Electric BIAB

1. Anyone else using a 20L urn?

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   First post by Tanga, 15 years ago

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   Is there anything specific I need to know... besides the smaller batch sizes. :evil:
   
   I'm looking forward to this. All I need is the swiss voile for my grain bag and a thermometer (and a free fermenter) and I'm set to go. I've enjoyed steeping and adding my own hops. This next step looks even more fun.

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   Yeah, I saw that Ralph. Cheers. The smaller batch sizes aren't really a problem (in fact, considering my limited space they are probably going to be a blessing). But it is good to know that a full sized batch is doable. I was going to start with a pale ale, so I could go maxi for that. I don't know yet. I want to ease into AG. I saw your urn. Nice score.
   
   Thanks Joshua. I have been reading through the forums. I think some kind of lagging (plus wool blanket) might be the go, but I'm not sure...
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   Last post by Tanga
   15 years ago
2. BIAB trolley 'rigs' for electric brewers

   4 Replies 8885 Views

   First post by Cameron, 15 years ago

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   My BIAB setup consists of a 30L Birko urn which sits on top of two milkcrates, underneath a pulley with a cleat on the wall. This system works great but there's something that I want to tweak.
   
   Sometimes the urn may not be completely centred underneath the the pulley. In this case the bag comes out slightly off centre and I slide the milkcrates over a tad. When I have over 20L of mash at 78 degrees an accident at this point could be bad. I've been looking at all the different BIAB stands and...

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   No I'm still using the milk crates and waiting to run into a bargain somewhere...
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   Last post by Cameron
   15 years ago
3. I Call it Brewus Maximus

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   First post by DK1, 15 years ago

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   Thought I would share my shiny new setup.
   20110625-140358.jpg
   It’s a 120L aluminium pot with a SS 2 piece ball valve.
   Coming from a 40L pot that has served me well over the past 4 years, and since I am brewing more and more I thought it was time for a BIG upgrade!
   
   Happily I can report that my first brew was a total success, I brewed JZ's mild from Brewing Classic Styles using a combination of The Calculator and BeerSmith 2.0 (after seriously setting it up properly for BIAB, thanks to...

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   Hi,
   yep I have a 2:1 pulley to get the bag out without breaking my back.
   No chill in a couple of 20L cubes and ferment in a 60L fermenter, which just fits in my fermenting fridge!
   
   Cheers
   
   DK, could you please post a picture of your 2:1 pulley?
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   Last post by shibolet
   15 years ago
4. belgian tripel advice - in 40l urn

   2 Replies 6289 Views

   First post by bcp, 15 years ago

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   my holy grail of brewing is piraat ale, the most sublime drink on the planet. So why wait, have a shot at it. It's a monster with 1.101 OG.
   
   So i'm thinking of ways to achieve this:
   1. Use LDME to help achieve OG because urn is too small : I figure i'm not going to fit 8 kilos of grain and will seriously compromise efficiency with so much grain in the urn. So, i'm thinking i'll mash with a large base of pilsner & speciality grains, but then also buy some DME and top it up to get to the 1.101...

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   Hey BCP
   
   Hope you can sort this one out. I have no advice, but would be interested in how it goes. Am partial to the Belgian ales, and would like to do a dubbel or tripel. :luck:
   
   Cheers
   
   BD
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   Last post by big dave
   15 years ago
5. New twin Urn System

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   First post by Beachbum, 16 years ago

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   Urnest and Urnold do Wort
   
   I was fed up with spending five or six hours and only getting a cornie plus 4 bottles out of it, so I bought a second electric urn (and bag and hopsock) to do double batches (or two different batches) in little extra time, by slightly staggering or offsetting the two brews. Instead of sitting around waiting for the next stage, I was running around like a blue arsed fly for a few hours. Great fun.
   
   First sea-trials today for the new system. Two 40 litre urns...

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   i waited for one of my brewing mates to try it first. it works great. balls are in-tacked.
   no modification required.
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   Last post by shibolet
   15 years ago
6. Crown urn modifications?

   8 Replies 12613 Views

   First post by el Tono, 15 years ago

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   Hi all,
   
   I have just bought a 40 l Crown Urn to begin AG brewing using BIAB.
   
   Does anyone recommend replacing the tap with a s/s ball valve? Any technical tips on how to do this?
   
   What about the sight glass? Seems like a potential bug trap after a few brews. Is it worthwhile to remove it and plug the holes - or even insert a mashmaster thermometer in the lower hole?
   
   Cheers,
   
   Tony

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   I will clamp it as I had to hold it the whole time urn was draining as it kept slipping.
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   Last post by sean
   15 years ago
7. Yeti's First BIAB

   10 Replies 14654 Views

   First post by yetiboy, 15 years ago

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   I made my Bombay Punk IPA on saturday, my 1st BIAB.
   I did all the measuring that was on the checklist and have filled in the details on the calculator as much as I can. I worked out my evap per hour was less than avg probably because I had the lid half on during the boil.
   My efficiency figures seem way out as does my start of boil volume - could this be because i measured the volume at 79C?
   Anyway I took a couple of photos when i wasnt too stressed lol.
   I've tried to attach my calculator if...

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   Ah cool - makes sense now. Thanks :)
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   Last post by yetiboy
   15 years ago
8. My First BIAB (UK)

   11 Replies 14208 Views

   First post by Cotti7, 15 years ago

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   Hey all popped on to say thankyou for all the information I have gleaned from this site and to share my first expierience of BIAB with you!
   
   The recipe was the NRB APA things went well till the thermal protection on my extension lead cut in (I hadnt unwound the cable fully) it only took 5 mins to get things moving again.
   
   I am struggling to work out my efficency if anyone can help or point me in the right direction please do!
   
   Pre Boil vol=28 litres, Pre Boil...

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   Ive left it bog standard atm :)
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   Last post by Cotti7
   15 years ago
9. my new refurbished electric boiler.

   16 Replies 17177 Views

   First post by shibolet, 15 years ago

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   hi all,
   i picked up this old boiler that had been sitting in a junk yard for ages. it holds apx. 68 liters and has insulated side walls.
   
   i cleaned it as best as i could and had a friend rewire it for me.
   it has three 1500W heating elements but we only wired two of them because house won't carry 4500W on one outlet.
   it has three ports - one on each side and one drain on the bottom center.
   i have not brewed with it yet.
   i need some brainstorming help: the side ports are very far from the...

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   Beautiful :)
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   Last post by stux
   15 years ago
10. Bag design with probe in bad position

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    First post by yetiboy, 15 years ago

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    Ive reposted here as PP said you guys with electric elements have similar problems and may come up with an answer?
    
    Hi I am thinking about a bag for my brewpot and have issues with a thermometer probe – I presume it will catch on the bag as I’m pulling it and rip a hole.
    Thermo probe is 33cm down from top of pot and sticks out 14cm. (pot is about 50cmx50cm)
    I could make a shortened bag that sits in top half of pot only – I would lose mashing volume here and lose efficency maybe? A member of the...

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    I think I may have sorted my problem. I found a small diameter but deep sieve with a cranked handle, I bent it more so that the handle can act as a retainer on the thermometer retaining nut. The sieve now sits neatly over the probe:) I can use a normal sized bag now.
    Cheers
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    Last post by yetiboy
    15 years ago
11. Electric BIAB newbie questions

    6 Replies 9308 Views

    First post by JohnvanDyk, 15 years ago

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    Hello,
    I was wondering if there is a chart somewhere translating the number of cups a coffee urn makes to the volume of liquid it actually holds? The largest urn I've found so far in my searches has been a 100 cup urn but I'm not really sure what that gives me in litres/gallons.
    Also, is there any issues with the bag in the BIAB setup touching the element in an electric system and melting? Or do you just make sure that keep the bag high enough above the element that it won't melt?
    
    Thanks,
    John

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    G'day JVD,
    I would say you need to go bigger unless you wish to do a mini-biab or maxi-biab.
    
    One of the biggest pains when converting imperial to metric is in volumes. If you don't know where the original volume came from, ie US gallons or Imperial gallons etc, then you may end up with the wrong result.
    And as noted above, it would seem that simple things I take for granted like a 1 cup measure can be different the world round. :nup:
    Sorry for the rant, hopefully it can help you to determin...
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    Last post by wizard78
    15 years ago
12. My BIAB setup

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    First post by EoinMag, 16 years ago

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    I have done a few brews now that were partial mashes, using the BIAB technique and topped up with Muntons DME to make my OG.
    I was using a muslin bag until I found this website and recently had the wife knock up a voile bag with a drawstring and that will shortly be used for my first complete all grain brew.
    
    I have a 75l Brupaks boiler with 6KW of power comprising of 2 3KW elements which I lagged myself with radiator lagging bubblewrap. I find that when wrapped in a sleeping bag on top of this...

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    Hi Ian,
    Hashie started a thread on it here
    An interesting thread and idea.
    Cheers
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    Last post by wizard78
    15 years ago
13. Hecla 55? L Urn on Ebay

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    First post by stux, 16 years ago

    

    Thought someone might be interested
    
    Dunno how big it is...
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    Last post by stux
    16 years ago
14. Barley Belly's Biab Brewrig

    16 Replies 23728 Views

    First post by Barley Belly, 16 years ago

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    Just upgraded my old 3V system to a single vessel BIAB 40ltr Urn and are yet to crack my cherry.
    
    In keeping with the tradition naming brew setups I have christened mine Grunt Brewko the Mighty BIAB Urn or just Brewko for short. :smoke:
    
    Got a Gryphon grain bag ready to go and are just waiting on Craftbrewer to send me my hop bag and some new silicone hose and I'll be ready to kick her in the guts. I also lashed out on a staino mash paddle and a staino sifter to use as a false bottom so I can...

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    It just keeps getting better, :clap: Is there no end to all this bling :party:
    I've shown the pics to SHMBO and all she said was one word,, NO! :argh: Looks like I'm gonna be stuck with my dull ally stock pot for a while :sad:
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    Last post by Yeasty
    16 years ago
15. dead space under the false bottom in an electric boiler

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    First post by shibolet, 16 years ago

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    question: if i have a rack or other false bottom to keep my bag off the heating elements, do i not create a dead space under the rack that will have a higher temperature than the mash above the rack?

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    the element is meant to shut itself off if anything touches it besides liquids.
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    Last post by shibolet
    16 years ago
16. Barley Belly's Maiden Biab Brew Day

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    First post by Barley Belly, 16 years ago

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    After 26 2V/3V AG brews under my belt I decided to take the step up to BIAB and I have the pictures to prove it.
    
    WARNING:- There are heaps of pictures
    
    Here is a brew log and some pictures of my cherry poppin maiden Biab brew day for your pleasure/critique (feel free to comment on any improvements I can make or mistakes I might of made):-
    
    12.45PM Fill to 32ltr 26 degrees celcius water, urn temp control 110c, 2400w handheld in, lid on
    12.55PM Water 50C
    1.05PM Water 70C
    1.10PM False bottom...

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    MODERATOR NOTE
    We should split the bag draining into another thread :)
    
    A very sensible suggestion stux. I commenced splitting this topic but realised it would require several hours of editing individual posts etc to make a 'smooth' read. Instead I have started a new topic here .
    
    This is the best I can do. Hopefully those of you who have written above on the subject of bag draining will edit and copy some of what you have written here to the new thread.
    
    To prevent this sort of thing...
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    Last post by Nuff
    16 years ago
17. Fridgemate to control mash temp

    2 Replies 6112 Views

    First post by Bec26, 16 years ago

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    Evening all
    
    Hopefully starting my maxi BIAB in the next cople of days.
    
    Rather than lagging the urn, can I use a fridgemate on heat mode to keep the urn at mash temp?
    
    My bag will be a good 5-10cm clear of the element is this far enough to stop it burning?
    
    If the answer is yes to both . . .
    
    1. BIAB just got a lot easier and . .
    
    2. I need to buy another fridgemate
    
    Thanks in advance
    
    Bruce

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    Yeah, you can indeed do that Bruce, but if you're just starting I'd look to keep it as simple as possible. I know its a fairly simple process, but you don't need any more complicating factors when you're doing your first few MaxiBIABs.
    I've noted the lagging does do a terrific job though, I recommend using two separate layers and pre- heating everything, then it maintains a consistent temperature and doesn't require stirring, if you heat with the element it will require stirring. I've noted...
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    Last post by Ralph
    16 years ago
18. q's about my first BIAB brew session

    13 Replies 16306 Views

    First post by kristfin, 16 years ago

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    hi all,
    
    i'm planning my first BIAB brew tonight or tomorrow. i've brewed over 30 batches of all grain and several extract ones so i'm not stranger to brewing.
    
    that said, after having looked at the calculator supplied here, i have some questions.
    
    here is the recipe, equipment and method aside.
    
    Pilsner 93,00 %
    Carapils 4,00 %
    Caramunich II 2,00 %
    Caraaroma 1,00 %
    Northern Brewer Pellets (60 min) 33,5 IBU
    Goldings, US (20 min) 3,3 IBU
    Goldings, US (5 min) 1,6 IBU
    
    my equipment is a 50...

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    i heated up 32 liters.
    i'm not sure about the time it took, since i just set the controller to 72°C and prepared dinner.
    i guess it took some 20-30 minutes from 8°C.
    then i stirred the grain in and closed the lid for 5 minutes, to heat it up.
    stirred more until the temp was 67°C and then gave it 70 minutes.
    
    the heating element is 5.5kw and the boiler is pretty well insulated. at least compared to my old boiler it is much faster. most of my time, earlier, was spent waiting for it to boil.
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    Last post by kristfin
    16 years ago
19. My boiler

    4 Replies 7376 Views

    First post by peacock_suit, 16 years ago

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    Iv have tested this out with an extract brew and it hold up to a boil without any problems at all.
    
    Some pics here:
    
    Ignore the markings on the side, its temporary felt tip pen :blush: .
    Its a 60l food bucket with made of 2mm thick food grade plastic. They have been used by lots of ppl successfully already which is why I chose it.
    The heating element is 3kw and is designed for domestic immersion boilers.
    
    I need your help to understand something before I embark on an all grain BIAB brew with...

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    I would say, the way I would go is that if you could get yourself some perferated s/s (or something similar) just a touch smaller than the inside diameter of the boiler, and have some legs welded onto it so it sits above the element.
    This should work. :think:
    If it doesn't bend around the element, there will be some virgin water . I don't know if that is bad or not, but IIRC that is sub-optimal.
    Fair call, would a more regular stirring of the mash fix that issue? I guess you could just have...
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    Last post by wizard78
    16 years ago
20. SS vessel

    3 Replies 6596 Views

    First post by nik, 16 years ago

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    I am a little bothered when using my gas fired pot and I am looking a more versatile and space saving solution . I have found in my local market stainless steel vessel is provided in two volumes 75 and 50 liters . I am fond of the 75liter one but my concern is that they are not pressure formed like kitchen pots they are welded on the side and I believe the bottom part is then pressure crimped to the side part (they sold as olive oil or wine using a special cover storage container so are they...

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    I have to agree with you with the bottom that's the part I am aware of as it is maybe is sturdy but when heat is envolded I am not sure what is gona happen with the physical thermal shrinking of the material .
    I will look more on same type of vessels to find something more appropriate I believe the material thickness is not a problem I think the UNRs maybe they are using the same thickness so not much trouble.
    If something came up I plan to insulate it permanent with an appropriate material to...
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    Last post by nik
    16 years ago
21. Planning my setup

    14 Replies 16902 Views

    First post by peacock_suit, 16 years ago

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    Hi. I am hoping to get a bit of feedback and advice. If I tell you my plans perhaps some people may care to give me they're opinions and thoughts.
    
    I am hoping to make a boiler out of a 25L fermentation bucket fitted with 2 x 1kw kettle elements, these:
    
    When completed it should look something like this one:
    
    I plan to use insulating material to help maintain temperature for mashing.
    what Iv noticed is that unlike in the UK where these sort of diy boiler set ups are popular, most of the...

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    Happy day's then! will get this sorted next week when I get some dosh :).
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    Last post by peacock_suit
    16 years ago
22. Ebay Urns, quality issues, how well they work and mods

    8 Replies 13909 Views

    First post by Skinah, 16 years ago

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    I just purchased a 30L brand new chinese made URN from ebay for $125 delivered to my door as I am looking to hear if anyone else has modified their urns with the ideas that I am considering.
    
    First of all I have disabled the boil dry thermostat and left the temperature dial control working, and done 1 brew and found the urn to work great with 1 draw back. The boil is very vigourous with wort jumping up 7-8cm high so I have to keep manually turning the urn down and back up again as the urn has a...

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    Result is the URN is now safe to use on a 10amp circuit and can still produce just enough heat with the control turned up to 110 and the lid off. Right then... No more excuses, go and make beer :D
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    Last post by widdley
    16 years ago
23. BIAB Brew Rig

    10 Replies 15571 Views

    First post by Timos, 16 years ago

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    Hey everyone, how are you these days?
    
    As I mentioned on my last post (the 'how to...' one.. yeah, the one which PP got depressed ;) ) I'm planning a brew-rig for BIAB.
    
    So here's the details:
    
    The brew rig is planned to be as simple as possible, just like BIAB, a pot, a bag and a burner (and a brew-rig at some point :roll: ).
    
    I'm not getting into details regarding the burner and other stuff, as I want to complete the foundation first 100%.
    
    I'll glad to hear any opinions and ideas.
    
    These are...

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    hashie - Yep, you are right :). I never thought of it before but as I am in a ground floor apartment maybe I can start digging for more room? If I turn the music up full blast maybe no one will hear the jack-hammer? I'll have to give this some thought. Mmmmm.
    
    Timos - Will look forward to seeing your new plans. I was also really pleased to hear you have a girlfriend. If finances ever become tight and you have to choose between brewing and your girlfriend, it is far easier to get rid of a...
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    Last post by PistolPatch
    16 years ago
24. Langco Urn

    6 Replies 11363 Views

    First post by Ralph, 16 years ago

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    I scored this in a workshop equipment rationalisation effort today, a Langco UASSC/4 20L/ 4gal Electric Urn.
    
    Its been sitting around our shed gathering dust for about 10- 20 years, probably spent most of its life in a public service tea room. Problems:
    1) Sight gauge is buggered. No biggie, will block it up if need be.
    2) It is a bit manky, again no problem, some citric acid should shift all that:
    
    The lid looks all rusty in that shot, there is only some surface corrosion and nowhere as bad...

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    No BB, I'll never surrender!!! It is just for heating my stove- top sparge water! ;)
    
    Seriously, with this urn I'll be trying to replicate what I consider have been major successes in stove- top BIAB, this weekend looks quite promising. :)
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    Last post by Ralph
    16 years ago