Good Mashing Kit

[monkale]

Hi guys
just need some good advice I want to start full mash brews after doing lots of kits and then extracts I feel it is the next step.( I do wife dont )but it seems like a lot of equipment to get that starts to get a bit expensive :angry: I have seen a mashing starter kit on the ESB site which is $600 is this $600 well spent ? or can I pick up the same gear bit by bit and cheaper?
any advice welcomed thanks :beerbang:

 

[Ross]

Monkale,

You can set yourself up for a couple of hundred bucks or spend thousands.
money spent doesn't make the brew any better, just makes your day easier.

Pat just did his first AG with very little specialised equipment see here.


Take the plunge - you won't regret it

Cheers Ross

 

[monkale]

Thanks ross


Me thinks me needs to go shopping . Ill most likely get put on a budget ( word of the week ) anyway but cant wait reed heaps and am very inspired :beer:

 

[Mr Bond]

Monkale ,This thread may help to give you some ideas

 

[monkale]

Thanks Brauluver


Good link mate lots of good stuff there should be cheaper than i thought I cant wait

 

[Kai]

What's your kitchen stove like? If you want to take an intermediate step, you can do partials on the stove with a 19L pot, a 6-pack esky and a couple other bibs & bobs.

 

[monkale]

hey Kai
got a gas stove done a few brews with small amounts of split grain and hops but I think I need to take it outside as Im told it stinks the house out I thought it smelt good :unsure: going to get a bit more gear I think
thanks mate

 

[vlbaby]

Monkale,
I agree with the guys, that AG brewing doesnt have to be expensive. I started off with a pretty rough and ready old setup that cost me less than $100, and the results of my first brew day have kept me addicted ever since.
As time rolls on and your happy with the results of your labours, you may think about things like pumps and temperature controller etc, to make your brew day easier. But to honest these things really are not necessary to produce a good beer.

Have a search around you'll find heaps of great ideas that will cost you next to nothing to get started into AG.

cheers

vl.

 

[monkale]

Vlbaby
I think you guys are spot on if go for a start on the cheap the the cook wont even notice the transition to AG


Thanks fellas :beer:

 

[Mr Bond]

Monk ale,

I churn out 12 litre AG's with the most simple stuff around.
Maybe not a full size but tthe flava is well worth the effort.(and the odd partial)

2 x 19 litre ss/ pots , a 10 ltre bucket converted to a lauter tun, a stand alone hotplate and an old babies bath for cooling. All done in the shed and crankin out some wicked beers.

 

[Kai]

hey Kai
got a gas stove done a few brews with small amounts of split grain and hops but I think I need to take it outside as Im told it stinks the house out I thought it smelt good :unsure: going to get a bit more gear I think
thanks mate

[post="125790"][/post]​

Yup, smells great. I spent around a year doing 2.5kg mashes in an esky and either brewing 10L batches, 20L with a 1.5kg tin of unhopped extract or 20L with 2x2.5kg mashes. Worked well and was cheap.

 

[chillamacgilla73]

It was a quick transition from Extract to partial mashes for me. I have a house that requires some TLC and a two year old daughter so AG is not for me time wise, at this stage in my life(Down the track is another story).

I do partial mashes in a 15L bucket in bucket mash tun(Sourced at the local bakery - free), tap plumbed into the side($5@Hardware). Red Dot S/S 12L pot($9) as a HLT. Boil in a 50L stainless steel vessel with the top cut off (Free from mate) -enough said. 3rd hand Immersion chiller($35) from comrade who I met through AHB brewdays. Only splurge I have made(Chrissy) is on a NASA burner($100ish to my door when they had a sale) to speed up the boil, thus reducing the time of a brew day = more time spent with the family . Add a free fridge(Supplier at works son went overseas & left it in his warehouse and he wanted rid of it) and Tobins TS040 Thermostat($35) and I'm fairly set for the basics. Grain mill would be nice but I wouldn't have an excuse for SWMBO to pop round a fellow brewers to crack grain(&sample each others brews )

From the above ramblings take it that it is easy to set yourself up without spending the earth. Op shop for an esky($5), ask a plumber for some old S/S braid(Free or a couple o beers), Scarp yard for 50x5 E/Angle etc etc. Think who will be gettig rid of what your after(Unless you want primo new gear) and give them a decent offer, nothing lost. Money saved can buy the gear that makes life easy(March Pump CFWC Grain mill....nah)

Cheers
Chilla :beer:

 

[bighanno]

Monkale
Big W in Nambour has 19lt stainless steel pots.

 

[stephen]

When I started out in AG brewing (start of this year) I made a:

kettle - with the top cut out ($0.00+effort)

mash tun - old 24 litre esky I've had for ages, manifold for esky made from $17.00 worth of copper pipe and fittings from local hardware store,

$39.00 three ring burner from camping store

milk crates, bricks etc.

19 litre pot from Big W ($19.00) and the use of an 8 litre stock pot (from the kitchen) to augment 19 l pot.

I now have a stand for the kettle and not much else since I started and it all still works.

Steve

 

[monkale]

Thanks fellas

Good advice I will take on board I can feel a partial comming on the cheaper the better sneak it by the cook


CHEERS Monkale :beerbang:

 

[Screwtop]

Try basicbrewing.com Monkale. They have a DVD called stepping into All Grain. I bought the Pre-release version for $15USAD cost about $27AUD delivered and was here in around 10 days. Alternately PM me we might be able to arrange a loan or something. It is a great inspirational little DVD. These two guys use very basic gear and have a real laid back approach. One uses a manifold in his esky MLT made from food grade PVC (available at Bunnings) in his esky, cheap but easy construct and works great.

Cheers