Effect
Hop extract brewer
- Joined
- 22/8/08
- Messages
- 1,666
- Reaction score
- 1
How is buying unmilled grain, storing it, buying a mill and cracking it more 'comfortable' than ordering each batch from the home brew store cracked, mixed and vac sealed.
The only benefits to milling are long term cost of ownership and being able to make recipes on a whim with stock on hand if you're that way inclined.
As for a refractometer, I don't understand how that makes it more 'comfortable' unless you're the kind of person that stresses out too much. I don't use one and always hit my OG targets.
I understand that a keg fridge is comfortable though. Nothing beats it.
I ordered some yeast on Sunday and paid for them to be expressed posted to me...still haven't arrived, which I can only put down to public holidays and lots of orders building up and causing a small delay. I do have yeast at home that I could use (us-05) but I want a different strain to try out. If I had to wait this long every now and then to brew, well, that wouldn't be as comfortable as being able to crush my own grain and change my mind on what specialty malts to use 5 mins before brewing.
If you know that your targets for OG are always hit, how do you measure for it? I use my refractometer before the boil and after the boil. I find that taking a little bit of wort and holding it for 15 seconds to cool and then finding out the gravity straight away is a lot more comfortable.
But if this is turning into a debate about what is more comfortable etc etc we are going to get nowhere as it is a matter of opinion. I find it more comfortable to brew with a 3 Vessel brewery with a refractometer and a grain mill to crush my own grain - others don't. I think the best advice was given by dan, get equipment not grain.
Cheers
Phil