Hep
Member
5 or 6 batches in and I realize I am hooked and willing to spend a few bucks on improving things. All extract w/ steeping grains to this point using a partial boil. I got a big pot/turkey fryer coming for christmas so that is going to be an immediate improvement going full boil w/ extract or even going partial mash. I got proper yeast pitching down with making starters with stir plate and everything so no real room for improvement there. Fermentation temperature control I understand but I got no real way of controlling it other than 'this one goes upstairs' vs. 'this one goes in the basement'
So given all that, which of the following gives me the biggest bang for the buck. Bear in mind that I already got alot of the little things down like an IC, primitive aeration (I siphon through a strainer after whirlpooling then shake the fermentor), leave the lid off during boil, etc. The no brainers, now that I got a bigger pot, are going full boil for extract or going partial mash....so there is a default impovement already. But the remaining improvement(s) that I can spend $ on:
1) MLT so I can go all grain, relatively cheap but I am not sure I am ready for many things that can go wrong during brewing
2) a real fermentation chamber w/ temp controls (I do ales and I understand the high end for more esters/low end for cleaner but my only control is basically upstaris vs downstairs at this point. and I got bottles downstaris conditioning at about 55 degrees which makes me sad)
3) a kegging system. Keezer plus kegs and tank and all appurtneances. Eliminates the chore of bottling and gives me some reprieve from the low basement conditioning temps that I have bottles sitting at now
4) other
EDIT to add 5) more carboys and primary buckets to accelerate pipeline so I am not sucking down too young beer
I guess my question is this: I got a big pot coming so I go full boil, may need to make sure my stove can handle it (or just go outside with the turkey fryer burner) and may need to rework my IC (hose not long enough to reach the sink and faucet adaptor is wrong so I need to fix that)....so I am going full boil w/ extract ot partial mash....that is already a given. However, I got ferm temp control problems, pipeline problems, a desire to keg, and a not doing all grain problem. If you had $500-$600 to throw at it, what would you do
So given all that, which of the following gives me the biggest bang for the buck. Bear in mind that I already got alot of the little things down like an IC, primitive aeration (I siphon through a strainer after whirlpooling then shake the fermentor), leave the lid off during boil, etc. The no brainers, now that I got a bigger pot, are going full boil for extract or going partial mash....so there is a default impovement already. But the remaining improvement(s) that I can spend $ on:
1) MLT so I can go all grain, relatively cheap but I am not sure I am ready for many things that can go wrong during brewing
2) a real fermentation chamber w/ temp controls (I do ales and I understand the high end for more esters/low end for cleaner but my only control is basically upstaris vs downstairs at this point. and I got bottles downstaris conditioning at about 55 degrees which makes me sad)
3) a kegging system. Keezer plus kegs and tank and all appurtneances. Eliminates the chore of bottling and gives me some reprieve from the low basement conditioning temps that I have bottles sitting at now
4) other
EDIT to add 5) more carboys and primary buckets to accelerate pipeline so I am not sucking down too young beer
I guess my question is this: I got a big pot coming so I go full boil, may need to make sure my stove can handle it (or just go outside with the turkey fryer burner) and may need to rework my IC (hose not long enough to reach the sink and faucet adaptor is wrong so I need to fix that)....so I am going full boil w/ extract ot partial mash....that is already a given. However, I got ferm temp control problems, pipeline problems, a desire to keg, and a not doing all grain problem. If you had $500-$600 to throw at it, what would you do