Getting Priorities Straight

[Steampunk]

Been Brewing a little less than a year now. Have a couple of coolers for MLT and HLT and a 9 gallon BK.

I wish I could buy everything out of the gate but I can't.

So the question is whats next or more important.

Brew stand or some kind of temperature contol set up for fermentation.

thoughts or am I missing something?

 

[CGVT]

Temperature control.

A brew stand is a convenience. Fermentation temp control makes for consistently better beer.

You can probably pick up an old fridge for cheap on Craiglist and an ebay controller for 25 bucks.

 

[Darwin18]

Temperature control without a doubt. A brew stand might make you feel better, but temperature control will make your beer taste much, much better and consistent.

 

[crisputer]

Controlling fermentation temps is the most important. I picked an old 23 cubic ft chest freezer and built a temp controller using the popular one everyone gets off ebay for cheap. Link to the controller build thread. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

 

[boo boo]

Temperature control is a prime consideration for making great consistant beer.

 

[osagedr]

Temperature control.

A brew stand is a convenience. Fermentation temp control makes for consistently better beer.

You can probably pick up an old fridge for cheap on Craiglist and an ebay controller for 25 bucks.

This.

 

[ILBMF]

If you are brewing ales, putting carboy inside of water filled cooler is a great, cheap way of controlling temps. I have 2 carboys in my large rectangle mash tun right now. I just check the cooler water temp and the liquid crystal thermometers on the sides of the carboys twice a day.

For example, I just brewed yesterday so fermentation is cranking right now. The water in the cooler is 64 degrees, but the beer is at 68 degrees. As the fermentation slows I can increase the water temp in the cooler to maintain 68 degrees. It's as simple as draining a bit of the water from the cooler and adding a little hotter or cooler water to adjust temps...no electricity costs, mash tun (in my case) doubles as a temperature control device.

This is all done in my basement which varies in temps throughout the year anywhere from 64 degrees to 72 degrees depending on the weather outside. Keeping my ales at 68 degrees and not allowing higher temps has made my beer very consistent and clean.

 

[corkybstewart]

After at least 12 years of brewing at whatever temp the house was I started working on temp control and my beer improved 100% That is by far the one aspect of brewing that will make a noticeable difference in your beer immediately.