skullface1818
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What are your "can't live without" equipment items?
- Thread starter Travestian
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Hmm. Almost every purchase I've made has made a big impact in my beer quality. It might be easier for me to try to narrow down to things that were NOT helpful.
Brew Hauler is a HUGE plus for those of us that like glass.
Thermapen (I had one before I started brewing) is such a great tool in general...
SOME sort of chiller is almost a necessity. Got 12 gallons from boil to 80-90 degrees (which is where I start pouring since I'm all gravity fed) in 10 minutes this Sunday... Left alone that might take 10 hours.
False bottom for a keggle I had lying around, to make a bigger capacity mash tun... made it a great multi-tasker.
Perlick Growler Filler is awesome... I still have to try capping a bottle off of it and seeing how long it will hold carb, but I burned through so many party tappers (the seams just eventually split at the opening) for the DIY bottle filler burper thing.
Brew Hauler is a HUGE plus for those of us that like glass.
Thermapen (I had one before I started brewing) is such a great tool in general...
SOME sort of chiller is almost a necessity. Got 12 gallons from boil to 80-90 degrees (which is where I start pouring since I'm all gravity fed) in 10 minutes this Sunday... Left alone that might take 10 hours.
False bottom for a keggle I had lying around, to make a bigger capacity mash tun... made it a great multi-tasker.
Perlick Growler Filler is awesome... I still have to try capping a bottle off of it and seeing how long it will hold carb, but I burned through so many party tappers (the seams just eventually split at the opening) for the DIY bottle filler burper thing.
Schnitzengiggle
Well-Known Member
I can't live without my Pump-In-A-Box, makes my brewday so much easier. I brew with a single kettle at this time, and not having a way to transfer the water and wort was a PIA to say the least. now I can not only transfer my wort effortlessly, I can whirlpool as well which has cut chilling times, especially when its about 105°F in the summer, easily by half.
I call her Excalibur:
Check out the full build write up and parts list in my sig below!
Check out the full build write up and parts list in my sig below!
I call her Excalibur:
Check out the full build write up and parts list in my sig below!
Check out the full build write up and parts list in my sig below!
My stainless steel deep sink, bought on ebay and this thing allows me to put 15 gallon pots in to the bowl and give a really good cleaning. I used a fiberglass laundry sink for 4 years, but the SS with a drain to the side has made cleanup easier.
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Travestian
Well-Known Member
Who knew you could buy a sink on amazon?
Paint stirrer and a $20 electric drill from Harbor Freight. Never again will I take 30 minutes, slowly doughing an ounce at a time with a mash paddle. I just dump it all in and stir it up. Done in 1 minute flat.
Also works great for stirring the wort after I set the chiller in, and aerating it once I've got the temperature down.
Also works great for stirring the wort after I set the chiller in, and aerating it once I've got the temperature down.
Hex
Well-Known Member
Never liked autosiphon, so I modify food grade bulkhead fittings to take carboy caps. Best of all worlds. Pressurize to start racking cane siphon, easy access for dry hops.
Hex
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My Crankenstein 320D build is working out very well, increased efficiency 9% over all of the available Homebrew store mills in town. Nice to come on site and mill grain for batches with last minute tweaks.
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Travestian
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Hex
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I'm brewing in the vacant basement of 630K Street downtown Sacramento, my keepers own several comercial buildings there. I've got 14,000 sq feet to brew in, but keep it all neat on one side of the space.
christopherrburns
Well-Known Member
beer
A good digital probe thermometer.
Everything else, 15 gallon pots, 10 gallon coolers, false bottoms, valves, tubes, propane burners, fermentation chambers, brew stands, etc. are all luxuries when you really think about it.
A heat source and a pot is still a must, but it would still be pretty useless without a good thermometer.
Everything else, 15 gallon pots, 10 gallon coolers, false bottoms, valves, tubes, propane burners, fermentation chambers, brew stands, etc. are all luxuries when you really think about it.
A heat source and a pot is still a must, but it would still be pretty useless without a good thermometer.
PistolsAtDawn said:
That's awesome. I'd love to make one of these...
JRinke said:
Thats a great idea! I don't like to add the grain to water, but instead add the water to the grain, a little at a time. This works great, but involves a lot of diligence in making sure that no clumping occurs. I'm just going to get one of these and it shouldn't be a problem anymore: http://www.harborfreight.com/long-mixing-paddle-97357.html
Just a heads up, make sure it fits the drill you have. Most of those kind of paint stirrers require a 1/2" chuck.
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Travestian
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I use a 24" stainless whisk found on ebay for about $7 and stir grains into the water. Works great!
The things that I really like these days have a lot to do with yeast and fermentation.
Stir plate, Erlenmeyer flask, 8.8 cubic foot chest freezer, and Johnson temperature controller.
When walking by my brew room I find myself opening up my freezer and admiring my beers fermenting happy at their proper temperatures.
Stir plate, Erlenmeyer flask, 8.8 cubic foot chest freezer, and Johnson temperature controller.
When walking by my brew room I find myself opening up my freezer and admiring my beers fermenting happy at their proper temperatures.
Totally agree with you. I use both, but rely on my mercury thermometer for accurate temps.
Temperature controlled fermentation chamber. (Mini-fridge with Janco temp. controller)
Without it all I produce banana bread beer.
Everything else I could find an alternative for.
Without it all I produce banana bread beer.
Everything else I could find an alternative for.
DogFace_Brewing
Well-Known Member
I have to say my jet carboy washer...that thing makes life so easy on cleaning/rinsing a lot of different equipment in my brewing world
JRinke said:
Sorry for the noob question, but what do you mean a 1/2" chuck? You mean the thing on the end of the drill that you insert the bit into? How do I tell if my drill has it or not?
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Travestian
Well-Known Member
Look up the model number of the drill you are using and you'll be able to tell from the manufacturer's webpage. You could also take a ruler or measuring tape to the opening of your drill and measure. Most cordless drills are 3/8" chucks.
So, most consumer drills are either 3/8" or 1/2" chucks. This is the maximum diameter of the shank of a tool it can hold.
An easy way to measure is to simply look on the side of your drill (it is usually there) or fully retract the gripping teeth so they are all the way inside, and then measure the diameter of the opening of the drill with a ruler/tape measure.
JRinke said:
Damn, mine is 3/8". I am really glad ya'll mentioned this before I bought the paint stirrer and found out for myself the hard way! There has gotta be an adapter of some sort... Or maybe I should just buy a 24" whisk.
Hahaha, I should have just checked the product page for the paint mixer when this whole chuck size discussion began, as it takes a 3/8" drill, so I am fine.
milldoggy
Well-Known Member
Have to disagree, I prefer the chillizilla over a plate chiller
Ivypunx
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extra fermentors, that means more beer I can brew and more recipes I can try
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Travestian
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Yeah the only problem with this though is running out of either bottles or kegs to put the beer in if you are brewing faster than you drink.
MarcusKillion
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My homemade false bottom / filter system . https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/my-new-mash-tun-filter-376005/
Actually I have done away with the screen and just put the thing inside a 5 gallon nylon paint filter . never a stuck sparge with this puppy .
filter for siphon tube made from a copper coffee filter . Plan on gluing two of them together to make a ball and poke a hole in it for the tube to stop even more crap from getting in .
Also 210,000 BTU burner is nice .
Actually I have done away with the screen and just put the thing inside a 5 gallon nylon paint filter . never a stuck sparge with this puppy .
filter for siphon tube made from a copper coffee filter . Plan on gluing two of them together to make a ball and poke a hole in it for the tube to stop even more crap from getting in .
Also 210,000 BTU burner is nice .
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Travestian
Well-Known Member
Wow very nice DIY mash filter. Did you see an increase in efficiency with that thing? How long is the braided line? Total cost to build?
MarcusKillion
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I got about 11 cases of bottles and two fermenters and a bunch of 5 gallon buckets . I used to brew almost every weekend so I always had a selection of beers . Got lazy . Now I run low now and then .
MarcusKillion
Well-Known Member
I really do not have a right answer for you . I get good efficiency but I would not have a clue what % it is as I do not even know how to figure that out . I just brew and drink . My beers are always on target so I guess it is good . I usually run my sparge till there is no color left and is running nothing but water and always hit the target .
It only has about a quart of dead space and if I tilt the tun it gets almost all of that out .
the line is about 39 inches . I think it was 4 ft to begin with . I bout at home depot in the dish washer parts section . do not know what it cost . I think
Ace has one cheaper .
the lid is from ace . Couple of bucks I think . they have buckets and lids and they are food grade . Check for the food grade sign on bottom of bucket .
The pipe is 1/2 inch and got it at ace as you can buy it by the foot . Just there to add support to the lid since it has all them holes drilled in it .
Got the Twee at Ace also I think .
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