New Equipment

[zlaker]

Hey Guys,

I’m about to do a massive equipment purchase and wanted to get your feedback on some items.

I currently have 2 Grainfathers and 1 old Corona Mill, rest is as usual, carboys and bottling bucket.

I want better control over milling, fermentation and forcing carbonation instead of bottle conditioning.

So here is what I'll likely be purchasing:

Water Filtration:
1- 5 stage RO water filtration system

Milling:
1 - Monster Mill MM3-Pro with heat treated rollers.

Mashing/Brewing:
2 - Grainfather Connect to upgrade my old control boxes.
2 - Grainfather Graincoat to better keep temperatures.

Fermentation:
2 or 3 - Grainfather Conical Fermenters.

Bottling - Kegging:
8 - Used Pin Lock Cornelius Kegs.
1 - Last Straw bottle filler
1 - Foamless Finish Last Straw Conterpressure (or other as per suggestions)
1 - Kegerator with 2 taps
1 - Bench capper
A couple of connectors, tubing, extra gaskets and keg lube.

Other goodies:
2 - Hop Spider
1 - Refractometer
1 - Grainfather whirlpool paddle
Silicone tubing

Once the Grainfather’s glycol chiller is out for the Grainfather conical fermenters I'll definitively purchase it.

Anything else I could be missing?

So what do you guys think?

Cheers,
Zlaker

 

[augiedoggy]

If it were me Id get the kegco 3 roller mill, at $150 its still has real bearings. The mm3 pro doesnt unless you pay even more for pulley drive upgrade according to what I read. On the other hand, I dont think the hardened rollers will net you any real advantage in a home brewing environment... The only rollers Ive ever heard of wearing out on any mill here are the barley crusher brand rollers...

And its just my opinion but I dont think the grainfather conical is a very good value for what it is and how its made. A spike or ss unitank would be a better buy IMHO (again just my opinion.)

 

[zlaker]

I like the SS Unitank but it is over $150 more than the grainfather conical fermenter. If I add heating and chilling, then we are talking well over $300.

Plus the Unitank seems more manual, on the other hand the Grainfather conical fermenter automatically controls the cooling and heating elements when the fermenter not within the specified temps. So I can set it up and walk away and if I need to travel as I usually do the automation is really worth it. Also it looks like something that is simple to teach another person to use i.e. SWMBO.

The Kegco Mill is somethign I was looking into, but they have note been tried and tested long enough to make me feel comfortable with them. I mean I much rather spend well on a good mill that will last me a long time, thats why I was looking into the MM3-Pro. This point is a tough one for me.

Cheers,
Zlaker

 

[PADave]

Build a keezer. 2 taps wont be enough.

 

[zlaker]

Build a keezer. 2 taps wont be enough.

Keezer sounds nice, but limits my mobility. Though having one at home would be great.

Its hard to move the keezer to take the beer to friends events, etc.

Cheers,
Zlaker

 

[augiedoggy]

I like the SS Unitank but it is over $150 more than the grainfather conical fermenter. If I add heating and chilling, then we are talking well over $300.

Plus the Unitank seems more manual, on the other hand the Grainfather conical fermenter automatically controls the cooling and heating elements when the fermenter not within the specified temps. So I can set it up and walk away and if I need to travel as I usually do the automation is really worth it. Also it looks like something that is simple to teach another person to use i.e. SWMBO.

The Kegco Mill is somethign I was looking into, but they have note been tried and tested long enough to make me feel comfortable with them. I mean I much rather spend well on a good mill that will last me a long time, thats why I was looking into the MM3-Pro. This point is a tough one for me.

Cheers,
Zlaker

The kegco Mills has been out for quite a while they've been sold under other names like the cerial killer and keg King Mills but they're the same Mills. I've had the two roller version for over 3 years now and it works as good as new. I've compared my new three Roller Mill to my old to Roller and I am positive they are from the same manufacturer.

 

[dthompson79]

I will second Auggie's take on the Kegco. There are several members in my club that have them and put them through their paces. No hiccups. I have a MM-3 and would likely have gotten the Kegco instead for the price difference (if I had know about it). And the Pro model esp with the heat treated rollers is sort of a waste unless you are opening a 3 bbl nano

 

[zlaker]

And the Pro model esp with the heat treated rollers is sort of a waste unless you are opening a 3 bbl nano

I can see myself producing at 3bbl capacity within the next year or so.

In Mexico it's easy to open a nano or micro brewery. Plus they craft brewery scene is growing exponentially. Like in the US back when it started. So in Mexico there are not many laws regulating the craft brew industry yet.

So it’s a good time to capitalize on the opportunity and if I’m going to need a bigger mill within a year or so, then much rather buy a good mill now than buying a small mill now and then buying something that will meet my needs in the future.

Worst case scenario, I don’t grow as expected, then I have a mill that surpasses my needs and will last me longer. Or if I no longer need such a mill I can always resell it, get some dough back and purchase a smaller mill.

At least that’s how I see it.

Cheers,
Zlaker

 

[augiedoggy]

Well im already opening a 3bbl nano and bought the kegco for just that.. If I find the rollers actually wear out on me ill decide to spend the big money later when I hopefully have more profit money by then. but after almost 4 years of use and many many sacks of grain my 2 roller mill version still looks as good as new with no wear that I can see so... The kegco/cereal killer rollers are somewhat work hardened cold rolled steel which is not as good as true hardened but not as soft as stainless or plain steel either from what Ive read. I assume the mm is the same on the non pro version.
Good luck whatever you choose Im sure either will work great. I would get the real bearing option with that kind of use too.

I know nano breweries that get by using the barley crusher I know one 2bbl brewery that uses 2 barley crushers and alternates taking one apart and cleaning the grain dust out of the bushings and having it ready to swap out when the others starts to stick..

 

[zlaker]

Have been looking more in-depth at the grainfather conical fermenter and for $100 more I can get twice the fermentation space on an ad chronical

 

[zlaker]

Anyways I decided to go with 2 of the Chronicals BME 1/2bbl. Just waiting for black Friday to see if they offer some discounts.

Augiedoggy, do you recommend any particular stone for oxygenating the wort.

 

[augiedoggy]

Anyways I decided to go with 2 of the Chronicals BME 1/2bbl. Just waiting for black Friday to see if they offer some discounts.

Augiedoggy, do you recommend any particular stone for oxygenating the wort.

I use one of these myself I put in a tee off the output of my plate chiller...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Silver...590689?hash=item360ade8ae1:g:9QAAAOSwCGVX~MDe

 

[seabush]

Zlaker,

Let me be the first in officially saying "I want to live vicariously through your purchases!". It seems like money isn't too much of a problem to you, so have fun. I would like to suggest that the volume at which it appears you will be brewing will by far outrun your 2 tap kegerator setup. Was your original plan to stay mobile, inferring that your will force-carb, then bottle the entire 5 Gal batch as soon as possible? If this is the case, or if you just plan on bottling quick before going out, I would like to second the suggestion of a keezer. If you have the space, it would be extremely nice to fit all your kegs into one receptacle, and vary the pressure for each keg (via a multiple 2nd stage regulator ban), this could let you slowly force keg at serving pressure, or use some variation of high PSI for a short time. Either way, being able to get to the top of the kegs to relieve pressure or connect hoses is way better in a keezer than a kegerator. Secondly, intertap make a pretty nice faucet that has the ability to screw in a ball lock connector. This would give a perfect setup for quick bottling.

This is how I see it. You have all your kegs in the keezer on tap, you have an extra c02 line that can be connected for the last straw. You have empty sanitized bottles in the keezer that are nice and cold. Whenever you wanna fill a couple bottles, its super quick to connect it all up. Fill em up, and cap em down and go! Just my thoughts.

 

[mongoose33]

Keezer sounds nice, but limits my mobility. Though having one at home would be great.

Its hard to move the keezer to take the beer to friends events, etc.

Cheers,
Zlaker

That's why you take the beer in a small keg (1.5 or 2.5 gallons) with a CO2 injector. Or you bottle and take it that way.