Which equipment to buy next?

[robc311]

I'm just getting back into brewing after a 10 year hiatus and this time I plan to be more serious about it. I've been reading many forums over the past few weeks to get up to speed and I currently have my first post-hiatus batch in secondary. With the holidays coming I figured it's a good time to think about which equipment I want to invest in next (or receive as gifts ).
Here's what I have so far:

2-Plastic fermentation buckets
1-Bottling bucket
1-Glass carboy
1-Sanitizing bucket
1-Brewing kettle (stove top)
1-Smaller kettle (currently plan to use for partial mashing)
Additional basics like a hydrometer, spoon, sanitizer, airlocks, capper, autosiphon, tubing...etc. I also have 24 one liter bottles with flip caps.

I have a Danby kegerator that has a 1 tap tower (2.5") but I just got a 2 tap tower (3") from MicroMatic that I plan to install in the next few days. I also have 2 corny kegs that I plan to use in the kegerator. The tower and kegs were birthday presents from someone who obviously knows me well. I also have a Best Buy gift card heading my way (another birthday gift) and I plan to pick up a chest freezer with it so I can better control fermentation temps. I still need to pick up the temperature control unit to use with it.

What should I get next? I don't have a yeast starter kit so that's definitely the next thing I plan to buy. Back when I was brewing 10 years ago all I used was dry yeast so the whole starter thing is new for me. Like I said earlier, I need the temp control unit for the fermentation chamber as well. What else should I consider. What makes the most sense? My goal is to continue with extracts with some specialty grains and partial mash recipes for a while. I want to have 2 kegs on tap as much as possible and some bottles filled as well. I'm guessing a couple more kegs would be smart too. Let me know what you think! Thanks.

BTW...I have learned that racking to secondary is mostly out of style these days and the only reason I did it with my current batch is because I fermented in a bucket with a spigot and it started leaking a little so I moved it to my carboy at the end of week 2. I'd prefer not to have to use the carboy that much if possible.

 

[Kent88]

The last thread I saw like this ended up with about a zillion replies.

If you like lagers, get the stuff you need to do temperate control. Looks like you're well on your way with that.

Yeast starter gear can be as simple as a growler that you can sanitize and put an airlock on. I'm glad I got the clear glass flask because I can see what is happening to my starter better, but it wasn't 100% necessary.

I'd say replace that bucket and after that a wort chiller or a grain mill.

 

[robc311]

Eventually I would definitely like to lager since lagers and pilsners are my favorite types of beers. I'd love to clone Hofbrau Original but it seems like that is a tall order for what I always thought was a "simple" beer. I've looked into wort chillers a bit and I see that you can get fittings to make them work with a kitchen faucet but I was wondering if you just keep the water running constantly until it's cool (with it going down the drain after traveling through the chiller). My tap water is never cold...even in the "winter" so it seems like that would take forever but maybe not. I got a new spigot to replace that broken one and that bucket will only be used for bottling going forward (I say that now....).

 

[dilligafbrewing]

Honestly the best thing I ever did was get off the stove.

Buy a big kettle, go all electric and mount a water heater element in it, buy a $50 ezboil controller and a $15 relay from auber....or go any of a hundred different all electric options. There are lots of threads and write ups on it.

 

[davou]

wort chiller is deffs one of the things that made the most impact for me early on.

 

[ChelisHubby]

At this point fermentation tempature control is the most important. This will stop a huge amount of off flavors.

 

[DurtyChemist]

I would second a quality burner. It doesn't have to be a Blingman like mine but something better than a stove unless you wanted to go electric.

My second suggestion is a mini fridge and an Inkbird 308 for temperature regulation. Both of these would probably run you $100-150 depending on how new you want your stuff and how long you're willing to wait to find a deal.

 

[mongoose33]

Here are three things that have made my life easier/better (in brewing, that is):

1. An immersion chiller.
2. Refractometer (helps me with getting a nice read on efficiencies, and quick assessment of gravity from first runnings to second runnings to preboil gravity to postboil gravity.
3. PH meter (if you do all-grain)

I second the issues of fermentation temperature. I've focused a lot on that and I believe it's made a big difference in the improvement of my beer. So get that figured out if you can as well.

This is kinda fun, isn't it?

 

[SHbrewing]

chiller

 

[dilligafbrewing]

Didn't realize OP didn't already have a chiller. Yes, that will save you lots of time and lessen potential of contamination.

 

[Sailingeric]

This was my order after doing a few brews- a couple more fermenter buckets, a turkey fryer burner with bigger pot, then a wort chiller, then a smaller freezer to use as a fermentation chamber, then got in to kegging, then got a grain mill, and most recently a refractometer.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

lots of great options, one thing I'll say is, when you go to buy a specific bit of equipment, ask yourself 'Will I be happy with this in the long term?' Sometimes it's better to splurge a bit on the nicer version of something up front than to regret it for a few years and end up buying it later anyway.

 

[dilligafbrewing]

Yep. Buy once cry once.

 

[SHbrewing]

lots of great options, one thing I'll say is, when you go to buy a specific bit of equipment, ask yourself 'Will I be happy with this in the long term?' Sometimes it's better to splurge a bit on the nicer version of something up front than to regret it for a few years and end up buying it later anyway.

This ^

I have made many mistakes cheaping out trying to please Da Wife.

 

[sikkingj]

I envy you, you are getting in at a great time. If your serious about getting back in, I'd strongly recommend a GrainFather or Colorado Brewing system. It's easier to brew all grain and you will not find your with a bunch of odds and ends as you are trying to build all of the various components, etc.

I know at first the $800-900 outlay looks daunting, but I've probably spent 3x of that and don't have as nice a system. I wish I would have bit the bullet right from the start and purchase a more complete all in one system.

You,ll still need to buy the fermentation, serving, etc., but at least you will have the hot-side nailed.

 

[robc311]

Thanks everyone! I just brewed my first partial mash recipe...Speckled Heifer from Northern Brewer. I'm pretty sure I made some mistakes but I'm pretty sure it will be fine. The process made me realize that a wort chiller will definitely be my next purchase. I've also been looking at burners because my glass top stove isn't cutting it.