Looking to upgrade

[Goolsbymd]

So I got some post deployment money saved away and am looking into upgrading/improving my brewing equipment. I am a BIABer 5 gallon and happy with it. I use a concord 15 gallon kettle with therm and drain valve, I already make yeast starters as needed, already keg and built a keezer, I have a fermentation freezer but that's what I am thinking about upgrading. I believe yeast and fermentation control is second to sanitation so I am thinking about a conical with a cooling coil built in. The SS brew chronical looks good but I am trying to hold out for Spike Brewing conical. I have about 600 to spend what else could help with making my beer better other than more grains and brewing time.

 

[PADave]

Grain mill.

 

[oceanic_brew]

My next two upgrades are going to be picking up a nice grain mill and building a dedicated mill and storage area.

Then I'm gonna finish my fermentation chest. I have only one 5 gallon space now. When I'm done I'll have three separate spaces with dedicated temp control on each and space for two 5g's in each.

A lot of people love their pumps, might be worth looking into but I feel having more fermentation space and control plus less trips to LHBS will improve my brewing life and beer quality.

 

[bendog15]

Fermentation chamber is definitely the most important piece I own. Couldn't make beer without it, so that's my #1 choice. Sounds like you already have a stir plate. Grain mill is good, some airtight bins for grain storage, a stronger burner like a bayou classic, digital bakers scale, vacuum sealer for hops, and the list goes on and on.

 

[Goolsbymd]

Yea i agree with the chamber but I think I'm leaning towards more control on the temps hence why I think something with a cooling cool and controller would be awesome.

 

[bendog15]

Yea i agree with the chamber but I think I'm leaning towards more control on the temps hence why I think something with a cooling cool and controller would be awesome.

Yes I have a chest freezer with an stc-1000 control set on it. There are a lot of tutorials on here how to wire that into the chest freezer. That alone has made the biggest difference in the quality of beer I have made.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm gonna get a kitchen cabinet to fit my fermenters & the top of my fermenter stand. Use a small A/C unit on one side with the ITC 1000 temp controller I won recently. Ferment temp control is always a good one.

 

[chubbsjp]

A grainfather and you'll make great beer over and over again