Things you didn't know you should have...

[UpstateMike]

Things you didn't know you should have, but will run out to get after reading this post.

A 30" Wallpaper Water Tray

Reason: Sanitation.

I have a paddle that I use for stirring / mixing in my bottling bucket. It is 28.5" long. The wallpaper water tray is 29" long by 4.5" wide at its narrowest points. This tray is ideal for sanitizing all your equipment, especially the long items such as siphons, racking canes, hoses, paddles, etc. Just fill the tray with your sanitizing solution and water, and let your items soak.

I got mine from a Sherwin Williams paint store, cost was $2.

 

[Daze]

A refractometer.

Reason: works well, uses less liquid and is not that expensive

I paid $10 bucks for my hydrometer and $20.00 for my refractometer. They both do basically the same job but the refractometer only wastes about 3 drops of fluid, a far cry from the the 2 or 3 ounces needed to use a hydrometer

 

[Pumbaa]

A refractometer. I paid $10 bucks for my hydrometer and $20.00 for my refractometer. They both do basically the same job but the refractometer only wastes about 3 drops of fluid, a far cry from the the 2 or 3 ounces needed to use a hydrometer

hard to taste the 3 drops when you are done where as the 2 or 3 ounces isnt

 

[UpstateMike]

A Cordless Drill

Reason: Cleaning and mixing.

1: Got a bottle brush? See that loop on the end? use wire cutters to cut the loop off, then stick the wire shaft into the chuck of your cordless drill. Scrubs the inside of bottles clean in no time!

2: Attach a Wine Whip, and you can mix and aerate your cider without having to pick up and shake the entire carboy.

3: Attach a Carboy Cleaner. My carboys go from filthy gunky to sparkling clean in less than 5 minutes, and no more fiddling around with a carboy brush.

 

[turtlescales]

Subscribed. Thanks guys!

 

[Daze]

hard to taste the 3 drops when you are done where as the 2 or 3 ounces isnt

true but 2-3 ounces is far more than a taste it is a small glass. a sanitized spoon can give you a taste after you get the refractometer readings

 

[Bush_84]

Where did you get your refractometer?

 

[Daze]

I got it on ebay, here is a link to the one I bought

refractometer listing

took about 3 weeks to get it because it shipped from over seas, but seams to work great!!!

 

[liquidavalon]

Refractometers usually run between $35 to $80...with a norm at most brew supply sites being around $50. Paying $20 is an excellent deal!

 

[Daze]

Refractometers usually run between $35 to $80...with a norm at most brew supply sites being around $50. Paying $20 is an excellent deal!

because of that I was a little worried that it would be a cheep tool, but I am extremely impressed with the quality. There is another thread I started about this unit and others chimed in saying how impressed they were with the same unit.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/just-got-refractometer-i-purchased-ebay-292684/

 

[LeBreton]

Contact with other local cidermakers . . . just learned today of a place still pressing fresh juice every other week until March.

 

[UpstateMike]

Pipettes

Reason: Filling / Draining airlocks

Maybe you overfilled or underfilled your airlock. Sanitize one of these disposable pipettes and with its long flexible neck, you can slide it down the tube of the "Triple Ripple" airlock and fill or drain without having to remove the airlock from the carboy.

 

[UpstateMike]

Bottle Washer

Reason: Clean out bottles, hoses, buckets, carboys, racking canes, siphons...

Pictured is "The Blast" bottle washer. It connects to a standard garden hose faucet or one with an adaptor. Once connected, turn the water on (I use warm), hold the bottle over the nozzle, and press down. A jet of water sprays up into the bottle, and the water rinses right out.
NOTE: This does not replace sanitizing, it is only meant to aid in cleaning of bottles.

 

[jiggs_casey]

Igloo 408002 Ice Chest, 40 Qt

Probably the most instrumental piece of my brewery. I use it as my mash tun and my bottle soaking / cleaning vessel. It is big enough to clean my carboys and buckets in. It is used as a general 'sink' in my setup. It is by far, the most versitle piece of equipment in my brewery.

 

[UpstateMike]

Igloo 408002 Ice Chest, 40 Qt

Probably the most instrumental piece of my brewery. I use it as my mash tun and my bottle soaking / cleaning vessel. It is big enough to clean my carboys and buckets in. It is used as a general 'sink' in my setup. It is by far, the most versitle piece of equipment in my brewery.

I agree, I use a cooler for cleaning bottles and soaking off labels.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

I put my carboys into Milk Crates for making them easy to carry around. Those carboy slingy things are nice too, but I pick these up at yard sales pretty cheap.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Thick skin:

https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/data/500/thumbs/thickskin.jpg

Reason:

In case a post in the forums goes bad.

 

[dinnerstick]

 

[sketerbuck]

Shop vac

 

[UpstateMike]

I put my carboys into Milk Crates for making them easy to carry around. Those carboy slingy things are nice too, but I pick these up at yard sales pretty cheap.

Milk crates can be used for your bottles too. A milk crate will easily hold 25 12 ounce beer bottles, takes up less room than the cardboard case, they stack easily, and it won't be a problem if they get wet, unlike the cardboard cases.

 

[UpstateMike]

A Spray Bottle

Reason: Quick sanitiszing

Spray your bottle drying tree before using, spray the spigot on your bottling bucket before bottling.

 

[Daze]

Auto siphon

Reason: works great and makes racking a breeze but is a little cumbersome with 1 gallon batches. Still worth what I paid for it even on 1 gallon batches.

 

[UpstateMike]

A Spare Spigot

Reason: You may need one when it comes time to bottle.

A couple weeks ago, I was about to bottle a batch. So, I got everything ready, tested the bottling bucket, and sure enough the spigot broke and water went all over. Since I didn't have another one, I had to go to the store. I bought two, and now I have a spare just in case something happens.

 

[GinKings]

A wine thief is great for taking samples.

 

[UpstateMike]

A 21.5 Quart Canner

Reason: Stove Top Pasteurizing

In my area, this canning pot is much less expensive (about $19) than a similar sized stock pot (about $35). It has a rack in it that can be lifted to assist in getting a bottle that may have tipped over, and I know that you can fit up to twelve 12 ounce beer bottles in there at one time with no problems.

 

[Tw0fish]

Paint Bucket. Mine's a Homer:
5 Gallon Bucket from Homer Bucket |The Home Depot - Model#: 05GLHD2

$2.60. Not for brewing, obviously. Good to sanitize in. big enough to completely immerse a Carlo Rossi bottle, or soak the labels off half a dozen 750ml (or maybe 18 beer bottles? I haven't counted) at a clip.

 

[JonM]

5-gallon bucket with two lids - one intact and one with a little notch cut out of the lid. Transport milled grain from the LHBS in the bucket with the intact lid. Switch to the notched lid on brewday - the notch makes it a snap to pour the grains into the MLT.

 

[CvilleKevin]

I like the Fermtech wine thief. You can put your hydrometer inside it, take your reading and keep as much of a taste sample as you want. Doesnt work for gallons tho.

Fermtech Wine Thief - Accessories & Other Testing - Measuring & Testing - Brewing Equipment

mini auto siphons are handy for gallon test batches. The larger 1/2" size is nice for carboys because it takes half the time of the 3/8 model

brew balls are also really handy for taking sg readings without having to open the carboy. I'm not sure if the company is still in business tho. They used to make custom sets. For cider, you really only need one ball which is a couple points higher than where you expect to crash or pasteurize. When the ball drops, then start taking hydro/taste samples to find the exact point to stop fermentation. Works for for all size batches

Home Page

 

[beninan]

Auto siphon

Reason: works great and makes racking a breeze but is a little cumbersome with 1 gallon batches. Still worth what I paid for it even on 1 gallon batches.

FWIW, There are smaller auto siphons available. I have a small one that works great for 1-2 gallon batches

 

[JonM]

A 2 1/2 cup stainless steel measuring cup.

I put it right over a low flame on the gas range and use it to boil priming solution and water for rehydrating yeast.