Where to go next?

[berndtr]

Hey brew buddies,

Been a while since I've posted on here. Have a question on where to go next? Equipment upgrades, brew clubs, or what? I find myself a little bored, and overwhelmed with 5 gallons of bottles after everything is said and done.

Currently only have 2 5gal extract brews under my belt, the last one took me forever to drink through. I'm using an aluminum pot (very careful not to scratch it) on the stove for full boil. I do have a homemade wort chiller and siphon for transferring the wort to my better bottle vessel. This hangs out in my converted mini-fridge being controlled by a stc-1000.

 

[agrazela]

I did maybe 3 all-extract brews before moving to partial-mash (PM) brew-in-a-bag (BIAB). Just a few bucks investment for a grain bag and a whole new world of brewing discovery opened up for me.

(One problem I don't have is a 5gal batch of beer taking forever to drink )

 

[aryoung1980]

BIAB would be a great next step. Kegging would be my next suggestion. One large bottle instead of 50 little ones. I pieced together a 4 keg/3 tap keezer over the last 18 months and couldn't be happier.


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[unionrdr]

I'd say join a brew club. It'll open many new doors & help you make better beer. You may even get deals from other members on equipment,etc.

 

[fuelish]

I'd first buy a stainless brew kettle ( a nice heavy one....light ones, while cheaper, aren't worth it....and ya can use it for cooking too). Then consider a brew club, if there's one in your area....the sky's the limit, really, depending on how much free time/disposable income you have

 

[berndtr]

Thanks guys. Just to summarize:

1. Join a brew club( already looking at local clubs, Looks like this is my closest club)
2. Look into kegging( I live in an apartment so I'll have to find a nice compact way of doing this)
3. buy a SS kettle
4. Look into BIAB

This should be fun, I have been more or less brewing on my own (along with this board ) so joining the club sounds brilliant.

 

[rattyboh]

Thanks guys. Just to summarize:

1. Join a brew club( already looking at local clubs, Looks like this is my closest club)
2. Look into kegging( I live in an apartment so I'll have to find a nice compact way of doing this)
3. buy a SS kettle
4. Look into BIAB

This should be fun, I have been more or less brewing on my own (along with this board ) so joining the club sounds brilliant.

All great suggestions, but I'd probably say that buying a SS kettle isn't really necessary. They look great and are a bit easier to care for but in my opinion it's a pretty large cost for something that's unlikely to make any noticeable difference in your beers. Kegging will let you brew more often (my last batch of bottles took months to drink, my last keg lasted two weeks) and if you watch craigslist for a while you can find some great deals - I got my kegerator with CO2, regulator, and two kegs for under 200.
BIAB is a great way to do all grain without any new equipment, but you can also build a mash tun pretty cheaply and easily if you want to go that route

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Thanks guys. Just to summarize:

1. Join a brew club( already looking at local clubs, Looks like this is my closest club)
2. Look into kegging( I live in an apartment so I'll have to find a nice compact way of doing this)
3. buy a SS kettle
4. Look into BIAB

This should be fun, I have been more or less brewing on my own (along with this board ) so joining the club sounds brilliant.

1. Good idea. There's always someone in a group looking to part with old equipment too!

2. Find a 5 cubic foot chest freezer on cl. They are usually reasonably priced. They don't take up much room, and with a 2x6 collar, you can get 3-4 kegs in it(pin lock or short ball lock) and a small co2 bottle. The kegs, regulator, and bottle are going to set you back a bit though. There's plenty of good, used equipment on the internet for decent prices. Again... check craigslist every day. Pin locks are a great deal right now, and are no different in quality than ball lock.

3. Buy one later when you feel like blowing some dough.

4. Next logical step.

Good luck!

 

[MichaelBrock]

I too disagree that a SS kettle is a reasonable next step. Many of us have been brewing for years (and years) with aluminum with absolutely no issues. If you want bling, then definitely upgrade. In your situation, 2 5g extract brews and too much beer to drink, stainless steel isn't going to help. I will also say that I don't think kegging is a good idea at this point. If you're struggling with boredom, sinking cash into a kegging system for a hobby you may end up giving up on isn't very wise. Personally, I would join the brew club, step up to all grain (via biab or otherwise; I did 2 extract batches then went to batch sparge all grain), and start brewing smaller batches. No need to brew a full 5 gallons if you can't drink it fast enough to keep your life exciting by taking up that next brew. Heck, there is an active thread here for people that brew 1 gallon batches!

 

[andy6026]

I'd say that if you've only done 2 batches, have a hard time getting through them and are bored, then perhaps you ought to shift to smaller batches. That way you can brew a greater variety without worrying about stockpiling endless quantities.

I brew 5 gallon batches and wish I had the mash and kettle capacity for 10 gallon batches. With neighbors/friends that go through my stock like a bunch of raging alcoholics, it's hard to keep the pipelines well supplied.