Grain mill and bulk grain or kegging system?

[RayInUT]

My order has shipped! I got the two keg system with double dual guage regulators so I can carb one keg while drinking from the other. $219.00 including shipping to Utah! That is a great deal and Midwest was excellent to work with. Locally, a single keg system would have cost me over $250 and I would have had to pay sales tax. I might have to brew a dunkel this weekend so I can fill a keg in a few weeks. I bottled 10 gallons the other day and in hindsight I wish I would have left it in carboys.

 

[HoppyDaze]

I went for the Kegerator first myself, 5 gal batches and the LHBS has a grain mill you can use if you buy the grain there... (good deal... I don't know.. I do extract/grain kits)

I can't immagine bottling 5 gal... it takes long enough to Rack to keg and clean the CarBoy and ail pails! I can't imagine cleaning 50 or so bottles and caps and all that... One or two 22 Oz flip tops for taking to friends... maybe.. but even that would be a stretch.

Way to go on the keg decision, I think you will be pleasantly happy. Remember though the CO2 tank comes empty. I got mine (5#) filled at PRAXAIR for about 12 (Has Mat tax included).

Cheers

Bottled a five gallon batch last night in about an hour and a half...not that bad once you get your procedures dialed in; plus IMO there are more benefits to having your beer in bottles than kegs.

That being said....I really want to start kegging some of my beer.

 

[RayInUT]

Bottled a five gallon batch last night in about an hour and a half...not that bad once you get your procedures dialed in; plus IMO there are more benefits to having your beer in bottles than kegs.

That being said....I really want to start kegging some of my beer.

Trust me, I've got my bottling procedures dialed in. I did ten gallons in less than two hours on Monday. It still sucks. I can't wait for my kegs!

 

[TeufelBrew]

Ray,

Congrats!!!!!! Hope you enjoy the kegging system.

Don't forget, you can also bottle/growler your beer from a keg any time you want and can even cellar some if you want to. The nice thing about kegging is you don't HAVE to bottle those if you don't want to.

 

[ajf]

How could so many people be so wrong?
Buying in bulk (with today's prices) saves me about $30 per month. In 3 - 4 months, the savings pay for the mill, and by the end of the year you would have saved enough to get the kegging system as well.
Of course, this depends on being able to get bulk grain at a reasonable price.

-a.

 

[RayInUT]

How could so many people be so wrong?
Buying in bulk (with today's prices) saves me about $30 per month. In 3 - 4 months, the savings pay for the mill, and by the end of the year you would have saved enough to get the kegging system as well.
Of course, this depends on being able to get bulk grain at a reasonable price.

-a.

I am going to buy my hops in bulk. I already harvest my own yeast. Those are the two biggest costs in my brewing. Bulk grain is no good if I have to bottle it all IMO.

 

[andyb0527]

I did both. Did the kegorator first then I bought a knock off corona style mill for about $25 and hand crank about 8 pounds of grain in about 10 minutes. Can't beat the price on bulk grain and plus now I can brew whenever I feel like.

 

[RayInUT]

Fed Ex has my tracking all screwed up. Did anyone in Topeka, Kansas get an unexpected delivery of a kegging system yesterday? If you did, please send it to me!

 

[EvilTOJ]

Nope, sorry haven't seen it.

*hides the UPS label that has 'Draper, UT' scratched out on it further into the trash*

 

[RayInUT]

I'm getting some beer ready for those kegs when they get here! I've got a hefeweizen mashing right now and then I'm going to do an overnight mash on a maibock after that. I don't want to be staring at empty kegs for too long!

 

[JesseRC]

dude ... congrats. You did the right thing. But... there's always a but... now you will be addicted to collecting those shiny cylinders called kegs...Trust me on that.

 

[JoeMama]

dude ... congrats. You did the right thing. But... there's always a but... now you will be addicted to collecting those shiny cylinders called kegs...Trust me on that.

Dude... You have just risen to the top of my list of scapegoats if this in fact happens to me...

Ill have a beer to that!
-Me

 

[chemist308]

I'm probably the only one that will say this, and I don't have the perspective others do--most seem to have kegs. But grain mill and bulk grain. There's just something nice about cracking a bottle that you made, and I get bulk grain cheaper than individual buys--basically I'll use the money I save toward a portion of the kegging later I guess.

That, and I'm not restricted to when I brew with buying them in bulk. I buy bulk, what a month then just decide to go do it.

But if you have a bar, then that may mean you want a keg instead--I'm not there yet.

 

[RayInUT]

So, what's next after kegging? Grain mill or better wort chiller??? Deep freeze and temp control device for lagering?

 

[StoutFan]

I personally would go with a freezer/ temp controller before a mill. I also have the advantage that the LHBS has one I can use for free.

 

[RayInUT]

I personally would go with a freezer/ temp controller before a mill. I also have the advantage that the LHBS has one I can use for free.

The LHBS I go to has nice mills to use for free also. I was there yesterday and they lowered their hop prices to 2.30 per oz too!

 

[StoutFan]

... they lowered their hop prices to 2.30 per oz too!

It's nice to see that there is still some civility in this crazy world.

 

[RayInUT]

It's nice to see that there is still some civility in this crazy world.

Yeah, I was a little suprised. They still wanted four bucks for the Cascade but just about everything else was around $2.30.

 

[RayInUT]

My setup came today from Midwest. Delivered one day late but that was Fed Ex's fault. Everything was perfect. I got my CO2 filled this afternoon and being the impatient obsessive/compulsive person that I am decided that I couldn't wait for my two batches to finish before I started using my keg. My brewing buddy and I discussed it and decided that it wouldn't hurt TOO much to fill the keg with CO2 and carefully pour 12 22oz bottles of carbed pale ale into one of the kegs, put the keg in the snow for a few hours and start drinking. The guy that owns the CO2 place told me that he force carbs by putting his beer in the keg, hits it with 30 PSI and then shakes the keg for ten minutes, hits it again with more CO2 and shakes it another ten minutes. We did that as the IPA hadn't carbed in the bottle very well (which is why I didn't mind risking it) and now I'm drinking an ice cold draft beer! Screw bottles forever. As someone warned, I see myself becoming addicted to collecting those shiny silver cylinders.

 

[heinz57]

Congrats. I actually just got my first 10 gallon corny in the mail today. I can't wait to fill it.

 

[RayInUT]

Some might say that pouring the bottles in the keg was stupid but I'll tell you what, IT TASTES GOOD! Besides, it's only grain, hops, water, and yeast. I've got more laying around! The IPA recipe I do is a clone recipe of Ballantine XXX but I changed it up and use Maris Otter for the base malt and kick up the grain bill by about 15%. Next time I brew it I'm going to use Amarillo instead of Cascade. It will save me about eight bucks and probably taste and smell better.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I don't know, but whichever you get, I need to come to draper and try out the fruits of your labor

After looking at your Avatar plus where you live I had to ask, isn't Bang Bangs and Bier a No No in that state? Hey did ya get a chance to keep and bring that piece home with you? A nice addition to the the tall toy box. Highest respect to all our troops. Take care out there in the sand box.
CJ.............

 

[RayInUT]

After looking at your Avatar plus where you live I had to ask, isn't Bang Bangs and Bier a No No in that state? Hey did ya get a chance to keep and bring that piece home with you? A nice addition to the the tall toy box. Highest resprct to all our troops. Take care out there in the sand box.
CJ.............

Guns and beer go hand in hand in Utah. Didn't you know that???

 

[BrewBeemer]

Guns and beer go hand in hand in Utah. Didn't you know that???

Bier and guns with a few "hey watch this stunts" what can possibly go wrong? I agree but wasn't Utah a few no home brewing allowed states? I believe there are only 4 or 7 states left, wake up America. Utah the state where the "man of the cloth" is still rather strong there. I respect them as long as they respect me and not bother me about my personal beliefs. When they become a PITA and yes here in Kalifornia we have many that still ring your door bell even with a nice clean not offending sign below, "No solicitors, church related included" in big bright letters on a metal plaque. This is when I get a little bent out of shape. First i'll tell 'em to state their business in 10 words or less and rather quick, i'll listen to what they are wanting to drive into me then i'll tell them who I believe in, the all mighty "Creator of Suds" this with me inside the house in the dark behind the front screen door then i'll rack a round into Mr. Remington. This sound in the dark that gets your attention then request them to have a nice evening. Call me a S.O.B. it's about respect not jamming something onto me disturbing my evening. I had to chime in on thid one.

 

[RayInUT]

Bier and guns with a few "hey watch this stunts" what can possibly go wrong? I agree but wasn't Utah a few no home brewing allowed states? I believe there are only 4 or 7 states left, wake up America. Utah the state where the "man of the cloth" is still rather strong there. I respect them as long as they respect me and not bother me about my personal beliefs. When they become a PITA and yes here in Kalifornia we have many that still ring your door bell even with a nice clean not offending sign below, "No solicitors, church related included" in big bright letters on a metal plaque. This is when I get a little bent out of shape. First i'll tell 'em to state their business in 10 words or less and rather quick, i'll listen to what they are wanting to drive into me then i'll tell them who I believe in, the all mighty "Creator of Suds" this with me inside the house in the dark behind the front screen door then i'll rack a round into Mr. Remington. This sound in the dark that gets your attention then request them to have a nice evening. Call me a S.O.B. it's about respect not jamming something onto me disturbing my evening. I had to chime in on thid one.

What can I say? We cling to our guns, bibles, and kegs in my neighborhood. Incidently, I have decided that my next purchase needs to be a used fridge to store my kegs in. Hopefully I will have that procured before the end of the weekend. After that, I will be on a quest for some empty kegs to make keggles and will start designing my brewing sculpture.

 

[bkirkland]

buy the keg, mill at your beer store gives you more time to drink there beer!