90 replies to this topic

[Tim the Enchanter]

I couldn't figure out if this went in the brewing forum or in here. Apologies to the mods if I picked wrong, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to post in the beer forum again yet. It has been awhile.

 

The time has come. I am getting ready to pull the trigger and start putting money into brewing equipment again. As some of you may remember, I sold my gear after the divorce - I moved it once, then realized it was too bulky to keep moving until I settled into someplace for the long term. It took longer than I expected, but here I am. We bought a house and I have a nice basement area with steady cool temperatures for fermenting (and space for storage). And I have a wife who is supportive and excited. 

 

So I'm in the process of acquiring stuff. I am going to take this opportunity to upgrade to all grain kit, though I'm going to stick with bottling for a while. I'm keeping an eye on craigslist and eying a couple of "getting started" kits from various brewing places as a way to get most of the basics. This one looks pretty good for the price:  https://www.amazon.c...=I14ELK04BDFHD8

 

It isn't a triumphant return to brewing just yet, but I'm on the road. 

[Trub L]

I couldn't figure out if this went in the brewing forum or in here. Apologies to the mods if I picked wrong, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to post in the beer forum again yet. It has been awhile.

 

The time has come. I am getting ready to pull the trigger and start putting money into brewing equipment again. As some of you may remember, I sold my gear after the divorce - I moved it once, then realized it was too bulky to keep moving until I settled into someplace for the long term. It took longer than I expected, but here I am. We bought a house and I have a nice basement area with steady cool temperatures for fermenting (and space for storage). And I have a wife who is supportive and excited. 

 

So I'm in the process of acquiring stuff. I am going to take this opportunity to upgrade to all grain kit, though I'm going to stick with bottling for a while. I'm keeping an eye on craigslist and eying a couple of "getting started" kits from various brewing places as a way to get most of the basics. This one looks pretty good for the price:  https://www.amazon.c...=I14ELK04BDFHD8

 

It isn't a triumphant return to brewing just yet, but I'm on the road. 

 

I know you said the bottling thing was a given, but my advice to you would be to just get a basic kegging setup.  Nothing discourages a brewer faster than the daunting task of cleaning and sanitizing 50 bottles and dealing with the mess of bottle filling equipment.  Plus, if you keg, you don't have to worry about getting the priming exactly right, yeast viability after secondary, etc.  If you have to make the choice between the two, I would even say get the kegging stuff before you get the AG stuff, just so that you can be excited about the process without finding it boring.  Then rely on AG to give yourself more freedom, better taste, etc.  My 2c.

[positiveContact]

I'm not sure why you wouldn't put this in the beer forum.  but anyway, I have avoided glass carboys.  In fact I rarely secondary anything at fermenation temps so even my better bottles don't get used for beer much.

 

that kit is pretty much like most starter kits out there.  I usually just direct people to B3:  https://morebeer.com...1-standard.html

 

no racking cane in the b3 setup but both buckets have spigots.  makes for easy transfers.

 

it's a lot easier to bottle out of a bottling bucket in my opinion.

I know you said the bottling thing was a given, but my advice to you would be to just get a basic kegging setup.  Nothing discourages a brewer faster than the daunting task of cleaning and sanitizing 50 bottles and dealing with the mess of bottle filling equipment.  Plus, if you keg, you don't have to worry about getting the priming exactly right, yeast viability after secondary, etc.  If you have to make the choice between the two, I would even say get the kegging stuff before you get the AG stuff, just so that you can be excited about the process without finding it boring.  Then rely on AG to give yourself more freedom, better taste, etc.  My 2c.

 

good advice from lou.  i hate bottling though.  using bombers helps.

also - I really like starsan for sanitizing.  c-brite seems to get mixed reviews but I've never personally used it.

Edited by Evil_Morty, 30 September 2014 - 08:14 AM.

[HVB]

Fixed for me. 

good advice from lou.  i hate bottling though.  using bombers did not help!

[positiveContact]

the other thing I would reccommend.  get the biggest kettle you can stand.  just do it.  seriously - do it.  no, I'm not kidding.

 

1)  you want to do full boils

2)  you'll eventually want to make a larger batch

3) a large kettle would allow you to go the BIAB route if you like the looks of that AG method.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Unfortunately it's getting more and more expensive to keg. Luckily I have a bunch of kegs.

 

All grain... go to denny's website for the simplest all grain set up you can imagine. Gravity feed things. Simple 7.5-10 gal kettle and immersion chiller will help and is all you need for 5 gallon batches.

 

Biggest thing you can do to make great beer is use good fermentation control. If your basement is 60 degrees then you are fine for most ales. If not, you need some sort or heating or cooling control for fermentation. It's by far the most important step in making beer, so if you are going to spend money, spend it on fermentation control.

[positiveContact]

All grain... go to denny's website for the simplest all grain set up you can imagine. Gravity feed things. Simple 7.5-10 gal kettle and immersion chiller will help and is all you need for 5 gallon batches.

 

In the past I would have agreed with this but now I'd say BIAB looks to be at least as simple if not more simple.

[HVB]

In the past I would have agreed with this but now I'd say BIAB looks to be at least as simple if not more simple.

IME it is more simple.  I have done both.

[SchwanzBrewer]

In the past I would have agreed with this but now I'd say BIAB looks to be at least as simple if not more simple.

 

I'd say it is about as simple. Denny's is the most simple traditional all grain you can get. I'm currently setting up a denny style system. I was going to get a smaller kettle, but the 15G more beer kettle was a good price. I have most everything else except my hoses and water filter. 

[codemonkey]

I got back into brewing this year and have been enjoying it. Seems like the science side of homebrewing has improved greatly since the last time I was active. I never minded bottling. It's nice to be able to hand out bottles here and there, and most of the stuff I brew benefits from a long sleep.

 

eta - If I were starting over equipment-wise, I'd definitely put most of the budget towards a 15-gallon pot. 

Edited by codemonkey, 30 September 2014 - 08:33 AM.

[denny]

I couldn't figure out if this went in the brewing forum or in here. Apologies to the mods if I picked wrong, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to post in the beer forum again yet. It has been awhile.

 

The time has come. I am getting ready to pull the trigger and start putting money into brewing equipment again. As some of you may remember, I sold my gear after the divorce - I moved it once, then realized it was too bulky to keep moving until I settled into someplace for the long term. It took longer than I expected, but here I am. We bought a house and I have a nice basement area with steady cool temperatures for fermenting (and space for storage). And I have a wife who is supportive and excited. 

 

So I'm in the process of acquiring stuff. I am going to take this opportunity to upgrade to all grain kit, though I'm going to stick with bottling for a while. I'm keeping an eye on craigslist and eying a couple of "getting started" kits from various brewing places as a way to get most of the basics. This one looks pretty good for the price:  https://www.amazon.c...=I14ELK04BDFHD8

 

It isn't a triumphant return to brewing just yet, but I'm on the road. 

 

Just do thsi and save some $$...www.dennybrew.com

[bigdaddyale]

Biggest thing you can do to make great beer is use good fermentation control. If your basement is 60 degrees then you are fine for most ales. If not, you need some sort or heating or cooling control for fermentation. It's by far the most important step in making beer, so if you are going to spend money, spend it on fermentation control.

https://www.homebrew...-1000-a-464348/

[TonyBrown]

I know you said the bottling thing was a given, but my advice to you would be to just get a basic kegging setup.  Nothing discourages a brewer faster than the daunting task of cleaning and sanitizing 50 bottles and dealing with the mess of bottle filling equipment.  Plus, if you keg, you don't have to worry about getting the priming exactly right, yeast viability after secondary, etc.  If you have to make the choice between the two, I would even say get the kegging stuff before you get the AG stuff, just so that you can be excited about the process without finding it boring.  Then rely on AG to give yourself more freedom, better taste, etc.  My 2c.

if I couldn't keg, i wouldn't brew.  period.

[SchwanzBrewer]

https://www.homebrew...-1000-a-464348/

 

Got to have a chamber to go with it.

[Tim the Enchanter]

I guess I should have put it in the brewing forum after all. I didn't expect it to get so specific.

 

Thanks for the links to dennybrew. I had a 5 gallon cooler with the braid as a mash tun before. I had planned to do the same thing but larger. I know glass carboys are dangerous, heavy, and hard to clean...that said, I love them. There is something iconic about looking at your beer through the glass and siphoning through that infuriatingly small hole in the top. I like to use them for secondaries and kind of wish I hadn't gotten rid of the ones I had (though they were a big part of the bulk, of course). 

 

Point taken about the pot. I had a 7.5 gallon one before. I had planned to go bigger.

 

Like codemonkey, I kind of like bottling. Guest laughed at me when I told him that the other day, but it is true. Bottles are easy to come by, just throw a party or two and then you have several cases (once you remove the labels of course). As long as you clean them right after you pour and sanitize in a dishwasher, it really isn't that bad. Plus, being able to bring a six pack to a party or give a 22 ounce bottle as a gift works out well. I also like that bottles help me pace myself. If I had a tap, I'd just top off my glass. If I have to commit to another bottle (and have the empties to remind me), I think it will help me moderate myself. I've gained enough weight recently, I don't need the added temptation.

[bigdaddyale]

Got to have a chamber to go with it.

or a fridge.I use a small bar fridge for 5 gal. batches

[SchwanzBrewer]

or a fridge.I use a small bar fridge for 5 gal. batches

 

That's what I mean.

[realbeerguy]

I have gone to buckets.  No breakage, easier to handle.  First, full wort boils, then set fermentation temps, then kegs.  Keep an eye out for sales and those getting out of the hobby.  Buy good, not cheap.   Buy once, cry once.  Dennybrew is a great start.

[Tim the Enchanter]

I have gone to buckets.  No breakage, easier to handle.  First, full wort boils, then set fermentation temps, then kegs.  Keep an eye out for sales and those getting out of the hobby.  Buy good, not cheap.   Buy once, cry once.  Dennybrew is a great start.

Conveniently, my new house came with a neighborhood brew club. Lots of people getting rid of gear as they upgrade. No leads on leaving the hobby yet, but it could happen.

[Trub L]

if I couldn't keg, i wouldn't brew.  period.

 

I bottled like 3 batches in '98 and then said enough is enough.  I had almost no money, so scraping together the $129.00 for a used keg, tank, QD fittings, regulator and hose was a pretty big deal.  Never looked back, though.

The only bottling I've done since has been with a CPF.

Thanks for the links to dennybrew. I had a 5 gallon cooler with the braid as a mash tun before. I had planned to do the same thing but larger. I know glass carboys are dangerous, heavy, and hard to clean...that said, I love them. There is something iconic about looking at your beer through the glass and siphoning through that infuriatingly small hole in the top. I like to use them for secondaries and kind of wish I hadn't gotten rid of the ones I had (though they were a big part of the bulk, of course). 

 

 

 

I'm with you on the glass.  Something about it just seems right.