What Would You Like Our Retailers Or Hbs To Sell?

[Wortgames]

I'd like to see cheap, and well-identified, keg parts or reco kits - especially online - or have the parts available in 'bulk packs' rather than just one at a time. For example, I need to replace a bunch of my corroded, dodgy release valves, but can only ever find one or two types available (my kegs must have about 6 different types of valves!), and they always seem really expensive. If I could find a bulk pack of each type I'd just buy them and keep a few spares. It would be better to have a reco kit for each type of keg though, with a new valve, poppets, springs, washers, o-rings etc - basically a complete rebuild rather than trying to scrape together the individual bits and do a half-assed job cos you can't find all of them.

 

[warrenlw63]

Some coke would be nice.

Probably not a stretch for the WA homebrew stores. Does Ben Cousins make beer? :lol: :lol:

Warren -

 

[gnewell]

Polycarbonate sightglass tubing!

 

[delboy]

pp why do you need JG ball valves with quick releses if you go to a hydrolic repair center you can get nice mini s/s units with similar to jg quick releses.

pnewmatic as well check out the norgren site and if in doubt give them a ring
also andale have thenm jg style ball valves they are used in glycol systems.

i have got one on my gas out let on the fridge.

delboy

 

[Darren]

I guess sex toys would be out of the question?

cheers

Darren

 

[kook]

1. Reasonably priced stainless conicals (ie, AUD$500)
2. American hop flowers (ok, I know it's DAFF/AQIS not the HBS fault)
3. Mash Paddles (not some piece of flimsy plastic shit)
4. Champagne bottles!
5. CPC Quick Disconnects (and the little seals)
6. Glass Carboys for a reasonable price


I'm sure theres lots more too, but thats all I can think of for the moment

 

[gnewell]

Magentic Stirbar for stirplate.

 

[TidalPete]

Magentic Stirbar for stirplate.

In various sizes.

:beer:

 

[BOG]

I'd like to see a legal source of pub kegs that could be converted into brewing kettles.

Basically a way we can purchase Lion Nathon kegs that are certified legal to sell.
It would kill off the stealing of kegs from the pub at night and make a third party market for old kegs.

I've just paid $120 for a 22Litre SS pot when really I wanted a modified keg.


BOG

 

[Wortgames]

Somebody posted recently that 50L kegs could be purchased through G&G for about $120???

Edit - found it, it was Bugwan: linky

 

[MHB]

Been reading this thread with interest, I think I better leave it at that, except.

Kegs? No mystery they have always been available, you can get them from several legal sources, try as mentioned G&G, Keg Systems and I believe NNL have or are soon getting a container load.

These options have been discussed in several other threads, hell I can build you anything you want up to 100L, if you are willing to shell out $450 for the 100L model, which we nicknamed hector.
View attachment 12227
Thats Pete with his new toy.

MHB

 

[Adamt]

Probably not a stretch for the WA homebrew stores. Does Ben Cousins make beer? :lol: :lol:

Warren -

Quick side-joke;

West Coast Eagles sponsor Hungry Jacks are soon releasing the Ben Cousins meal deal!

No burgers or fries, just Coke and Ice...

*sigh*

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

I would like a temperature controller for fermentation purposes that will heat and cool without having to manually switch it over from one mode to the other.

Has anyone seen anything like that? One I can hook up to a fridge and add some type of heating unit for those really cold nights.

BB

 

[Wortgames]

I would like a temperature controller for fermentation purposes that will heat and cool without having to manually switch it over from one mode to the other.

Has anyone seen anything like that? One I can hook up to a fridge and add some type of heating unit for those really cold nights.

BB

What you are looking for is a '2-stage' or 'deadband' controller. They are readily available from refrigeration suppliers, but expect to pay around $150 - $250 by the time you have a box, power supply and relays etc (they are not complete consumer units).

I have one, but I bought it before MashMaster released their brilliantly-priced digital controller. I wouldn't buy another one. The convenience of a perfectly-controlled fermenting environment is nice, but the truth is that the weather is rarely so changeable that you really need both forms of temperature control in the same day.

For the money, and if I wanted to leave my fermenters alone for days at a time and was worried about both temp extremes, I'd probably get 2 MashMaster controllers - one for heating and the other for cooling. Make sure you leave a deadband in between the two of course. That way you have a spare controller on hand if you end up using another fridge for something.

If you get the right model of controller you can use it on your HLT on brewday, then use it for the 'heater' in your ferm fridge, leaving the main fridge 'cooler' one alone.

Some people just put a low powered heating device in the fridge, like a reptile heater or a fermenter mat. Just turn it on when you are worried about cool weather. It means the fridge will run a bit more often (especially if the weather turns out to be warm), but it's a simple way to protect against low temps.



[NB - I got a pair of Dixell 2-stage controllers a couple of years back (they seemed to be the best price) and found them both to be wildly inaccurate (like 8 or 9 degrees inaccurate) and they had other problems in the menu. I was tearing my hair out for days trying to figure out how to get them to work properly, and neither the supplier nor the importer could give a toss. The controllers were useless. I know other people are using Dixell controllers happily enough, but I couldn't possibly recommend them based on my experience. I ended up getting a refund and finding another supplier, and now I have a Carel unit. It works like a dream but was at the higher end of the price range.]

 

[johnno]

Some coke would be nice.
cheers
johnno

Probably not a stretch for the WA homebrew stores. Does Ben Cousins make beer? :lol: :lol:

Warren -

Some ice would go well with that coke as well Warren.

cheers
johnno

 

[Doogiechap]

I would like a temperature controller for fermentation purposes that will heat and cool without having to manually switch it over from one mode to the other.

Has anyone seen anything like that? One I can hook up to a fridge and add some type of heating unit for those really cold nights.

BB

Sorry everyone for the OT reply...
Hey BB depending on how much you like to fiddle.... You can easily salvage an old thermostat from a dead heater etc and rig it externally so it switches a relay to enable either heating or cooling. I have got this running at home successfully with my peltier setup. The external thermostat justs switches the peltier polarity for me but it could easily do the compressor/ lightbulb changeover (note some more fiddling reqd with a single mashmaster as it only engages to cool but it is definately workable).

As far as what I would like our retailers to stock.... I can't complain too much as between Ross and my local HBS most of my needs are covered. Now, if they had large blocks of time available to purchase so I can brew more..... that would be something else .

 

[sinkas]

Belgian Special B and Aromatic Malts

 

[Ross]

Belgian Special B and Aromatic Malts

Sinkas, pretty well direct replacements here:

Belgian Biscuit = Weyermann CaraAmber
Special B = Weyermann CaraAroma
Farbmalz = Roast or Black Malt
Belgian Aromatic = Weyermann Melanoidin

cheers Ross

 

[mckenry]

I would like strong (read thick) glass fermenters with removable lid for easy cleaning. Sterilising glass is so much easier than plastic.

Sinkas, pretty well direct replacements here:

Belgian Biscuit = Weyermann CaraAmber
Special B = Weyermann CaraAroma
Farbmalz = Roast or Black Malt
Belgian Aromatic = Weyermann Melanoidin

cheers Ross

 

[Paul H]

I want a HBS/etailer who remembers to add to my order what I have forgotten

Cheers

Paul