Can I get some advice please?

[Scotty]

Hi,

I have been brewing from kits for about a year and would now like to start brewing from AG.

Now, what I would like advice on is what equipment would be adequate for someone just starting out and testing the water so to speak. I have maximun about £170 to spend at the moment and ideally want something that I dont have to adapt (as I am absolutely useless at DIY), such as a Berco boiler (from what Ive read about them). If the way fowrard is to spend more then it will probably have to wait until new year.

I was initially thinking of a electric boiler along with an insulated mash tun and possibly a wort chiller but obviously thats over budget at the moment. I could probably get a cheap boiler such as an elctrim but I have read bad reviews about them.

The alternative was to get a 32 ltr stock pot with a fitted hop strainer and tap for £62 which has had good reviews. I would then still get the insulated mash tun an possibly the wort chiller. One of my concerns with the stock pot is that we have electric hobs so wondered whether this would be suitable to keep temprature and keep a rolling boil.

Any advice given would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Scott

 

[NickW]

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... tAod1jAACQ

A little over budget but thats all you need.

Or keep checking the for sale section on this forum. I picked up my stuff for £80. No immersion chiller though, I Just cool overnight in a cube. But you'll getc an immersion chiller for £40+

I have an electrim boiler and it works a treat. Takes a little while to get to boil but it rolls fine.

I wouldn't think an electric hob would be sufficient

 

[adomant]

you could just go with a boiler and a sparge bag for mashing in the same boiler - that way you could keep it in the shed / garage rather than making yourself unpopular in the kitchen.

 

[PD]

How about a 50 litre stainless steel pot complete with tap and hop strainer £80
7.5W gas burner £27
Gas regulator £6

all from the Malt Miller.

Then hunt around for a coolbox mash tun.

Just make sure you brew outside or in a shed with door open....Not advisable to share the household kitchen with a gas burner.....

 

[dennisking]

Where do you live, if there is some one near you that will let you sit in on their brew day not only can you see a brew in action you might get ideas for what you need.

 

[Fil]

I would spend circa £110 on a 40l buffalo boiler and a fiver on a grain bag.
scour ebay for a ss cake tray to keep the bag off the element. and bend a diy coil chiller from a soft coil of 10mm copper tube and invest anything left in grain n hops.

its all you really need for a basic biab brew, And if you take to the brewday will form a very good foundation for a more comprehensive kit, but if you are happy biab-ing as many are you may not feel the need for any more.

In the unlikely event you dont take to the brewday, you shouldnt loose much more than 20% if that on a second hand sale thru here or ebay.

How you would like to brew and what kit suits you best is best decided with a brew under your belt. while many brewkits share common features and use common parts, no two systems are identical and each reflects the builders own ideas about how the brew should progress

Dont skimp on boiler volume, 23-5l is a popular FINAL brew size partly cos its about as much volume you can lump off the floor to the worktop allowing you to have a gravity fed brew system with a waist level worktop and the ground, lifting a full to the brim vessel aint a comfortable chore, and if slightly over filled the boil can escape and thats the sort of thing that gets u banned to the patio 4 life.

 

[nobyipa]

my 33 litre stock pot gets to 99.4c
on good rolling boil on two rings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iNTmbqivf8

 

[Wetroads]

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/ALL_Grain_Basic_Equipment_Kit.html?gclid=COrS1ISM2rkCFYfMtAod1jAACQ

A little over budget but thats all you need.

Not quite, still need a few bits and bobs more surely? It can really add up.

Keep it cheap. Start with a grain bag and a stockpot and take it from there. You kind of learn what you need to make life easier / better beer after you have got a feel for things.

 

[Scotty]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I think I will go with Fils suggestion of going down the BIAB route! I didnt even know about this method until it was suggested! So thanks for that Fil.

In terms of equipment I think I will get also get the buffalo boiler. I think the practicalities of a large stock pot in our kitchen could be problematic and with the buffalo I can brew in the cellar. We dont have a garage so there would be an issue of ventilation with gas set up and there isnt actually much difference in cost as I can get a buffalo for £99 at the moment.

My time is also limited juggling two young kids and a third on the way so I think BIAB would suit me for now. Once I have had a few brews under my belt I can then reassess! I have a question regarding the boiler hich i will add as a new post.

Thanks again everyone for your advice.

Scott

 

[PaulCa]

You might consider going a smaller step and doing a partial mash BIAB. I started doing this relatively early in my brewing setup.

1 rather boring beer kit
500g of crystal malt grains
1 kg of basic light malt grain
1 or 2 hops.
No sugar.

Using a 5 gallon paint strainer bag for the 1kg and smaller 1 gallon bags for the crystal and hops. Just steep them in a large sauce pan (mine is only 12 litres) for 20-30mins (been a while so can't remember the temp, but I think it was 60-65C). Use another large pan to sparge the grains and transfer that water back to the large pan. Bring to boil (stir it fast! and be careful!), add hops in strainer bag, boil for 30-60mins, cut the heat, dump in the beer kit. Cool in the sink running cold water round the pan. Cool to <35C, add to fermenter, fill with water, place in bath of cold water until < 24C. Add yeast.

The process is a little crud, suffers chill haze etc. But can be refined later.

 

[Scotty]

Thanks Paul!

 

[LeithR]

Hi Scotty,
Can I suggest you go and speak to your local council re-cycling centre staff and try to develop a relationship with them. They take a fairly enlightened view of allowing individuals to take stuff away that is not going into a landfill etc... I go my 25L boiler and about 50 swing top bottles from this source . All I had to buy was the Bag, the immersion cooler bits and pieces and a thermometer with thermowell, and insulation for the boiler. All now going well and I'm happily brewing 19L's a go, doing BIAB # 10 on Wednesday this week - Fullers ESB from Graham Wheelers book.

Good luck with your searching. Oh and one other source, check out your local Freecycle or it might be called Freegle in your area. Great source of "Stuff".