Help me spend my tax refund!

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bernerbrau

bernerbrau

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What ends up happening when I do my own accounting is I overcompensate in order to avoid going in the hole. Which means that, when I got married, I WAY overcompensated when I re-did our w4s, and I'm about to get a nice little chunk o' change deposited into my bank account.

After paying off a high-interest high-balance credit card and buying a flat panel TV, I figure I'll have about $400 left over.

I currently have:
1 6.5-gal carboy
1 5-gal carboy
2 5-gal buckets with lids prepped for fermentation
Several extra buckets, from 1-4 gallons
4 or 5 airlocks
2 airlock stopper
2 airtight stoppers
1 autosiphon racking cane
1 6-foot siphon hose
1 bottle filler
1 hydrometer test jar
1 floating hydrometer/thermometer
1 stick-on carboy thermometer
1 20-qt stainless brewpot
1 small muslin hop bag
1 medium muslin grain bag
1 extra large nylon grain bag
1 large funnel w/filter
1 capper
Several empty bottles
StarSan and spray bottle
OxyClean
1 bottling tree (Capacity is 36)

And in my kitchen, I have the following which often double as brewing accessories:
1 meat thermometer
1 12-qt heavy stainless stockpot
1 turkey baster
several mason jars

I also live in an apartment, so AG supplies and propane/propane accessories are out for the time being.

The assignment is to advise me on how best to spend the remainder of my tax refund:cross: GO!
 
Brew kettle. Hands down, go to full boil. I would go for a Boilermaker and a Banjo burner.

EDIT: I am dumb :(

OK I would start building toward an electric Boil kettle so you could go full boil in your apartment. IMHO that will make the biggest difference to your brew. Talk to Pol, I think you could get that done for around $400.
 
I also live in an apartment, so AG supplies and propane/propane accessories are out for the time being.
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Wort Chiller would defiantly be nice... A couple more 6.5 carboys.... Of course if you find a small fridge/chest freezer for cheap/free you could start kegging. Your inventory looks pretty solid for an apartment non AG user. I would pick up a wort chiller another carboy and spend the rest on hops/specialty grains/extract/yeast so you have everything on hand if you want to brew. It always nice to not have to spend an afternoon running around gathering ingredients when the desire to brew arises.
 
Well, since you're in an apartment and don't want to do propane then full boils are out...I'd go with the wort chiller idea.
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If MASH ever invites me back (I borrowed propane, forgot to pay them back, and made a mess of aekdbbop's garage by accidentally boiling over (boil-overing??) 6 gallons of wort in a full-size keggle, also borrowed :() I might actually be willing to spring for a propane setup.
 
Build a CFC, then some more carboys. You won't want use those 5 Gallon buckets if you're doing 5 gallons batches. Buy either 6G Better Bottles, 6.5G Glass Carboys, or 6-7G Ale Pails. Use the other buckets for secondary if you do that.
Oh and of course spend some of that money on pad locks to keep SWMBO locked up. You know what kind of crazies are on this board. And maybe a box of brownie bites.
 
bernerbits said:
If MASH ever invites me back (I borrowed propane, forgot to pay them back, and made a mess of aekdbbop's garage by accidentally boiling over (boil-overing??) 6 gallons of wort in a full-size keggle, also borrowed :() I might actually be willing to spring for a propane setup.
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How do you boil over 6 gallons in a 15 gallon pot! Probably the same way you accidently make Barley wine?! haha

bernerbits said:
As I recall, I'm already blackmailing you for a lifetime supply of beer.
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I think you're blackmail has been paid in full there member boy.


Fermentation control (chest freezer and temp controller) and/or kegging are also very good ideas.
 
How do you boil over 6 gallons in a 15 gallon pot! Probably the same way you accidently make Barley wine?! haha
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Hey. You're starting to cross a line bashing my brewing aptitude, buddy.

It was, however, the same batch. I overestimated the extract and grains required and the rest is history.

Only time I ever had a perfect brew day, it ended up being just a so-so beer.
 
I don't want to be the voice of reason here, son, but seems that TV purchase is a luxury. Knock that off the list and you have more to pay down your debt. :)

Oops, there I go being logical again. Sorry.;)

Knock off that TV and just imagine how much more you'll have for brewing equipment.
 
I don't want to be the voice of reason here, son, but seems that TV purchase is a luxury.
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Considering that I almost never eat out, wear the same clothes I've been wearing for the last 5 years or so, cook all my meals, will have freed up nearly $120 in monthly cash flow by paying off this credit card, my only real splurge is homebrew, my main TV is a hand-me-down and has half the buttons broken off the front, and TV prices are starting to come down (I can get a decent 32" 720p for $300-400), I think I can afford to be a *little* bit irresponsible.
 
shecky said:
I don't want to be the voice of reason here, son, but seems that TV purchase is a luxury. Knock that off the list and you have more to pay down your debt. :)

Oops, there I go being logical again. Sorry.;)

Knock off that TV and just imagine how much more you'll have for brewing equipment.
Click to expand...

There goes shecky sounding like my dad again....
 
I made my own immersion wort chiller for like $25 at the hardware store. A very worthwhile investment in my opinion.

Do you have anywhere at your apartment to go outside and brew? A deck or patio? A $75 turkey fryer kit was a decent way for me to get started doing full boils and it doesn't take up a ton of space when stored.

Personally I think my next item is going to be an oxygenation kit with a hepa filter and an aquarium pump.

After that I'm going to look at kegging and filtering/force carbonating. Though, I'm assuming having an apartment you don't have a ton of room for kegs.
 
Do you have anywhere at your apartment to go outside and brew? A deck or patio?
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Yeah, but apartment rules prohibit open heat sources on the balcony. I'm not sure what management even thinks about my brewing.

Though, I'm assuming having an apartment you don't have a ton of room for kegs.
Click to expand...

You assume correctly. 1000 square feet doesn't leave a whole lot of room.
 
sirsloop said:
I would spend your tax refund on your savings account.
Click to expand...
sirsloop is a wise man.

bernerbits said:
Considering that I almost never eat out, wear the same clothes I've been wearing for the last 5 years or so, cook all my meals, will have freed up nearly $120 in monthly cash flow by paying off this credit card, my only real splurge is homebrew, my main TV is a hand-me-down and has half the buttons broken off the front, and TV prices are starting to come down (I can get a decent 32" 720p for $300-400), I think I can afford to be a *little* bit irresponsible.
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Meh, my TV is 13 years old. Still works so it ain't going anywhere.

But if you're so insistent, I say get a chiller.
 
Take that money and take the wifey out for a nice dinner, get her drunk, come home, take some pictures........ oooops sorry wrong thread.

Back to this thread! It seems like there isnt much more you can do since you are in an apartment so I would say full boil electric and wort chiller.
 
dataz722 said:
Take that money and take the wifey out for a nice dinner, get her drunk, come home, take some pictures........ oooops sorry wrong thread.
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BWAAAHAAA! Poor ol' Brownie can't post anywhere without being stalked now... :D
A couple of barleywines should do the trick, by the way.
 
A couple of barleywines should do the trick, by the way.
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Bribes, eh? Fine, everyone who donated to my membership can PM me their address and I'll ship a couple of 'em when they're done. Under condition that they STFU afterwards.
 
That was a damned fast trip down the road to "Whipping Post" for Berner.

Now the interesting thing will be to see how long it lasts. Will it be a permanent state for him, or will some other poor schmuck become the semi-willing, humorously accepting butt of many jokes.

Oh, Berner, SAVE the damned money!!!! Or at least get rid of ALL debt first.

If you must, I opt for temp control and chilling.
 
Oh, Berner, SAVE the damned money!!!! Or at least get rid of ALL debt first.
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Considering mine and my wife's student loans total something around $90k, that's a looooooooooong interim to be going without a single splurge. Mine are all between 5-8%, though, and they're the big loans.
 
Will it be a permanent state for him, or will some other poor schmuck become the semi-willing, humorously accepting butt of many jokes.
Click to expand...

When they told me "learning to laugh at yourself" would help with taking **** from people, I just assumed that meant people would leave me the hell alone.
 
bernerbits said:
Hey. You're starting to cross a line bashing my brewing aptitude, buddy.

It was, however, the same batch. I overestimated the extract and grains required and the rest is history.

Only time I ever had a perfect brew day, it ended up being just a so-so beer.
Click to expand...
I apologize, just harrassin you.

bernerbits said:
True, if I can't go AG, I might as well lager... Not to mention I can start using other yeasts besides US05...
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You can use it for non lager fermenting to FYI. Just run a higher temp. I would use it for ALL fermentation if you could dedicate the fridge. But once you get the fridge, it will be hard to stare at it and not see the taps on top in your mind!
bernerbits said:
Yeah, but apartment rules prohibit open heat sources on the balcony. I'm not sure what management even thinks about my brewing.
Click to expand...
Doesn't matter what they say about it, It's not illegal, they can't do anything one way or another. I understand the fire safety of the open heat sources though.

shecky said:
No can do, Brownie. I can always make/buy beer. It's a small price to pay for busting your nuts.:D
Click to expand...


bernerbits said:
Considering mine and my wife's student loans total something around $90k, that's a looooooooooong interim to be going without a single splurge. Mine are all between 5-8%, though, and they're the big loans.
Click to expand...
I agree with both sides. In theory it's nice to say, "Don't buy anything until debts are paid", in practice with student loans and house payments, Those are just loan I figure on having for a while and will enjoy my money at least a little. If not, what was the point in obtaining those student loans through college getting a good job.
 

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