Looks Like Ill Be A Kit Brewer For Another Year

[chimera]

Between going to EU/UK early next year for a holiday & wedding shindig, saving every last dollar for a house deposit & going to Bathurst this weekend for the race, the purse has literally snapped shut and been locked away for the summer.

Me thinks Ill be a rather good kit & partial brewer by this time next year :huh:

 

[darkhorse]

My AG gear cost me all of.... nuthin.... hang on I did pay $30ish for a tap set up on the bottom of my Bucket...

Obviously I sent time sourcing free buckets from the local bakery, and drilling a squillion holes in one of them, then fitting the tap to the other...

If you're super keen the bottom bucket could also be a fermenter... may not seal 100% but assuming good yeast and temp control the hydrometer can tell you when its done. Just sanitize after the mash / during the boil!

FREE.... No... BARGAIN... definitely!

 

[chimera]

Ill find a way im sure, just requires a change in directions

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

My problem is less one of money (I said LESS) as a question of time.

Currently I brew at night when the family is in bed. It takes me about 2 Hours (mainly hopped up kits and partials) and happens about 11PM to 1AM or there abouts. i.e. OOSOOM.

To do an AG, I would need a good part of a Sat or Sun which is not MY time. On Sat and Sun I am "required" for family attention and entertainment activities and my life wouldnt be worth living (even with especially good beer to help it along) if I decided I was going to spend occasional weekend days brewing.

In addition to that, if I am going to spend a good portion of a sat or Sun brewing i would need to brew a much bigger volume than 23 litres. Then my choice is either to spend even longer bottling, or go to kegs which, as usual brings us back around to money. Kegs, kegging equipment, fridge.....

I love the idea of AG but as yet it is something I might get to do if I retire or make several million dollars.

sigh......

ATOMT

 

[apd]

ATOMT,

I see your point about wanting to brew more than 23L in a batch. However, I'm actually looking at going to other way. I want to do half batches so I can try as many different brews as possible and still have room to fit them in the bottles and very limited space I have.

Chimera,

There are plenty of posts on AHB (and elsewhere) with people telling you how much their AG equipment cost. This one's no different.

My BIAB-style equipment is as follows:
$60 | ~30L aluminium pot
$25 | stainless racking cane
$30 | 2m silicon hose + hose clamp
$50 | 3 ring burner + regulator
$5 | 5 grain bags

If you're kitchen stove can handle the job, the 3 ring burner and reg. are unnecessary. The silicon hose may be unnecessary if you're not racking your wort when it's hot. I don't have a chiller so that saves me more money and space.

 

[James Squire]

Hey Chimera,

I think I remember you posting some photos of an urn you picked up for nix... am I right? If I am then it was the same model urn as I use in my 'all in one' brewery. It is the only real cost in my system. Photo's of my setup are here. I have only just posted this link on another thread last night so you may have seen already but from what I can tell, you're not far off AG already! :super:

Please don't feel that it's necessary to have a big fancy three vessel setup to brew good AG beer. It can easily be done in one vessel, without the need for pricey pumps and even without the need for sparging! Trust me! Also don't forget that bulk grain purchases are much cheaper than extracts!

Good luck,

JS

 

[chimera]

yeah, got an urn, havent had much time to put into it yet. Its a 20L job so i'd have to go to half batches.

The urn is a work in progress, it was good for its price, but not in good condition. Looks like the previous owners did their utmost to destory it. The seal around the element was leaking hence the water had dropped through the bottom and rusted out the galv base plate. Pulled the simmerstat, ill be replacing it will be thermostat some stage soon.