First of all I just want to say what a great resource you guys have made this forum. I have been lurking for about a month now and any random question I have, I just seem to be able to find the answer on here no problem. You guys rock :rockin:
As titled, I'm looking to get a decent first set up to start brewing. I bought this equipment kit from a groupon. (This store is local to me)
http://www.caribbeanbrewing.com/maestro-beer-equipment-kit-with-autosiphon.html
The groupon also included 10% off one entire purchase so I plan on getting a 5 gallon carboy, a brew pot thermometer and a scale from there.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to brew the beer. Starting with something similar process to the Sticky Easy Partial Mash Brewing, I think I'm set on brewing in a bag once I get all the way to all grain brewing. I was thinking of getting two 32 quart aluminum steamer kettles. Aluminum because it's cheap and I'm on electric stoves for now (better heat transfer).
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018EAV4M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I'm thinking of putting a weldless ball valve on one of kettles and using it as a mash tun by mashing the grain in my oven preheated to it's minimum temperature (170F) and turned off to maintain ~150F (exact temperature depends on recipe). With the ball valve and the steamer rack holding up the grain bag, I should be able to do a decent fly sparge into the other pot to boil the mash. If not, I'll just batch sparge but I still have the ball valve for coolness points. Consistent efficiency shouldn't be too hard to maintain once I get a few brews under my belt.
After that it's basic brewing. Boil the mash, cool the mash in an ice bath (sink or swamp cooler), transfer to primary, pitch yeast, place in swamp cooler, wait. Siphon carefully into secondary if it helps the style, wait. Priming sugar, bottle, wait, enjoy! Obviously simplified but you get the point.
Eventually I plan on upgrading everything (wort chiller, better quality pots, more carboys, a keg?) as I get better at brewing but I think this plan should get me a really good start. Any suggestion? Comments?
Edit: I was going to make this shorter but I accidentally hit post
As titled, I'm looking to get a decent first set up to start brewing. I bought this equipment kit from a groupon. (This store is local to me)
http://www.caribbeanbrewing.com/maestro-beer-equipment-kit-with-autosiphon.html
The groupon also included 10% off one entire purchase so I plan on getting a 5 gallon carboy, a brew pot thermometer and a scale from there.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to brew the beer. Starting with something similar process to the Sticky Easy Partial Mash Brewing, I think I'm set on brewing in a bag once I get all the way to all grain brewing. I was thinking of getting two 32 quart aluminum steamer kettles. Aluminum because it's cheap and I'm on electric stoves for now (better heat transfer).
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018EAV4M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I'm thinking of putting a weldless ball valve on one of kettles and using it as a mash tun by mashing the grain in my oven preheated to it's minimum temperature (170F) and turned off to maintain ~150F (exact temperature depends on recipe). With the ball valve and the steamer rack holding up the grain bag, I should be able to do a decent fly sparge into the other pot to boil the mash. If not, I'll just batch sparge but I still have the ball valve for coolness points. Consistent efficiency shouldn't be too hard to maintain once I get a few brews under my belt.
After that it's basic brewing. Boil the mash, cool the mash in an ice bath (sink or swamp cooler), transfer to primary, pitch yeast, place in swamp cooler, wait. Siphon carefully into secondary if it helps the style, wait. Priming sugar, bottle, wait, enjoy! Obviously simplified but you get the point.
Eventually I plan on upgrading everything (wort chiller, better quality pots, more carboys, a keg?) as I get better at brewing but I think this plan should get me a really good start. Any suggestion? Comments?
Edit: I was going to make this shorter but I accidentally hit post
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