Novice bites off more than he can chew.

[tomlivings]

Hello guys,
My first post.
I have recently bought a whole load of stuff for all-grain brewing (we are by-passing extract). I collected the money from friends, now we kind of 'time-share' the equipment. Thought it would be fun to learn with friends and none of us have brewed before.

I bought:
10 gallon Mash tun (cooler) + HLT kit 129.99
10 gallon rubbermaid cooler 63.93
50′ Wort Chiller 64.99
Bayou Classic 101.51
15 Gln BREW KETTLE 219.99

I need to buy the little things next and 2 carboys. There's 13 people, we threw in $60 each. I spent $617 so far. So I have $163 left.
What should be the next purchase?
Tom.

 

[Gremlyn]

I'm a little confused on the first two items... did you buy two coolers? What was the 'Bayou Classic' for $101? Just the burner?

You'll need fittings for your brew kettle, bargainfittings.com would be a good source for those. You'll also need a fermentor and bottling bucket, your LHBS should have a beginners kti to include things like a hydrometer, racking cane, etc.

 

[marubozo]

I'd say you have the basics covered. When you say little things, there can be a lot of little things, so make sure you get it all. Things like a hydrometer, siphon tubing (I strongly recommend an auto siphon), airlocks, fittings, propane tank and gas, thermometers (both for taking temps of your mash and the kind you stick on your fermenters), a big tub of oxi clean, sanitizer, mash paddle, bottling bucket and capper and caps (if bottling). And if you're doing liquid yeast, you'll want stuff to make starters so some DME and a container to make the starter in.

I think that would pretty much get you going.

 

[BadgerBrewer]

You also need GOOD thermometers. Temp control is absolutely critical in all grain brewing.

 

[Gregscsu]

You also need GOOD thermometers. Temp control is absolutely critical in all grain brewing.

I strongly recommend a good digital thermometer.

 

[jamesnsw]

Wait... 13 people and 2 carboys? I think you'll find quickly surpassing 2 carboys. It'll get you started, definitely, but your pipeline will need more.

I second the thermometer & starter suggestions.

I thought of doing something like this, but my potential partners are moving, so oh well. I was thinking of having the brewday equipment being shared, but carboys & bottling stuff all personally owned.

 

[BadgerBrewer]

Excellent point on the carboys jamesnsw! I myself have 3 of them locked up now in the middle of fermentation. Better count on each person having their own fermenters!

 

[TerapinChef]

I would skip the carboys and go for the buckets. If you've got thirteen people involved in this, there's going to be a lot of beer going home with folks on brewday, and IMHO plastic buckets are the way to travel with wort.

 

[Kickass]

I don’t want to be Debby Downer here but please let us you how 13 people sharing equipment works out in 6 or 8 months.

 

[Brewmoor]

I would suggest that All Thirteen of you go out and buy a better bottle each, on your own so everyone has one. Then as a group maybe get a couple bottling buckets.

Your system is portable and all 13 of you may not be together all at once. I can foresee multiple brew days happening with different people attending. This way you can all have your own fermentation going. Pass around the bottling buckets and maybe some of the other gear. You then won't be fighting over things as much. Better bottles are pretty cheap.

Good Luck. You have what you need to have a ton of fun. Ask around on HBT if you need help. This place is good for it.

 

[tomlivings]

Thanks to all, what a helpful forum!
Gremlyn1: Yes, two coolers. And yes, a burner for $100 inc shipping (185kBTU).
What are fittings for the kettle? It has a thermometer and spigot, is that what you mean? Do the thermometers on kettles tend to be accurate?

I guess we'll make do with a couple of carboys to start. We can leave them at whomever's house is brauhuas for the day, bottle it later and then bring the bottles to the next brew session.

For who is interested, you can read more about the plan here: http://beercoop.wordpress.com/

Thanks again, Ill be back!
Tom.

 

[Gremlyn]

Hmm, so curious as to why two coolers then? Unless you're going to use one as a electric HLT... I'm not sure what the 'HLT kit' that your cooler came with includes.

 

[Brewmoor]

I believe that second cooler is for fly sparging. Heat up water, Pour in second cooler. Raise above level of MLT. Mash out to kettle while second cooler sparges through. Seems logical to me.

 

[syscokid]

I don’t want to be Debby Downer here but please let us you how 13 people sharing equipment works out in 6 or 8 months.

There will be some a**kicking when 13 people are fighting over the last bottle of brew.

 

[EricT]

They must be good friends

 

[tomlivings]

There will be some a**kicking when 13 people are fighting over the last bottle of brew.

haha, well we'll see. I think this is an awesome way to start. You have all the advantages of trying brewing with none of the draw-backs. You learn together and its fun for one. Also, if you dont like it or just think its too much like hard work, or would only like to do it once a year, then you get 13x the equipment for the money. You dont have to store all the stuff. It only costs $60. You get good equipment. You get to try other peoples beers and ideas. You pool knowledge. You're not stuck with 10 gallons of **** beer during the learning process.
Yes, there are a couple of disadvantages....someone might not do the cleaning properly, you dont get to keep the whole batch (unless you brew on your own) but the advantages are greater, esp for a bunch of novices like us.

And yes, we are good friends.
Gremlyn, Brewmore is correct. Its another cooler to be a HLT into which we pour hot water to gravity feed the sparge.

And if anyone is super-curious...all the info is here http://beercoop.wordpress.com/

 

[Fuzzywumpers]

I'm not a math wizard, but it seems to me that if 13 people share 5 gallons, they're only getting about 2 twenty two ounce bottles each out of each batch of brew. Brutal.

 

[tomlivings]

well.....we will be making 10 gallon batches. And chances are, there will not be all in attendance at each brewing session. Maybe at the beginning, but then I think there will be like 5 people max at each one.

 

[Fuzzywumpers]

That sounds better. I was just testing my calculator skills anyways.

 

[Newton]

Wow man I would keep an eye on craigslist for equipment. I bought all of my brewing equipment, including for all grain, for less than 200 bucks. Tons of people try it once or never and unload their equipment for super cheap!

 

[tomlivings]

Wow man I would keep an eye on craigslist for equipment. I bought all of my brewing equipment, including for all grain, for less than 200 bucks. Tons of people try it once or never and unload their equipment for super cheap!

I know what you mean, but to be honest, brewing equipment never shows up on Chicago CL. There are always 'wanted' ads but never for sale. Esp all-grain. Im self employed and very busy, so the convenience of buying new won me over.

 

[timm747]

I have some extras of the small stuff. If you are interested I can let it go cheap...

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Tim

 

[tomlivings]

Tim, I sent you a personal message.
Tom.