What to buy next?

[StrangeDog]

So somehow, I've been lucky enough to have friends and family that love to support my hobby and received a few gift certificates to my local home brew shop (Brew & Grow in Chicago) and to Midwest Brewing Supplies...

My question to you all is - what should I get?

Just to give you a bit more about where I'm coming from - I've only been brewing for about a year now so my set up is pretty basic. I've got a fermenter, 5 gallon carboy, bottling bucket and all the other basic gear. I know I'm going to buy another fermeter and maybe another carboy so I can double/triple up on batches rather than having to wait for one batch to finish before starting the next... but what did everyone else get when they were first staring that they'd really recommend someone else picking up?

Thanks all

 

[Stormrider51]

A 14+ gallon conical is sure nice to have if you can afford one. It took me 7 years of brewing to decide to shell out the cash but now I wish I had done it years ago.

John

 

[morebeer]

Get a big pot and burner, or turkey fryer for full boils. It will make your extract beers better and you will need it to step up to AG.

 

[msa8967]

Do you have a bench capper yet?

 

[Brew-boy]

Do you do full volume boils? if not a big kettle would be my choice plus a chiller.

 

[Dalarast]

Bigger boiling pot and possible burner for bigger brews. Cheap way to go is a turkey fryer; but you can always go for a large Pot (or Kettle) and a premium burner.

Other items... people will always going to recommend getting a keg system to make it easier. Always a wort chiller (immersion or counter-flow) is a good investment.

Also I like to stock up on brewing items such as extra dry yeast packets, beer clarifiers, cleaner/sanitizers, and the such.

Good luck!

 

[lady_brewer]

I just started in Sept, and we have 4 fermenters and 4 carboys at the moment. I find that I love my bottle tree, the set-up for bottle washing for the sink tap and my bench capper. These are all things that I would recommend for building a good base. Lately we have been adding shelves to keep the brew room organised. I try to keep a few extra kits on hand, so that I can put on what I want next without driving to the LHBS (40mins away.)

I have been thinking about steps to go AG, and that is a whole lot of other equipment that I will have to buy down the road.

Depends how much you are drinking and how much variety you want available... for me one batch would be long gone before the next was even bottled. Doesn't leave time for much conditioning or aging.

 

[woodstone]

A ball-lock corny or two with a CO2 tank and a few fittings...you will not regret kegging!

 

[ajf]

An extra primary is the most important thing, but you've got that covered.
The next thing (for me) was a grain mill (but I'd gone AG by that time).
Then came the kegging system, followed by the fermentation freezer for accurate temperature control. Looking back, I think I should have gotten the freezer before the kegging system. Kegging saves a lot of time, but good temperature control makes much better beer.

-a.

 

[Marko73]

Extra primaries are key, and +1 to a full boil set up. I also try to put as much money into ingredients and brewing time as possible. As much as some of the equipment is great, nothing replaces the experience of being able to brew a lot and putting your money to ingredients, kits, etc.

Anyways, it's a nice problem to have. . .

 

[Dalarast]

Lately we have been adding shelves to keep the brew room organised.

I guess that is something I overlooked in the fact that I have as my addiction grows been buying storage and shelving supplies for my brew storage room. Nothing keeps the SWMBO happy than an organized room that doesn't just have corboys, boxes of bottles, and brewing supplies than the ability to find what I am actually looking for.....

A nice cheap toolbox to hold small items and such and some good rubbermade shelving systems you can pick up at walmart to store larger items. Shelves and hooks (to hang the magical brew spoon) are always good investments.

 

[IceFisherChris]

This is what I would get:
Big stuff: a boiling kettle big enough for a full all-grain boil, a propane burner, wort chiller
Small stuff: autosiphon, bench capper, more bottles

 

[Wyldjim]

+1 on big pot. If you are planning to go all grain and can get a good deal on a turkey fryer, you might want to grab it. I knew I was going to be brewing extract and partial mash in my kitchen do to space issues. After basic equipment that was my next purchase.

I got a 5.5 gal commercial stock pot at Walmart (they didn't even know they had them). It is SS with thick copper bottom for heat distribution. $42 new. I can't even remember how I managed before. The bigger the better.

It really depends on how much money you have. I just got a kegerator and realized I can crash cool my fermentor in there. It is really nice to have a converted fridge or freezer for fermenting. There are several months a year I don't brew because of temp control. SO a used one might be a good way to invest money. Then when you are ready to keg you have a fridge or converted freezer ready to go. When I have more room I'd like a Keezer.

Just my 2 cents

 

[jiggs_casey]

So somehow, I've been lucky enough to have friends and family that love to support my hobby and received a few gift certificates to my local home brew shop (Brew & Grow in Chicago) and to Midwest Brewing Supplies...

My question to you all is - what should I get?

Just to give you a bit more about where I'm coming from - I've only been brewing for about a year now so my set up is pretty basic. I've got a fermenter, 5 gallon carboy, bottling bucket and all the other basic gear. I know I'm going to buy another fermeter and maybe another carboy so I can double/triple up on batches rather than having to wait for one batch to finish before starting the next... but what did everyone else get when they were first staring that they'd really recommend someone else picking up?

Thanks all

Do it yourself wort chillers are pretty inexpensive and easy to construct! 10' or 15' of soft copper tubing will probably already be coiled and available at your local hardware store ($12.00), a hand shaper will run about ($3.00), 2 lengths of 5' garden hose ($6.00), hose clamps and hose attachments ($8.00).

The next time you're in your local homebrew shop, look at how they're constructed and then visit your hardware store..

 

[mmb]

More primaries, temp control for fermentation, full volume boil, wort chiller, all grain and then kegging. Those are the steps I'd go...