RIMs or Ferm Chamber... Help!

Well I had an early Christmas this year. Got some cash, a few gift cards, and the SWMBO agreed to let me take on ONE homebrew project for the time being. I either get to build my RIMs system I have been drawing and redrawing for the last few months, or I can start on the fermchamber/kegerator to go under the bar.

My dilemma comes in the form of the chicken and the egg. Do I need to build the brewery or the serving platform first. My instinct is to go with the brewery first, but I am really looking forward to kegging everything. If I do the brewery its going to be put into bottles for a while. If I do the fermchamber/kegerator it will be extracts and partial mashes until I get the RIMs complete as I have torn apart my MLT and kettle getting ready for the build.

I never knew something so good could be so confusing...

Fermentation temp control is the key to GREAT beer. I have heard this many times over, it's more important than everything else in homebrewing aside from sanitation of course!

Generally I would say the temp control is the most important... but, I hate unorganized brewing. I am way happier working on a nice system that on cobbled stuff. I would probably build the rig and have a relaxing brewday and use a swamp cooler.

Plus, strike while the iron is hot. The brewery will be way more expensive than the ferm chamber. Take the big stick while it is available.

Wyzazz- I agree, temp control is very important. I was blessed with a basement bathroom that stays a steady 67 degrees all year round, and a wife who won't go in the basement until I get the floors done

BK - I think you may be right... Right now I have a mish mash of coolers and a turkey fryer I am using. If I play this right I could end up with something pretty sweet. plus my birthday isn't too far off so if I get it done in time I might end up with both by summer.

On a side note - BK have you been to the new NB in West Allis? I will be back in Wisconsin for my brother's wedding in April, hoping to make a trip out there if it's worth it. (I'm from the Milwaukee area)

wyzazz said:

Fermentation temp control is the key to GREAT beer. I have heard this many times over, it's more important than everything else in homebrewing aside from sanitation of course!

Click to expand...

IMHO, if you don't have good product to ferment, what is the sense? If you brew pisswater and ferment it at 65* +/- 1 milli degree it is still piss water when your fermentation is finished.

It is awesome. For example, Jamil Z. said it was the biggest and most impressive homebrew shop he has ever seen. It is really cool and definitely worth a stop in.

Well good news... The last few pieces for the RIMs have been ordered. Last night SWMBO came to me nd said she wanted to give me an early birthday present, so it would be ready for the party. I get a kegerator!

She wants to buy one, but I am coming up with a variety of keezer build pics to show her that building one would be, not only cheaper, but have more uses (for lagering, more taps, etc...)

Woo Hoo! She is the best in my book - I don't care what you guys say