which is quoted @ 130$...which I hope includes customs fees. If not, my wifes family has a camp on the stateside, and they stay there weekly in the summer, so I might be able to ship it to the border and them claim it...
If not, I'll look at Canadian site costs....
Alternative is to hit up either Moosehead or the Microbrews and see if they have any unusable Sanke Kegs, and convert them into boilers. The only purchase then is either weldless bulkheads, or taps and weld them into the kegs (Stainless steel welding is apparently harder though, and I'm still learning welding), which would cut the costs into about 70$ per keg for attachments, plus whatever's needed for a false bottom.
Plumbing:The last hurdle to tackle. Copper piping with quick release valves for easy cleaning. Pretty simple, just soder together and attach between pots.
Cost? 50$, depending on release valves.
Current Total Estimate:Tiered unit: Approx. 300$
Pots: 690$ (Kettles) or 210$+Kegs
