FiddlersGreen87
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2014
- Messages
- 298
- Reaction score
- 70
Well my birthday is coming up and family keep asking for ideas. I've already begun making the move from bottles to kegging, but I wanted to upgrade my brewing equipment as well to improve my whole process. I'm trying to avoid the Kegging upgrade from breaking the bank.
I guess starting with what I do have would be a good place to start.
I've had and used the home brew beginner kit for several years now. It's been useful in my moves in and out of college, to Hawaii (which added its own unique challenges) and back. I've made a couple small additions, but everything I've got is listed below.
5 Gallon Glass CarboyPrimary Fermenter with Drilled & Grommeted Lid
6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket with Bottling Spigot
Airlock
Siphon & Bottling Set-up
Hydrometer
Bottle Brush
Twin Lever Capper
Bottle Drying Tower
I had another 6.5 gallon fermenting bucket, but I finally had a brew become contaminated, and had some mold so I tossed it.
Here's a couple ideas I'm already kicking around:
Cooking Process:
Yeast Starter (stir plate, flask, etc)
Propane burner - suggestion for types?
Wort Chiller
Brew Pot - I've already got a 5 gallon regular pot, but I've thought about one of the ones with the thermometer in it? Or other suggestions?
I've thought about adding a second Carboy for obvious reasons, glass or plastic? I haven't had any issue moving the glass one around, but one mistake and it doesn't matter about the track record.
Kegging Process:
2x 5 Gal Ball Lock Kegs - They're in the shopping cart now, I've searched all over the Augusta area trying to find them locally without success.
Fridge - Obviously. Looking into a regular, older fridge with both fridge/freezer parts. It'd be nice to have the extra freezer space for ingredients and food.
The area that I haven't explored much is the gas system. So feel free to rattle off suggestions, but otherwise I'll just dig into this next when I get through the first two steps.
Any other brewing equipment suggestions? Good books?
All in all I'm still relatively inexperienced, but my wife and I enjoy it and do it together which makes it fun. Plus not much resistance when it comes to upgrading or doing more in the realm of brewing. I've been reading Radical Brewing, but I'm open to any other books too.
I guess starting with what I do have would be a good place to start.
I've had and used the home brew beginner kit for several years now. It's been useful in my moves in and out of college, to Hawaii (which added its own unique challenges) and back. I've made a couple small additions, but everything I've got is listed below.
5 Gallon Glass CarboyPrimary Fermenter with Drilled & Grommeted Lid
6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket with Bottling Spigot
Airlock
Siphon & Bottling Set-up
Hydrometer
Bottle Brush
Twin Lever Capper
Bottle Drying Tower
I had another 6.5 gallon fermenting bucket, but I finally had a brew become contaminated, and had some mold so I tossed it.
Here's a couple ideas I'm already kicking around:
Cooking Process:
Yeast Starter (stir plate, flask, etc)
Propane burner - suggestion for types?
Wort Chiller
Brew Pot - I've already got a 5 gallon regular pot, but I've thought about one of the ones with the thermometer in it? Or other suggestions?
I've thought about adding a second Carboy for obvious reasons, glass or plastic? I haven't had any issue moving the glass one around, but one mistake and it doesn't matter about the track record.
Kegging Process:
2x 5 Gal Ball Lock Kegs - They're in the shopping cart now, I've searched all over the Augusta area trying to find them locally without success.
Fridge - Obviously. Looking into a regular, older fridge with both fridge/freezer parts. It'd be nice to have the extra freezer space for ingredients and food.
The area that I haven't explored much is the gas system. So feel free to rattle off suggestions, but otherwise I'll just dig into this next when I get through the first two steps.
Any other brewing equipment suggestions? Good books?
All in all I'm still relatively inexperienced, but my wife and I enjoy it and do it together which makes it fun. Plus not much resistance when it comes to upgrading or doing more in the realm of brewing. I've been reading Radical Brewing, but I'm open to any other books too.