Did you know that a £3 Ikea splatter guard is the only thing you might not already possess that is stopping you from
making a stainless-filter grain bucket? I've been using one as a filter in my thermopot and they are excellent quality.
Why not spend 15 minutes fettling yourself a VGB (Vacant Grain Basket)?
As I have two splatter guards I also made a grain-proof mesh lid should I need to submerge the basket, but in my 50 ltr boiler with today's 23 ltr brew length I didn't need it.
The splatter guard forms a tight fit as you push it into the bucket at around 24 cm from the top. To secure it, I drilled some holes and threaded strimmer line to form a supporting web. I want to replace that with something specified as food safe (suggestions? fishing line?)
The splatter guard rests on the web. I had to cut the 30 ltr "Euro" bucket's plastic handles back and decided to make a wire lifting handle from a coat hangar.
The next picture shows the bucket in 32 ltr of water before the grain was added
The picture below shows the bucket draining on two aluminium poles from a window cleaning kit.
* I got my boiler second-hand. It was used as a HLT and the elements are mounted quite high
* You can see from the wort residue the mash came to about 6cm from the top - no need for a mesh lid for a 4.5 Kg grain bill
HOWTO make a VGB:
Stuff the splatter guard down into the bucket until it forms a tight and level fit
Mark and drill four or more holes just below the guard
Run some line through the holes to form a supporting web
For a 50 ltr pot cut back the bucket's handles a bit with a stanley knife
For a 50 ltr pot cut off the base of the bucket about 3cm from the bottom so the boiler lid will close over the bucket lid (if you want a lid)
Now cut out a space for your boiler tap/bazooka filter - not too generous, to help keep the bucket from twisting
Now cut out a wider space for the element(s) - a few cm space to stop the plastic touching
You may want a wire coat hangar handle, align the holes for this with the handles of the boiler - another check to keep the plastic away from the element
That's it. I also cut shallow notches so the aluminium draining poles don't slip around.
In use I recirculated with a 5 ltr jug when I needed to add heat. I overshot the mash temp doing this at around 45 mins so decided to just continue with a mash out.
I suppose applying heat in short bursts then letting it stabilise is the answer?
Anyway, that's the first prototype working great. Let's have your suggestions, questions, improvements!
HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
Last edited by vacant on Mon Jun 26, 2017 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget
Re: HOWTO: VGB lid
Place the splatter guard on the lid. It is too large to fit on the flat part of the lid
Work around the lid, cutting out notches such that each "tab" has about a 2mm recess
Cut out the flat part of the lid but leaving a border of a couple of mm
The splatter guard should snap under the tabs
Flip the lid over and make the stainless/plastic boundary grain-proof by forcing a piece of thin hose around the gap. I used spare hose from my RO filter system
Work around the lid, cutting out notches such that each "tab" has about a 2mm recess
Cut out the flat part of the lid but leaving a border of a couple of mm
The splatter guard should snap under the tabs
Flip the lid over and make the stainless/plastic boundary grain-proof by forcing a piece of thin hose around the gap. I used spare hose from my RO filter system
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget
-
- Telling imaginary friend stories
- Posts: 5229
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:49 pm
- Location: Cowley, Oxford
Re: HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
Copper wire pulled from some old 2.5mm sq twin n earth could perhaps replae the strimmer string?? a bit of copper in the brewkit can be beneficial on the hot side..
I especially like the simplicity of the drain stand solution.
Great application of budget materials for a premium brewkit solution ..
I especially like the simplicity of the drain stand solution.
Great application of budget materials for a premium brewkit solution ..
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Re: HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
Thanks. 2.5mm copper is a good idea. When I was planning I thought another solution would be a few metal rods in parallel, bent with pliers at the ends.
After posting, I splurged £1.80 to get 5m of 1mm marine grade stainless wire rope from eBay. Maybe I'll spin a proper looking spider web when that arrives.
After posting, I splurged £1.80 to get 5m of 1mm marine grade stainless wire rope from eBay. Maybe I'll spin a proper looking spider web when that arrives.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget
-
- Under the Table
- Posts: 1793
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:52 pm
- Location: Wombwell (South Yorkshire)
Re: HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
Good idea... Homebrewers are great at making something from Bits N Bobs...
"Brewing Fine Ales in Barnsley Since 1984"
- - - - - - - 30 years (1984 - 2014)- - - - - - -
Pints Brewed in 2021......... 104
Pints brewed in 2018.. 416
Pints brewed in 2017.. 416 - Pints brewed in 2016.. 208
Pints brewed in 2015.. 624 - Pints brewed in 2014.. 832
- - - - - - - 30 years (1984 - 2014)- - - - - - -
Pints Brewed in 2021......... 104
Pints brewed in 2018.. 416
Pints brewed in 2017.. 416 - Pints brewed in 2016.. 208
Pints brewed in 2015.. 624 - Pints brewed in 2014.. 832
Re: HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
Time on my hands so I made a howto web page.
edit: zoho sites will stop being free soon so that page will go
edit: zoho sites will stop being free soon so that page will go
Last edited by vacant on Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget
Re: HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
I’m liking this idea, much cheaper than a £170 grain basket
Re: HOWTO: Vacant's £3 stainless mesh grain basket
The plastic strimmer cable showed no signs of stress but I swapped it for marine grade steel cable for peace of mind.
I was still using the VGB for the occasional BIAB up to a few months back when I sold all my shiny stuff (boiler, thermopot mash tun and corny kegs).
All my brews are now BIAB though I've reverted to using a grain bag as the basket doesn't fit well with the heater element layout in my old larger plastic boiler.
For the last brew I added a pulley and a sturdy hook in the carport roof to leave the grain draining over the boiler.
I was still using the VGB for the occasional BIAB up to a few months back when I sold all my shiny stuff (boiler, thermopot mash tun and corny kegs).
All my brews are now BIAB though I've reverted to using a grain bag as the basket doesn't fit well with the heater element layout in my old larger plastic boiler.
For the last brew I added a pulley and a sturdy hook in the carport roof to leave the grain draining over the boiler.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget