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geraldrandall7

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Hello,

New to brewing beer and looking for electric single vessel setup. I live in Florida and will be brewing in my garage, so I plan to get a conical fermenter and glycol chiller, and was given a keezer that could be utilized as well. I am looking to go right into kegging and not interested at this time in bottling or canning. I have been doing a bunch of research and I’m having a hard time deciding between spike all in one, clawhammer, Brewtools Ss brewtech svbs. I have 240v outlet in garage for EV charging and will need an adapter/converter . Could add a 30a if needed but would prefer to use this outlet. I want to focus on 5 gallon batches . Any advice/guidance would be great. Thanks!
 
Hey Gerald, welcome to HBT! I wish I could be more help with these systems you've listed , but I use the Grainfather.

I will say this , I have a spike cf5 which I really like. Spike is solid stuff. I would watch videos and check out threads pertaining to these systems.
 
Jag75 said:
Hey Gerald, welcome to HBT! I wish I could be more help with these systems you've listed , but I use the Grainfather.

I will say this , I have a spike cf5 which I really like. Spike is solid stuff. I would watch videos and check out threads pertaining to these systems.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the response. What model of grainfather do you have? I am open to any and all suggestions (should have put that in the initial question). The ones I listed were what I was recommended by local Homebrew and friends.
 
I have the G30 . It has Bluetooth controller. 110v . I brew 5 to 5.5 gallon batches . I've had 16# grainbill. The 240v would be nice to get that boil time quicker , but all on all its been great .
 
Think very hard about getting a fermenter that can handle pressure. Don't do it for a cleaner fermentation profile, but because the combination of purging a keg with fermentation CO2, spunding, and closed transfer will keep your oxygen exposure to a minimum, and your beer will be better. If you're interested in making hoppy beer, it'll be a whole, whole lot better.

If it were me, I'd avoid the conical and glycol chiller in favor of fermenting in a keg/kegmenter inside a small chest freezer with a temperature controller. Add a floating dip tube and a spunding valve, and you can do anything you can do with the conical except dump yeast, you have a chest freezer and keg that can also be used for other things, and you save ~$1500.

If money is really burning a hole in your pocket, there's the Spike Flex+: again, everything you need except the yeast dump.

As for brewing systems, the all-in-ones have never appealed to me, but I've been drooling over one of these for a long time, and the only reason I haven't pulled the trigger is I make too many small batches.
 
Welcome to the hobby. I do 5 gallon batches with a 10 gallon kettle, propane burner and an immersion chiller. I ferment in a hall closet using Northern Brewer buckets. I bought a new Torpedo keg from Morebeer as it was one of few I could find that was height wise within my used kegerator dimensions. While I enjoy doing it the way I do (long day but it is fun to be a part of the process vs just plug and walk away) I have been looking at the Anvil. Not sure why I like that one so much over the others as I have not done much research, but it just caught my attention. They can be had used and if possible I would go that route. I bottle and keg and each has it's advantages and disadvantages. Enjoy and good luck on your decision. Plenty of info here and the folks here will give you a ton of advice and help. Rock On!!!!!!!
 
If you are just starting i would actualy suggest just botteling with refermenation instead of kegging, its simpler and you will probably get better result.
 
geraldrandall7 said:
New to brewing beer
Click to expand...
geraldrandall7 said:
so I plan to get a conical fermenter and glycol chiller,
Click to expand...
These go together a lot on here. Please tell us what you've brewed so far and what you already have, but more importantly:
How much can you spend?
There's a learning curve with every stage of brewing, and many different ways to accomplish the same parts of the process... It can be as simple as having no experience but buying a can of Coopers and following the instructions with what you have on hand in your house, to building your own mash-tun and using milk-cans for fermenting to diving right into All Grain with expensive stainless and chillers or chambers, or just having a lot of cash and buying $35000 worth of gear at once and then finding you have to come on here and youtube a hundred times to try and understand watch each phase is and what the hardware actually does.
Good conicals are expensive and don't always give you what you decide later, you really wanted...especially if you decide to do pressure-fermenting or even closed transfers.
Tell us more about what you have/know so far, and how much you can spend. Quite often, taking a cheaper and slower path gives you time to learn and focus on the many details of each piece of hardware and what it can do for your eventual routine and preferred process.
...And: Welcome to the fun!
:bigmug:
 
Sounds like you're willing to spend quite a bit. If you haven't already, it would be worthwhile to brew a few batches on more modest equipment and make sure this is something you're going to enjoy--both the process and the result. But assuming that's the case...

I've been using one of these systems from brewhardware.com for most of this year, and been very happy with it so far:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/biabpackagepremium.htm
I bought it with the 15-gal kettle--it's enough to brew as big a beer as I might want in a 5-gallon batch (and I like my big beers), and could manage a 10-gal batch of something lighter. I use my own controller with it, but there are controllers for sale there as well--I think I'd favor the Auber unit there.

Once of the things I like about this unit is that everything's modular, which means I can replace it or move it if I need to--they're all standard parts, so I'm not locked into a single vendor. It has plenty of power to reach and hold temp, and to maintain a vigorous boil. The pump means I can recirculate and maintain a very uniform temp. Everything's worked well since Batch 1 with this system.

Toward the other end of the spectrum, I've been intrigued by Vevor's unit:
https://www.vevor.com/beer-brewing-...ystem-w-circulating-pump-8-gal-p_010556912690
It looks identical to the 35L Brewzilla for $100 less, and might even include some additional bells and whistles--though I haven't compared them that closely. It runs on a standard 120V circuit, which means it isn't going to heat as quickly, but also means you can plug it in anywhere. I suspect you'd be limited in batch size with bigger beers, though. But I haven't used one of those as yet; all I've done is look.
 
AlexKay said:
Think very hard about getting a fermenter that can handle pressure. Don't do it for a cleaner fermentation profile, but because the combination of purging a keg with fermentation CO2, spunding, and closed transfer will keep your oxygen exposure to a minimum, and your beer will be better. If you're interested in making hoppy beer, it'll be a whole, whole lot better.

If it were me, I'd avoid the conical and glycol chiller in favor of fermenting in a keg/kegmenter inside a small chest freezer with a temperature controller. Add a floating dip tube and a spunding valve, and you can do anything you can do with the conical except dump yeast, you have a chest freezer and keg that can also be used for other things, and you save ~$1500.

If money is really burning a hole in your pocket, there's the Spike Flex+: again, everything you need except the yeast dump.

As for brewing systems, the all-in-ones have never appealed to me, but I've been drooling over one of these for a long time, and the only reason I haven't pulled the trigger is I make too many small batches.
Click to expand...
Interesting thing is a friend that is getting out of brewing is giving me a keezer , has 10 : 5 gallon kegs and has a glycol chiller he is willing to sell for a terribly cheap price( another kid on the way) and trying to clean out garage. That’s why I was leaning towards jacketed conical because the glycol chiller is practically free. I also considered fermenting in the keezer with a keg as you pointed out. I’m interested in the all in one style because it seems like easier sanitization and cleanup. I made mistake of not getting the “best/most efficient” equipment when I setup a saltwater reef tank. Decided to get easier to setup equipment that really could not meet my target goals for the tank and ended up having to replace them later . I am operating on but once cry once with some of the equipment. What do you use for testing? Thanks for the advice.
 
Broken Crow said:
These go together a lot on here. Please tell us what you've brewed so far and what you already have, but more importantly:
How much can you spend?
There's a learning curve with every stage of brewing, and many different ways to accomplish the same parts of the process... It can be as simple as having no experience but buying a can of Coopers and following the instructions with what you have on hand in your house, to building your own mash-tun and using milk-cans for fermenting to diving right into All Grain with expensive stainless and chillers or chambers, or just having a lot of cash and buying $35000 worth of gear at once and then finding you have to come on here and youtube a hundred times to try and understand watch each phase is and what the hardware actually does.
Good conicals are expensive and don't always give you what you decide later, you really wanted...especially if you decide to do pressure-fermenting or even closed transfers.
Tell us more about what you have/know so far, and how much you can spend. Quite often, taking a cheaper and slower path gives you time to learn and focus on the many details of each piece of hardware and what it can do for your eventual routine and preferred process.
...And: Welcome to the fun!
:bigmug:
Click to expand...
I have brewed several extract beers a few years ago and have participated in a few brew days with friends that have 3 vessel systems. I have been actively making mead for a few years and am planning on all grain as I know that’s where I want to end up. I am willing to spend enough to get quality equipment that will last. I was gifted a keezer, several 5 gallon kegs and a Ss brewtech glycol chiller (I say given it was extremely cheap). I have an RO system I use for my saltwater reef tank that I will be using for brewing. I have years of experience with maintaining the reef balance and find that to be the most rewarding (only if corals are growing) so I believe all grain brewing will also be something I enjoy. I am not opposed to a 3 vessel system but I think “middle to higher end” all in one is a better option for space and ease of use/cleanup if I understand correctly. Since I will have a keezer and glycol chiller I am willing to spend a few thousand on rest of system. I plan on starting with a few kits from more beer and one from local brew store that was recommended before going mad scientist. Thanks again for all the advice.
 
Yeah that's the main reason I went with an aio vessel. The footprint is minimal . Sounds like your pretty much there. Get you a mill , decide on the vessel you want and your off to the races . I definitely prefer kegging . Started out bottling but only time I bottle now is from the tap
 
If you’ve got the glycol chiller already, the conical makes a lot more sense. Reiterating that pressure capability is really worth having.

As for all-in-one vs. multiple vessel … I honestly think multiple vessels only start to make sense at bigger batch sizes. There is essentially no compromise for an all-in-one for five gallons.
 
If you want an electric system and money is not a big concern then I’d be looking at either the Grainfather or one of the Braumeister systems. I don’t have money for one of those. I have an Anvil Foundry 6.5 which I use to make small 3 gallon batches.

Blichman has some nice stuff too.
 
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First thing you should do is think about your process. Are you mashing or extract brewing? Will you need to do low oxygen transfers or dry hopping? What measurements are you going to take, pH, gravity, temperature, weights and in what ranges? The first equipment that I got when I started to brew were scales, meters and thermometers.

You will need a good brew kettle - add a large 400 mesh bag and you've got everything you need for the hot side. Sounds like you've got everything you need to have for cold side as well with your kegs and keezer.

Also consider that no matter what you get, as you refine your process it's not going to be perfect. That argues for starting out slowly and building your equipment over time.
 
The all in ones are nice but if you ever decide to try something different they are not very flexible as far as changing kettles, controllers, etc. I would check out something like the brewers hardware system mentioned and can also recommend Blichmann. They have a single vessel recirculating system as well as a new kettle with the heating coil mounted underneath that would be good for BIAB. You could also expand easier if you wanted to.
 
You've got some good advice already but, here's yet another idea.

I know you mentioned 5 gal batches, but.. If you're considering something like a Spike CF, you might want to also think about going for a 10 or even a 15 gal unit. You can always do a 5 gal batch in a smaller one, but not a bigger batch in a smaller unit. Price difference isn't that much if you have the budget. I do 15 gal (17 actually, but...) batches in a Clawhammer 240v system and a Spike CF-15. Theory being, it takes the same amount of time to brew 5gal vs 15 and then I'm done for a while. Also, gives my beer a chance to lager. Yes, I drink a lot... <sigh> lol If I want a specialty/test batch, I can whip up a 5 or 10 gal batch out of it to see if I'm going to like it. Brewing big batches might also allow you to 'coast' through the warmer months when cooling is a necessity.

Also, you might want to look into pressure fermenting at warmer temps. You might be able to get away without cooling during the cooler times of the year.

I'll put in a plug for the Clawhammer system (love mine,) but whatever you do, I'd push you towards electric. Much easier to maintain temps and allows you to focus on things other than temp control, IMO. If you know anyone who's an electrician, have them build you a small adapter cord to convert your plug. Very easy thing for them to do and you can bribe them with the end product to get it for a reduced cost.. lol

Rich
 
It’s real easy in brewing to get caught up in whirlwind of gear. Think of it less like you’re in an industrial lab, and more like you are in the kitchen making oatmeal. How much do you want to make, and how often? That’ll guide a lot of the other decisions. That, cold side temperature control, and sanitation are main focuses.

My votes would be:
-Ebiab from brewhardware. It will give you flexibility if you ever want to change anything, and it’s about as optimized as you can get for the hot side process.
-Allgrain right away. It doesn’t make sense to me to do otherwise Extract is like using tollhouse cookie dough, why not just make them from scratch? It’s not rocket science.
-Kegging. This is the way
 
If you want to start out with all-grain brewing, you will probably want a mill too. You can't always purchase premilled grain and whole grain keeps longer anyway.
 
Jeroen79 said:
If you are just starting i would actualy suggest just botteling with refermenation instead of kegging, its simpler and you will probably get better result.
Click to expand...
I disagree. Bottling is more work intensive. You gotta clean and sanitize 50+ bottles, make sure you have the correct amount of priming sugar, fill the 50+ bottles, and cap the 50+ bottles. Then after drinking 50+ bottles (hopefully not all at once), you'll need to clean and sanitize 50+ bottles again for the next batch.

Kegging is so much more simple, there's only one large can to clean. Of course, the initial cost is much more than bottling, so there is that.
 
homebeerbrewer said:
I disagree. Bottling is more work intensive. You gotta clean and sanitize 50+ bottles, make sure you have the correct amount of priming sugar, fill the 50+ bottles, and cap the 50+ bottles. Then after drinking 50+ bottles (hopefully not all at once), you'll need to clean and sanitize 50+ bottles again for the next batch.

Kegging is so much more simple, there's only one large can to clean. Of course, the initial cost is much more than bottling, so there is that.
Click to expand...
and you have to sanitize the bottle caps too!
 
I don't sanitize my bottle caps. I feel they are clean and sanitary enough. The only infection issue I ever had seemed to be due to a previous brewing of a sour beer and not taking extra steps to sanitize the bottles and other equipment.

Do y'all sanitize your hops when you dry hop?

I don't mind the process of bottling. The process of fussing with kegs is more off putting to me. It's definitely a individual choice as to which way to go.
 
hotbeer said:
I don't sanitize my bottle caps. I feel they are clean and sanitary enough. The only infection issue I ever had seemed to be due to a previous brewing of a sour beer and not taking extra steps to sanitize the bottles and other equipment.

Do y'all sanitize your hops when you dry hop?

I don't mind the process of bottling. The process of fussing with kegs is more off putting to me. It's definitely a individual choice as to which way to go.
Click to expand...
If you're using oxygen-absorbing bottle caps they ought to get wet to activate the absorbent. Of course you can also do this by inverting the bottle after you seal.
 
hotbeer said:
I don't sanitize my bottle caps. I feel they are clean and sanitary enough. The only infection issue I ever had seemed to be due to a previous brewing of a sour beer and not taking extra steps to sanitize the bottles and other equipment.

Do y'all sanitize your hops when you dry hop?

I don't mind the process of bottling. The process of fussing with kegs is more off putting to me. It's definitely a individual choice as to which way to go.
Click to expand...
I boil mine in water before I use them, about 10-15 minutes. It doesn't make sense to take the risk.
 
Jeroen79 said:
If you are just starting i would actualy suggest just botteling with refermenation instead of kegging, its simpler and you will probably get better result.
Click to expand...
I'd usually recommend at least a bottling phase, just for the experience, but it sounds like he already has this from previous brews, plus since he's already got a keezer, I'd be looking into the keezer's taps and shanks and making sure they're SS and making sure that the beer lines are either Bevlex 200 or EVABarrier.
Plus:
hotbeer said:
The process of fussing with kegs is more off putting to me. It's definitely a individual choice as to which way to go.
Click to expand...
It really is individual.. For my own practice, I got into kegging slowly, first getting my CO2 kit and one keg and a Beer Gun so I could use a cold room for bottling without mucking about with dextrose or the massive surface area O2 exposure of a bottling bucket..the kegerator was the next logical step. I do still keep my bottling gear though, for filling from my kegerator just to either hand out or quickly empty a keg to make room for the next one.
 
Most bottle caps sold for beer bottling do claim to be oxygen absorbing. But some members and other places have called a foul on whether or not they actually lock up a significant amount of the O2 that is in the air in the headspace. I don't have a dog in that hunt anymore. So I'm not going to argue does or doesn't.

Regardless, I do invert my bottles and ensure the inside of the cap gets wet. Unless I'm longing to hear that unique "pffft" sound that a bottle makes with the top is popped, I usually fill my bottles up leaving just 1 to 4 millimeters of head space. Even very carbonated beers make no sound when you open them and you'll get a fright the first time or two thinking that you've opened a flat beer.
 
Cleaning bottles is not that intensive, and there is no need to sanitize the caps, they are clean from the factory.

Bottles also last a lot longer, once a keg is hooked up it should be emptied pretty fast.
 
Jeroen79 said:
Cleaning bottles is not that intensive, and there is no need to sanitize the caps, they are clean from the factory.
Click to expand...
Depends where and how you buy caps.

At my local homebrew store I buy them in bulk from a large box in their warehouse, by the pound (or fraction thereof). Although they have a dedicated grain/milling room, there's always dust around.

I would sanitize them regardless, unless they come prepackaged in a sealed bag, and you just know they're clean and sanitary.
 
I guess beceasue you either pump air or co2 into it, the rule here in beligum is that a started keg should be on tap max 2/3 weeks after that is will degrade.
 
redrocker652002 said:
Welcome to the hobby. I do 5 gallon batches with a 10 gallon kettle, propane burner and an immersion chiller. I ferment in a hall closet using Northern Brewer buckets. I bought a new Torpedo keg from Morebeer as it was one of few I could find that was height wise within my used kegerator dimensions. While I enjoy doing it the way I do (long day but it is fun to be a part of the process vs just plug and walk away) I have been looking at the Anvil. Not sure why I like that one so much over the others as I have not done much research, but it just caught my attention. They can be had used and if possible I would go that route. I bottle and keg and each has it's advantages and disadvantages. Enjoy and good luck on your decision. Plenty of info here and the folks here will give you a ton of advice and help. Rock On!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Are you talking about Anvil Fermenters? if so, I have 3 different fermenters. SS Brew…Chapmann…and Anvil. I believe Anvil is the best built one. The drain valve/faucet and racking arm are far better than the other two. I even put an Anvil drain valve/faucet on my Chapmann Fermente. It has a 1/2 inch barb for fast draining. T
redrocker652002 said:
Welcome to the hobby. I do 5 gallon batches with a 10 gallon kettle, propane burner and an immersion chiller. I ferment in a hall closet using Northern Brewer buckets. I bought a new Torpedo keg from Morebeer as it was one of few I could find that was height wise within my used kegerator dimensions. While I enjoy doing it the way I do (long day but it is fun to be a part of the process vs just plug and walk away) I have been looking at the Anvil. Not sure why I like that one so much over the others as I have not done much research, but it just caught my attention. They can be had used and if possible I would go that route. I bottle and keg and each has it's advantages and disadvantages. Enjoy and good luck on your decision. Plenty of info here and the folks here will give you a ton of advice and help. Rock On!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I brew exactly the same way…
If you are talking about Fermenters, I have 3 of them. SS BrewTech…Chapmann… and Anvil. The Anvil is the better one IMO. The drain valve/faucet and racking arm is much better built. It has a 1/2 barb for faster transfers. I even put an Anvil drain valve/faucet On my Chapmann. The only drawback on the Anvil is the handles don’t fold down and could cause issues if trying to ferment in a small fridge as the handles might not give you enough room In a small space.
Cheers. Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Bayou Fatma Brewer said:
Are you talking about Anvil Fermenters? if so, I have 3 different fermenters. SS Brew…Chapmann…and Anvil. I believe Anvil is the best built one. The drain valve/faucet and racking arm are far better than the other two. I even put an Anvil drain valve/faucet on my Chapmann Fermente. It has a 1/2 inch barb for fast draining. T


I brew exactly the same way…
If you are talking about Fermenters, I have 3 of them. SS BrewTech…Chapmann… and Anvil. The Anvil is the better one IMO. The drain valve/faucet and racking arm is much better built. It has a 1/2 barb for faster transfers. I even put an Anvil drain valve/faucet On my Chapmann. The only drawback on the Anvil is the handles don’t fold down and could cause issues if trying to ferment in a small fridge as the handles might not give you enough room In a small space.
Cheers. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
No, I was talking about the Anvil all in one brewing system. Did not even know they had fermenters. Going to check them out just for the heck of it.

Ouch, 170 bucks? Ummmm, not right now. LOL. I will keep using my NB buckets for now. They are paid for, but those things do look really nice.. Might be on the wish list one day.

My next attempt may be to ferment in a corny keg. I have a bunch of them, so maybe ferment and then to a closed transfer to my serving keg to see what happens.
 

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