Okay so my friend and I split the cost for a 5 gallon beer brewing kit from midwest supplies (intermediate package).. it came with:
1 6.5 gallon primary fermenter bucket
2 5 gallon better bottles
1 6.5 gallon bottling bucket
Auto-Syphon
Hydrometer reader
Bottle filler
(we added a big ol nylon straining bag)
A capper (black beauty)
Caps
Two liquid crystal thermos
2 universal plugs (for better bottles)
2 airlocks
2 blow off tubes
And a bottle brush
We also bought a 5.5 gallon stainless steel brew kettle.
Now while we brew extract beer and continue to broaden our horizon and knowledge of beer, we plan to slowly upgrade our system. Our end goal is to be brewing up to 10 gallon batches of all grain beer so we will skip the step of buying smaller pots that can't handle 10 gallon brews and stuff. We want to maximize the one we've got now so there are just a few more things that we are buying for immediate use, but after that its on to buying the all grain set up part by part. Here is my plans on what order to buy and what I hope to get. Please put your input into what would be a better order or what my be a better deal as far as equipment goes. We don't mind buying used as long as its in good condition and will last a long time. Here we go:
1st: Buy immersion wort chiller (25') - already bought, just waiting to arrive in mail and assemble
2nd buy propane burner and propane tank
Something like: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...ping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-100056313&ci_gpa=pla
should do the trick. I have heard good things about the Bayou Classic out door cooker.
As for propane tank what would you all recommend for the size? 5 pound, 10 pound, more? What's best?
Reason I want to buy this one asap is because we can even start using it for our extract beer and getting a feel for how it works, plus it will cut down brew time by alot (it takes a long time to get to a boil on my stove)
3rd: A better aeration system. Not opposed to oxygen injection system if I can find it cheaper than usual, but I have seen people get good results with something attached to a drill bit (which looks like a cheap option). Anyone got any recommendations for that?
4th: Something like: http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-GALLON-A...ultDomain_0&hash=item19ce0ab697#ht_500wt_1214
I will probably have to break it down and buy it part by part... probably starting with the Brew kettle? Then Hot liquor tank, then mash tun?
Any opinion on order from that.
5th: then I will buy a couple 3 gallon fermenters and maybe 1 or 2 more 5-6.5 gallon fermenters (maybe a bucket and another better bottle). Just so I have enough to have a large variety going at once
6th: Hopefully after awhile I will be able to move to kegs. Are a couple corney kegs good to start off with? How bad do you need a kegerator or can that be held off?
7th: Kegerator... that's a ways off so I don't have any specifics there.
Okay so that's the order I have so far. Any suggestions as to how I should change it or what exact equipment I can get? I do want to save as much money as possible so I don't mind a "ghetto" set up, but at the same time I would like the equipment to last quite awhile. So a good balance of cheap but reliable is in order.
Look forward to your thoughts.
1 6.5 gallon primary fermenter bucket
2 5 gallon better bottles
1 6.5 gallon bottling bucket
Auto-Syphon
Hydrometer reader
Bottle filler
(we added a big ol nylon straining bag)
A capper (black beauty)
Caps
Two liquid crystal thermos
2 universal plugs (for better bottles)
2 airlocks
2 blow off tubes
And a bottle brush
We also bought a 5.5 gallon stainless steel brew kettle.
Now while we brew extract beer and continue to broaden our horizon and knowledge of beer, we plan to slowly upgrade our system. Our end goal is to be brewing up to 10 gallon batches of all grain beer so we will skip the step of buying smaller pots that can't handle 10 gallon brews and stuff. We want to maximize the one we've got now so there are just a few more things that we are buying for immediate use, but after that its on to buying the all grain set up part by part. Here is my plans on what order to buy and what I hope to get. Please put your input into what would be a better order or what my be a better deal as far as equipment goes. We don't mind buying used as long as its in good condition and will last a long time. Here we go:
1st: Buy immersion wort chiller (25') - already bought, just waiting to arrive in mail and assemble
2nd buy propane burner and propane tank
Something like: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...ping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-100056313&ci_gpa=pla
should do the trick. I have heard good things about the Bayou Classic out door cooker.
As for propane tank what would you all recommend for the size? 5 pound, 10 pound, more? What's best?
Reason I want to buy this one asap is because we can even start using it for our extract beer and getting a feel for how it works, plus it will cut down brew time by alot (it takes a long time to get to a boil on my stove)
3rd: A better aeration system. Not opposed to oxygen injection system if I can find it cheaper than usual, but I have seen people get good results with something attached to a drill bit (which looks like a cheap option). Anyone got any recommendations for that?
4th: Something like: http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-GALLON-A...ultDomain_0&hash=item19ce0ab697#ht_500wt_1214
I will probably have to break it down and buy it part by part... probably starting with the Brew kettle? Then Hot liquor tank, then mash tun?
Any opinion on order from that.
5th: then I will buy a couple 3 gallon fermenters and maybe 1 or 2 more 5-6.5 gallon fermenters (maybe a bucket and another better bottle). Just so I have enough to have a large variety going at once
6th: Hopefully after awhile I will be able to move to kegs. Are a couple corney kegs good to start off with? How bad do you need a kegerator or can that be held off?
7th: Kegerator... that's a ways off so I don't have any specifics there.
Okay so that's the order I have so far. Any suggestions as to how I should change it or what exact equipment I can get? I do want to save as much money as possible so I don't mind a "ghetto" set up, but at the same time I would like the equipment to last quite awhile. So a good balance of cheap but reliable is in order.
Look forward to your thoughts.