Upgrade suggestions for intermediate all grain

[Taquina]

I currently have a gravity fed three tier system that I made for my all grain setup. No pumps, two kettles, one burner, and one 10 gallon cooler - all for making 5 gallon batches.

I'm ready to upgrade. I'm tired of lifting kettles and coolers. I'm wondering what the next step should be.

I'm considering:
- Adding pumps to cut down on lifting.
- Getting 2 more burners to cut down on moving kettles.
- Looking into an all-in-one system (electric).
- Looking into electric pots.
- Quitting my job, buying a commercial lot, and opening a microbrewery.

Any thoughts on what my next leap in homebrewing should be?

Thanks!

 

[bschot]

I would suggest the all electric system, I'm currently building one myself; but in the mean time you could get yourself the pumps and maybe the electric kettles with the idea that they will be used later in an electric system.



-Brian

 

[kh54s10]

It depend on where you want to end up and how much you want to spend. I have a similar 3 tier gravity fed system. I have a water line plumbed through a charcoal filter to fill my HLT. It sits on a burner, so I don't have to lift any water. Only the wort in the fermenter to carry it into the house.

My ideal system is an all electric. Probably 3 vessel, pretty well automated.

 

[ChelisHubby]

I will (God Permittiting) go to a 10 gallon batches with the pumps so I am brewing less and sharing and enjoying more.

 

[jrcrilly]

Switching from a three tier setup to a single tier with two pumps made a big difference in convenience for me.

 

[Taquina]

I would suggest the all electric system, I'm currently building one myself; but in the mean time you could get yourself the pumps and maybe the electric kettles with the idea that they will be used later in an electric system.



-Brian

I think we are all thinking along the same lines. I stumbled across this website (http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/) last night, but I'm not sure I want to be that do-it-yourself. I like the pump and electric kettle (maybe the 20 gal Blichman?) suggestion to start toward the path of an automated kit.

I should read up on pumps. There seem to be quite a few out there.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I currently have a gravity fed three tier system that I made for my all grain setup. No pumps, two kettles, one burner, and one 10 gallon cooler - all for making 5 gallon batches.



I'm ready to upgrade. I'm tired of lifting kettles and coolers. I'm wondering what the next step should be.



I'm considering:

- Adding pumps to cut down on lifting.

- Getting 2 more burners to cut down on moving kettles.

- Looking into an all-in-one system (electric).

- Looking into electric pots.

- Quitting my job, buying a commercial lot, and opening a microbrewery.



Any thoughts on what my next leap in homebrewing should be?



Thanks!

20 gallon pot for 10!gallon BIAB batches.

1 kettle, 1 heat source, no pump required. Go electric if you can.