ShinyBuddha
Well-Known Member
+1 vote for a larger pot for the boil first then a chiller. The DIY section has a lot of great tips.
Help me pick what equipment to buy next
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mike_23us
Well-Known Member
Buy a bigger pot perferably a 10 gal so you can do full boils and won't out grow it unless you plan on doing 10 gal batchs in the future.
You can make a wort chiller pretty easily. I just made one for other day from materials at Home Depot. Spent $25 and the thing works wonderfully. I just brewed an Irish Stout the other day and went from 212F to 75F in 10 minutes 
I'm in a similar spot as the OP, except I have 3 brews under my belt.
Thanks to all of the great advice here on HBT, but none better than, be Patient and Enjoy
For now, I'm going to work with what I have. I can do partial mash's and half AG batches in my 20 qrt pot and make beer that I can enjoy. I can chill from 212 to 70 in 10 min in an ice bath. I can mash in my pot in a paint strainer bag. I can use my plastic 15 gal tub to control my fermentation temps. I can play with recipe software and research and learn more about the ingredients and yeast strains.
Eventually, I'm going to brew enough batches and be ready to figure out how big a pot will work for me, and how many Btus I'll need, and what type of wort chiller, and how and where my fermentation chamber is setup, and if BIAB or mash tun is my style, etc.
I have ideas and still have my eyes open for deals on pots and burners and fridges and stuff, but funding is part of the issue.
I rank my needs this way:
1. Experience, brew and avoid mistakes, experiment and pay attention to SWMBO.
2. Knowledge of the Fundamentals, Brewing Science, Ingredient properties, Beer styles, etc.
3. Fermentation temperature control.
4. Additional Fermenter(s).
5. Larger Pot, Heat source, Wort chilling method, Mash tun / BIAB
6. Kegging
Thanks to all of the great advice here on HBT, but none better than, be Patient and Enjoy
For now, I'm going to work with what I have. I can do partial mash's and half AG batches in my 20 qrt pot and make beer that I can enjoy. I can chill from 212 to 70 in 10 min in an ice bath. I can mash in my pot in a paint strainer bag. I can use my plastic 15 gal tub to control my fermentation temps. I can play with recipe software and research and learn more about the ingredients and yeast strains.
Eventually, I'm going to brew enough batches and be ready to figure out how big a pot will work for me, and how many Btus I'll need, and what type of wort chiller, and how and where my fermentation chamber is setup, and if BIAB or mash tun is my style, etc.
I have ideas and still have my eyes open for deals on pots and burners and fridges and stuff, but funding is part of the issue.
I rank my needs this way:
1. Experience, brew and avoid mistakes, experiment and pay attention to SWMBO.
2. Knowledge of the Fundamentals, Brewing Science, Ingredient properties, Beer styles, etc.
3. Fermentation temperature control.
4. Additional Fermenter(s).
5. Larger Pot, Heat source, Wort chilling method, Mash tun / BIAB
6. Kegging
Thanks for all the help everyone.
I just got a turkey fryer set from Walmart that had a burner, thermometer and a 30qt pot. So I think that should be large enough for me right now. It was buried in their garden dept and was only 34 dollars. The burner even seems well constructed.
Next I think will be a wort chiller, to cool my now bigger pot.
I just got a turkey fryer set from Walmart that had a burner, thermometer and a 30qt pot. So I think that should be large enough for me right now. It was buried in their garden dept and was only 34 dollars. The burner even seems well constructed.
Next I think will be a wort chiller, to cool my now bigger pot.
Dhruv6911
Well-Known Member
umm its already been shown countless times aluminum is fine for brewing kettles as long as its allowed to oxidize. Don't spread FUD...
Dhruv6911
Well-Known Member
you can make a 30 dollar wort chiller by getting some copper tubing 3/8'' OD works for 20 bucks at home depot and some vinyl tubing that you can squeeze on there tight with clamps for another 6 or 7 bucks and put on some hose clamps and you're good to go. If you got the cash might want to consider making a counterflow chiller which is much more efficient in time and water but ~60 or so dollars from what i can recall.
usshanebond12
Member
Just walk in a restaurant supply store and get a new stainless steel home brewer. This will match your needs and simplifies your work.
Found a restaurant supply store nearby. They had a lot of good stuff. Their stainless pots were still pretty spendy though. I did get some more food grade containers and a turkey baster for pretty cheap. Great store will def go back when I need something.
usshanebond12
Member
Its interesting to shop restaurant equipments. Last time when I visited the restaurant supply store for buying stainless steel brewer, I bought a latest commercial countertop oven also. Wow it helps me in all emergencies. Now I am suggesting my pals to buy that oven.
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