What is the next piece of equipment for me?

[chexjc]

I'm guessing the answer is either stir plate, oxygen-diffusion or a refractometer, but I'm welcoming the insight. What is the most logical step for me to take next if I'm investing in my equipment?

Currently I'm brewing 5-gallon AG batches with a 5-gallon MLT for batch sparging (I have a 10 gallon, but it isn't setup with the valve/screen yet), boiling in a 10-gallon cheap aluminum kettle on a Dark Star burner (I'd love to upgrade this at some point -- so much soot), chilling with a wort chiller (10-15 minutes) and fermenting in a chest freezer with a paint can heater and STC-1000.

I have a couple carboys/buckets and all sorts of miscellaneous supplies. Generally I feel like its a good setup and I'm starting to feel really good about the quality of my beer, but maybe not commercial-quality. I'm mostly dealing with dry yeast because my brewing circumstances are a little complicated currently where I'm brewing 20 minutes away from my apartment. That makes me feel like working with more liquid yeast and buying a stir plate to make starters would help my beer the most. Alternatively, I'm pretty sick of shaking the hell out of my carboy and feel like some O2 might really help the yeast out. Then there's water treatment which I haven't even begun to understand.

I will probably pick up a refractometer in the near future regardless, because I'm tired of waiting for hydrometer samples to cool.

What is the logical progression here? I'm less interested in my own convenience and more interested in getting the absolute best quality I can. Thanks for any advice!

 

[day_trippr]

Temperature controlled fermentation.
And whatever that entails for you...

Cheers!

 

[chexjc]

Temperature controlled fermentation.
And whatever that entails for you...

Cheers!

I mentioned above that I'm temperature controlling with a chest freezer and an STC-1000. What comes after temperature controlling?

 

[bobo31]

Water treatment. IMHO, that is the most important part of brewing.

 

[chexjc]

Water treatment. IMHO, that is the most important part of brewing.

My brewing situation is a little complicated because I'm brewing at my parent's lake house. The well water is sulfuric-smelling and a little yellowish (iron?). To simplify things, I've been brewing with bottled spring water. Should I think about treating the bottled spring water?

I think I would like to try brewing with that well water. It looks pretty clean when I run it through a Brita filter. It doesn't lose the sulfur entirely, but for the most part it tastes good at that point. Perhaps I should send a sample in to be tested.

I know that many brewers in my area like to get their water from a natural spring about 15 miles south of me. I suppose that is an option as well if that water is as nice as they say it is.

 

[bobo31]

I can't comment on the use of bottle spring water because I have no experience with that, I think Bru'n water has info about spring water if I remember right. I have an RO Filter that I use and build my water from there. Its nice because you have full control. If you could get the well water tested that would give an idea of what needs to be added or taken away from the water. Regardless of source you need to know what's in it before you can make decision about using it.

 

[day_trippr]

I mentioned above that I'm temperature controlling with a chest freezer and an STC-1000.

Jeeze, I read that like five times and still managed to miss it

What comes after temperature controlling?

Of your list, the least interesting is the refractometer, and a whole lot of people do just fine with an O2 system (full disclosure: I do use O2).

Investigating your brewing water is always a good thing if only to assure it doesn't have some defect, and a typical test suite for our needs runs around $20.

Beyond that, liquid yeasts do open up a huge new world, though.
A stir plate can be cobbled together for as little as $10-12, and with a good quality flask or two you'd be ready to explore...

Cheers!

 

[schatzke]

Refractometer is one of my favorite tools on brew day. They can be had for about $20 on ebay. I used to strain, shake, or whatever to oxygenate my wort but since I got a oxygen system 60 seconds of pure oxygen seems to do the trick for me. With liquid yeasts the number of different strains vs dry is a factor I love. Nice work on taking care of fermentation temperature control right away, I think you are on your way

 

[chexjc]

Refractometer is one of my favorite tools on brew day. They can be had for about $20 on ebay. I used to strain, shake, or whatever to oxygenate my wort but since I got a oxygen system 60 seconds of pure oxygen seems to do the trick for me. With liquid yeasts the number of different strains vs dry is a factor I love. Nice work on taking care of fermentation temperature control right away, I think you are on your way

Thanks! I'm leaning towards the stirplate next, followed by the refractometer, then the oxygen/water treament.

 

[dmcman73]

Thanks! I'm leaning towards the stirplate next, followed by the refractometer, then the oxygen/water treament.

Switch that around, Oxygenator/water treatment, stir plate then refractometer.

Doesn't matter how well you get your yeast starters, without enough oxygen in your wort (even though agitating the wort is just as effective) your yeast won't thrive. Also, water affects the entire outcome in your beer.

 

[bobo31]

Switch that around, Oxygenator/water treatment, stir plate then refractometer.

Doesn't matter how well you get your yeast starters, without enough oxygen in your wort (even though agitating the wort is just as effective) your yeast won't thrive. Also, water affects the entire outcome in your beer.

Exactly! I don't use a stir plate for my yeast or oxygenate and my beers come out fantastic. Prior to managing my water my beers were no so good. I make my yeast starters about 10-14 days in advance that way they have plenty of time to finish with out a stir plate.

 

[eadavis80]

You said yourself you're looking for an easy brew day, not necessarily the best beer. If you're looking just to shorten the brew day, I'd go refractometer given your stated goal.

 

[chexjc]

You said yourself you're looking for an easy brew day, not necessarily the best beer. If you're looking just to shorten the brew day, I'd go refractometer given your stated goal.

That is the opposite of what I said, I think haha. Thanks for the advice guys. What is a good point for me to start learn with water treatment?

 

[eadavis80]

That is the opposite of what I said, I think haha. Thanks for the advice guys. What is a good point for me to start learn with water treatment?

Sorry - you wrote: "I'm less interested in my own convenience and more interested in getting the absolute best quality I can. Thanks for any advice!" I apologize. I could have sworn it read the opposite. Guess my morning coffee had not yet fully kicked in yet. Anyway, good luck on the upcoming purchase and improved beer quality. Cheers!

 

[bobo31]

I recommend going to the Brew Science section and reading as much as you can there. You will have to know what water you are working with. So you will have to have your water tested. Then you can use Bru'n water to figure out what minerals and acids you might need. I skipped the water testing and went straight to RO Water. I figured it would give me the greatest control and be easier to work with. I use acid malt in most of my mashes to bring my ph down to 5.4. It usually only takes a few ounces.

 

[fun4stuff]

Thanks! I'm leaning towards the stirplate next, followed by the refractometer, then the oxygen/water treament.

That's how I did it. Although, if you have the time to learn about it, the water treatment would be the cheapest to implement (read water primer on the brew science sub). You don't necessarily need to buy a ph meter or an expensive ph meter right away if you can't afford it. Bru n water does a great job at getting your ph right. You can pick up the minerals and acid for a few bucks and RO water is 25-30 cents per gallon.

Oxygenation is not needed for dry yeasts and probably not needed for liquid yeasts on the homebrew scale providing you pitch an adequate amount of yeast (more easily done with the stir plate). It's a waste of money imho (as most experiments mostly confirm: eg http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/19/wort-aeration-pt-3-nothing-vs-pure-oxygen-exbeeriment-results/ ). Use a vitality starter. Crash cool and use gelatin to clear.

Refractometers are really nice, especially once you dial in your wort correction factor. Easier to clean than the hydrometer and makes testing wort sg so much easier and quicker.

 

[chexjc]

Sorry - you wrote: "I'm less interested in my own convenience and more interested in getting the absolute best quality I can. Thanks for any advice!" I apologize. I could have sworn it read the opposite. Guess my morning coffee had not yet fully kicked in yet. Anyway, good luck on the upcoming purchase and improved beer quality. Cheers!

No worries I figured it was either lack of coffee or excess of homebrew haha. Cheers!

I recommend going to the Brew Science section and reading as much as you can there. You will have to know what water you are working with. So you will have to have your water tested. Then you can use Bru'n water to figure out what minerals and acids you might need. I skipped the water testing and went straight to RO Water. I figured it would give me the greatest control and be easier to work with. I use acid malt in most of my mashes to bring my ph down to 5.4. It usually only takes a few ounces.

Thanks for the advice! I will check that out -- it sounds like RO Water might be the easiest for me as well.

That's how I did it. Although, if you have the time to learn about it, the water treatment would be the cheapest to implement (read water primer on the brew science sub). You don't necessarily need to buy a ph meter or an expensive ph meter right away if you can't afford it. Bru n water does a great job at getting your ph right. You can pick up the minerals and acid for a few bucks and RO water is 25-30 cents per gallon.

Oxygenation is not needed for dry yeasts and probably not needed for liquid yeasts on the homebrew scale providing you pitch an adequate amount of yeast (more easily done with the stir plate). It's a waste of money imho (as most experiments mostly confirm: eg http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/19/wort-aeration-pt-3-nothing-vs-pure-oxygen-exbeeriment-results/ ). Use a vitality starter. Crash cool and use gelatin to clear.

Refractometers are really nice, especially once you dial in your wort correction factor. Easier to clean than the hydrometer and makes testing wort sg so much easier and quicker.

I hadn't seen that Brulosophy article, thanks for the link. Where do I buy RO Water? Those dispenser at the grocery store, right? I think I may as well pick up the refractometer because they can be had pretty cheap and they aren't really going to have a significant impact like water treatment would.

 

[fun4stuff]

No worries I figured it was either lack of coffee or excess of homebrew haha. Cheers!



Thanks for the advice! I will check that out -- it sounds like RO Water might be the easiest for me as well.



I hadn't seen that Brulosophy article, thanks for the link. Where do I buy RO Water? Those dispenser at the grocery store, right? I think I may as well pick up the refractometer because they can be had pretty cheap and they aren't really going to have a significant impact like water treatment would.

I get my ro water from a kroger grocery store about 5 mins away. They have a dispenser you can fill you're own jugs with.