First AG Setup

[Count]

Hey folks,

I have been brewing some very basic FWK's and extract but having spent a weekend brewing with a mate on a Grainfather I would like to put some cash into an AG system.

I've been contemplating this for a while, and I am very torn on which way to go.

At present space is a premium (renting), I can brew in the garage, or laundry, but we're expecting to buy a place in the next few months and will be putting in a decent shed.

So, I was thinking something along the lines of this might suit? https://cheekypeakbrewery.com.au/26ltr-nano-brewery-304ss-electric-brew-in-a-bag

This would give me the ability to regularly brew using the biab method, I can then learn more about AG brewing and further investigate what will work for me when we have more space - I can easily use this pot if I choose to upgrade to a 3v system or I can continue as is. (I would like to recirculate and sparge - not exactly sure how I would achieve this with the linked system?)

This would also give me some spare change to get into kegging and buy a kegerator so I can carb in kegs and serve more readily when we have friends around.

The alternative to this is something like a Grainfather, or Braumeister, both I'm sure are adequate options and I don't want to rule them out on a pure financial decision. The real goal here is to learn more, brew regularly and spend some time developing my own recipes.

Thoughts?

 

[The Judge]

The key to AG brewing (or any brewing) is the ability to keg your beer and have it on tap! So save your pennies for the kegerator ;-)

I've seen some pretty elaborate (and expensive) 3V and 4V systems and they produce just as good beer as the ghetto systems. Simply knowing the basics of rest temps, rest durations, and some basic beer chemistry will allow you to brew perfectly fine beer on a ghetto set-up. The final piece is to have good temperature control on your fermentation. So investing in a chest freezer and STC100 for fermentation would also be money well spent - but perhaps you already have this from the FWKs.

BIAB is a cheaper set-up simply because you dont have to buy more vessels, hoses, connectors, pumps, and ball valves. If you have the desire to tinker, and the eventually go 3V, then just do it straight away imo.

 

[timmi9191]

My suggestions fwiw.

1. Get a 30 to 40l esky. Round if possible.
2. Grain bag.
3. 19l big w pot.

Start your ag experience doing biab. Learn what different grains can do and about hop additions.

When youre ready to step up to full ag. The esky will serve you well with a false bottom saving you buying a new mash tun. The 19l pot can be your first hot liquor tun and then you just need some pumps and a boil kettle.

What i am suggesting is plan ahead so you dont waste $$ on continually upgrading and replacing your set up.

 

[timmi9191]

Another path would be a crown urn and grain bag. So its a single vessel system. The urn could then become your hlt as you expand.

 

[Count]

I've been reading some books and doing plenty of homework so I am hoping that once I can knock over a handful of AG brews the basics will be down pat.

I've got a temp controlled fridge for fermenting, I will upgrade to something larger in the future but at present it works okay.

I was looking at the linked setup because it will work the same as an urn but would give me the ability to upgrade to a recirculating single vessel in the short term and be mash/hlt in a 3v system in the future should I go down that route?

 

[Coodgee]

I think you are on the right track. Like with any hobby, it's best to buy something that can be upgraded down the track when you inevitably expand and upgrade - which seems you are already doing. The single vessel systems like grainfather are very good and produce great beer very easily. the only limitation is doing double batches. Which can be a big limitation as they really do save a lot of time. But I have a grainfather and it makes brewing nice and easy which is what you want in the long run.

 

[lfc_ozzie]

Another path would be a crown urn and grain bag. So its a single vessel system. The urn could then become your hlt as you expand.

This is what i did, did BIAB for about 3 years, and recently bought a Robobrew, still use the urn as a HLT for my sparge water, and cos i measured out markings on the sight glass also ensures i get correct levels into the robo until i can do a sight glass mod.

BIAB is a great start going into all grain.

 

[JDW81]

There's no real right or wrong way to start.

I began with a fairly rudimentary 3v system, with an old urn, esky MLT and a 50L kettle. All up was only a few hundred dollars. Worked well for years, but ended up adding a few more bits and pieces as time went on.

I did find the 50L kettle a bit limiting though (particularly if you brew with mates).

The only thing I'd recommend is get something that will give you a bit more capacity, means you can knock out double batches with ease when time is at a premium. If you get a 70L vessel, you can still make single batches without taking an efficiency hit, but you can also up your output and put wort in cubes for a later date (which is what I do now).

JD

 

[karrathabrewer]

Hey folks,

I have been brewing some very basic FWK's and extract but having spent a weekend brewing with a mate on a Grainfather I would like to put some cash into an AG system.

I've been contemplating this for a while, and I am very torn on which way to go.

At present space is a premium (renting), I can brew in the garage, or laundry, but we're expecting to buy a place in the next few months and will be putting in a decent shed.

So, I was thinking something along the lines of this might suit? https://cheekypeakbrewery.com.au/26ltr-nano-brewery-304ss-electric-brew-in-a-bag

This would give me the ability to regularly brew using the biab method, I can then learn more about AG brewing and further investigate what will work for me when we have more space - I can easily use this pot if I choose to upgrade to a 3v system or I can continue as is. (I would like to recirculate and sparge - not exactly sure how I would achieve this with the linked system?)

This would also give me some spare change to get into kegging and buy a kegerator so I can carb in kegs and serve more readily when we have friends around.

The alternative to this is something like a Grainfather, or Braumeister, both I'm sure are adequate options and I don't want to rule them out on a pure financial decision. The real goal here is to learn more, brew regularly and spend some time developing my own recipes.

Thoughts?

Hey mate iv got that exact set up and by the same company and they work really well for a first time BIAB system, iv added a pump to recirculate my wort while mashing which helps regulate the temp, be sure to get yourself some of that bubble wrap type insulation and throw that around it and it works well. I only have one grip with it and that is the grommet that goes on the back of the heating element behind the nut that holds it in place tends to leak it can't be too loose nor done up too tight it's gotta be just right. Anyway happy brewing!

 

[jaythefordman]

Hey mate iv got that exact set up and by the same company and they work really well for a first time BIAB system, iv added a pump to recirculate my wort while mashing which helps regulate the temp, be sure to get yourself some of that bubble wrap type insulation and throw that around it and it works well. I only have one grip with it and that is the grommet that goes on the back of the heating element behind the nut that holds it in place tends to leak it can't be too loose nor done up too tight it's gotta be just right. Anyway happy brewing!

Good to hear that its a good setup with pump etc. I'm considering this way over a robobrew etc. Do you sparge, or no? If so, how do you do this?

What about bigger beers? Easy enough?

 

[Count]

Cheers for the feedback, I was more inclined to get something along these lines rather than the esky / urn type setup as I thought I would ultimately outgrow that setup and require a full re-think.
While something like a grandfather, or baib with a decent drilled pot would give me some immediate flexibility and allow for upgrade without needing to replace vessels altogether.

What volume should I be looking at, I'd like not to be limited in terms of beer styles / bigger beers. At this point I didn't think I would be brewing 40+ litres, more under the impression of semi regular brew days and brewing a range of different styles to learn more. So sticking to 23l type stuff?

 

[RobinW]

I got a lot of stuff off Gummy, Urns, Kegs, Gas Bottles, freezers I but cut the top off a CUB keg as a boiler.
I've ended up making 17L batches into a cube and I chuck the cube into the pool to cool it.
That way I brew at will and pick a cube to ferment anytime I need/want to.

Now I'd like to do double batches to save labour, but my boiler won't handle a 40L+ boil.
Stepping up to a 70L+ boiler means serious electrical expense or going to gas.

So no matter what you do, the grass is always greener.
Just get something going and see which way you want to move from there I guess.
I was just trying to keep it cheap till I had some idea on which way I would go.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Cheers for the feedback, I was more inclined to get something along these lines rather than the esky / urn type setup as I thought I would ultimately outgrow that setup and require a full re-think.
While something like a grandfather, or baib with a decent drilled pot would give me some immediate flexibility and allow for upgrade without needing to replace vessels altogether.

What volume should I be looking at, I'd like not to be limited in terms of beer styles / bigger beers. At this point I didn't think I would be brewing 40+ litres, more under the impression of semi regular brew days and brewing a range of different styles to learn more. So sticking to 23l type stuff?

Check out the Guten thread hell of a lot cheaper than the Grainfather, both made in the same factory,
mash schedules, recipe memory, recirculating all you need.
https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/guten.94389/

 

[Count]

Cheers WEAL, interested thread I hadn't considered the Guten it looks okay. I assume though there would be little to no after sales support?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Cheers WEAL, interested thread I hadn't considered the Guten it looks okay. I assume though there would be little to no after sales support?

Very much so, nosco had a pump replaced and they are very good people to deal with, not a lot to go wrong with them if looked after. Magcalpancake has done a lot of mods on his and had a few replacement parts, goes under a lot of names in Europe, Ace Klarstein, Hopcat and others.

 

[Schikitar]

I went with the Crown 40L urn and BIAB - been extremely happy with it, excellent efficiency and so easy to brew with! I need to improve upon my fermenting and packaging practices now, I see that as more critical as I'm pretty sure once the ferment is done O2 is having a significant impact on the flavour/aroma and longevity of the beers I brew. Next step, fermenting under pressure and kegging - two things I know next to nothing about!

 

[Count]

There you go, for the price it seems pretty reasonable. I guess my only concern is how it would integrate into a larger system down the track should you wish to upgrade.

Crown40L BIAB certainly is another viable choice - and minimises the things I can bugger up while I'm feeling my way through the process.

It probably matters little which path I go down, I just need to make a decision and get brewing...

 

[wide eyed and legless]

There you go, for the price it seems pretty reasonable. I guess my only concern is how it would integrate into a larger system down the track should you wish to upgrade.

Crown40L BIAB certainly is another viable choice - and minimises the things I can bugger up while I'm feeling my way through the process.

It probably matters little which path I go down, I just need to make a decision and get brewing...

They also do a 50 litre, I used to do 60 litre batches but it is heavy work, with the 40 litre you can do plenty of batches of different beers, and I 'no sparge' so pulling a a grain bed from the kettle is hard work in itself even when doing a 23 litre batch with the suction and all.

 

[Peter80]

It probably matters little which path I go down, I just need to make a decision and get brewing...

Never has a truer word been said.

Get what you want, make beer, drink beer. DWHAHB.