Planning my setup...thoughts?

[hilljack13]

Long post so please bear with me.

I have about 7 months, maybe ~10, to plan my brew setup. I wanted to share my initial plan to see if anyone has done something similar and what other options I might be missing. I first thought about what my end goal was and to work backwards. Although I keep finding it hard to not keep looking at the actual brew equipment. So below is my plan. I appreciate any feedback. I am sure to miss some things since I have only done extracts. I do plan to go all grain using electric. Any links to good articles or reviews to keep responses short might help others as well.

End goal: No smaller than 4 tap system.

I like the idea of building my own keezer. I'll use build lightly as I would look at a 7-9 CuFt chest freezer. I have seen a few at Lowes for ~$350. Much lower than the Kegco 3 and 4 taps I saw. I have done bottles before and will never go back. 4 corney kegs and for the slight cost difference, a 10lb CO2 tank. I would like to keep the tank inside the keezer. I am looking at the Kegco reglator and secondary. I may try different pressures so a distributor isn't needed. I'm OK with the added cost when I can catch them on sale. I'll look at all the lines, couplers, dispensers, sink and drains in the coming months.

How to get 4 kegs of beer? Fermentation time. I am way up in the air on this one. I didn't mind my old glass carboys. Cleaning is a pain, but why not some plastics? I don't know. I don't have to go low cost but don't mind putting in more overhead. I liked the idea of conicals so I can dump the trub and yeast. I also like the transfer from bottom spigot. Some of the pricing is way beyond my understanding, but I have seen some reviews on the Anvil 7 gal bucket. Much cheaper. Has a small concave bottom but no trub dump. I figure I have to start somewhere. Also, with 4 kegs I plan to buy a minimum of 3 fermenters. I plan to keep a rotating lager at minimum. I do have a side-by-side refrigerator I can use. I just need to measure the inside height to see if I can fit two. Doubtful if I can put a third on the freezer side.
I'm not planning on doing secondary. A lot of reading seems to point in the direction of this is not absolutely needed. I will finish with conditioning in the kegs.
Other issues I need to consider are ale fermentation cooling/heating. A GC just isn't happening yet. Maybe later.
Fermentation summary: 3 fermenters, one lager min at all times. The rest I'll keep different to try new flavors.

Now to figure out how to get the fermenters full! Common sense I know. But, I do plan to use electric system. I can't get past the number of positive reviews for Anvil 10.5. I also like the idea of using 110V first until I can get 220/240 going. Since I will probably be moving in a few years I am not sure I want to fit the bill of that install and have to do it over after the move. I doubt I would go less than 5 gal batches, and maybe once, if that, a 10 gal batch. BUT I do like the high octane so a bigger kettle is good. My next option is Grainfather G40. I lean toward this just because it has more video reviews posted so I can actually see what is going on. I'm a visual learner . I have thought about trying the Anvil and if needed sell and get the GF. May not come to that, but ya know...options!
Options I like to look for: warranty, what accessories are included, do I need to buy anything additional, ability to step mash, sparge, ease of cleaning, learning cure of setup using the interface. I have IT background.
I don't need anything WiFi or BT but might be nice to have if my laziness gets worse.

Again this is just a starting point and I have at minimum 7 months to learn what I may like and to figure out how off I am initially. I think black Friday is when I'll start looking for deals and get first purchases going. I already saw the regulators on sale for the 4th so holiday shopping should prove nice since I have to wait anyway.

Looking forward to advice and follow-up questions.
Brew on!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

That's a lot to digest for a Sunday morning but it seems you have some great ideas already.

Like you mentioned start looking at the sales to see what you can score. Nothing wrong with taking baby steps to build your system.

I'd plan for one fermenter then decide later if you need a second or third. A batch every 2-3 weeks would keep your fermenter going and provide beer for future planning.

Use your fridge for now until you build your keezer. Plan it out before you build, there's a ton of advice here to help.

Those AIO systems seem to be real popular. Again lots of posts here from users. I have the old style, three vessel brewing. Suits me fine.

If something else comes to mind I'll tag along with the other posters.
Good luck!

 

[Bassman2003]

For these types of broad posts, it helps to know a budget range you are comfortable spending for the entire workup. We all have tons of ideas but budget usually does a lot of the culling!

 

[camonick]

Also, with 4 kegs I plan to buy a minimum of 3 fermenters. I plan to keep a rotating lager at minimum.

I doubt I would go less than 5 gal batches, and maybe once, if that, a 10 gal batch.

I'd plan for one fermenter then decide later if you need a second or third. A batch every 2-3 weeks would keep your fermenter going and provide beer for future planning.

I’ve never put that much thought into a brewing setup (mine included), but I guess my main question is how much beer do you typically drink to regularly need to keep three 5+ gallon fermenters running? A well planned rotation would only require 1 or 2 in my opinion, even with lagers (2-3 weeks is all that’s required in my experience).

 

[Broken Crow]

Each area; AG brewing, Fermenting, and Kegging, has an associated learning curve during which you find which specific practices work best for you. Time and again I’ve seen on here, eager new brewers work their way to their “Ideal Brewing Rig” and then have their beer spoiled by issues with fermenting/fermenters and/or a newly acquired kegging system. What are you brewing with right now? How much money can you spend? Since you can envision a final distribution system, start on that and learn the ins and outs of kegging including keg cleaning, sanitizing and purging…this last comes up almost every day on here, and while there’s no ‘One Right’ practice, find the one that works for you and learn your routine.
In the meantime; Can your current brew-pot handle just getting a BIAB bag? As to the fermenters, for the price of a single Anvil brew bucket, you could buy 3 Fermonsters and the posts and floating dip tubes to make a closed-transfer system. Turning your Fermonster into a complete closed transfer system for cheap! The 7 Gallon Fermonsters are nice and light and it’s easy to swish around the bottom and harvest yeast, which is another learning curve on it’s own. If you have a bit more money to spend and would like to do lagers but not spend on a ferm chamber or GC, there’s the Fermzilla’s and Warm Fermented Lager Thread

 

[hotbeer]

If you can do one tap you cand do four taps. Do you have enough friends to empty that many kegs to keep you brewing often enough to enjoy brewing regularly?

As for dumping trub, I'm on the fence as to whether it does anything useful for the beer itself. With carboy's and jugs I let my beer sit on a thick layer of trub for several weeks till it cleared up for bottling. Now that I have a conical, about the only thing dumping the trub has done for me is allow for me to bottle directly from the FV.

And still, the beers I consider my best were the ones that did sit on a thick trub layer. One for almost six weeks. However I haven't specifically done those recipes in the conical yet.

 

[hilljack13]

I’ve never put that much thought into a brewing setup (mine included), but I guess my main question is how much beer do you typically drink to regularly need to keep three 5+ gallon fermenters running? A well planned rotation would only require 1 or 2 in my opinion, even with lagers (2-3 weeks is all that’s required in my experience).

Ha! I didn't intend to have so much time to plan, but it does help pass time. I could go through 1.5 gal myself each week. When I think about it though, if I have 4 kegs that should last a good while so I probably don't need thee fermenters. I guess I should start with one and see if I like it and adjust. Good thoughts. I meat to ask about rotation schedules and forgot. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[AlexKay]

I like the idea of building my own keezer. I'll use build lightly as I would look at a 7-9 CuFt chest freezer. I have seen a few at Lowes for ~$350. Much lower than the Kegco 3 and 4 taps I saw. I have done bottles before and will never go back. 4 corney kegs and for the slight cost difference, a 10lb CO2 tank. I would like to keep the tank inside the keezer. I am looking at the Kegco reglator and secondary. I may try different pressures so a distributor isn't needed. I'm OK with the added cost when I can catch them on sale. I'll look at all the lines, couplers, dispensers, sink and drains in the coming months.

Buy everything (tank regulator, secondary regulator, gas manifolds) with flare fittings. (BrewHardware.com - High end, practical homebrewing hardware, accessories and ingredients for making beer, wine, mead, and cider. is a good online source.) It's easy to adapt from flares to barbs if for some crazy reason you want to, but you can't go the other way. And it's easy to adapt flares to Duotight so you can use EVABarrier tubing, which is what you need.

Also get the biggest freezer that is comfortable for your budget and fits in your space. Nobody ever complained their keezer was too big. Best Buy is selling their 14 ft3 model for $399 right now, with free delivery. (The price goes up and down on this one, so if you don't want to buy now you'll likely see it for $400-450 again every few months.)

I do have a side-by-side refrigerator I can use...Other issues I need to consider are ale fermentation cooling/heating.

As in, you can plug this into a temperature controller and use it as a fermentation chamber? This is necessary if you're making traditional lagers, and for other styles it's not necessarily but still vastly preferable. You'll get much better beer using cheap fermenters in a temperature-controlled chamber than you'll get with shiny stainless at ambient.

And whatever you decide, don't ferment in glass. Not worth the laceration risk.

 

[hilljack13]

I am not currently brewing. I am out of country. Money isn't the issue. If I don't spend it, lets just say someone else will!

I do need to look at some of the specifics of cleaning and sanitizing keg systems. I have glanced over some reading but nothing in depth yet.

I have seen folks talk about the fermonster so I need to look at those. For some reason they don't come up in my searches so I will have to be a bit more deliberate. Thanks!

What are you brewing with right now? How much money can you spend? Since you can envision a final distribution system, start on that and learn the ins and outs of kegging including keg cleaning, sanitizing and purging…this last comes up almost every day on here, and while there’s no ‘One Right’ practice, find the one that works for you and learn your routine.

 

[hilljack13]

If you can do one tap you cand do four taps. Do you have enough friends to empty that many kegs to keep you brewing often enough to enjoy brewing regularly?

As for dumping trub, I'm on the fence as to whether it does anything useful for the beer itself. With carboy's and jugs I let my beer sit on a thick layer of trub for several weeks till it cleared up for bottling. Now that I have a conical, about the only thing dumping the trub has done for me is allow for me to bottle directly from the FV.

And still, the beers I consider my best were the ones that did sit on a thick trub layer. One for almost six weeks. However I haven't specifically done those recipes in the conical yet.

I move around too much to know many locals. Unfortunate. I will at some point hit up the regional forum on HBT. I have seen many others talk about the dumping not making a difference so that really keeps me at bay from going all in on a conical.

 

[hilljack13]

Buy everything (tank regulator, secondary regulator, gas manifolds) with flare fittings. (BrewHardware.com - High end, practical homebrewing hardware, accessories and ingredients for making beer, wine, mead, and cider. is a good online source.) It's easy to adapt from flares to barbs if for some crazy reason you want to, but you can't go the other way. And it's easy to adapt flares to Duotight so you can use EVABarrier tubing, which is what you need.

Also get the biggest freezer that is comfortable for your budget and fits in your space. Nobody ever complained their keezer was too big. Best Buy is selling their 14 ft3 model for $399 right now, with free delivery. (The price goes up and down on this one, so if you don't want to buy now you'll likely see it for $400-450 again every few months.)


As in, you can plug this into a temperature controller and use it as a fermentation chamber? This is necessary if you're making traditional lagers, and for other styles it's not necessarily but still vastly preferable. You'll get much better beer using cheap fermenters in a temperature-controlled chamber than you'll get with shiny stainless at ambient.

And whatever you decide, don't ferment in glass. Not worth the laceration risk.

Thanks for the links. The more the merrier! I would have to measure for space on that particular freezer, but yes, I would snag it if I could right now. I will most certainly keep the link in the favorites. Plus it has good reviews!

Correct, I am going to use my side-by-side as a lager and fermenter. I have a Johnson controls controller I used before. Spent way too much now that I see some new and popular models are ~35-40.

 

[hilljack13]

For these types of broad posts, it helps to know a budget range you are comfortable spending for the entire workup. We all have tons of ideas but budget usually does a lot of the culling!

My thoughts on money are if I don't spend it someone else, cough cough, will. I'm not trying to go 4-5K but I do happen to get some tax free income this year and so I can consider ~$2100 in freebies. So if I add another 1K on top that should get me going. Equipment I already have are one temp controller (Johnson) and the fridge in the garage I'll use for fermenting and lagering.

 

[hilljack13]

That's a lot to digest for a Sunday morning but it seems you have some great ideas already.

Like you mentioned start looking at the sales to see what you can score. Nothing wrong with taking baby steps to build your system.

I'd plan for one fermenter then decide later if you need a second or third. A batch every 2-3 weeks would keep your fermenter going and provide beer for future planning.

Use your fridge for now until you build your keezer. Plan it out before you build, there's a ton of advice here to help.

Those AIO systems seem to be real popular. Again lots of posts here from users. I have the old style, three vessel brewing. Suits me fine.

If something else comes to mind I'll tag along with the other posters.
Good luck!

Thought I hit all the replies. Haven't actually thought to use the fridge as a temp while building the keezer so thanks for that. Gets me going without upfront costs. I think that would lend me more time to do some hands on planning as well.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

We upgraded kitchen appliances so I took the old fridge and put it in my brewing area. The chest freezer build into a beer fridge died so it was a good replacement. The fridge is 25+ years old I bought new. Took all shelves out, and installed a cut piece of 3/4 plywood on top of the drawers. I painted white too but you can't tell that now from the beer stains. Anyway, the fridge holds six corny kegs, three that feed the beer taps on the other side of the wall. Connections at the top are tight but not impossible to get at.

Just an example of an alternative till you build something.

 

[Broken Crow]

Ha! I didn't intend to have so much time to plan, but it does help pass time. I could go through 1.5 gal myself each week. When I think about it though, if I have 4 kegs that should last a good while so I probably don't need thee fermenters. I guess I should start with one and see if I like it and adjust. Good thoughts. I meat to ask about rotation schedules and forgot. Thanks for reminding me.

Once it's kegged, as long as low/no oxygen practices and absolute sanitation has been followed, it holds up for a good long while. I live with my significant other (Today's actually 31 years from when we first met in our favourite freak-bar and I asked her to check an abondoned pitcher of beer for vomit as means of introduction.) We each have 2 taps on my kegerator and some kegs are finished in about 3 weeks, while one is currently going on 3 months. Personally, I need one staple beer, and one 'pleasure' beer in it at any one time. One thing I will add: This is going to be a long-term fixture: Spare NO expense on your initial outlay...That is: Stainless Steel taps and shanks, EVABarrier or Bevlex 200 beer lines, high-quality primary regulator (and high-quality secondary regulators as you go).

 

[Broken Crow]

Oh, I forgot this part: If you can afford it, buy new kegs rather than someone elses problem (unless you're buying from a regular poster on this site who'll be honest about thier condition). Kegland, AEB, and Torpedo are about the best kegs you can get. Do NOT buy cheap ball-lock disconnects! Go for genuine CM Becker disconnects with the 1/4" MFL.

 

[Jim R]

It would be interesting to have some statistics on the hobby of homebrewing including how many people stick with the hobby, how many increase and decrease their brewing with time, how many gradually expand their production capacity, etc. etc.. From the volume of used brewing equipment for sale in my area (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.), I suspect that there is a fairly high attrition rate with time. There certainly are also people that maintain a long term interest that should jump right into the deep end of the pool with lots of expensive equipment but there also must be a fairly high percentage that gradually lose interest (with all the cleaning, long brew days, expensive supplies, etc.) despite great initial enthusiasm. Maybe this is exactly the same with most hobbies.

One option is to plan something a little less than 4 kegs, 3 fermenters and a big keezer to start out. You will probably know in a couple years if this is a lifelong hobby for yourself.

 

[AlexKay]

For fermenters you could go plastic; I like the Big Mouth Bubbler, though there's certainly nothing wrong with the Fermonster.

Or jump right to fermenting in kegs with floating dip tubes.

But I'd hold off on the conicals.

 

[hilljack13]

Once it's kegged, as long as low/no oxygen practices and absolute sanitation has been followed, it holds up for a good long while. I live with my significant other (Today's actually 31 years from when we first met in our favourite freak-bar and I asked her to check an abondoned pitcher of beer for vomit as means of introduction.) We each have 2 taps on my kegerator and some kegs are finished in about 3 weeks, while one is currently going on 3 months. Personally, I need one staple beer, and one 'pleasure' beer in it at any one time. One thing I will add: This is going to be a long-term fixture: Spare NO expense on your initial outlay...That is: Stainless Steel taps and shanks, EVABarrier or Bevlex 200 beer lines, high-quality primary regulator (and high-quality secondary regulators as you go).

For sure. One of the small items I am looking at are the couplers. Most seem to be plastic and widely available. I would rather go stainless steel and replace gaskets, etc. My regulator of choice for now is the Kegco Elite double gauge and Elite secondary. I'll check the brands you recommend. Thanks!

 

[hilljack13]

Oh, I forgot this part: If you can afford it, buy new kegs rather than someone elses problem (unless you're buying from a regular poster on this site who'll be honest about thier condition). Kegland, AEB, and Torpedo are about the best kegs you can get. Do NOT buy cheap ball-lock disconnects! Go for genuine CM Becker disconnects with the 1/4" MFL.

Good to know! I was planning on used due to price. Going down to one fermenter to start will save some overhead. Definetly going to look at these CM products. I do think German engineering is superior!

 

[hilljack13]

It would be interesting to have some statistics on the hobby of homebrewing including how many people stick with the hobby, how many increase and decrease their brewing with time, how many gradually expand their production capacity, etc. etc.. From the volume of used brewing equipment for sale in my area (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.), I suspect that there is a fairly high attrition rate with time. There certainly are also people that maintain a long term interest that should jump right into the deep end of the pool with lots of expensive equipment but there also must be a fairly high percentage that gradually lose interest (with all the cleaning, long brew days, expensive supplies, etc.) despite great initial enthusiasm. Maybe this is exactly the same with most hobbies.

One option is to plan something a little less than 4 kegs, 3 fermenters and a big keezer to start out. You will probably know in a couple years if this is a lifelong hobby for yourself.

Appreciate the added thoughts. If it wasn't for constant moving around I could be about 10 years ahead in my thoughts. One thing for sure is I have always been the type to do things on my own if possible. Luckily about this time next year I'll be retired and hobbies will be needed to keep me busy! I have others but can't do it all at the same time.

 

[madscientist451]

I think black Friday is when I'll start looking for deals and get first purchases going. I already saw the regulators on sale for the 4th so holiday shopping should prove nice since I have to wait anyway.

Looking forward to advice and follow-up questions.
Brew on!

4 things:
-Are you going to be moving again anytime soon? Do you want to move a keezer and a ton of brewing gear? Perhaps it would be better to think small and travel light unless you are in a "forever" home?
-Don't do too much at once. Get a kettle, a BIAB bag and some grain and make a few batches on your stove before you get in too deep.
-How much do you really drink? Do you need to be pouring 4 kegs at once through fixed taps? You can put a picnic tap on 5' of line and pour just as good beer through that. Note that not everyone thinks homebrew is all that great, people are still buying lots of Bud light and similar beers.
-There is always lots of used stuff around, used kegs are fine, the o-ring kits are pretty cheap, but used plastic items like fermenters are somewhat sketchy. I absolutely would NOT buy a used "system" like a grainfather or something similar because the electrical components can't be serviced. However a system where the electrical element and other items can be removed and replaced if needed would be OK used.

 

[hilljack13]

4 things:
-Are you going to be moving again anytime soon? Do you want to move a keezer and a ton of brewing gear? Perhaps it would be better to think small and travel light unless you are in a "forever" home?
-Don't do too much at once. Get a kettle, a BIAB bag and some grain and make a few batches on your stove before you get in too deep.
-How much do you really drink? Do you need to be pouring 4 kegs at once through fixed taps? You can put a picnic tap on 5' of line and pour just as good beer through that. Note that not everyone thinks homebrew is all that great, people are still buying lots of Bud light and similar beers.
-There is always lots of used stuff around, used kegs are fine, the o-ring kits are pretty cheap, but used plastic items like fermenters are somewhat sketchy. I absolutely would NOT buy a used "system" like a grainfather or something similar because the electrical components can't be serviced. However a system where the electrical element and other items can be removed and replaced if needed would be OK used.

All legit questions to think about. My next move is hopefully my last if there are no other major life changing events that come up. I don't moving with the added gear. It would be a pain to takedown and setup again. I just don't know my timeline yet. Could move next year or 3 or 5 years. I obviously have some thinking to do.

I'm going to have to look a this picnic tap. New one to me so thanks for bringing this up.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Glad to see you're getting a lot of ideas and food for thought. Starting out with a blank canvas has many advantages but sharing ideas with others helps.

Congrats on an upcoming retirement. I retired almost two years ago, love every day of it. I can't say I brew more but my brew schedule isn't interrupted with field trip and project deadlines. Now when one of my three taps is dry it's time to brew again.

 

[Zanatrik]

Just my thought here but if you have the money, I would avoid the integrated systems like digiboil, grainfather, etc… for electric brewing. I know lots of people like them and maybe they’re great, but when I buy something that pricey I’m concerned about modularity and parts replacement. If you buy a standard stainless kettle with tc fittings (like Spike, Unibrau, SS, etc..) you get the options. Maybe you start out at 110v and upgrade to 240, all you need is a controller that can handle it and different heat elements, but your brew setup remains. Also if something breaks or goes wrong, you aren’t locked into buying from one specific brand or source that may or may not have the replacement parts you need when you need them.

I’m not long into the hobby myself but have found that I’m continually adjusting my setup to make my brew day more pleasant and my brew process more error proofed. If I had bought one of those all-in-one setups I might have saved some money, but if I had decided I wanted something different there was no way to change it without selling and starting over.

 

[mac_1103]

If you can afford it, buy new kegs rather than someone elses problem

OTOH, lots of people have good luck with used kegs and most people selling them aren't going to flat-out lie about the condition they're in. I recently got two well-used kegs that don't leak and just needed a good cleaning, but even if I replace the gaskets, posts and washers it's still only half of the best price I can find for new. You can also get used and reconditioned kegs from places like MoreBeer if you prefer to buy from a reputable vendor that offers a guarantee.

 

[Skeeter686]

I live with my significant other (Today's actually 31 years from when we first met in our favourite freak-bar and I asked her to check an abondoned pitcher of beer for vomit as means of introduction.)

Congrats on 31 years and having the most unique pickup line I've heard!

 

[Skeeter686]

when I buy something that pricey I’m concerned about modularity and parts replacement. If you buy a standard stainless kettle with tc fittings (like Spike, Unibrau, SS, etc..) you get the options. Maybe you start out at 110v and upgrade to 240, all you need is a controller that can handle it and different heat elements, but your brew setup remains.

This is basically what I did. I liked the flexibility and maintainability of a modular system over a true AIO. I went with a Spike Solo, so it's very similar to an AIO except that the pump and controller are external, the heating element is a commodity item, it's all standard TC connectors. I can expand it, modify it, replace parts, whatever.

Also, the kit was for 240V (which I'm upgrading to in the not too distant future) but I'm able to run it off of a 120V controller in the meanwhile. 1/4 the heat output of 240V, but it lets me pave the road to the future and start using the kit now.

 

[hilljack13]

I went with a Spike Solo, so it's very similar to an AIO except that the pump and controller are external, the heating element is a commodity item, it's all standard TC connectors. I can expand it, modify it, replace parts, whatever.

Also, the kit was for 240V (which I'm upgrading to in the not too distant future) but I'm able to run it off of a 120V controller in the meanwhile. 1/4 the heat output of 240V, but it lets me pave the road to the future and start using the kit now.

I looked at these and really like that the quality build seems much better. I am bit confused on the options. The site has the "turnkey" solo system but caveats that pump isn't included at a price of 1500+, yet the single kettle with some options ~550. First time looking at these so I'll need to do more research. Always up for some more reading!

 

[hilljack13]

I really appreciate all the responses and as I imagined have given me more to think about both short term startup and long term end goals. I still have to look at WHAT I plan to brew too. So much to ingest. If I have to go back to a few extract to get started I'm OK with that. Then I can build out what will be a better fit as I move along.

 

[SpikeBrewing]

I looked at these and really like that the quality build seems much better. I am bit confused on the options. The site has the "turnkey" solo system but caveats that pump isn't included at a price of 1500+, yet the single kettle with some options ~550. First time looking at these so I'll need to do more research. Always up for some more reading!

Thanks for considering Spike! We sell the pump and chiller as add ons as many people are upgrading from other systems and already have those parts.

 

[hilljack13]

Thanks for considering Spike! We sell the pump and chiller as add ons as many people are upgrading from other systems and already have those parts.

Just knowing you are a member here and replied makes a HUGE difference. Spike is on the radar!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

After looking at many stainless steel conicals I settled on a Spike. You won't go wrong considering them and as you have noted they're here on HBT. Great quality and for me, almost local.

 

[martin0718]

Long post so please bear with me.

I have about 7 months, maybe ~10, to plan my brew setup. I wanted to share my initial plan to see if anyone has done something similar and what other options I might be missing. I first thought about what my end goal was and to work backwards. Although I keep finding it hard to not keep looking at the actual brew equipment. So below is my plan. I appreciate any feedback. I am sure to miss some things since I have only done extracts. I do plan to go all grain using electric. Any links to good articles or reviews to keep responses short might help others as well.

End goal: No smaller than 4 tap system.

I like the idea of building my own keezer. I'll use build lightly as I would look at a 7-9 CuFt chest freezer. I have seen a few at Lowes for ~$350. Much lower than the Kegco 3 and 4 taps I saw. I have done bottles before and will never go back. 4 corney kegs and for the slight cost difference, a 10lb CO2 tank. I would like to keep the tank inside the keezer. I am looking at the Kegco reglator and secondary. I may try different pressures so a distributor isn't needed. I'm OK with the added cost when I can catch them on sale. I'll look at all the lines, couplers, dispensers, sink and drains in the coming months.

How to get 4 kegs of beer? Fermentation time. I am way up in the air on this one. I didn't mind my old glass carboys. Cleaning is a pain, but why not some plastics? I don't know. I don't have to go low cost but don't mind putting in more overhead. I liked the idea of conicals so I can dump the trub and yeast. I also like the transfer from bottom spigot. Some of the pricing is way beyond my understanding, but I have seen some reviews on the Anvil 7 gal bucket. Much cheaper. Has a small concave bottom but no trub dump. I figure I have to start somewhere. Also, with 4 kegs I plan to buy a minimum of 3 fermenters. I plan to keep a rotating lager at minimum. I do have a side-by-side refrigerator I can use. I just need to measure the inside height to see if I can fit two. Doubtful if I can put a third on the freezer side.
I'm not planning on doing secondary. A lot of reading seems to point in the direction of this is not absolutely needed. I will finish with conditioning in the kegs.
Other issues I need to consider are ale fermentation cooling/heating. A GC just isn't happening yet. Maybe later.
Fermentation summary: 3 fermenters, one lager min at all times. The rest I'll keep different to try new flavors.

Now to figure out how to get the fermenters full! Common sense I know. But, I do plan to use electric system. I can't get past the number of positive reviews for Anvil 10.5. I also like the idea of using 110V first until I can get 220/240 going. Since I will probably be moving in a few years I am not sure I want to fit the bill of that install and have to do it over after the move. I doubt I would go less than 5 gal batches, and maybe once, if that, a 10 gal batch. BUT I do like the high octane so a bigger kettle is good. My next option is Grainfather G40. I lean toward this just because it has more video reviews posted so I can actually see what is going on. I'm a visual learner . I have thought about trying the Anvil and if needed sell and get the GF. May not come to that, but ya know...options!
Options I like to look for: warranty, what accessories are included, do I need to buy anything additional, ability to step mash, sparge, ease of cleaning, learning cure of setup using the interface. I have IT background.
I don't need anything WiFi or BT but might be nice to have if my laziness gets worse.

Again this is just a starting point and I have at minimum 7 months to learn what I may like and to figure out how off I am initially. I think black Friday is when I'll start looking for deals and get first purchases going. I already saw the regulators on sale for the 4th so holiday shopping should prove nice since I have to wait anyway.

Looking forward to advice and follow-up questions.
Brew on!

I've got a 7 and 10 gallon Avil kettles with ferment in a kettle option. Love them I use BIAB and sometimes extract kits. If doing BIAB skip the 7 and go right to 10 gallon kettles. The kettles are induction ready so I have a electric induction plate for mashing and boiling. Pre drilled for the fiak. I installed the blichman brew vision thermometer also. You can set up to alert you on everything to mash in, boil additions when how much and cooling. It's Bluetooth so I can do other things besides watch a kettle boil. Mash, pull buab, boil, add, aerate,

Long post so please bear with me.

I have about 7 months, maybe ~10, to plan my brew setup. I wanted to share my initial plan to see if anyone has done something similar and what other options I might be missing. I first thought about what my end goal was and to work backwards. Although I keep finding it hard to not keep looking at the actual brew equipment. So below is my plan. I appreciate any feedback. I am sure to miss some things since I have only done extracts. I do plan to go all grain using electric. Any links to good articles or reviews to keep responses short might help others as well.

End goal: No smaller than 4 tap system.

I like the idea of building my own keezer. I'll use build lightly as I would look at a 7-9 CuFt chest freezer. I have seen a few at Lowes for ~$350. Much lower than the Kegco 3 and 4 taps I saw. I have done bottles before and will never go back. 4 corney kegs and for the slight cost difference, a 10lb CO2 tank. I would like to keep the tank inside the keezer. I am looking at the Kegco reglator and secondary. I may try different pressures so a distributor isn't needed. I'm OK with the added cost when I can catch them on sale. I'll look at all the lines, couplers, dispensers, sink and drains in the coming months.

How to get 4 kegs of beer? Fermentation time. I am way up in the air on this one. I didn't mind my old glass carboys. Cleaning is a pain, but why not some plastics? I don't know. I don't have to go low cost but don't mind putting in more overhead. I liked the idea of conicals so I can dump the trub and yeast. I also like the transfer from bottom spigot. Some of the pricing is way beyond my understanding, but I have seen some reviews on the Anvil 7 gal bucket. Much cheaper. Has a small concave bottom but no trub dump. I figure I have to start somewhere. Also, with 4 kegs I plan to buy a minimum of 3 fermenters. I plan to keep a rotating lager at minimum. I do have a side-by-side refrigerator I can use. I just need to measure the inside height to see if I can fit two. Doubtful if I can put a third on the freezer side.
I'm not planning on doing secondary. A lot of reading seems to point in the direction of this is not absolutely needed. I will finish with conditioning in the kegs.
Other issues I need to consider are ale fermentation cooling/heating. A GC just isn't happening yet. Maybe later.
Fermentation summary: 3 fermenters, one lager min at all times. The rest I'll keep different to try new flavors.

Now to figure out how to get the fermenters full! Common sense I know. But, I do plan to use electric system. I can't get past the number of positive reviews for Anvil 10.5. I also like the idea of using 110V first until I can get 220/240 going. Since I will probably be moving in a few years I am not sure I want to fit the bill of that install and have to do it over after the move. I doubt I would go less than 5 gal batches, and maybe once, if that, a 10 gal batch. BUT I do like the high octane so a bigger kettle is good. My next option is Grainfather G40. I lean toward this just because it has more video reviews posted so I can actually see what is going on. I'm a visual learner . I have thought about trying the Anvil and if needed sell and get the GF. May not come to that, but ya know...options!
Options I like to look for: warranty, what accessories are included, do I need to buy anything additional, ability to step mash, sparge, ease of cleaning, learning cure of setup using the interface. I have IT background.
I don't need anything WiFi or BT but might be nice to have if my laziness gets worse.

Again this is just a starting point and I have at minimum 7 months to learn what I may like and to figure out how off I am initially. I think black Friday is when I'll start looking for deals and get first purchases going. I already saw the regulators on sale for the 4th so holiday shopping should prove nice since I have to wait anyway.

Looking forward to advice and follow-up questions.
Brew on!

I have Anvil kettles, 7 and 10 gallon with ferment in a kettle option. I absolutely love them. Mash, boil, aerate, pitch yeast, sealnlid and wait. They are induction ready so I have an induction hot plate to brew on on my basement. I use biab . I have everything on wheels sov i can push to side and on brew day push out to pulley system and floor drain. Literrally my whole system take up a 2x6 area. I have a utility sink so I can wash, a outlet to hook cooling coil and hoses up to. Those kettles are space savers and money savers. I leave the kettle on the hot plate, or if brewing b4 two weeks and keeping I have a table to set kettle on. I unless I'm doing back to backs I never move the kettle, I have it high enough to keg from kettles. So once I throw the empty kettle up I never lift again until I put keg in keezer. I would watch market place as I have bought 7 cu foot freezers for 100 or so and recently bought keezer, 3 taps, co2 and manifold for 300 . Easily 500 to 600 set up. You have time I'd look for sales and people exiting.

 

[JAReeves]

I started on the stove, moved to propane on the porch, and now use induction burners in the garage. Went from extract to BIAB to the 3V system I have now. Other than the cooling coils I use in my SS fermenters (using a homemade AC-based glycol chiller) and my first brew kettle and the keezer, everything I use is used from someone who downsized or quit homebrewing. As I have upgraded my system, I have parted out the bits I didn't need to other homebrewers.

While you may have the cash to drop on a new system, don't be afraid to start out with used equipment to make sure you like the time spent homebrewing and the process of learning to make beer that beats what you can buy in the store. If the hobby grabs you, upgrade for what works in your space and/or your method. I plan on going wild and upgrading in the next few years to a 5BBL system attached to a small pub/restaurant ; in the meantime, it's just practice-practice-practice (and drink).

 

[Broken Crow]

reconditioned kegs from places like MoreBeer

Thanks for mentioning that! I didn't even think of it because I've never even seen actual reconditioned ones available in Canada and I'm also maybe a bit biased because after the last time I had to return a used keg to my LHBS, the owner went ballistic over the trash that he'd been supplied with by one of our country's biggest and best dealers in what's left of the available used kegs in bulk. He won't be selling used ones anymore, as he can't reliably source them, and being a smaller market than the US, the labour/parts cost on reconditioning make in non-viable.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Here's a good deal on a 7 cu ft chest freezer if you're still looking:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Frigidai...03-White/1343755292?athbdg=L1200&from=/search

 

[hilljack13]

Here's a good deal on a 7 cu ft chest freezer if you're still looking:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Frigidai...03-White/1343755292?athbdg=L1200&from=/search

Dang! I'll be looking but can't purchase until after Christmas. I am hoping there will be some after holiday sales.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I've seen chest freezers "on sale" throughout the year. Just watch what you buy. Others here have some good suggestions on models.

Not to sway you but I bought a new GE and it died right after the warranty ended. Purchasing an appliance these days is a gamble. Do your research.

 

[hilljack13]

So I have learned a lot from the members here and wanted to say thanks for all the knowledge shared.

I have finally made it back to US! And I had my own little Christmas opening up all the boxes I have ordered over the past few months.

Let see what we have!

GF G40

TWO @SpikeBrewing Flex+ with all the trimmings. PRVs in second pic. The blue cooler is 2 gal for test batches!

4 Kegs, along with regulator and 4 connect secondary. Two Inkbirds. I only ordered one but whos complaining!

About 5 all grain kits. And 3 10lb bags for testing.

Enough yeast to save the world. Good exp dates on these! ('25 & '26). Plus 7lbs of more grain to test.

What looks like a random pic is my 3x 55lb sacks I ordered while a bit tipsy (Fun thread on that here!)

Still awaiting the @SpikeBrewing mill and glycol. Need the hoses for kegs setup. Also more fridge space or a kegerator. Small things here and there!