All Grain or Keg?

[BNVince]

Hypothetically, if you didn't have the ability to do either all grain or kegging at the moment, what would you chose to do first? By my calculations, I figure I can get everything I need for AG brewing in a little under $300. Kegging would obviously be more (around $500).

Money aside, which one do you think would be better to have first?

 

[Soulive]

I starting kegging first because I was already partial-mashing. I'd do it the same way if I had to do it over again...

 

[Iordz]

For me, all grain would be (and was) first. Plus it's cheaper than a kegging setup.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

I started AG for a whole lot less than $300... I didn't even spend $100 - I built a 5-gal MLT from a cooler and picked up a cheap turkey fryer kit to do full boils.

With that said, it's kind of hard to say without knowing your situation exactly... But personally I'd lean toward going AG first, it's easily the most important improvement I've made to my beer. And the money you can save by buying grain vs. extract can go toward kegging gear!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I started AG for a whole lot less than $300... I didn't even spend $100 - I built a 5-gal MLT from a cooler and picked up a cheap turkey fryer kit to do full boils.

I don't see $300 either...I bought a $30 turkey fryer, a $17 cooler, and $15 or so of hardware. Yeah, the pot is not the nicest thing in the world, but it is working nicely and will someday be repurposed as a HLT.

It's a tough call, especially when we don't know what gear the OP already has. I enjoy the heck out of my kegerator, but it cost a lot more to build than I spent on AG stuff. OTOH, if I was having to bottle everything, I doubt I'd be as enthusiastic about the hobby.

One thing to keep in mind, is that you really don't need a full blown kegerator setup to enjoy kegging. A used fridge in the garage (often free or nearly so on CL), a Co2 tank & regulator, a few kegs and a picnic tap is all it takes to get started.

 

[mrk305]

I went all grain for about $100.00. Turkey fryer with pot, cooler fittings and home made immersion chiller. I don't mind bottling that much and don't have room for a keezer. When I go draft it will be a big chest freezer with at least 5 taps and room for conditioning.

 

[BNVince]

Yeah, I guess $300 is way over priced considering the turkey fryer. But I'm assuming I'd have to get a wort chiller as well.

$50 - Wort Chiller
$50 - Cooler
$50 - Turkey Fryer Kit
$?? - Parts to convert cooler in to mash tun
$?? - Misc. stuff

But the money saved, as somebody pointed out, from grains vs. extract is what is really selling me.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

All grain was cheap as hell, going keg was flippin expensive. I'm glad I've done both, but I think going all grain paid off better. Don't forgot you need a nice thermometer which is about 20-30 bucks though.

 

[BNVince]

Bayou Classic

That seems like a hell of a deal to me. Is this the type of cheap turkey fryers people are talking about?

 

[Jekster]

All grain. Best change in brewing I've made so far!

 

[somecallmetim]

In theory going AG first saves money, therefor you can sooner afford to buy a keg setup. In reailty I am lazy and got tired of bottling pretty quickly so I got the keg setup first. How lazy are you?

 

[Bobby_M]

The way I look at it is going all grain actually saves money per batch so you'll be able to put some money away for kegging later.

 

[Kubed]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[S0meB0dy]

+1 to AG first. I was able to buy my grains in bulk and can make 5 gallons for less than $10. Having more control over the end product is also a big advantage.

 

[DeathBrewer]

sounds like if you do it right, you have enough money for both

 

[BlindLemonLars]

That seems like a hell of a deal to me. Is this the type of cheap turkey fryers people are talking about?

Yep...I will say though, that the legs on that one look kind of flimsy. If they are welded on, it's probably OK. Flimsy legs bolted on with 3rd world grade hardware scare me! Mine is bolted together, but there is a ring at the bottom that makes it a bit more sturdy.

Before Thanksgiving was the time to buy actually, they were on sale everywhere. My comparable set was $29.95, and I saw some locally for as little as $35. But considering the free shipping, the Amazon one is not a bad deal either.

 

[Kevin Dean]

I take issue with both price estimates floated in the OP's start... I began kegging for about $105 and began all-grain for just under $100.

To compare kegging to AG is kind of impossible for me, each steu up was an improvement but they weren't related. Kegging benefits extract brewers (and I've kegged extract brews) but AG doesn't. So if you're not sure you want to make the leap to AG, kegging may come first. If you're SURE you want to go AG, then If you're a "smart shopper" I see no reason you couldn't do BOTH for under $300 (which you set aside from Kegging).

 

[Kevin Dean]

That seems like a hell of a deal to me. Is this the type of cheap turkey fryers people are talking about?

If you've got a Home Depot around, check out there. I got my 36-quart for $39.99 (regular price, $45.99) from Home Depot;.

If you're doing 5 gallon batches and don't mind being VERY careful with the boils, then yeah this works. If's what I've currently got (with 36-qt pot, not 30) and I've made enjoyable AG batches with it. My next "upgrade" will be a bigger kettle, probably in the 12.5 gallon range so I can get more vigourous boils (and hot breaks) going, but it's POSSIBLE to make good AG beer with that and it's very cost effective.

 

[Kaiser]

Money aside, which one do you think would be better to have first?

If you don't have a way of controlling the temperature of your fermentations, I would spend the money on that first. This is generally where new brewers can get the best bang for the buck when it comes to improving their beers.

BTW, I do AG with a 30qt turkey frier pot and have no problems with a 26qt boil. Yes I have to watch it for a few minutes, but then I'm fine. I also bring the first run-off to a boil before I lauter again. This gets most of the hot break out of the way when I still have a lot of head room in the pot.

Kai

 

[PseudoChef]

Yeah, I guess $300 is way over priced considering the turkey fryer. But I'm assuming I'd have to get a wort chiller as well.

$50 - Wort Chiller
$50 - Cooler
$50 - Turkey Fryer Kit
$?? - Parts to convert cooler in to mash tun
$?? - Misc. stuff

But the money saved, as somebody pointed out, from grains vs. extract is what is really selling me.

I built my entire MLT (cooler + converstion parts) for about $28 total.

 

[Fingers]

It was the coolness factor of kegging that got me started so I went directly to that. It was the coolness of AG that kept my interest so that's what's kept me here.

I'm inherently lazy so I probably wouldn't have come this far if I couldn't skip the labor intesive steps. I think I'd rather have extract in kegs than AG in bottles. I simply wouldn't last.

 

[BNVince]

I built my entire MLT (cooler + converstion parts) for about $28 total.

Do share. I can't even find a cooler for that cheap.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Do share. I can't even find a cooler for that cheap.

I bought my 5-gallon rubbermaid round cooler at target during the summer for about $16. Rumor has it that walmart has (or had) some pretty cheap coolers, below $15, that were suitable, being sold off now that they're out of season. Granted, I've since upgraded to a much bigger MLT to do 10gal batches and high-gravity 5gal batches, which cost quite a lot more than my 5gal MLT...

 

[Yooper]

It was the coolness factor of kegging that got me started so I went directly to that. It was the coolness of AG that kept my interest so that's what's kept me here.

I'm inherently lazy so I probably wouldn't have come this far if I couldn't skip the labor intesive steps. I think I'd rather have extract in kegs than AG in bottles. I simply wouldn't last.

I'm the opposite- I've never kegged a beer yet! I've bottled countless batches and hate bottling but love the beer!

I have two batches in primary right now that will be kegged, though.

 

[cd2448]

with respect to the turkey fryer someone found on amazon - is it a big deal that it's aluminium as opposed to stainless steel? my understanding was that aluminium was not recommended for this.

i'm currently looking to go to partial mash, but reading the various threads on here, it seems that most people who go to PM go to AG within one or two batches! maybe i should just stick with steep+extract for a while longer to get fluent with the rest of the process, and then just make the leap to AG next spring (although it's sunny today... would be warm enough out there with a home brew in my hand!)

 

[Soulive]

with respect to the turkey fryer someone found on amazon - is it a big deal that it's aluminium as opposed to stainless steel? my understanding was that aluminium was not recommended for this.

i'm currently looking to go to partial mash, but reading the various threads on here, it seems that most people who go to PM go to AG within one or two batches! maybe i should just stick with steep+extract for a while longer to get fluent with the rest of the process, and then just make the leap to AG next spring (although it's sunny today... would be warm enough out there with a home brew in my hand!)

Aluminum is acceptable, stainless is preferable. I went to PM for about 10 batches because I strongly dislike extract (for most styles). I got into PM brewing for about $50 and then I started kegging a couple months later. To go from PM to AG brewing I've spent about $200 more. Now I'm going into AG double batches to feed my Sanyo

 

[Fingers]

Aluminum is acceptable, stainless is preferable.

Now you've done it.

 

[Soulive]

Now you've done it.

... ...

 

[Yooper]

We are NOT going to have the aluminum vs. stainless debate again! Feel free to search for that, though, and make up your own mind.

I went AG after many extract batches and then a couple of PM batches. The difference in my beers between extract and steeping grains (which was always good) and PM convinced me to go AG. Now, I wouldn't say my beers are world class by any means. But the AG beers are really good!

 

[cd2448]

We are NOT going to have the aluminum vs. stainless debate again! Feel free to search for that, though, and make up your own mind.

I went AG after many extract batches and then a couple of PM batches. The difference in my beers between extract and steeping grains (which was always good) and PM convinced me to go AG. Now, I wouldn't say my beers are world class by any means. But the AG beers are really good!

i'll look it up - let's not get into it here. i didn't realize it was a holy war topic

yooper, could you reuse your PM stuff for AG? i think i'll just go PM for now...

 

[Soulive]

i'll look it up - let's not get into it here. i didn't realize it was a holy war topic

yooper, could you reuse your PM stuff for AG? i think i'll just go PM for now...

You can reuse your cooler, preferably 10 gallon or more. You can use your same kettle for either boiling or mash/sparge water. The things I added were a keggle (not necessary) and a burner...

 

[Yooper]

Well, you could. But I didn't- I just pm'd in either my brewpot or my bottling bucket wrapped in a sleeping bag. And then went I went AG, I got the 10 gallon round Igloo cooler with a false bottom.

Well, we've taken this , so I think, cd2448, that it would be a great idea to start a new thread asking your questions so that you can get more responses, as well as give BNVince his thread back!

 

[rdwj]

It depends on what you want to do. AG is going to take more time but make better beer. Kegging isn't going to improve beer much, but allows you to make carb changes and is just generally easier.

So, ask yourself what's more important and do that.

 

[BNVince]

Well, we've taken this , so I think, cd2448, that it would be a great idea to start a new thread asking your questions so that you can get more responses, as well as give BNVince his thread back!

Yeah! :rockin:

Actually, this is all very informative. Still I don't see how people are getting in to AG brewing without spending a decent amount of coin. $50 for a cooler (without shipping), $50 for burner and pot, $50 for wort chiller, and whatever all the misc. stuff adds up to. I would say I need to invest around $200 to get there and it would most likely be more than that.

 

[cd2448]

it's back to you, BNVince.

i'm interested in the same info as you are, didn't mean to derail the discussion!

 

[JustDave]

I was in the same boat as you and I went with all-grain.

Quite simply because I'd rather bottle good beer than keg crappy beer

 

[Soulive]

Yeah! :rockin:

Actually, this is all very informative. Still I don't see how people are getting in to AG brewing without spending a decent amount of coin. $50 for a cooler (without shipping), $50 for burner and pot, $50 for wort chiller, and whatever all the misc. stuff adds up to. I would say I need to invest around $200 to get there and it would most likely be more than that.

Just go to the HD or Lowes in Egg Harbor and get the cooler/burner there, no need to pay shipping. I got mine at HD and the burner was only $42 and the cooler was like $30 + parts. The wort chiller might be cheaper if you make it yourself. Then I'd comb the internet for a cheap pot option. I'll bet you can get all that for $150 and use the rest towards kegging...

 

[Yooper]

Yeah, maybe. But I did it very gradually. After extract brewing for a while, I got a bigger pot so I could do full boils. That improved my beer. Then, I got a wort chiller, since I was doing full boils and the ice bath was a pain. (Before that, I split up the boil into two pots and cooled in two sinks). That improved my beers! Then I started doing PM in the bottling bucket and that saved a few dollars (less DME to buy) and that improved my beer, so that convinced me to go AG.

I had to buy my MLT from morebeer.com since I'm mechanically challeged and didn't have the tools, so that was really expensive ($110 shipped). I still don't have a grain mill and don't buy grain in bulk. But I would think $200 is a realistic figure, unless you have a great deal on a cooler and get a braid and fashion it yourself.

 

[BNVince]

Just go to the HD or Lowes in Egg Harbor and get the cooler/burner there, no need to pay shipping. I got mine at HD and the burner was only $42 and the cooler was like $30 + parts. The wort chiller might be cheaper if you make it yourself. Then I'd comb the internet for a cheap pot option. I'll bet you can get all that for $150 and use the rest towards kegging...

That's sounds like the move to make. I guess I would get a pot like this.

 

[Soulive]

That's sounds like the move to make. I guess I would get a pot like this.

Thats a good start. I personally almost always buy used or DIY my equipment. The burner was one of the only things I bought new. To save money, ya gotta research...