5 years of constant upgrading equipment

[Boar Beer]

You might say you want one more piece of equipment to upgrade your system. But when you get it you are still saying you need one more piece…… Well this is my story grasshopper so listen and learn for the old and wise

What is upgrading? You mean going from
A 5 gallon stove top kit in 2008 to a
10 gallon double igloo cooler with propane cooker and one glass carboy and a plastic bucket to
A 15 gallon electric set up with 8 glass carboys to
A 20 gallon electric and a Blichmann MT with 17 glass carboys and one Blichmann 15 gallon conical
Then up to a 55 gallon Blichmann BK with one 42 gallon Blichmann conical
Then adding 6 more 42 gallon conicals
Upgrading to a 100 gallon Blichmann BK and upgrading the conicals to 96 gallons each.
Now in Fall 2013 it’s a 3bbl Stout BK and MT.

The morel of this story is be careful which upgrading trail you take as you could end up like me with a barn full of equipment with more Stainless Steel in the future.

Brew on young grasshopper

 

[Chupidacabra]

So what your saying is you need to hook me up with some old equipment? That's what I took from the story. The rest seems very logical, but maybe that's just me!

 

[Boar Beer]

Well the extra equipment goes out just as fast but not at the same price We do have 3-4 carboys for samples but the rest is gone.

 

[Chupidacabra]

I figured, I was just joking. If you had all that equipment still you'd probably have to climb over it to get out the door lol. I'm still in the 20 gallon bk and 3 carboy stage, but I'll be honest I'm hooked, who knows where this addiction is going. The thing keeping me from moving up at this point is lookin for cheap cornys at this point.

 

[nimboden]

I figured, I was just joking. If you had all that equipment still you'd probably have to climb over it to get out the door lol. I'm still in the 20 gallon bk and 3 carboy stage, but I'll be honest I'm hooked, who knows where this addiction is going. The thing keeping me from moving up at this point is lookin for cheap cornys at this point.

Started brewing this year in March and it's been all upgrades from that point. I now have a single tier brewstand with three twenty gallon pots, mounted chiller, pumps, all that jazz. Six kegs with a four keg keezer and at least ten carboys. It is an addiction, but an awesome one

 

[TheZymurgist]

Jeez, any idea how much that cost over the years?

 

[jrgtr42]

OK, dumb question time... How often do you brew, and what do you do with all of that beer?
I have a 5-gal rig - turkey fryer with 48QT mash tun, 20, 30, 33 boil kettles plus one approx. 20 gal, currently used for cooling. 2 6.5 Gal BB, 2 6.5 glass carboy and 2 5gal carboys.
I brew maybe 5 - 6 times a year and I barely keep up with all the beer I brew.

 

[SavoryChef]

OK, dumb question time... How often do you brew, and what do you do with all of that beer?
I have a 5-gal rig - turkey fryer with 48QT mash tun, 20, 30, 33 boil kettles plus one approx. 20 gal, currently used for cooling. 2 6.5 Gal BB, 2 6.5 glass carboy and 2 5gal carboys.
I brew maybe 5 - 6 times a year and I barely keep up with all the beer I brew.

He sells it.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Okay, sure, you built a lot and spent a lot, but how much joy did you get out of getting those new systems up and running? How much did you learn?

I like messing with equipment as much as I like brewing. I don't know if I'll ever stop upgrading my rig.

But yeah...WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT MUCH BEER?

 

[SavoryChef]

He sells it. He's a nano.

 

[Boar Beer]

Yes we went pro 3 years ago
You can see a thread from start to finish
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/squam-lakes-brewery-pictures-144764/

jrgtr42 Now we brew 2 times per week and before going pro it was once a week for about 2 years (with small equipment). Always finding someone to help drink extra beer.

Landolincoln
My son is the brewer and it is his business. The brewery is in my barn. I am the mechanical/electrical .... DYI part of the organization and YES I love messing with equipment.

The brewery almost never keeps up with demand. We sell 22 oz bottles and 6 gallon kegs to local bars.

 

[jrgtr42]

Yes we went pro 3 years ago
You can see a thread from start to finish
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/squam-lakes-brewery-pictures-144764/

jrgtr42 Now we brew 2 times per week and before going pro it was once a week for about 2 years (with small equipment). Always finding someone to help drink extra beer.

.

My bad. It's tough telling the pro's from us amateurs. I've seen homebrewers on this and other forums with huge systems like that, so I presumed... (I never assume, cause you know what happens...)

 

[Dog House Brew]

Did you stay with electric on your new Stout?

 

[Dog House Brew]

Never mind, I saw the element in the other thread. I thought everyone says you can't start Nano and make it? I love it when people prove the doubters wrong! Good luck and let us know how you like it.

 

[HerrHepcat]

I've upgraded a couple things already, and I've only been at it for a couple months. Heck, I just drank some of my first batch for the first time yesterday. (It was tasty!!)

Realizing this need to upgrade, I'm saving some money for the 50L Braumeister. Just gonna dive right in, ya know?

 

[Boar Beer]

Never mind, I saw the element in the other thread. I thought everyone says you can't start Nano and make it? I love it when people prove the doubters wrong! Good luck and let us know how you like it.

Dog House Brew
Yes the fastest way to succeed some times is to have someone tell you you cant do that. As for the electric for this size operation electric is the best way to go. You get great control and the cost is not that great. At some size it will make more scene to use other forms of energy. I did visit a 7bbl guy that had our same 3bbl set up with electric and he would double brew for his 7bbl conicals so i think we are still set up correct at this time.

 

[Boar Beer]

I've upgraded a couple things already, and I've only been at it for a couple months. Heck, I just drank some of my first batch for the first time yesterday. (It was tasty!!)

Realizing this need to upgrade, I'm saving some money for the 50L Braumeister. Just gonna dive right in, ya know?

HerrHepcat
Brewing can be a Sport, a Hobby, or a full time Job. If you like to learn and enjoy beer then home brewing is lots of fun. Enjoy the ride

 

[Dog House Brew]

Dog House Brew
Yes the fastest way to succeed some times is to have someone tell you you cant do that. As for the electric for this size operation electric is the best way to go. You get great control and the cost is not that great. At some size it will make more scene to use other forms of energy. I did visit a 7bbl guy that had our same 3bbl set up with electric and he would double brew for his 7bbl conicals so i think we are still set up correct at this time.

How many elements does your new Stout have? I'm guessing your running on 3 phase service? Love the Squam story and have followed it from the start.

 

[Boar Beer]

The kettle was set up for 4 but we are only using 3 and it works just fine for our needs. I must say that using the Tri Clamp for the elements is dirt simple and far better than other methods we used