What is your homebrew "spare parts list" comprised of?

Like the title says, what kind of extra homebrew stuff do you keep on hand?

This would include spare ingredients and equipment.

Examples of things I'm looking for are things like DME to make starters or extra yeast. Bulk ingredients wouldn't necessarily count if they are around solely for use in recipes (meaning you buy 55lbs of wheat DME because you make a lot of Weissbeers).

Extract DME (in case I don't hit my efficiency #'s)
An extra hydrometer (cause they tend to break)
Teflon Tape (in case I'm having a hard time getting a good auto-siphon)
A couple packets of US-05 for bottling yeast (for re-yeast long aged beers)

adjunts - i-moss, fermcap, 5.2, oak chips
dry yeast - 4-5 packs in fridge
alil dme
keg parts manily o-rings and misc Q/D - but want to get some poppets and valves too
extra sanitizer
bulkhead seals, teflon, brass fittings
and most important imo is a half full tank on deck hooked to the grill

o yeah and homebrew

I currently have about 100 lbs of DME (bulk), 100 lbs grain (bulk and assorted 1 lb bags), 30+ yeast vials and 15-25 packets of dry yeast (mostly Notty), about 20 airlocks and amost 2 of everything (hydrometers, etc)...and assorted tubing...

Most of my doubles come from buying other people's equipment.

75lbs of DME, 50lbs of 2-Row, around 2lbs of hops, 4-5sachets of dry yeast, washed yeast in the fridge, StarSan, Vodka for my airlocks, OxiClean Free, O-Rings for my weldless fitings on the BK, Propane Tanks. Hmmm, what else am I forgetting?

So US-05 and Notty are pretty much the go to spare yeasts to have on hand?

What about spare DME, do you guys keep light on hand or something else?

I only keep light DME on hand (as in not dark), and that's just for stepping up yeast starters. As far as other spare parts go, an extra auto-siphon is high on the list of show stoppers for me were it to break. I feel like most other things including hydrometers could be replaced on my next trip to the LHBS, and I can Macguyver somethig together for most other items in the mean time. Of course, when my capper broke at 10:30 pm, it was a real pain to find a borrowed replacement.

I keep extra dry yeast for when I don't have time for starters, extra auto-siphon as earlier mentioned because if the original breaks it's a show stopper, DME for starters, keg o-rings, poppets, yeast nutrient, brewing salts, bottle caps, starsan, oxiclean, tubing for siphoning, an extra chloramine filter, whirlflock, campden, and a second co2 tank. I'm sure I forgot something.

evsjeep527 said:

What about spare DME, do you guys keep light on hand or something else?

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I keep about 50# each of Extra Light and Wheat DME on hand.

I forgot about the 8 lbs of hops in the freezer...

I keep Briess Pilsen Light (Extra Light) on hand.

A handful of Notty packs in the fridge, DME for starters and poor efficiency, extra buckets.

A few types of DME for starters; maybe half a dozen types of hops; spare parts for corneys (seals, posts, poppets, etc.); all manner of beverage and gas lines for my corneys; a number of airlocks; occasionally extra carboys (I think I own a dozen or so but between beer and wine they are all in use right now); three or four one-gallon jugs; hop socks & grain bags; extra Starsan; a Biermuncher beer gun; there's probably more I can't think of right now.

I dont brew or grill if there is even the smallest possibility of running out of fuel, so I have 4 extra bottles. I never go to the store to get 1 bottle refilled, always 2or 3. I do have natural gas service, but conversion is a costly PITA.

This is excessive, I know.

I have 4 propane tanks, 6 thermometers, 2 hydrometers, backup carboys, spare hose, 24 1lb tubs of the dollar store oxyclean, 2 big bottles of starsan, loads of keg o-rings, 10 each of notty and s-05, 100lbs of 2 row, 45lbs of misc adjuncts and specialty grains, I pick up an airlock or bung almost every LHBS visit. I also have 2 spare tap faucets, tower shanks, beer line, gas line, spare keg couplers, gas shutoff valves, anti backflow valves, spare manifold, spare regulator and I always keep a spare full co2 tank on hand. I just picked up 1 lb of irish moss, and recently a 50lb bag of rice hulls.
I think a keg system breakdown is more frustrating than a mishap while brewing. I will take a leaking keggle ball valve over a leaking keg post or leaking regulator anyday!

azscoob said:

I think a keg system breakdown is more frustrating than a mishap while brewing. I will take a leaking keggle ball valve over a leaking keg post or leaking regulator anyday!

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good point

i want to get a few of the level style pressure reliefes instead of the pull up style on hand. i think and know the keychain pull style leak and go bad faster. i have 2 kegs running those and they were new 2 years ago and leak now only having 2-3 brew in them compaired to one i run with a never changed and bought used keg equipped with the level action valve.

but dude 50* of hulls, animal...i proly would to at the right $$$

~5 lbs DME
Rice hulls
different brewing salts
Lactic acid
2 full sets of keg O rings
lots of extra hose
Zapap sparge setup in case of total MLT breakdown

LME for starter (LHBS doesn't sell DME, dangit), Notty/Windsor packets, and Grolsch seals; I always pick up a dozen when I visit the shop.

nicknoty said:

but dude 50* of hulls, animal...i proly would to at the right $$$

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The local feed store sells 50 lb sacks of rice hulls for $9.95. At that price how could I not get one??? I now know a 50lb sack of rice hulls is approx. 7.5 cubic feet! thats a lot of hulls!!

"list comprised of...."

Bad grammar, common mistake.

Just saying...

DME would be high on my list. I plan on getting a refractometer soon, so a spare hydrometer will be on hand shortly. I have lots of extra stuff, but extra tubing is a must, as is a spare thermometer for mashing and checking pitching temps.

Actually, unless you cannot measure your pitching temps, you could be ok without hardly anything and make beer. No hydro? No problem, it's probably fine if you planned your recipe ahead of time.

If you bottle, it's always nice to have enough bottles on hand.

DME, Poppets, O-rings, dip-tubes, posts, clamps, the list is endless.

3 lbs of DME, thermometer, corn sugar, I also have an extra releif valve for my corny kegs