Flat/limited space brewer

[BrannBrew]

Its my 30th birthday next month and would like to treat myself to some new brew gear (with potentially help from parents/in-laws). I have been going backwards and forwards on what brewing equipment I kind of need, my latest batch I tried BIAB and it didnt quite work out right with the sized pan I've got (came up with less wort pre-boil than I expected).

I have an electric hob and it took a good 30-40 to heat to 100 rolling boil. So the brew day felt like it went on way longer than it should.

I like tech/gadgets and I would like a more streamline production of beer as even though I've enjoyed all the beers I've made, after every brew day I haven't walked away thinking it went as well as I planned or expected.

I have about a week left to find out how my latest batch has gone.

I really like the idea of All Grain and Ive now dappled with Partial Mash and BIAB both thinking I can't cope with the limited kit I have.

I haven't got any real space to store these things which is a problem. I have utilised the space at the bottom of the airing cupboard to store all my kit inside of itself as much as I can(only real space not on show & to keep wife happier), apart from the fermenting bin when in use. I don't think I have space for anything too much more especially a 3 tier setup or a larger pan as It'll take all day to boil!

A mash tun would help me in BIAB, and also a better fermentor (looking into a SS brew tech mini bucket). I however have the feeling that I really like the idea of an all in one system - something tidy like the Braumeister 10L. Yes its loads of �£s, I think I've probably got 1/2 of it already thanks to some work award.

The problem I have in my mind is to stick with a like it and lump it system which I can probably only do partial mashes at best, until I get a garage to play in. Or do I go for something like a Braumesiter and a smaller fermentor that fits the batch sizes better.

 

[Deadhead]

If you wanted to do all-grain, but not brew in a bag, but need to save space, you can always use the bucket methods - i.e. the "Zapap" system - cheap too! They'll stack into each other.

Maybe someone who has a grainfather can comment on the size of these things.

 

[Ajhutch]

I'm wrestling with the same issue (though I do have a loft so anything I can face lugging up and down the ladder is fair game). My current thinking is an electric boiler to function as mash tun and boiler. I think you could get a false bottom so you could probably do non-bag mashes, then you'd be using either your big pot or FV to store the wort while you clean out the boiler after the mash ready to boil. If your current pot fitted inside the boiler for storage you'd probably be ok.

I've got a 15 litre bucket for my FV and found a cool bag for £15 from Argos which it can fit inside, so with judicious use of ice packs I can keep fermentation temperatures down around 18C even in this hot weather without needing a fridge, which there's definitely not space for so I try not to dream about!

 

[GHW]

Grain fathers have a relatively small footprint of about 14 inches, and they are about 3ft high. Surprisingly compact I'd say. You can store the chiller inside it when not in use which helps save space. My missus was surprisingly ok about mine when she saw how compact it was (I'm still talking about the grainfather) But obviously you need fvs etc on top of that. And the cost of them might be prohibitive depending on your budget