A myriad of random questions

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Hi Bezza. I've used the homebrew shop lots, and found them very good to deal with.

They have a very good price on the bulldog brewer, and this may be an all in one option to consider. I have one and am very happy with it.

I did have a problem with the pump, but the homebrew shop replaced without quibble (I subsequently got the other one working, so have 2, but don't tell them!)

You could use the second pump to circulate iced water from a bucket through your chiller during the summer months.
 
In the interests of science, I'll do it. Will post my findings back on here!



Space isn't a concern. Budget only a concern in that I don't want to waste money or spend it on snake oil. I don't mind spending �£100 on a pot if I'm going to get a lot of use out of it over the years and/or can use it for other things.

I got a 33l aluminium pot and lid in my Chinese supermarket/cash and carry for about 40 pound, it's very heavy duty and on the gas hob wok burner I can raise the temp 1 degree every 45-50 seconds, so it takes about 20 minutes to raise 50 degree tapwater to sparge temperature, I think the burner is 5.5kw from memory.
I did biab half a dozen times with it but when I got the gf I drilled a hole in it and fitted a valve for sparging straight into the malt pipe, its ideal and no money wasted on redundant kit.
 
I went to their old shop a couple of times and found it to be well stocked and the staff to be helpful. There were lots of weird bearded men shopping in there though... :-? Not been to the new shop.

I'm a little nervous about relying on the kitchen gas as it's unproven as to whether I could get a decent boil going - although I can't quite reconcile the idea that a 2.4kw electric heater would be more effective than a 5kw gas ring. But given the risk that I'll be sat with a stupidly massive cooking pot that has no real use if the gas is powerful, it's probably worth going electric. Also has the added benefit of being able to boil in the shed. On that basis, I think I'll get the "30 Ltr Electric Boiler with Tap, Hop Strainer and Thermometer" . I have an inkbird that I can use for thermostatic control at the steeping stage and then just ramp up the temperature for the boil. When I move onto the all grain, it will then serve as a sparge water heater, so no wasted equipment.

I'm wondering whether I need a wort chiller at the same time if I get an electric boiler. At least with a gas one I could submerge it in an ice bucket.

How much water goes through a chiller and what do people use the water for afterwards?

Will also keep an eye out for large pot in the Asian supermarket as I could do with one in the kitchen for curry and chilli brew days!!

Will take a look at the all-in-one solutions that are in the shop as there is nothing like prodding and poking them to understand what's what. It might be heresy to say this buy I could find that malt extract brewing gives me enough flexibility for the next few years in any case and that I don't feel the need to move onto all grain. I certainly like the idea of a brew day being 2 hours rather than 6, especially whilst the kids are still little.
 

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