The Best Equipment Investments

[ovenbeasts]

Hi guys

I've recently got back into brewing and have made half a dozen kits over the last 4 weeks, just to get back into the game. I've tried a couple of extract brews which are still conditioning and would like to do another 10-20 kits at least before trying my hand at all grain. I already have much of the basic kit with 3 FVs, 3 pressure barrels, a 19 litre pan, bottling gear etc.

I've read several books recently and all suggest different priorities for how to progress as a brewer. I'm interested to know from your experiences, as more seasoned brewers, what you consider to be the next key equipment investments?

I'm considering the 3 things below, but if you were starting again what order would you buy/acquire/build things in? Is there anything else I should consider? I'm aware there are significant differences in costs but Christmas is coming up!!

- A Brew fridge
- A cornie or 2 and CO2 kit
- An All grain system

Thank you for your help.

Regards

Steve

 

[Baldbrewer]

This is a good question!

For me it would be:

1, Brew fridge, assuming you mean with st1000 type controller! Heater etc and the ability to maintain a consistent fermentation temp ? This is important for any brewing.

2, AG set up, don't rush into stainless unless your loaded, you can make excellent beer with a plastic AG set up.

3,Cornie or 2 and CO2 set up, Bottling may be a pain sometimes but it's just so flexible.

Now wait for the fallout !

Also I would add don't rush into purchasing stainless etc, take your time and learn how to use your equipment and above all read,listen & watch as much brewing info as you can cos it all helps and you can always ask questions on here and over on Jim's : :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

Welcome to the forum Steve :thumb: ...great question
On my path, kits/plastic brewery/shiny brewery I'd have to say the following was the single greatest improvement for me.

Making the beer as good as you can get it to start with, means some form of temperature control for fermentation. If you went the brew fridge route you could use it as a fv chamber and also a serving fridge. You can get the fridge free on free cycle, STC1000 controller and heater about £20-£30.
Serving it can be done with bottles for the interim and next x-mas you could get cornies...if you wait that long :P
All grain will give you the greatest flexibility to make what you want, BUT without fv control you could be back to square one.

Keep us informed of what you go for :thumb:

 

[dennisking]

Where do you live, there might be a member near you who would be happy to show you there set up.

 

[ovenbeasts]

Just updated my profile. I'm in Barnsley and live near Barnsley Brewer and we are in contact, just not met face to face yet.

 

[hairybiker]

You already have most of the important stuff. I would say +1 to the brew fridge, check out freecycle & gumtree to see if you can get a free/cheap one that will take a FV.
I have been AG in plastic for nearly 20 years, only recently have I moved to a SS boiler so no rush into shiny needed.
As to corny's I have 2 but prefer plastic barrels. <tin hat on> I use them to store SHMBO's wine in for easy dispense and storage. But I use 3 BeerSpheres' and a Boots Alu barrel from my early days of kit brewing (from the 80's & still going strong), I use S30/old sodastream cylinders to provide gas, via either a Mighty Midget handle or a converter. I also use the MM on the corny via a gas in to the handle, but not for constant pressure - not needed in my case.

 

[morethanworts]

I would concur. I'd go in order A,C,B with your list. I'm a bottle-lover though, so a bit prejudiced when it comes to fancy dispensing systems. Until you can control your temps in all weathers, you'll be pretty limited (like I was this Summer )

It may be a tiny thing, but one of the best changes I made was using a no-rinse acid sanitiser, in my case Star San. Saves so much time and soooo much cheaper to use.

That and buying a 'little bottler', but I'm going on a bit now...

 

[Fil]

A C B too

 

[zgoda]

Of all my spendings the most valuable was chiller, grain mill (I'm all grain) and fridge. Corny setup is just nice, but not essential.

 

[RobWalker]

I don't own any, but temp control is certainly responsible for a lot of my shortcomings. like baldbrewer says, I get bad beer in the summer, lack of control on yeast esters, and conditioning is difficult to the point where anything other than an english ale tends to go into 2L bottles so it can condition in the fridge at 4c. in many ways it doesnt matter what your recipe balance, ingredient choice, production method or anything else are if you can't condition it.

i think a chiller you can get away with not having one quite easily, so would put it a little lower on the priority list, there is no chill method and bathtub chilling, both of which i've never had a problem with.

think about which of your choices will increase the quality of your beer NOW - because that will still be relevant later, and it'll no doubt have the greatest effect too. There really is nothing wrong with kit and extract brewing, but if you can't look after it, it will be shitty. :

 

[dennisking]

Just updated my profile. I'm in Barnsley and live near Barnsley Brewer and we are in contact, just not met face to face yet.

He's a good lad John, just try not to be near him if he needs to open his wallet. Never good to see a grown man cry.

 

[joe1002]

Just updated my profile. I'm in Barnsley and live near Barnsley Brewer and we are in contact, just not met face to face yet.

He's a good lad John, just try not to be near him if he needs to open his wallet. Never good to see a grown man cry.

:lol: :lol:

 

[bobsbeer]

Deff get in touch with John BB. He makes good beer, so you can learn how to make good beer without spending a fortune.

 

[ovenbeasts]

Thank you for all your help and advice.

I shall look forward to meeting John at some point soon hopefully.

Many thanks

Steve

 

[Dave1970]

I'd actually go for the AG kit before the fridge. I love having a fermenting fridge and being able to close the door and forget about temp for 2 weeks BUT the jump in quality and the satisfaction of AG brewing beats it for me.
I guess it depends on whether you have somewhere that's about the right temp or not but I reckon I could make good AG beer 9 months of the year without temp control, maybe longer in a year with a cool summer

 

[ovenbeasts]

Cheers guys

Thanks for the advice and insight into your brewing experiences.

I think I'll immediately source a fridge to convert as its within my technical abilities.

AG kit will be top of my Christmas list, hope the missus gets a decent bonus. Seeing what a kit costs will probably make it the only thing on my list. I think the cornies can wait until I really need them. Maybe next Summer if we get another decent one.

Thanks once again.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Fermenting Cabinet. A glass fronted broken, wine display fridge is ideal, if you have the space. Now your going to ask "Where on earth can I get one of those from?"
Not as hard as it seems....Contact a local supplier of commercial fridges and ask him if hes got any, the company that I use at work say that they have to dump 2 of these each week, and it costs them £50.00 each. I got mine delivered to my front door and they even moved it into the garage for me.....all it cost was a crate of beer.
Plus a cheap fan heater (£10.0)
and a plug-in digital thermostat (£10.00)

 

[fizz head1982]

I have to say, as a noob brewer, my house is about 18 deg c practically all of the time. Mainly cos of no woman fiddling with the thermostat. This temp is fine for bitter and IPA. If you wanna do lager, then a fridge is needed.

I think the big question is what do you want to brew?

If its larger, you need a fridge. Mine tastes better from a cornilius keg than in the bottle and there is less waiting.
If its IPA, if you have a spot that is around 18c max you would be ok.
If its bitter, same as IPA but I think it can be a little warmer, maybe 20c max.

All fermintation is better colder is the rule if I recall.


I did one kit and dived straight into AG and never looked back. Seems to me you already have all the kit except a mashtun for AG. You can make one for about 40 quid or buy one for double. AG tastes better, its cheaper- however its longer brew day, about 6 hours... But its part of the hobby, not a chore. Same with bottling, its part of the hobby, - enjoy all aspects of it!

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Fizz.....Spelling Police Alert
You got it write the first time but then got it wrong the second time......its "lager"

but can you see what Ive done

 

[morethanworts]

AG tastes better, its cheaper- however its longer brew day, about 6 hours...

Dave 1970 puts the case very well, and you can brew seasonaally (they did for centuries!)...but this is perhaps the biggest reason I'd go for the brew fridge first. I don't want to invest 6+ hours, plus any yeast starters earlier in the week, only to then have minimal control of my temperatures.

It's also harder to increase temperatures progressively as some folk recommend for Belgians and the likes, or to chill hard prior to bottling.