Category Archives: DIY

How-to articles covering the building of brewing related gear.

Mash Filter

False Bottom / Mash Filter

DIY, , ,

Contributed by Jonathan Zbikowski.

Yo check this out.  I was grinding my grains too fine with a Corona mill and cordless drill, plus I had a stuck mash for the original Big Barrel Brew with 40lbs of grain – Sucked!  I’ve been using rice hulls but is not a good situation when I forget to buy them, so I took Ben Evans idea of using a window screen over his false bottom to prevent clogging and merged it with Wade’s hop filter.

Continue reading False Bottom / Mash Filter →

Stir Plate for Homebrew Yeast Starters

DIY, ,

 

Contributed by Anthony Lopez.

Disclaimer: DO NOT WORK ON LIVE CIRCUITS. Your power supply should not be plugged in until you have completed the construction of this SPECIFIC build CORRECTLY. Electricity can kill you, regardless of the voltage applied.

Your “Cheap and Easy” Stir Plate:

Parts:

  • I used a 6 volt Cell Phone charger as my power supply. Most of us probably have gone through a few cell phones over the last couple years, and just about any one should work in the 5-12 volt DC range. (They are all DC current)
  • 4 inch computer fan. Mine was 12 volts DC.
  • hard drive magnets. I only used one. You can also buy rare earth magnets online from a number of vendors. Neodymium magnets are cheap retail if you can’t find an old hard drive to scrap.
  • 2 inch diameter steel washer.
  • Some scrap wire will be helpful, however we’ll only need about a foot of black and red wire.

Continue reading Stir Plate for Homebrew Yeast Starters →

Kettle Hop Filter

Kettle Hop Filter

DIY,

Contributed by Wade Hicks.

Here is my homemade hop filter in action.  In case someone wants to build their own hop filter, the parts list is as follows:

  • 12″ x 24″ sheet of type 304 stainless steel cloth, 26 x 26 mesh.  McMaster Carr part #85385T719

  • Type 302/304 stainless steel safety lock wire, 0.015″ diameter, 1/4# spool.  McMaster Carr part #8860K11

  • 3/8″ soft copper tubing,  approx 8″ with 90 degree bend and flared on one end

  • 1 brass 3/8″ flare nut

To construct the filter,  Continue reading Kettle Hop Filter →