Want to start AG... What do I need?

[Zhaph]

I've been extract brewing for four years or so now and I want to make the move to AG brewing. I am familiar with the various methods, and to me batch sparging or using a RIMS/HERMS system seems like the best idea.

I have seen plenty of cooler-oriented AG systems, but I have been doing full-volume boils for a while now, so I already have a 10 gallon kettle with ball valve, bazooka screen, and thermometer, as well as my original 5 gallon kettle, so buying an AG "starter system" seems like an investment that I would quickly want to upgrade anyway, and hence a bit of a waste.

Would it be better to just start using my big kettle as my mash tun w/ my small kettle reserved for heating strike/sparge water, or should I take the plunge to a cooler-based or RIMS/HERMS system? I brew with a partner and we can afford to lay out some decent money, so I want a system that will produce good, replicable results for a long time.

What's the realistic cost of a higher-end system, and is there anywhere I can simply order one rather than have it fabricated or build it myself (I'm not a handyman or much of a DIYer)? If I wanted to start AG brewing tomorrow, what's the minimum new equipment I would need? Thanks!

 

[TopherM]

You could do a BIAB AG batch with your existing equipment today. All you need is a 5 gallon paint strainer bag ($4.00 for two) from Lowes/Home Depot and your grains/hops/yeast and you're good to go. This is what I do, so let me know if you want some more details.

If you do want to take an intermediary step towards a RIMS/HERMS, you can go get a 10 gallon cooler at Home Depot/Lowes to use as your mash tun and start doing AG batches with that and your existing equipment, then work on your brewstand and RIMS/HERMS setup from there. You'd just switch the bazooka screen from your brew kettle to the inside of the cooler. The brew kettle can double as your HLT.

 

[MikeFallopian]

I'm making AG beer using a 4.5 gallon stock pot as a strike heater/boiler, and a large picnic cooler as a mash tun. The stock pot cost £20, and the picnic cooler £8. I use a smaller stock pot which I usually use to make soups and stews as a vessel to heat sparge water.

A lot of people seem to go for fancy gear, but you really don't need that much to make AG beer.

 

[asterix404]

Get the 40$ home depo rubermaid cooler and a conversion kit from your LHBS. Basically, you unscrew the faucet off the cooler and slide the conversion faucet through the hole and screw the but of the faucet back inside of the cooler. This will run you about 80$. Make sure you also get tubing to go from the faucet to the floor.

Next get a short stainless steal braided water hose used to connect water up to toilets etc. Cut off both ends, push the braid up to remove it. Basically follow the instructions on line to get the screen for the MLT.

Now you have a fully functional MLT and a pot and you can do all grain brewing. Something that I would highly recommend getting if you don't have one yet is a roller mill grain crusher with adjustable gaps and an immersion cooler or the like. You most likely have a cooler since you do full batch boils.

 

[BrewKnurd]

You could do a BIAB AG batch with your existing equipment today. All you need is a 5 gallon paint strainer bag ($4.00 for two) from Lowes/Home Depot and your grains/hops/yeast and you're good to go. This is what I do, so let me know if you want some more details.

This is what I would recommend as well. No investment, so there's nothing to lose. Gives you a chance to figure out if the added effort (not that its THAT much added effort) of all grain is worth the benefits for you.

 

[Bobby_M]

As in vogue as BIAB is these days, it's much easier to use a cooler based mash tun even if you put the grain bag in there and don't even "convert" it to a lauter tun.

 

[RichBenn]

As in vogue as BIAB is these days, it's much easier to use a cooler based mash tun even if you put the grain bag in there and don't even "convert" it to a lauter tun.

I agree. The 5 gallon for strike/sparge water, cooler for infusion mash/batch sparge and 10 gallon for boil will make great beer. Works for me!

Invest leftover on a grain mill, and buy your grain in bulk. WAY cheaper than extract and more flexible. Better beers, as you are in control, not the extract mfg.

 

[InLimbo]

RIMS/HERMS if you have the money and you're serious about brewing. I don't mind using my cooler, but I have a friend with a HERMS system which is to die for. I'm also interested in step mashing, and having a RIMS/HERMS system is 10 times easier to step mash.

 

[MikeFallopian]

As in vogue as BIAB is these days, it's much easier to use a cooler based mash tun even if you put the grain bag in there and don't even "convert" it to a lauter tun.

I agree too. I contain the grain in muslin bags within a cooler-based mash tun and it works well.

 

[Zhaph]

Huh, I never considered using a combo of BIAB and a cooler as a couple of you have suggested, that's an awesome idea. I think I am going to go the cooler route, because I guess I could add a pump and a plate chiller to some kind of modular system later and create a RIMS system. How effective/helpful/necessary is a sparge arm to go over the mash tuna for batch sparging? My biggest concern for my first AG batch is disturbing the grain bed, so I was thinking of maybe getting a sparge arm upfront.

 

[Jklinden]

You don't mash tuna, second you don't need a sparge arm at all to batch sparge. You only need a sparge arm for fly sparging

 

[Zhaph]

Hehe, sorry for the tuna typo.