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Well last month I walked into my cellar and saw red liquid all over the floor, my first thought was a wine barrel exploded. But the liquid was tasteless and odorless. so I looked at my 50 gal steel cooling water tank and saw that it had developed many pinhole leaks, Damn!! Did a quick drain and sent that tank to recycling. Found a Polly 55 gal drum today for only $12 USD . I'm up and running again and hope to run a single malt soon. Stay safe
OVZ

I just ordered some peach and plum wood to go along with my cherry and applewood experiments. I’m rather enjoying using a blend of fruitwoods plus charred and toasted oak across several jars in my sous vide rapid aging setup. I’ll also try some on it’s own as well but looking forward to picking up some maple and maybe hickory too.

Cheers!
-j

Oldvine Zin wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 6:54 pm Well last month I walked into my cellar and saw red liquid all over the floor, my first thought was a wine barrel exploded. But the liquid was tasteless and odorless. so I looked at my 50 gal steel cooling water tank and saw that it had developed many pinhole leaks, Damn!! Did a quick drain and sent that tank to recycling. Found a Polly 55 gal drum today for only $12 USD . I'm up and running again and hope to run a single malt soon.coolingbarrel.jpg

Stay safe
OVZ

Those 55 gal plastic barrels are hard to pass up, I luckily got a few food grade ones with lids for future mashes, right now they are full to the brim with corn from the farm. What you all got going on there? Radiator to cool the water before it re-enters the barrel? I like having it mounted above the barrel like that. Any issues keeping the water clean-ish? I was considering an open rain barrel left outside, to just use/fill as needed kinda thing.

BlueSasquatch wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 5:18 am I was considering an open rain barrel left outside, to just use/fill as needed kinda thing.

This is exactly what I do. I have a 1000 litre IBC which receives the rainwater from the shed roof. It has an immersion pump (dirt cheap thing I picked about 10 years ago to siphon water for the garden from a nearby stream) which feeds my liebig and or RC. Not really noticed it getting warm yet even after a 7 hour reflux run.

NormandieStill wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 5:28 am This is exactly what I do. I have a 1000 litre IBC which receives the rainwater from the shed roof. It has an immersion pump (dirt cheap thing I picked about 10 years ago to siphon water for the garden from a nearby stream) which feeds my liebig and or RC. Not really noticed it getting warm yet even after a 7 hour reflux run.

I placed my worm tube/flake stand over a 55 gallon drum during a 12 hour marathon and filled it about 90% of the way, as my only way to add water is to cause it to overflow. New set-up fixes this, but that being said, I don't think I'd ever need more than a 55 gallon barrel.

BlueSasquatch wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 5:18 am
Those 55 gal plastic barrels are hard to pass up, I luckily got a few food grade ones with lids for future mashes, right now they are full to the brim with corn from the farm. What you all got going on there? Radiator to cool the water before it re-enters the barrel? I like having it mounted above the barrel like that. Any issues keeping the water clean-ish? I was considering an open rain barrel left outside, to just use/fill as needed kinda thing.

Yea they are becoming harder to find at a good price around here. It's not food grade but it doesn't have to be because it's a closed system and the cooling water should never touch the product.

Pulling water off the bottom tap with salvaged hydronic pump through the condenser / s and then through the radiator back to the tank. There is a box fan behind blowing air through the radiator. I add a few drops of chlorine and some red food coloring to the water, chlorine to keep the bug count lower and the red for a marker in case of a leak.

Stay safe
OVZ

Oldvine Zin wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:06 pm
Pulling water off the bottom tap with salvaged hydronic pump through the condenser / s and then through the radiator back to the tank. There is a box fan behind blowing air through the radiator. I add a few drops of chlorine and some red food coloring to the water, chlorine to keep the bug count lower and the red for a marker in case of a leak.

Stay safe
OVZ

Did it come with a bottom tap? If so great score. but at $12. great score regardless.

cob wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:40 pm Did it come with a bottom tap? If so great score. but at $12. great score regardless.

LOL The bottom tap cost more than the barrel

Stay safe
OVZ

Got a huge rice steamer from a thrift store for 20 bucks.This thing will easily steam at least 10lb bag at once ( wanna try a sake).
Also a couple I gallon glass jugs and a 750 mill swing top for another 8 bucks

Wonder how a rice steamer would work for gelatinizing corn? At 10 lb and say 2 hr per batch it would take awhile but if there was no watching it, that might work

I got 8 23L carboys, a 11.5 L carboy, 12 3L jugs, 3 4L jugs and a minijet wine filter, two plastic fermenters and all the little stuff like extra hydrometers etc for $75.

subbrew wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:44 am Wonder how a rice steamer would work for gelatinizing corn? At 10 lb and say 2 hr per batch it would take awhile but if there was no watching it, that might work

Hmmmmm? Never thought of that.

hawkwing wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:13 pm I got 8 23L carboys, a 11.5 L carboy, 12 3L jugs, 3 4L jugs and a minijet wine filter, two plastic fermenters and all the little stuff like extra hydrometers etc for $75.

Wow.

looks to be ~ 5 gallon ss funnel 11x9 barrel+ the 45* taper and the

5" long spout fits perfect in a sanke keg. all together 21" tall. $5

The mrs found a gas bbq on freecycle.
The picture looked nasty, but it was free and only a half hour drive away. Worth a ride out as i wanted the burners out of it to upgrade my charcoal beer barrel bbq to gas. I hate the crap charcoal we get these days. All smoke and no heat until it is nearly out.

Turns out this is a weber. £1200 new a few years back. Apparently this guy has more money than sense, and when the electric spark stopped working he pushed it into the shed and forgot about it for something like 3 years. The nasty look was just spiderwebs and dust. It was almost pristine inside. Apparently he was going to take it to the tip but couldn't get an appointment so decided to see if someone else would get rid of it for him.

Well i have gotten it home and checked the electric spark. The battery was in backwards. It works perfectly.

So this pillock threw out a perfectly good top of the line bbq that looks like it was used about twice because he was too rich and or stupid to check the battery.

Some bloody people. We wonder why the world is burning with idiots throwing out perfectly good stuff like this?

It now sits in pride of place out under my tin roof lean to, nicely nestled into the work surfaces and within easy reach of the beer fridge like it grew there. The other night me and the mrs did bbq surf and turf, sat on the patio as the rain pissed down, safe and dry under my noisy tin roof and it was lovely.

Good thing there are people like me about to go and rescue equipment in distress, and a good thing i have a significant other who is possibly even more tightfisted than me and willing to scour corners if the internet i didnt know existed for good cheap stuff.

whiskymonster wrote: ↑Thu May 05, 2022 12:41 am Well i have gotten it home and checked the electric spark. The battery was in backwards. It works perfectly.

friggen hilarious! Good on you!

Yep.
Ill mop up expensive mistakes by rich idiots all day long.

Got to laugh, but the amount of good kit that gets thrown out for no reason makes me want to cry at times. £1200 grill disposed of for the sake of an AA battery.

Almost everything in my house is either upcycled, repurposed or second hand, and im proud to admit it.

Waste not want not, and there aint much in this life me or mine want for.

Found a $1500 Polk Audio subwoofer on the street that looked new. Tested it out and found it has a blown fuse. Replaced the fuse and it blew again. Opened it up and found it had a burned out $2 thermistor. Got a replacement part on the way!

Metalking00 wrote: ↑Thu May 05, 2022 1:23 am Found a $1500 Polk Audio subwoofer on the street that looked new. Tested it out and found it has a blown fuse. Replaced the fuse and it blew again. Opened it up and found it had a burned out $2 thermistor. Got a replacement part on the way!

Wow. Polk is some pretty high end stuff. Back when I was a rocker(well....I still am but) I had a nice Polk system.

Free 53g whiskey barrel. Buddy and I will get some staves outa it.

bitter wrote: ↑Thu May 05, 2022 5:36 am Free 53g whiskey barrel. Buddy and I will get some staves outa it.

You can cut 3 heads for badmo type bain maries from each head as well.

subbrew wrote: ↑Thu May 05, 2022 5:49 am You can cut 3 heads for badmo type bain maries from each head as well.

Thanks had not thought of that.. hmmm

I came in to work to fine these cherry bungs on my desk from a friend at work. Nice tight fit in the ol' bung hole

Snagged these whiskey barrel planters from the local big box store for $20 a pop. The bottom one is in complete dire straights so I’m a little pissed off that they wouldn’t give me that one for free but in the end it’s still a good deal. I’ll sand these down and toast em’. We’ll see how much flavor is left.

Stonecutter wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 2:31 pm BC9CB66E-EF3B-40C7-BFA7-C7BF0204C591.jpeg

Snagged these whiskey barrel planters from the local big box store for $20 a pop. The bottom one is in complete dire straights so I’m a little pissed off that they wouldn’t give me that one for free but in the end it’s still a good deal. I’ll sand these down and toast em’. We’ll see how much flavor is left.

Good score! I got one of those a few years ago and stacked the staves in the yard to keep some airflow. More than enough oak to last years. Pre seasoned and it’s even more seasoned now! Wire brush and blowtorch and ready to roll!

Cheers,
-j

jonnys_spirit wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 7:43 pm

Stonecutter wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 2:31 pm BC9CB66E-EF3B-40C7-BFA7-C7BF0204C591.jpeg

Snagged these whiskey barrel planters from the local big box store for $20 a pop. The bottom one is in complete dire straights so I’m a little pissed off that they wouldn’t give me that one for free but in the end it’s still a good deal. I’ll sand these down and toast em’. We’ll see how much flavor is left.

Good score! I got one of those a few years ago and stacked the staves in the yard to keep some airflow. More than enough oak to last years. Pre seasoned and it’s even more seasoned now! Wire brush and blowtorch and ready to roll!

Cheers,
-j

Thanks J I was wondering how I should store them. I’ll do the same as you’ve done. I’m pretty stoked as I’ve only had wood chips and a couple of one gallon barrels up till now.

I havent weighed them, but i just picked up two big old boxes of blueberries for a tenner on the market.

I filled 2 2L kilner jars to the brim with em, and i still have about a box and a quarter left.

Im looking at about 2 gallons of panty dropper i reckon.

In other words, i just bought a good month's worth of good grace with the mrs for a tenner!

BB panty dropper is delicious

I got a free pony keg, and a free 1/4 barrel free on the side of the road last night. Not sure what I’ll use them for yet but the price was right

7’ of 3” for $100 at the local scrap yard.