Best $$$ You've Spent

[Dan Pratt]

$90 Coopers Home brew kit - fermenter, 30 bottles and a recipe....been on the journey ever since B)

 

[Blitzer]

$90 Coopers Home brew kit - fermenter, 30 bottles and a recipe....been on the journey ever since B)

Here here

 

[bruce86]

not the best i spent but i just scored this for 100 bucks pending delivery.

 

[jyo]

In your endo

Great work!

 

[Plastic Man]

$9.86 Big W Kettle Element...

 

[Ivan Other One]

New keg system, for just under $500, The way to jump back into brewing after a long absence from it saves a lot of time bottling.

That said, a Superautomatica bottle capper for $2 from the tip shop to take care of the rest of the wort after kegging.

Also one year after the keg system purchase, the best $$$ spent was about $200 on a double water filtration system, which made a huge improvement to the tast of the beer, as well as our kettle water for cuppa's and general drinking water.

 

[mondestrunken]

I forgot to mention my grain bag ($5) was another biggie for me.

Plenty of ideas on my next purchase here. Thanks.

I'm thinking a bigger pot, and grain mill next up. Refractometer? I'm not sure what the benefit of this is over a hydrometer???

I can totally see the benefits of kegs, but I don't really want to get another fridge...

Cheers.

 

[bignath]

Refractometer? I'm not sure what the benefit of this is over a hydrometer???

If you're a full volume wort brewer (unhopped Extract, or full blown AG) refractometers offer several huge benefits over a standard refractometer.

1. Sample size - when measuring gravity of liquid, you don't need to float your hydrometer in maybe 100+ml of liquid for it to work.
Literally 3 drops of the fluid is heaps.

2. Practicality - you can't just throw your hydrometer into your boiling wort in your kettle without the risk of it breaking and then ending up in your beer.
Just use a pipette, draw out enough for 3 drops and take a reading.

You can do this as many times as you like throughout the boil.

HOWEVER, refractometers aren't without disadvantages either.
The most common one by far, is that when measuring fluid that already contains alcohol, you need to use a conversion chart, which isn't hard at all once you get used to it.

I gave my hydro to a mate several years ago, and have switched exclusively to my refractometer. Absolutely love it.

By the way, if you use brewing software (like i and many others do) most programs have built in converters anyway so it really is very easy.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Pulley system - worth its weight in gold for ease and effort. Thinking of upgrading it with more pulleys so less weight.

Grain Mill - about half way to paying its self off out of only two bulks buys ive been in

Mother of Rambo - paid $80 for a demo model that is powerful and economical (worth $495)

2L flask & stirplate - economical re-use of yeast has paid both of these off 8x over.

Kegs - filling one keg vs 30-60 bottles. Enough said.

A noteable mention to my vac sealer too. The hops I've bought in bulk has paid for that 3-4 times over.

 

[breakbeer]

SWMBO bought me a Kegerator last Christmas, best money she's ever spent

 

[jkmeldrum]

Of all the money I've spent (and it's been a bit!!) my favourite would have to be the March pump paired up with my Blichmann Therminator (plate chiller).She rocks!

Within 15-20 mins I can chill a 10Gal batch from near boiling to low 20's and then transfer to the fermenter and pitch the yeast.

It just makes the end of my brew day so much easier than it used to be.

Here's a picture of my pride and joy:

 

[jkmeldrum]

For some reason when I upload my photo in the previous thread it has flipped it upside down. But when you click on it, it's back the right way.....mmmmm...strange!

 

[felten]

What did you use to attach it to the ceiling?

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Definitely my keg set up, as others have also said, without it I wouldn't be brewing.

Good to read what others think has been the best money they have spent.
As I research and expand my knowledge and eventually progress from k&k to AG, it helps to understand what benefits there could be in doing something one way or another.

 

[Bada Bing Brewery]

What did you use to attach it to the ceiling?

I'd expect a rig like that from Batz .....
Cheers
BBB

 

[QldKev]

Of all the money I've spent (and it's been a bit!!) my favourite would have to be the March pump paired up with my Blichmann Therminator (plate chiller).She rocks!

Within 15-20 mins I can chill a 10Gal batch from near boiling to low 20's and then transfer to the fermenter and pitch the yeast.

It just makes the end of my brew day so much easier than it used to be.

Here's a picture of my pride and joy:

View attachment 57799

I like how you've paved the ceiling, very different B)

 

[WarmBeer]

What did you use to attach it to the ceiling?

It's a 3-vessel anti-gravity fed system.

 

[Cocko]

SOO easy to clean the mashtun out!

 

[yum beer]

View attachment 57799

That would be ideal for low gravity beers....

 

[kenlock]

Of all the money I've spent (and it's been a bit!!) my favourite would have to be the March pump paired up with my Blichmann Therminator (plate chiller).She rocks!

Within 15-20 mins I can chill a 10Gal batch from near boiling to low 20's and then transfer to the fermenter and pitch the yeast.

It just makes the end of my brew day so much easier than it used to be.

Here's a picture of my pride and joy:

View attachment 57799

I've seen that rig before...............I know, it's Lionel Ritchie's



:lol: