Lay some experience on me: whats the better choice?

[ssabin]

Instead of providing my vote, I'll spin this back at you. I think this question boils down to what home brewing means to you, what you enjoy out of it, and what you want it to be. Like others have said - you can brew world class beers with your extract equipment, and brewing time is less with this process. The sky is the limit in terms of what you can do if you go AG. Cost per batch is somewhat cheaper as well ( you paying yourself for the extra time involved, albeit a very dismal wage).

So if having freedom and the desire to experiment are up your alley, you might as well, jump into AG as soon as you feel ready for it. If on the other hand, you really just like to be able to say you brewed something that tastes really good, and you enjoy the drinking of your brew as much or more than actually making it, then put your money into kegging for the time being. And if you are like me, you aren't exactly sure where the tradeoffs of wants and realities will put most of your brewing time, and could see AG in the future, but probably won't have time to brew as much that way.

Good luck in your decision. It's a nice problem to have!

 

[alex_wilkosz]

TIP: (in steps)
A. - go into storage room and pull out old stuff you dont want.
B. - List it all on craigslist,ebay, and amazon.
C. - make money
D. - Use this extra money you never thought you'd get to buy brewing equipment.

 

[Bob]

Bob, you disappoint me. You know as well as I that kegging won't advance a homebrewers ability near so much as going all grain. Being able to start a brewday with intact grains, and ending up with sweet, sweet wort is an experience to be cherished. No amount of steeping can make up for that feeling of accomplishment. It also allows the homebrewer to completely open his or her mind and brew whatever the hell they feel like. Anyway, I expected more of you.

You wound me.

Note I never made a peep about the advancement of ability; I only referred to convenience. I agree wholeheartedly that brewing from grain is rewarding, though I don't find it as rewarding by itself as you apparently consider it. See, I couldn't care less where the bulk fermentables come from. When I pour excellent beer into a glass, I feel a considerable accomplishment regardless of whether I or Mr Briess mashed my pale malt.

As per the OP, I submit that a kegging system can be used now. Kegs can be used for anything, from beer to Apfelwein to pop. In contrast, the mash-tun can be used for one - okay, two - things: mashing grains and putting bottles & ice in. (It's a mash-tun; it's a cooler - it's a mash-tun; it's a cooler!) In other words, I recommend dropping limited coin on the most versatile piece of equipment, comparatively speaking.

What the hell do you guys do during bottling?? I can bottle a 5.5 gallon batch in less than 45 minutes start to finish. It honestly takes me almost as long to scrub and sanitize a keg as it does to bottle a batch of beer.

Huh. I'm wondering what you're doing that you have to scrub your kegs that long. I can use five to ten minutes of real time to clean and sanitize a keg - 5 minutes to fill it with cleaner and soak overnight, another 5 for rinsing and StarSan. Less than ten minutes to fill, and POW! Done.

On the other hand, it takes me the better part of an hour to bottle, and that's if I don't have to scrub bottles, and if I use the dishwasher to sanitize. Plus, keg=no repetitive motion with the capper, plus less spillage and mess, plus less loss of beer due to spillage and mess, plus less water use in cleaning, plus less chemical load from cleaning agent and sanitizer on my septic system.

Oh, yeah; I've thought this through.

It's up to the OP to decide which he wants first - convenience and streamlining in packaging, or a different means of sweet wort production. I think I've made clear which I'd choose and why, but to summarize:

1. Mash tun. No streamlining of process at any point. In fact, more work at the wort-generation end of the process.

2. Keg system. Mucho streamlining of process in packaging. Time saved = time to dedicate generating wort from grain.

You dig?

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Bob]

[...] hopefully also eke out a wort chiller.

It worries me that I missed this until now. I must be slipping.

Out of all the stuff you listed, this piece of equipment will make your beer better, bar none. It should be at the top of your list, before kegs, before mash-tun, everything.

Rapid chilling and formation of cold break will have a significant, positive impact on your beer, no matter the means by which you generate wort. So amend what I wrote before. Put this in line FIRST. Your beer will thank you.

Then go buy kegs.

Bob

 

[mrwiggles1234]

boy this is friggin great a place to talk about something really important like beer and not some stupid sh$t like the last episode of rock of love.i have some ideas on beer and its importance in society click here to read them

 

[KingBrianI]

I guess I'm weird in the fact that I actually enjoy the AG process. I don't care if it takes longer, because it's more fun. When I was doing extract, I was making beer. When I do an AG batch, I'm creating beer! It's a subtle, yet significant difference.

As for why it takes me so long to clean a keg. First I break it down by removing all the posts, the pressure-release valve and all that. Clean each of those separately then soak them in starsan. Then I rinse and scrub the keg if there are any deposits on the inside. Partially fill it with starsan and reassemble the keg, lubing all o-rings. Pressurize the keg then shake it, invert it, let it sit upside down for a few minutes, etc. I'll then flip it upside down and press down the poppet valves to let some starsan flow through the posts. Right side up again, purge the CO2 and dump most of the starsan, rotating the keg during the pour so that it flows through all sides of the opening. Recap the keg, pressurize again, and empty tank of starsan with a picnic tap until the foam quits coming out. Purge the keg a time or two more then open it and rack in the beer. Close it back up, purge the headspace a few more times, and done.

 

[UnaBonger]

I guess I'm weird in the fact that I actually enjoy the AG process. I don't care if it takes longer, because it's more fun. When I was doing extract, I was making beer. When I do an AG batch, I'm creating beer! It's a subtle, yet significant difference.

+1. QFT.

As for why it takes me so long to clean a keg. First I break it down by removing all the posts, the pressure-release valve and all that. Clean each of those separately then soak them in starsan. Then I rinse and scrub the keg if there are any deposits on the inside. Partially fill it with starsan and reassemble the keg, lubing all o-rings. Pressurize the keg then shake it, invert it, let it sit upside down for a few minutes, etc. I'll then flip it upside down and press down the poppet valves to let some starsan flow through the posts. Right side up again, purge the CO2 and dump most of the starsan, rotating the keg during the pour so that it flows through all sides of the opening. Recap the keg, pressurize again, and empty tank of starsan with a picnic tap until the foam quits coming out. Purge the keg a time or two more then open it and rack in the beer. Close it back up, purge the headspace a few more times, and done.

Now to me that sounds like a lot of work... How long does that whole process take?

I'm wondering if I'm the only one here that doesn't mind to process of bottling and likes what it brings to the table.

With bottling I get -

Easy portability (It's easy to throw a 6/12/24 pack together for whatever event I'm attending)​

Long term aging (bottle it and throw it in the basement)​

Variety (not limited to the amount of taps I have)​

Easy sharing (it's easy to give a friend a few beers to take home and enjoy)​

I for one enjoy the bottling time. Crack open a beer, turn on some music, fill a few bottles and clean up... For me, that's relaxing

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking kegging. In fact I'm trying to figure out how to get it to work best for me. I think each method has its advantages/disadvantages and works for each person differently.

I'M A BOTTLER AND PROUD OF IT!!! :fro:

 

[beerthirty]

I got here late. +1 to Bob. Chiller then kegging.

With kegging I get-

Easy portability (toss the keg and CO2 bottle in the trunk and off I go)

Long term aging (Its a big unbreakable bottle)

Variety (Ok so 19 kegs maybe a little overkill)

Easy sharing (I teach my friends how to use the BMBF and let them fill their own bottles)

I can serve clearer beer (after aging I transfer to another keg leaving all sediment behind)

It keeps friendships intact (No threatening of bodily harm for not returning bottles or returning without rinsing)

The love of draught (most of my friends and I prefer the idea of draught beer)

I do keep some bottles lying around for competitions and beer swaps, but the time saved from bottling adds a week to my life every year.

 

[kornbread]

IMHO: You could do both.

Going all-grain wasn't that expensive. I just converted a cooler to a MLT and I started off by splitting my boils in two large pots that I already had. I've since added a converted keg to boil in and an immersion chiller. I know I'll be adding more "bells and whistles" in the future. But that's half the fun! So don't put off going A.G. until you have the perfect system. Just jump in and give it a try. Even if you make bad beer you'll learn what not to do next time. (Trust me I know.)

Kegging is a little more expensive. By the time you buy the kegs, regulator, gas bottle, hoses, taps, etc., It adds up to a few bucks. Then you have to find some way to keep it cool.

But, In my case, I found my self looking for excuses to postpone each bottling session. So, for me, the immediate payoff of kegging was well worth the cost.

I still bottle some batches if I know I'm going to age the beers a while. And It's not nearly a "chore" when you don't have to bottle every batch that you make.

The difference is: Now I enjoy all aspects of home brewing. (and home drinking)

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Spend it all on AG. This will improve your beer (at least the range and your control of your beer and the beer itself IMHO)

Kegging will have no effect on your beer and is a luxury only. Read Revvy's thread about bottling and you can make quick work of it. If you have an assistant, bottling isn't that much more work than kegging.

 

[Bopper]

I would definitely go with kegging. For me, making the decision to keg increased my enjoyment of brewing dramatically. Every time I had a full pipeline of carboys I would dread having to bottle all of the beer.
Now that I keg, I brew more often and I always have 2 beers on tap ready to enjoy. IMHO brewing is much more fun when you keg.

 

[Homercidal]

I think it depends on what you want more. I went with keg setup because my wife bought me a nice fridge and I wanted to be able to reach behind my desk and pour a cold one whenever. Now I love my kegerator, but it hasn't expanded my Brewing experience.

If you are the kind of person who really enjoys the brewing process and wants to learn all there is about making great beer, then spend the money on some AG stuff.

That said, it sounds like you can basically do both! Get what you need for the kegerator and then do some DIY stuff to get into AG. You really don't need to spend much money to get started in it.

 

[nghtmre4u]

for 300 you schould be able to do both all grain is cheap like many others stated.cheap cooler plus a braid cost about 30 bucks plus you schould be able to get a turkey fryer with big enough pot to do a full batch for 70 so theres 100+200 For kegging and you have got both for your 300 just my way of looking at it

 

[jmp138]

I think doing both is definitely going to be the way to go, my girlfriend really likes the idea of draft beer (as do I), and is really hoping I use that nice midwest gift certificate she bought me on some corneys and co2. As I've looked around I have also realized that I could go AG really cheap. I want to do 10 gallon batches and I still think I could come in under $100 for the setup.

Next question, does anyone have any experience with a shirron plate chiller. They are fairly economically priced and seem like a decent way to go. How do they work when gravity fed, I think they are a sexy little thing and was thinking about going that direction instead of an immersion chiller.

Thanks for the massive activity.

J

 

[Beernip]

To me the question would be "Do you really enjoy the beers you are currently brewing?" If the answer is no or mostly I would go for AG. If you really like your current extract brews and keep brewing the same ones then go for kegging.

Of course both is great.

 

[beerthirty]

Plate chillers need a pump as they are very restrictive. If you do decide to get a plate check ebay for "heat exchangers". IIRC Shirrons are 10 plate, Therminators are 30 plate. There are a couple of vendors that have plates very cheap. Here is an example. http://cgi.ebay.com/UL-Certified-30-Plate-Stainless-Steel-Heat-Exchanger_W0QQitemZ220359874592QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item220359874592&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50


oops sorry Iv'e had a few and forgot how to link.

 

[jonp9576]

you can use one of the people selling kegs on here and get 4 shipped to your door for $100.

craigslist for a tank will probably only run you about $20.

you can get a reg for around $40.

$40 should get you some hoses and picnic taps.

leaving you $100 toward your all grain adventure. it really all depends on how you chill your beer now and how big your brew pot is.

you can make a chiller for under $50 and make a mash tun for under $50

 

[kornbread]

A tip if you decide to do kegs: Buy the cheapest gas bottle you can find. Then take it and swap it for a full one. I went to the local gas shop and just paid the core charge + gas and it was like $85.00. I could have bought a steel tank online much cheaper than that. Then gas is about $8.50 when I trade it for a full one.

 

[TopDog]

I've already spoke my mind, but have to reiterate. Go with the keg set-up. I've went all-grain 10 years before I moved to kegging. If I had to do it over again, I'd go to kegging first.

Before I started up again, I brew WAY more now than I did when I had to fill and cap dozens of bottles and wait while they self-carbed. Yeah, I brew WAY WAY WAY more. That's a good thing, right?