Equipment Build Log - Recommendation Request

Jamaica · Mar 16, 2015

In the hopes to becoming hopefully an acceptable beer brewer(my wife's words not mine) attached is a link to my build list. I am looking to the expects here to make some suggestion that will help finalize my list for before i start fully purchasing all my equipment.

I agree the equipment build list might be on the highend side, but it's win win for me. Meaning if i decide over time this hobby is something that I like I have made a last lasting investment that I can build on and dont have to replace equipment . If I decide that I don't like this hobby it's still a win because the equipment should retain most of its resell value not like those <$250 kits

Equipment Build Log Sheet

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. The only thing i think i might have missing the is kegging system, and some misc supplies

BREW Experience : ZERO

philipCT · Mar 16, 2015

So.....

If you are doing extract in the kitchen, which is a good place to start, you would seem to be in pretty good shape.

Here are a few thoughts:
-even with a bad-ass 15K BTU gas burner, 5 gallons of water takes a good long time to boil. If I remember, about 40 minutes. This is nit a porblem but it will get old after a while. In order to do a "full boil", you'll start with as much as 7.5g in the pot, which takes even longer, so partial boils may be a good place to start.
-Since you don't have a chiller, you'll be transferring your brew kettle to an ice-filled sink. Using an immersion chiller is a very popular option. A CRC chiller is what I've used for a long time and it's a keeper.
-Most 5g batches need a starter if you're using liquid yeast. So a stir-plate and flasks would be a good investment. Alternatively, you could use dry. It seems brewers come down on one side or another on that. You are either a liquid yeast person or a dry yeast person. Users of dry yeast don't usually prepare starters, they just pitch enough packets to do the job.

Hope this is helpful and welcome to the obsession!

Jamaica · Mar 16, 2015

Thanks for your reply. i just updated the spread sheet. any suggestions on the a kegging system

aprichman · Mar 16, 2015

I would skip the conical fermenter and invest in other things that are actually important like temperature control for fermentation. I would also say that with extract you can make pretty good beer but getting a cooler mash tun and going all grain would allow you to make great beer.

In the end your skill and technique is going to be the most important factor in making good beer. Buying "good" equipment might make things easier (although I would argue a conical fermenter will make things more difficult for a beginner) but won't protect you against off flavors from bad practices.

brewkinger · Mar 16, 2015

Seems like a huge purchase to start out with, but if you have the coin then go for it.
If it were me, I would invest in some yeast starting implements.

The other thing that I note is that you list a kettle with thermometer ( I DIY'ED mine and have 10 gal kettle with coupled thermometer and ball valve and it cost me around 165 total.
You also list an additional thermometer and coupling and I am wondering what that is for?