# What's the best addition to your brewery?



## 5150 (4/6/15)

G'day guys and girls,

I vaguely remember seeing a post like this but I can't find it and it may have been in another forum.

Anyway, I was thinking, what is the best addition you have made to your brewery?

I'm about to be evicted from the garage that I rent as the owner is selling. I'm clearing out all my awesome stuff, (ie. Crap) from my garage and moving it home. In my current location one of the best things I added was a four tap manifold for water, very handy.

Planned additions when it comes home is waterproofing the floor, Big laundry tub with pump, and a diaphragm pump to transfer from fermenters to kegs.

I was wondering what you guys have added to your brewery that makes your brew day better.

If this topic has been raised before could someone point me to it and I'll move my post.

Thanks.


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## GalBrew (4/6/15)

Grainfather and conical fermenter.


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## panzerd18 (4/6/15)

Temp controlled fridge.


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## Rocker1986 (4/6/15)

+1 on the temp controlled fridge.

It's a tie for me between my urn which facilitated my switch to AG, and the fridge for fermenting. Incidentally, both these additions came at the same time, and the quality of my beer improved immediately.


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## Danscraftbeer (4/6/15)

yep temp controlled fridge, then again it was the keggle and burner before that and the mash tun esky, and the refractometer too,
oh the hand drill grain mill and the 60lt fermenters before that, and the software too,
but way before that was kegging, 4 taps on a fridge, yeast starters and,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## Diggs (4/6/15)

Kegorator


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## Bridges (4/6/15)

Temp control fridge. SS fermenters. Braumeister. As I can really only afford to upgrade a bit at a time everything is pretty well thought out and researched before committing to it. Generally the last purchase is the best upgrade.


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## CrookedFingers (4/6/15)

A pulley to hoist the grain bag out of the urn. So handy.

I feel old just admitting that, but hey, thats life.


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## Helles (4/6/15)

Plate chiller by far 
Into the fermenter in 20-30 min


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## breakbeer (4/6/15)

Matho's controller


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## spog (4/6/15)

A 20 litre wall mounted hot water unit which needs to be moved to a different position as it is in the way since I expanded my brew room.


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## Cocko (4/6/15)

Star San


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## The Holy Ale (4/6/15)

CrookedFingers said:


> A pulley to hoist the grain bag out of the urn. So handy.
> 
> I feel old just admitting that, but hey, thats life.


Yes! Sometimes it's the simple pleasures. This addition made my brew days much more enjoyable.


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## technobabble66 (4/6/15)

In chronological order, though of relatively equal value:
AHB
ianh's spreadsheet 
Sodium perc + silica met
Starsan
Birko urn
Grain BB + a grain hand mill
Fermenter fridge w temp control


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## welly2 (4/6/15)

Fermenting fridge with STC-1000, without a doubt.


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## Fat Bastard (4/6/15)

Space. I started AG brewing in a small flat. ( A small, flat what? I hear you ask.) and grew to a small courtyard and a shed filled with crap when we moved to a house.

I've got all the temp controlled fridges, stainless fermenters and HERMS breweries I can fit right now, but I reckon I could use some more space.
Each growth in available brewing space has led to a brew improvement. 

I reckon if I had a small factory, I'd get better beer!


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## Moad (4/6/15)

Just set this weigh/mill/storage station up. Individual item though would be the motor for the mill


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## Pogierob (4/6/15)

Everything beyond the original coopers kit I bought 20 years ago......

but seriously.

40kg scales, weigh the entire batch in one easy bucket ( or weigh the kids for fun), weigh kegs to see how empty they are getting, cubes to dial in brew house calculations, blah blah blah ((not good for weighing hops so get a small set))
http://www.realsmart.com.au/40kg-kitchen-electronic-digital-scales-black.html

KEGS!!!, obviously with the kegs comes all the other gear you need to have beer on tap.

stc-1000 - once you have at least one of these then you know you are on the right track for controlling fermentation, yeast starters, mash temp blah blah blah.

refractometer - **** yeah!!! this shit is science now baby!!!!


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## yum beer (4/6/15)

immersion chiller, suddenly proper hop flavour and character.
other items; temp control, mash tun, mill, have all made improvements, but not as noticeable.


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## Judanero (5/6/15)

Temp controlled fridge(s), starsan & sodium perc, O2 + stirplate, mashmaster mill + motion dynamics motor, erlenmeyer flasks, and last but not least stainless fvs... cleaning is soo easy.

Sorry I can't really nail down one thing.


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## Adr_0 (5/6/15)

Yeah, a few of the usual suspects but in order of importance:

1. Sodium perc and Starsan 
2. Temp controlled chest freezer
3. Kettle and mash tun graduations
4. LBP with speed control
5. Stir plate 

These things have generally caused a step change in beer quality or I can't live without them in the brewery.


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## fishingbrad (5/6/15)

best addition ? This forum, Hands down. without it, my brewery wouldn't be what it is today. who the f%*k am I kidding, it wouldn't be anything.


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## hellbent (5/6/15)

1. Fermenting fridge / STC1000
2. Thermapen
both make life more easy, also my Corona Mill which allows me to buy bulk grain.


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## crowmanz (5/6/15)

Equipment wise it would be temp controlled fermentation fridge followed by a 40L urn

Not equipment wise would be AHB and homebrew club, it is good to be able to talk about brewing beer rather than just drinking it


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## jasonmac72 (5/6/15)

I love my plate chiller! Last brew got down to 17 degrees into the fermentor.
STC-1000 comes a close second.
Very fond of my Digitial Stirplate as well.


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## Grott (5/6/15)

kegs


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## NewtownClown (5/6/15)

Full sacks of grain


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## Mardoo (5/6/15)

One more for the Digital Stirplate and the Yeast book, as well as the great gift of having endless things to tinker with which already work perfectly well.


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## wide eyed and legless (5/6/15)

Not a brewery item but as kegerator has been mentioned twice I would say hand pumps for dispensing cask conditioned ale, and a cool room. The first time I had a cask conditioned ale in the UK the first shock was it wasn't served at 2 degrees C the second shock was I could taste the hops and malt and the third shock was how smooth it was. On the second pint I was wondering how much I would get for my kegging gear on Gumtree.


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## Hoppers (5/6/15)

Great topic

+1 for a fermenting fridge & STC1000

But stripping things back to basics would be my 15 Litre plastic Jug


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## RoneMac (5/6/15)

Kegs were easily the best addition. I can't remember anything more annoying than cleaning bottles.


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## Matplat (5/6/15)

yum beer said:


> immersion chiller, suddenly proper hop flavour and character.


Really? chilling faster improves hop flavour? What sort of time frame are we talking here? I currently do my partial boil and chill in an ice bath within half an hour to pitching temp....


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## Yob (5/6/15)

Whisky Barrels


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## Midnight Brew (5/6/15)

Oxygen aeration kit and digital stir plate.


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## Brew Forky (5/6/15)

Small things like a pulley for BIAB, spray bottle for Starsan, little bung and airlock for bottles and even cloth tape because it sticks to the fermenter better.

Overall, temp controlled fridge.


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## Dips Me Lid (5/6/15)

Temp controlled fridges, stirplate, sodium p, starsan, suppliers carrying a wider range of quality fresh ingredients and the filtering setup I bought this week, my beers never been so bright.


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## sponge (5/6/15)

PID.


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## Alex.Tas (5/6/15)

Wheels on my brew stand and a double pulley for my grain bag. 
I ain't got time for back problems.


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## Red Baron (5/6/15)

Knowledge.
The internet, a passionate home brew shop, books and mates that were into it. My grandma was a homebrewer, but she died before I was old enough to have an interest in the hobby, so if it wasn't for the above, I'd still be making kits from the supermarket, and I'd have zero idea of how to make it any better.

Cheers,
RB.


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## mofox1 (5/6/15)

Man... best addition?

Mash tun wins, pants down (no one else here wins with pants down, okay... looking at two of you in particular). Otherwise I'd still be doing extract brewing, and I'd have all this money I didn't spend on stainless steel!

Failing that, it would be cubes. Love the simplicity of NC.


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## droid (5/6/15)

wot yob said


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## pist (6/6/15)

100L stock pot. I dont get much opportunity to brew these days due to work commitments so knocking out double batches in 1 hit is a massive win for me


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## Rocker1986 (6/6/15)

My latest addition to the brewery, while I wouldn't class it as the "best", has definitely impressed me though, and that would be Polyclar. Bye bye fkn annoying chill haze, hello beautiful looking clear beer! Which also tastes good... :lol:


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## yum beer (6/6/15)

yum beer, on 04 Jun 2015 - 11:58 PM, said:




yum beer said:


> immersion chiller, suddenly proper hop flavour and character.


Really? chilling faster improves hop flavour? What sort of time frame are we talking here? I currently do my partial boil and chill in an ice bath within half an hour to pitching temp....


I didn't say improves, but I get better control over the final product then I did with ice-baths or no chilling. I can now do a flameout addition and get a bang of aroma instead of losing it all during an extended chill. I am able to more accurately achieve the results I am after then I could before having the chiller. I was never happy with the results from no chilling which I thought was a revelation when I first started to use it. I can now get boiled wort under utilization temps in around 4 minutes and lock in the flavour and aroma I want.


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## booargy (6/6/15)

Oxygen


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## mckenry (6/6/15)

A wife that loves me making beer and drinks beer herself.
She is version 2.0


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## CrookedFingers (6/6/15)

Version 2.0 sounds like a keeper mate ! [emoji106]


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## michaeld16 (6/6/15)

Where can I downloaded the upgrade version 1.0


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## spog (6/6/15)

Comes at a price.


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## michaeld16 (6/6/15)

Yeah thought so free downloads come with the risk of viruses


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## CrookedFingers (6/6/15)

Hahaha
Pay that one


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## Weizguy (6/6/15)

Best addition here was the keg fridge, and then the ferment fridge.
Liquid yeast was a revelation back in the 90's, and then all-grain.
Overall, the best addition is an intangible, and that's experience: brewing, tasting and beer judging.

*I believe that it helps if you taste a lot of beer to get a handle on beer styles and work out what suits your tastes. Brew a lot to work out which flavours come from which grains, hops and malt, and judge a lot, to see how good your beer is comparatively and strive for the best brews.


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## Droopy Brew (7/6/15)

Gladwrap


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## Spiesy (7/6/15)

Fermentation fridge closely followed by a stainless fermenter.


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## pvan340 (7/6/15)

IanH's spread sheet and the collective wisdom of AHB. Allowed me to really experiment, and to discover more than just the mega breweries offerings. Oh, and a father in law who is happy to encourage my brewing and chip in for the cost! And temp controlled fermentation. AND, the perspective to look at everything with the "can that be used to brew beer?" mindset.


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## Ditchnbeer (7/6/15)

In order:
Electronic controller (PID etc) so I have absolute control over mash temp and set-and forget for multi temp mashes. Previously I used to get frustrated with over shooting or being under temp so the investment has made my brewday way more enjoyable and helps towards better beer.

Immersion chiller - almost no cleaning, 45 mins with tank water = chilled to approx. 17 degrees 

STC controlling fermenting fridge. For years I had an older style controller that did heat OR cool not both. Then one day I bought an STC by chance and WHOA - it does heat AND cool!?! All my beers ferment out well since.


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## Truman42 (8/6/15)

3 graduated measuring jugs 1, 3 and 5 litres, that are boiling water and chemical resistant, made in Australia, have proper markings that won't fade and don't leach so I can use them for another hobby that is a lot higher in alcohol.

Before this I had crappy Chinese jugs and wondered why my volumes were always out. I re calibrated everything (kettle etc) using these and now volumes are spot on.

And my brew controller with PID and sestos. Although more importantly the alarms I added which allows me to set and forget and go back at end of mash out to transfer first runnings and sparge.


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## niftinev (9/6/15)

Fermenter fridge with temperature control has made the biggest improvement to mine so far.


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## Mikeyr (9/6/15)

Things that started the leap forward 

Bottle tree, twin unit , clean bottles ready to fill

Starsan ..... made the above even easier!

Then the Esky mash tun, so much better than trying to keep a pot hot on an electric hot plate!


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## Forever Wort (10/6/15)

A $5 pulley system for hoisting the grain bag out of the urn. This shortened my brew day and improved my efficiency overnight, saving me time and money. Should have done it ages ago.


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## lobedogg (10/6/15)

Temp controlled fridge drastically improved the quality of my brews.

Building a keg fridge and kissing goodbye to bottle cleaning (with the odd exception) easily the biggest time saver and coolest thing I've done in the world of home-brewing. Can't beat it.


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## benno1973 (10/6/15)

In order of acquisition...

Temp controlled fridge
Kegs
Keezer with more taps than my kegerator
Starsan
Single tier rig
BIAB bag
Pulley hoist for the above bag

There's equally as many duds in my brewery that never get used.


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## Tahoose (11/6/15)

I'm going to say that the best must have to be the latest.

In my case a SS 1/2" T piece and a ball valve now means I can prime my pump without removing any hoses.


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## stux (11/6/15)

Kegs.


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## Black Devil Dog (11/6/15)

Had a few, which at the time of purchase, each seemed pretty unbeatable, but picking up a 2nd hand 50l Braumeister is really going to take some beating.


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## madpierre06 (11/6/15)

A wine fridge, my first effortb for temp control, slightly dodgy though it is. Massive difference to my beers.


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## Mr B (11/6/15)

There are an awful lot of things, as above, knowledge and the basic stuff you need to make beer and ferment at temp. 

But, I think the grain mill added another dimension in allowing the choice of a recipe at short notice and allowing buying bulk grains.


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## osprey brewday (12/6/15)

My old electric boat winch was useless for the boat so tried to sell it on gumtree for $50 but no luck sat on shelf in shed for 2 years now its a biab hoist complete with cabled remote control.


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## maltmadness (13/6/15)

Going electric! No more running around filling gas bottles on brew day. 
Transfer pump. Magnetic drive. Saves the back!
Basic stc 1000 to control mash temps
Recirculation.


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## vr4king (14/6/15)

My first pot with a valve on the bottom to do a BIAB brew.........From there I have full temp controll,electric,kegs etc etc etc..........7 fridges/freezers wife wants to know how she married a hoarder...


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## RAD (17/6/15)

I would have to say going electric, no more worrying about running out of gas. By far the best things I have ever bought were my Hermit controller and coil. Also going back to my grass roots of brewing BIAB and having lots of fun with it.


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## osprey brewday (27/6/15)

osprey brewday said:


> My old electric boat winch was useless for the boat so tried to sell it on gumtree for $50 but no luck sat on shelf in shed for 2 years now its a biab hoist complete with cabled remote control.


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## osprey brewday (27/6/15)

This is another great little repurposed
Device its from a kids car seat a seatbelt retainer makes a great biab bag closure even lift from it 50 lt batch similar to kitchen ones just bigger and thicker
as u can see just enjoying a p for porter


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## osprey brewday (27/6/15)

Just search for the words in pic if you need one
No affiliation


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## CrookedFingers (27/6/15)

osprey brewday said:


> This is another great little repurposed
> Device its from a kids car seat a seatbelt retainer makes a great biab bag closure even lift from it 50 lt batch similar to kitchen ones just bigger and thicker
> 
> 
> ...


I have thrown a few of those out.
Never once thought of that idea.
Good one !


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## donmateo (27/6/15)

+1 for the tough 5L measuring jug...Although from memory it wasn't cheap, it was a great investment. I use it constantly, for water transfer, wort transfer, recirc, cleanup...even good for scooping out grain from the brew barrels. It's amazing how often you need one of these suckers...I've got a good mind to buy another one..


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## DWC (27/6/15)

Everything beer related


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## osprey brewday (27/6/15)

osprey brewday said:


> This is another great little repurposed
> Device its from a kids car seat a seatbelt retainer makes a great biab bag closure even lift from it 50 lt batch similar to kitchen ones just bigger and thicker
> 
> 
> ...


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## Nullnvoid (28/6/15)

osprey brewday said:


> This is another great little repurposed
> Device its from a kids car seat a seatbelt retainer makes a great biab bag closure even lift from it 50 lt batch similar to kitchen ones just bigger and thicker
> 
> 
> ...


Excuse me, but you appear to have my sons "red thing". My 9 year old son has been playing with that thing for about 3.5 years. It's anything and everything, it's hard to explain what he does with it but he opens and closes it and makes sounds. Sometimes it's a dinosaur sometimes it's a bird. It's quite amazing really. 

First thing he grabs when he wakes, and we are fucked if he ever loses it. Until now . Best news all day, I can get a new one


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## michaeld16 (28/6/15)

A tap ..... Finally some decent plumbing to the brewery


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## seamad (28/6/15)

The best addition to my brewery no doubt is my little brother. After living/working in Germany for the last 20 odd years he got a bit of a shock at the price of beer when he moved back, no problems I said, you can help me and I'll give you kegged beer.
So my brew day consists of printing out a recipe from beersmith then getting my brother to fetch the bags of grain, weigh it out, mill it, carry it out to the brew rig and put it into the mash tun. Once finished I get him to take the grain down to the chook cage and then to clean up all the gear. Being a little brother he has a natural lazy disposition that needs attention and correction at times, however, as he now has a black belt in aikido I only use the stout stick motivator occasionally and only when he is not looking.
Brew days have never been easier, and to those fortunate enough to possess a little brother I thoroughly endorse their use.


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## zappa (28/6/15)

Blah.. fat fingers.


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## zappa (28/6/15)

This thing.





Keg and fermenter cleaner. I usually soak my kegs in pbw for a day, flip it and soak for another, tip it into the sink, take the lid off and soak the top for an hour. Same deal with fermenters. Now, kegs are clean in 10 or 15 mins and i can sit and have a beer while i wait. Once keg is done, sanitize, transfer from fermenter then do the fermenter with the same batch of pbw. Job done.


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