First time byung equipment/brewing; want to go all the way

[BGates14]

Me and my friend want to start brewing beer. Simple as that, but we want to have full control over everything, so what do we need to do that? I've seen the pale ale typical beginner set ups and it seems as everyone says you can only do a partial mash. This being said, could we as beginners buy equipment that can handle everything past partial mash and learn to brew beer? We don't want to have to upgrade equipment after we learn to make beer using extracts and partial mashs. Any help is useful, thanks in advanced

 

[JetSmooth]

If you're willing to do a lot of research and learn every aspect of brewing, you could totally get an all grain setup.

My recommendation is to go ahead and get the kettle size you'll need and a propane burner and still do 2-3 extract brews. This way, you can get the handle of the brewing and sanitation neccessary before worrying about mash temps, etc. You can totally reuse all of the equipment and just add a few pieces before jumping to all grain.

I brewed extract 14 years ago and jumped right into all grain after taking a decade and a half off. I sort of had to re-learn everything, but the little bit of extract experience was helpful in controlling boil overs, maintaining fermentation and sanitation practices, etc.

 

[BGates14]

What exactly would I have to buy to start? This is my only true concern, I cannot find for the life of me a list of things I would need for an all grain set up, I can only find those beginner kits and then a few other things

 

[MussBrew]

There will definitely be some cost to going AG. After my first few batches of Extract I immediately purchased kegging equipment. I found bottling took way to long for me...but that's a whole other topic...
I would just by pieces that would allow you to eventually AG so you don't have to swap or repurchase equipment over. Like JetSmooth said first buy a large boil kettle. More Beer carries a decent 10 gal. kettle w/ spigot. I use a bazooka tube on mine, which I found works great when draining the wert into the carboy. Other important pieces you'll want to start out with include; propane burner, a chiller (important for when you do make the AG step, but will work well when doing extracts) and auto siphon.
This pieces will help you now and later! With time and research you and your friend will decide what type of mashing and sparging you'll want to use which will dictate the rest of the other pieces...

One of the best pieces of AG equipment I've ever purchased would have to be my BC (Barley Crusher). I was getting 65% from my LHBS, but with BC getting 85%.
Cheers


On Deck - Olga's Pale Ale
Primary - White Diamond Pale Ale

 

[buzzkill]

turkey fryer/a pot, at least 8 gal. for 5 gal size brews.

fermenter, bucket or B.B.

sanitizer, auto siphon, hose.

 

[BGates14]

http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/all_grain_how_to.htm

Would this work and be a basic idea of what I could start out doing, even skipping extract?

 

[buzzkill]

yes,just make a mash tun.

 

[BGates14]

thanks a ton

 

[buzzkill]

if you bottle,you will want a bottle wand. a bottling bucket would be nice. and a capper.

 

[j1laskey]

Most importantly are the sanitation products.

 

[SCHombrew]

A good kettle or keggle (beer keg converted) to mash, boil, or just to heat/hold hot water for mashing and sparging is a great investment. I got mine from adventures in homebrewing. Expect to spend more than $200 for this item alone. Keggles are 15+ gallons, so they'll handle most average to double batches as far as boiling is concerned. You'll need a primary fermenting vessel of some kind. Buckets work just fine, but some brewers prefer carboys. You'll need a few instruments such as a hydrometer & thermometer (and ph testing equipment when you move to all grain brewing). I'd check out any bare bones starter kits you can find to get most of the smaller items I'm leaving off this list but so far all the above posts are pointing you in the right direction. Good luck & happy brewing!!!

http://www.kegglebrewing.com/Keggle-with-Ball-Valve-and-Thermometer_p_87.html

PS: A turkey fryer is a definite must have btw. You'll never fit a good pot on the stove, and it would take too long to boil once you're brewing all-grain.