Bonus time from work : what to buy...

[Rivenin]

Hello everyone!

trying to see if i'm missing anything that would benefit me that you guys could think of.

current equipment list
- 3 8 gallon pots with valves (a little small, but works for me for the moment)
- 52qt mash tun
- about a billion thermometers
- immersion chiller
- stir plate/flask
- mash paddle
- grain mill with drill
- keezer with 2 perlck taps
- a few better bottles and carboys
- fermentation fridge

the few things i'm planning on are
- 2 new propane burners (prolly the SQ14s)
- get some wood for a "tiered brew table"
- water filter (buying water is a PITA)
- refractometer

can anyone else think of anything that helped them tons that i might be missing out on?
pumps scare me, and i like how gravity works

 

[fletchsj]

i'd suggest a pump. I love my chugger. they really aren't scary. I use a cheap GFCI plug thing that works great, was 12 bucks. then you could go plate chiller and those made a HUGE difference in my brewing as far as time and efficiency. plus you could turn your immersion chiller as a cool and fancy HERMS

but, since you are scared definitely build a 3 tier. lift and dump is dangerous.

refractometers are pretty nice to have.

I'd also consider selling one or 2 of your 8 gal pots and buy a 15. they are only like 125. makes like a whole lot nicer not having to worry about boil overs


My next purchase will be a precision hydrometer. .900 - 1.030 and probably more kegs

 

[pelipen]

Some ideas
-Pump if you want to brew horizontal.
-Submersible pump for chiller (recycle water into ice bucket)
-plate or counter flow chiller
-pH meter
-water treatment chemicals
-hydrometer definitely
-extra propane tank (saved my last batch)
-precision scale

 

[Homercidal]

Refractometer is convenient on brew day. A pH meter is nice if you are at all curious to play with water chemistry.

Otherwise, I think a larger kettle is ALWAYS nice, like fletchsj says.

I still do gravity. Haven't rigged up my pump yet. That will be a spring/summer thing when I build my new electric brew rig. I don't have a problem using gravity. The only reason I got one is to recirc. the mash and chill, which is impossible with gravity.

Pump isn't that big of a deal if you set it up so it doesn't suck air it's great.

What would you use a water filter for?

 

[Rivenin]

Sweet, thanks for the insight, gents'!

i'm still mixed about the pump, i'd like it, but at the same time, i have no need for it currently.

The water filter i need so i can filter the ground water coming into my house, it tastes pretty aweful and gives a crap ton of off flavors unfortunately .
i'm having to get water from the store, which adds a good $10 to the brew day, which i could spend like $50 on a filter and not worry about it for a few years.
i could always get the 5 gallon bottles and just fill those up for like $5, but then again, i'd rather have a filter

 

[mulhaircorey]

More Thermometers

 

[atom]

More Thermometers

+1

should have less than 2 billion.

 

[fletchsj]

Well in that case, get a filter... Or move your minutes away from the best brewing water in the country.

 

[Rivenin]

Just picked up a kab4 burner and a refractometer, but won't be able to brew for a few weeks. Looking at larger brew kettles too. But this may be good for now

 

[Grinnan5150]

An aeration pump and O2 tank?

 

[Rivenin]

Ah! Good call, gf wants a barleywine soon. So that would come in handy indeed