You Must Earn Too Much

[Georgedgerton]

I know buying good brewing gear is fun, but honestly why spend all that dosh when SARA has said "It's only going to get occasional use"

For $100 you can get a corn cracker that will do the job just fine (I can hear the cries "TORN HUSKS" weep and wail) well as with other things it's a bloody long way between a torn husk and a good bottle of beer. It will do until you really need to upgrade and you have dosh left over to improve other parts of your brewery or give to someone who needs it.

 

[Georgedgerton]

Sorry, hit wrong button, meant to be reply to "Marga or Millmaster"

 

[Swinging Beef]

Thank goodness! I had no idea what you were on about and am yetto have a coffee!

 

[Leigh]

My response to that Bruce:

I don't think there is many things in our house that get used "continously", so that means everything else is only used "occasionally" and therefore surplus to requirements!

Lets start in her wardrobe LOL

 

[Bribie G]

OK you started the thread so let's keep it going... ... I don't have a mill and am quite happy to pay my fourteen bucks or whatever for a grain bill pre milled and packed nicely at Ross's. Dough in is simple and easy, snip the corner off the pack and pour it in. With a bulk buy I could probably save a dollar a kilo, which means that for a decent mill setup I'd need to brew about half a tonne's worth of grain to break even, which would take me a couple of years, then there would be a heap of faffing around cleaning the thing, sweeping up after myself, and maybe in two years the mill could be knackered anyway.

If I could get onto a cheap source of grain like the Powell's mentioned on another thread for a dollar fifty a kilo then that would be a completely different kettle of fish, but for now I'm happy to keep on churning out beer for as little as $20 a batch = $8 a slab.
:icon_cheers:

 

[chappo1970]

Personally I buy the best I can afford at the time with brewing. Really most of the good gear will last you a life time of brewing without ever having to be replaced. The saying of "you pay for what you get" rings loud and true with brewing and brewing equipment. I hate regreting buying something 6 months down the track when for a few dollars more you could have bought exactly what you wanted and be completely happy with it. An example would be my Marga mill.

It's a great mill don't get me wrong but when you have to mill 20 -25 kgs of grain for a double/double brew day it's a PITA, slow and a painfully labourious. Where as had I bought the MM like I wanted to the job would be done quickly and neatly. I was to lazy to phaf around building a mill rig with a motor etc so bought the marga a cheaper out of the box solution which has ended up biting me hard on my rather ample rump.

Chap Chap

 

[komodo]

My response to that Bruce:

I don't think there is many things in our house that get used "continously", so that means everything else is only used "occasionally" and therefore surplus to requirements!

Lets start in her wardrobe LOL

Agreed.

Pasta maker gets used once a month if lucky.
Table router - hell I dont remember the last time I used it - mabe been used twice.
Circ saw - a few times a year.
PS3 - it gets used to play dvds and the occasional bluray - since getting foxtel it hardly gets used and even when we did use it more often it never got used as a gaming console.
4x4 equipment - some of it has never been used - but id rather have it than not have it.
HP multifunction - ummmm 4 times a year to print out one or two pages and to send the very occasional fax which could be sent from work any way.
Camping equipment - no way near as often as I would like. Havent got it out since march.
Chainsaw - never been used - started once every now and then just to make sure its all in working order.
80L waeco 12V fridge - sits in the shed most of the time as an over flow fridge. Doesnt get taken camping very often as its hard on the batteries. Need to sell it.
$1000's worth of stereo gear. Last count it was about $26k worth - though I've sold about $4k worth of amps this year Most of it sits in boxes in the shed or in top of cupboards.

Theres heaps of stuff I have - most of which I wouldn't be without - most of which hardly gets used.

I don't earn a great deal. Dont get me wrong I'm on a decent wicket for a 24yr old but theres not much left in the kitty after the home loan, personal loan, bills, car loan etc come out of the weeks wage. I just save for stuff, sell stuff to buy stuff and try not to regret how much money I pissed against the wall when I was younger an had no commitments. If you cant enjoy your hobbies and buy things you want and dont nessisarily need from time to time - whats the point?

 

[MaestroMatt]

Agreed.

Pasta maker gets used once a month if lucky.
Table router - hell I dont remember the last time I used it - mabe been used twice.
Circ saw - a few times a year.
PS3 - it gets used to play dvds and the occasional bluray - since getting foxtel it hardly gets used and even when we did use it more often it never got used as a gaming console.
4x4 equipment - some of it has never been used - but id rather have it than not have it.
HP multifunction - ummmm 4 times a year to print out one or two pages and to send the very occasional fax which could be sent from work any way.
Camping equipment - no way near as often as I would like. Havent got it out since march.
Chainsaw - never been used - started once every now and then just to make sure its all in working order.
80L waeco 12V fridge - sits in the shed most of the time as an over flow fridge. Doesnt get taken camping very often as its hard on the batteries. Need to sell it.
$1000's worth of stereo gear. Last count it was about $26k worth - though I've sold about $4k worth of amps this year Most of it sits in boxes in the shed or in top of cupboards.

Theres heaps of stuff I have - most of which I wouldn't be without - most of which hardly gets used.

I don't earn a great deal. Dont get me wrong I'm on a decent wicket for a 24yr old but theres not much left in the kitty after the home loan, personal loan, bills, car loan etc come out of the weeks wage. I just save for stuff, sell stuff to buy stuff and try not to regret how much money I pissed against the wall when I was younger an had no commitments. If you cant enjoy your hobbies and buy things you want and dont nessisarily need from time to time - whats the point?

You, sir, smell of excellence.

It's exactly how I feel about it. Good to know I'm not the only one.

 

[HoppingMad]

Agree with the opening post (although unintentional).

It's easy to get excited by all the bling, but one thing I've learned is you can make awesome beer if you're resourceful enough. Met a few people who make great partials using a rolling pin to crack their grain. I use a corn mill myself that I bought for $69 and have had no problems with astringency that often gets cited on this forum. If you adjust your mill and know how to use it - they all work. There was a time when these corn mills/corona mills were the only things homebrewers ever had to use.

This doesn't have to be an expensive hobby to enjoy - the gear is good, but the stuff in the glass is what counts.

Hopper.

 

[chappo1970]

This doesn't have to be an expensive hobby to enjoy - the gear is good, but the stuff in the glass is what counts.

+1

I was made very humble this weekend when I tried one of Manticles AG beers. Here's a guy that was completely determined to brew an AG on a very tight shoe string budget and set up what would have to be one of the most primative AG setups I have ever seen. There a thread here somewhere? His beer I have got to say was a lovely beer, no it wasn't gob smackingly great, but it was one of first AG's, but it made me humbled and proud of what he achieved with what he had at his hands. Mind you had he sent me 2 bottles I would have immediately gone and got the second bottle for a top up.

So brewery bling doesn't equal great beer and a good brewer regardless of his tools can still brew a good beer FULL STOP!

Now having said that I love my brewing toys and my brewery bling and that won't change. How I proportion or spend my hard earned is only my concern, yeah?

 

[Bribie G]

Chappo should know: The Shermanator, rise of the Machines h34r:

 

[komodo]

I agree you dont need bells, whistles, bling and industrial strength everything. BUT for some of us that a bit of an attraction to the hobby. I drink a reasonable amount of beer - but nothing by comparrison to what I've seen that some of you guys drink. But setting up and tinkering with a shiney brewery is part of the attraction.

A bit like cars. We could all get around in hyundai excells. They drive, stop, start, turn and get you places and do it as good as any other vehicle at the end of the day. But some of us like the little extra luxury, or we like a set of mag wheels, tinted windows and lowered suspension. Does it do the job any better? Nope not really - but it makes some of us feel good and its a hobby in itself.

Now there are people who like the challenge or idea of brewing on a very basic rig. Like wise there are people who like the idea or driving a very basic vehicle, that could be an older vehicle say a holden 48-215 (FX) or a ford T model or it could be a smart car or a ferrari - they are all basic in different ways.

Sure if you're struggling to put food on the table each week you should probably wind back your wants list - but if you've got the coin and having brewery bling and/or automation is part of the attraction then by all means go ahead

 

[Paul H]

I agree you dont need bells, whistles, bling and industrial strength everything. BUT for some of us that a bit of an attraction to the hobby. I drink a reasonable amount of beer - but nothing by comparrison to what I've seen that some of you guys drink. But setting up and tinkering with a shiney brewery is part of the attraction.

A bit like cars. We could all get around in hyundai excells. They drive, stop, start, turn and get you places and do it as good as any other vehicle at the end of the day. But some of us like the little extra luxury, or we like a set of mag wheels, tinted windows and lowered suspension. Does it do the job any better? Nope not really - but it makes some of us feel good and its a hobby in itself.

Now there are people who like the challenge or idea of brewing on a very basic rig. Like wise there are people who like the idea or driving a very basic vehicle, that could be an older vehicle say a holden 48-215 (FX) or a ford T model or it could be a smart car or a ferrari - they are all basic in different ways.

Sure if you're struggling to put food on the table each week you should probably wind back your wants list - but if you've got the coin and having brewery bling and/or automation is part of the attraction then by all means go ahead

Touche :icon_cheers:

 

[Supra-Jim]

It appears to have been said, in a round about way, but at the end of the day it is the beer that does the talking, not the brewery, or the bling. If your beers no good, it doesn't matter how shiny/fancy your gear is (points finger at megaswill breweries h34r: ).

To each there own and so long as your knocking out tasty brews, it doesn't matter how fancy your set-up is.

Cheers SJ

(I started with a simple set up but am slowly adding little bits here and there as i see the need)

 

[Sammus]

gotta agree with komodo on this one. wanting to buy a decent mill doesn't mean anyone has too much money, that's just ridiculous.

just because old mate down the street drives a hsv gts doesn't mean he has too much money, he lives in government housing eating no frills meat pies for breakfast lunch and dinner for gods sake. I drive a 15 year old charade with over 200,000kms and covered in dings and scratches that's worth less than my shirt, but I like to eat healthy, albeit more expensive fresh produce and quality foodstuffs.

another example, I have a $300 mill. I spent another $300 motorizing it. I'm also living on $20,000 a year as a full time student working my ass off, but I don't go out in the city and blow $300 on cocktails for birds I barely know 3 nights a week like half the people I know. I know guys that do this and constantly tell me I have too much money because I buy hundreds of dollars worth of mill, or because I saved for a year to buy a $2000 espresso machine, even though they earn three times what I do. Too much money? no, I just spend it differently.

 

[petesbrew]

Yep, it's all a case of each to their own. I've happily done 5 or so batches in a zapap lauter tun & a borrowed kettle & urn (cheers Doc & Rukh) and it's done beautifully.
Currently trying out my new esky mashtun, but due to space and cash restraints, not to mention care-factor, I'm happy to keep things simple.
Let the beer itself do the talking.

But if anyone starts knocking my '94 excel there will be trouble, I tell ya. <_<

 

[crundle]

3 kids, wife studying, my uni debts now paid for and mortgage on a single wage = shoestring brewing budget for me. Slowly gathering up the equipment and making things easier for myself, but now have a good setup to produce fine beers using BIAB, and kegging which is a luxury and a half for me.

Anything more I get now is just icing on the cake as far as I am concerned, but a mill would be nice to have eventually.

The main thing in my book is to buy once only, and to hopefully have a use for previous equipment as my setup progresses.

Crundle

 

[Leigh]

another example, I have a $300 mill.

When I first read that, I thought you meant you had $300million...then I read it properly LOL

 

[Katherine]

When I first read that, I thought you meant you had $300million...then I read it properly LOL

 

[Mantis]

I have a marga mill, but reckon I might just upgrade to a better mill after reading the OP
<_<

BTW, my kids want for nothing

Oh yeah, and 62 posts since April 07. Do you only post to stir the pot