Bored With K&k... What To Do?

[hando]

Hey folks,
It's my time to take the big step into brewing with grains, not tin cans. So I'm after a bit of advice about what stuff to try first or do before I go and spend too much money. Although I haven't been too adventurous in the past, I have been doing a fair bit of reading and I do have a pretty good idea of the processes and different systems.

So should I be trying a partial? If yes, how would I go about it exactly... Can of goo and some grain? or Grain and bag of brew booster?

Maybe I should skip that stage and go for all grain straight away. I really liked the simplicity and mega-cheapness of the Babbs ghetto setup which I saw on utube.

Now since I've been thinking ahead, I have a couple of mates who are interested in home-brewing beer, I think it would be fab if we could get together and have a boys day doing beers, like many of you already do! :icon_chickcheers: This way we could keep costs down a bit in terms of equipment and have an excuse to hang-out. So I'm thinking now, 3 guys, 3 kegs = 60L. How should I/we go about doing large brews in a cheapo way?

hando

 

[thelastspud]

All grain's the way to go.

If you wanna cut costs a bit you need to bulk buy grain and hops which means you'll also need a mill.

So when you're brewing with the boys and you want to do triple batches?
the pots are probably gonna work out expensive but if you want to do 3 smaller batches at the same time that might work out easier and cheaper you get to try more beers that way too.

they day will take longer though and you'll get drunk and the third batch will be a disaster.

 

[stux]

Big burner and a 100L pot and a reinforced bag or two = two or three batches

40-50L pot, same burner = 1 batch

70L pot = one or two batches

Or forget the bag and add a mash tun

 

[kymba]

So I'm thinking now, 3 guys, 3 kegs = 60L. How should I/we go about doing large brews in a cheapo way?

times this by 3...unless you or one of your clan really want to be brewing every single weekend

pitch in, get a big fk-off set-up that will produce a months worth of your desired beer - each. Or even a months worth of base wort to be tricked up later with flavor & aroma additions ala argon style. this means cubes. a cube will hold about 22L = 22 x 3 x 3 = 198L batch + all the losses

or each of you do biab on your own and when you want a brewday together just go captain planet - you know, by our powers combined! at the start use 1 pot as a HLT, 1 as a MT then when the MLT becomes free it turns into the 2nd kettle. get buckets

from experience a 98L pot will to a triple batch at a pinch, and a quad with some fkn around

i would also recommend doing small batches first, maybe to get 4 tallies each per brew, until you know what you are liken

but that is just what i'd do if i had friends

 

[hando]

There's some good advice there...

Oh the options! I will have to consult the crew and see what they're prepared to spend before deciding.

I'll let you know what happens and post pics.

Cheers
:beerbang:

 

[QldKev]

make sure the pics are of girls boobs




but IMHO, extract is too expensive for an ok beer, AG is the next step.

A keggle setup, a basic BIAB bag, and a decent LPG burner and you have a system for many years.
If you get bored and want to go 3V, all the gear (except the bag) can be reused.

QldKev

 

[Nick JD]

I reckon you should do a ghetto system but using large HDPE buckets, like double batch fermenters.

 

[The Scientist]

Go Ghetto,

This is my first AG rig and it produced a 3rd place at the NSW State comp with a Maibock in 2008 and It was only my third brew of AG. My brew system has evolved along with my knowledge over the years but brewing with the Ghetto system again last weekend, it reminded me you can still brew great beer without the shiney bling brew system.



Go for it mate, worst case you'll learn from your mistakes and make better beer next time :icon_cheers:

Cheers,

TS