Like Christmas

[azazel1024]

I generally do all of my shopping at my LHBS, but I needed to place a couple of orders from a couple of different places for stuff either my LHBS doesn't carry, or else for whatever crazy reason is just much, much more expensive (which is rare, most of their prices are within 5% of what I can find on Amazon, Northern Brewer, etc. and I get a 10% discount for my local brew club membership there...which means its usually cheaper).

Stir plate, parts to build an STC1000 temp controller to finish my mini fridge to fermentation chamber conversion, some hop varieties my LHBS doesn't stock, 2l flask to upgrade from my 1l, and because the price was the same and I didn't want to run back to my LHBS too soon (its 30 minutes one way) a new auto-siphon and siphon clamp, tubing and 3lbs of DME for starters.

Well, it ALL showed up at the same time.

Like christmas morning opening everything and playing with it!

Built me a temp controller and plugged it in. Working great and the thermister seems to be reading within 1F of what the two mercury thermometers I have sitting in the fridge are claiming the temp is. Still need to get a heater and add that in at some point, but I don't plan on any sour mashes or saisons soon.

Played with the stir plate.

Pretended to be Walter White.

Lots of fun was had.

Now seriously starting to make up a Christmas list as this past winter I didn't consider anything brewing related (no clue why). I am notoriously hard to shop for...because either I buy myself what I want, or whatever I want that I am not buying for myself is way too expensive for anyone to realistically buy me as a present (oh, hey, new camera...what? $1000 is too much for a present?)

So far, Refractometer, digital PH meter I am sure I can think of other things over the next 10 months that are nice to haves, but not need to haves.

 

[Ski12568]

I make a list of the thing I want and give that to the wife with links so I know I get the right items. I end up buying them for myself because I'm impatient

 

[azazel1024]

I make a list of the thing I want and give that to the wife with links so I know I get the right items. I end up buying them for myself because I'm impatient

Yeah, I am going to have to do my best to resist.

I figure my list should be things that would make my life a little easier, or step up my brewing a notch, but that really, right now, I am fine not having.

Stuff to have a proper fermentation chamber, I needed it to take my brewing up a notch (and I have been dying to do lagers properly. Dopplebock now laggering for 2 weeks at 40F 1 week and then 34F 1 week, did a PitA ice bath for fermentation, which is what triggered the "convert my spare mini fridge NOW" project). I also needed the stir plate for the same (as the Dopplebock was the 1st liquid yeast batch and I have a steam beer that is almost ready for bottling that was the 2nd. 1L starter and no stir plate meant a lot of stepping up the starter. 2l and stir plate...makes life SOOOO much easier).

Now I have proper temp control, a wort chiller and a way to do proper starters...all in about a 3 month period I've moved to all of this. So it'll be interesting to see how much this may step up my brewing game.

Next "big step" is to either find my water quality report, or get another one done so I know how to modify my water for brewing. I know the VERY basics. Water slightly acidic and slightly hard, lowish carbonate levels. I just don't know the specifics, so the best I can do is a bit of "winging it" with things like adding a tsp of gypsum to IPAs or going with a couple of gallons of distilled water for a pilsner mixed with my well water. Only started (with the steam beer) to start controlling water minerals a little...but still winging it (a little gypsum as I am going medium/high hopping on it, but not quite IPA levels).

A lot of things like the digital PH meter and refractometer are more nice to haves than really needing. Probably other nice to haves that I can come up with over time for my brewing.

PS Now I'll need to resist the urge to brew lots and lots of lagers. Afterall, all I can fit is a single 6G carboy in there, or I can fit a couple of 3G carboys. I MIGHT be able to fit my 5G and a 3G, but I suspect not. I do have plans for a 2.75G german pilsner in 2 weekends and that should be finished lagering in time for spring break...which my wife might be taking the kids down to FL to visit her Grandmother for the week...leaving me all alone within nothing to do but going to work, and brewing like a madman. Maybe a couple of 2.75G Marzens? Or maybe a Maibock and a Marzen? Undecided, but I feel like I should plan on a couple of lagers to go with whatever Ales I brew (I figure with 5-6 days, that is at least 3 brew evenings after work, maybe 4-5 if I get crazy, knock out all of my spring brewing in one week).