Okay, it's time to spend some o the cash I've been working so hard to accumulate!
I'm going to go with mostly extract or extract with grain. I'd like to do full boils of 5 gallon batches. And yes, like all my other hobbies, I'm going to buy it right the first time. Which means getting things I can use for all-grain when I step up to it. Right now a friend and I are sharing most of the brew eqipment, and it's a PITA to haul back and forth from his place to mine.
I've got some free time now so I have the time to shop around for the best deals.
Right now these are the best I can find. Please feel free to suggest other sources/parts that are better/less expensive.
Brewing:
Bayau Burner: I'll probably go with the SP10 Amazon.com: Bayou Classic SP10 High-Pressure Outdoor Gas Cooker, Propane: Home & Garden If I don't buy it soon, I might jsut wait for turkey fryer sales, and get whatever is on sale.
Tank: I might just be stuck with a damn rhino, unless I can find a used one and swap it out.
Big Aluminum pot (locally available.) I can get a 10 gallon restaurant grade for about $60
Making an IC. I'll probably add an old aquarium pump and recirc ice water to save on water.: ~$30. I have most of the parts already.
I've got an RO/DI filter from my fishtank, so I'll be using pure water for my brews.
Fermenting:
I'm torn between Better Bottles and glass carboys. I've read all the pro/con threads, and the price is about the same. I'm most likely going to use corneys for secondarys when I can. I know it's not the 'correct' tool for the job, but I want to use eqipment that serves more than one purpose. I live in an NYC apartment, so space is a premium. (although I have a bit of basement space to use.) I'll either pick up 6.5gal glass carboys locally, or order the BB's. I figure I can get away with 4 carboys.
Kegging.
I've got to talk to the roommates about a kegerator/keezer. I'm pretty sure I can talk them into having one in the spare bedroom. However, I don't know which size I
can get away with. I'm looking at either the Oster fridge (2x2 footprint) or the Magic Chef 5.5 freezer (3x2) I really like the idea of 4 taps with the freezer, or space to lager 2 while drinking 2. But there is that space issue again. However, if I can find a sanyo 4912 locally (I think I have a line on one) it's a no contest. I like the energy star rating. Are there any other small fridges/freezers that are Energy star?
Kegerator
Fridge: Oster:$188 best buy, Oster - 5.0 Cu. Ft. Compact Refrigerator - Silver - OR5005M3M
Or Sanyo:$289
2x keg kit (upgrade to perlics):Keg Connection.com $400
Love temp controller:$50 Controllers-Panel Mount And Love On/Off Temperature Controllers - Cole-Parmer Catalog
Roommate bribe: Custom etched glasses/few bottles of wine.
Keezer:
Freezer:$179 Home Depot
Hardware to upgrade:$100, with some fancy veneer to cover the front. (probably oak plywood)
4x keg kit (upgraded) 4 Faucet Refrigerator Conversion Kit, 4 kegs
Love Temp controller $50
Roommate bribe: Glasses/wine/detail her car/make something she'll like, (apfelwein, save me!)
Things to save some cash:
Buy everything seperately:
Cornys: Local guy has them for $24, or my cousin who works for pepsi (longshot)
Regulators: A single primary with two of these:
American Science & Surplus : Multi-Kegger Kinda Guy?
Add 2 guages, 4 check valves, fittings, hoses, ect.
CO2: find a 20# tank locally.
Faucets: Forward sealing + shanks.
$40 per faucet and another $40 for SS shank and hardware. (northern Brewer)
My only problem is if I only go with a 2 keg setup, I'm going to have to build another when I step up to 4. But then again, I like the building as much as I like the drinkng.
Ahhh, Decisions, decisions decisions...
So, what would be the smart move? I'm on the fence about the keezer/kegarator (have to make sure the roommates can deal with drinking fresh beer from a tap.) The rest of it is no-brainer. I can brew inside until the turkey friers go on sale.
But should I go with BB's or glass carboys?
Sorry for the long, mostly druck post.
B
I'm going to go with mostly extract or extract with grain. I'd like to do full boils of 5 gallon batches. And yes, like all my other hobbies, I'm going to buy it right the first time. Which means getting things I can use for all-grain when I step up to it. Right now a friend and I are sharing most of the brew eqipment, and it's a PITA to haul back and forth from his place to mine.
I've got some free time now so I have the time to shop around for the best deals.
Right now these are the best I can find. Please feel free to suggest other sources/parts that are better/less expensive.
Brewing:
Bayau Burner: I'll probably go with the SP10 Amazon.com: Bayou Classic SP10 High-Pressure Outdoor Gas Cooker, Propane: Home & Garden If I don't buy it soon, I might jsut wait for turkey fryer sales, and get whatever is on sale.
Tank: I might just be stuck with a damn rhino, unless I can find a used one and swap it out.
Big Aluminum pot (locally available.) I can get a 10 gallon restaurant grade for about $60
Making an IC. I'll probably add an old aquarium pump and recirc ice water to save on water.: ~$30. I have most of the parts already.
I've got an RO/DI filter from my fishtank, so I'll be using pure water for my brews.
Fermenting:
I'm torn between Better Bottles and glass carboys. I've read all the pro/con threads, and the price is about the same. I'm most likely going to use corneys for secondarys when I can. I know it's not the 'correct' tool for the job, but I want to use eqipment that serves more than one purpose. I live in an NYC apartment, so space is a premium. (although I have a bit of basement space to use.) I'll either pick up 6.5gal glass carboys locally, or order the BB's. I figure I can get away with 4 carboys.
Kegging.
I've got to talk to the roommates about a kegerator/keezer. I'm pretty sure I can talk them into having one in the spare bedroom. However, I don't know which size I
can get away with. I'm looking at either the Oster fridge (2x2 footprint) or the Magic Chef 5.5 freezer (3x2) I really like the idea of 4 taps with the freezer, or space to lager 2 while drinking 2. But there is that space issue again. However, if I can find a sanyo 4912 locally (I think I have a line on one) it's a no contest. I like the energy star rating. Are there any other small fridges/freezers that are Energy star?
Kegerator
Fridge: Oster:$188 best buy, Oster - 5.0 Cu. Ft. Compact Refrigerator - Silver - OR5005M3M
Or Sanyo:$289
2x keg kit (upgrade to perlics):Keg Connection.com $400
Love temp controller:$50 Controllers-Panel Mount And Love On/Off Temperature Controllers - Cole-Parmer Catalog
Roommate bribe: Custom etched glasses/few bottles of wine.
Keezer:
Freezer:$179 Home Depot
Hardware to upgrade:$100, with some fancy veneer to cover the front. (probably oak plywood)
4x keg kit (upgraded) 4 Faucet Refrigerator Conversion Kit, 4 kegs
Love Temp controller $50
Roommate bribe: Glasses/wine/detail her car/make something she'll like, (apfelwein, save me!)
Things to save some cash:
Buy everything seperately:
Cornys: Local guy has them for $24, or my cousin who works for pepsi (longshot)
Regulators: A single primary with two of these:
American Science & Surplus : Multi-Kegger Kinda Guy?
Add 2 guages, 4 check valves, fittings, hoses, ect.
CO2: find a 20# tank locally.
Faucets: Forward sealing + shanks.
$40 per faucet and another $40 for SS shank and hardware. (northern Brewer)
My only problem is if I only go with a 2 keg setup, I'm going to have to build another when I step up to 4. But then again, I like the building as much as I like the drinkng.
Ahhh, Decisions, decisions decisions...
So, what would be the smart move? I'm on the fence about the keezer/kegarator (have to make sure the roommates can deal with drinking fresh beer from a tap.) The rest of it is no-brainer. I can brew inside until the turkey friers go on sale.
But should I go with BB's or glass carboys?
Sorry for the long, mostly druck post.
B
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) but your 3 pre filters will make dandy water for beer.
