Upgrade Time, Where Do I Start!

[bookworm1707]

G'day,

Here is the story so far.

Have a 2 keg capacity fridge, 2 kegs, tap and gas. One fermenter. The usual mixers, hydrometer etc, some bottles.

Want to end up doing AG brews, not in a rush, hoping to go a bit at a time.

Was thinking of the following as options
Another Keg (or2)
Another fermenter and one keg.
Using some of the cpacity to rack the brews that I am doing now.
A 50ish liter pot to start some brew in a bag.

Failing the above am open to suggestions. I have up to $150 roughly to spend at the moment.

Happy to put off going to AG for a while but want to improve what I am doing!

 

[Fuggle]

Italian Burner & Regulator...maybe???

 

[Yob]

Mill?

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Start BIAB, anyday of the week and twice on sunday.

I was BIAB (AG) for 2 years before kegs. Whilst I will never go back to bottling, producing great beer has been the catalyst for my increase in equipment.

I think I'm of the opinion I'd rather bottle fantastic beer, than keg good beer.

Once you get started on AG and producing your own fantastic beer, you'll get it and the hobby will become exponentially more addictive.

As for ferementers - grab the $15 jobbie from bunnings, $1.50 for a tap. Drill a hole in the lid and tape an unused bottle cap to it. Works just as well as an airlock. Alternatively search for the cling wrap method.

Goomba

 

[Tim F]

I reckon grab yourself a 50l pot. 3 ring burner and a ball valve and fittings for the pot and you might get it all for 150. Then you can get straight into biab whenever you're ready plus they'd be useful for other things till then

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

Check out the ghetto videos from Babbs system wars.

Cost them $0 and was one of the best beers on the day (despite what the votes said).

 

[bookworm1707]

I only use bottles for left overs after I have filled the keg.

Some more information. Will I be better off to get more kegs to let the beer mature more and/or rack (is racking only done in a fridge?)

Or shall I make the leap to BIAB?

I have a HBS around the corner that can mill for me. I also have a spare bbq that I can convert to boil up pots.



I have been looking around and so far the cheapest 50l pot I have seen is $100. Will hunt down the ghetto threads...

 

[Fuggle]

Have fun dude, its a mad hobby...

 

[hsb]

If a cheap pot is what you're after, hunt down the threads on asian store aluminium stockpots - you can pick up cheap ones for $50 or thereabouts. Or you can try and pick up a decommissioned 50l keg and convert that.

I agree - probably better to spend you beans on making better beer than acquiring more corny kegs. Try the Move to AG for $30 thread for some ideas -
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=38674

And I would definitely skip the mill for now - it's not essential to make beer, save your money for what is.
You can rack your beer in jerry cans/cubes, no need to acquire stainless corny kegs for that either.

 

[big78sam]

There's no mention of what type of temperature control you use. This is crucial regardless of the type of beer you make.

I'd look at another second hand fridge. I've picked up 2 in the least 12 months, one for fermenting, another for kegs, for $20 each. Keep an eye out on gumtree or ebay. You'll get an STC-1000 and associated bits for a total of $50 and this will ensure your fermentation temperature is spot on. If you want to invest a bit extra you can buy a heat belt as well as the fridge so you can heat and cool.

 

[stux]

Decide if you will want to do the occasional double batch... or like me... ended up with a bunch of mates who want to partake in a BIAB brew day necessitating double/triple batches!

If you do think you'll be doing doubles every now and again... get a 70L pot.

50L pot is perfect for singles, but a PITA to do doubles. 70L should work fine for doubles and singles, and you could probably do a triple if you really wanted.

 

[tallie]

There's no mention of what type of temperature control you use. This is crucial regardless of the type of beer you make.

I'd look at another second hand fridge. I've picked up 2 in the least 12 months, one for fermenting, another for kegs, for $20 each. Keep an eye out on gumtree or ebay. You'll get an STC-1000 and associated bits for a total of $50 and this will ensure your fermentation temperature is spot on. If you want to invest a bit extra you can buy a heat belt as well as the fridge so you can heat and cool.

+1 Temperature control for your fermenter if you haven't already got it, especially if you're in a warm climate heading into summer.

Cheers,
tallie