Help with equipment purchase please.

[Ray Porter]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advise from people in the know.... I'll try and make this post as short as possible...

I started experimenting with home brew about 7 years ago buying kits from the like of Wilko and a local (now closed) brew shop. I wasn't getting the results I had hoped for, the beer was drinkable but nothing special, so I convinced myself to buy a grainfather G30 to start all grain brewing. I had a about 6 or 7 brews under my belt on the grainfather with varying results, none particularly successful, despite at the time having an old undercounter fridge with a greenhouse heater in it run on an inkbird controller to act as a fermenting chamber. Losing patience with the G30 I decided to sell it and bought a couple of Burco water boilers and started to do brew in a bag brews. Had a bit more success with these but kind of regretted selling the G30 thinking that I probably should have invested more time with it. About 5 years ago I decided homebrew wasn't really worth the effort for the returns that I was getting and sold everything I had! I have regretted this decision ever since.
I am now back to give it another go. I am literally starting off from the beginning again, I don't have as much as a stirring paddle to my name. I assume there have been changes to the scene since I last dabbled so my question is would you recommend buying another G30 or go for one of the cheaper options available like the brewzilla gen 4? I have watched quite a few review videos and not much seems to have changed with the G30 other than the controller. The brewzilla looks very similar for a few hundred pounds less but does it perform as well?

Thanks in advance for any answers/advice

 

[The Baron]

Most AIO's will perform similar as the G30. I believe the Brewzilla gen 4 has had a few issues but the older Brewzilla has had plenty of users on here with good feedback.
I have used the ACE which is the same as the BrewMonk, Klarstein Angel Brew etc and that has been excellent for me and is at the lower end of the price bracket.
Await other replies but the G30 is still popular but is still way more expensive than the competition

 

[Rwilts]

There was a brewzilla 3.1 for sale here recently, would make an excellent purchase ( no connection honest).

I use a brewzilla and love it ,

 

[Agentgonzo]

You get what you pay for in this world. The g30 still seems to be top of class. Top of class is usually twice the price but only 20% better.

Can you make do with the cheaper models? Absolutely
Is the g30 better than them? Absolutely
Is it worth it? Only you can decide.

I bought the g30. Would I have regretted buying a cheaper model? Definitely. If money was an issue would I have regretted spending the extra money? Almost certainly.
Fortunately I was in the situation where the cost want an issue.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I use a brewzilla gen 3, it makes mighty fine beer but like all aio all in one's it has faults main one for me is the bottom plate, but if you use hop bags or a hop spider it works very well, it is now 3 years old i think and still going strong, i only use it in manual mode which i find really easy, i use brewfather for all my recipes which is also easy to use and gives good results, i thought of getting a gen 4 until i read and watched reviews on it, also i still have my klarstein fullhorn from when i first started doing biab which is also a very good kettle and well worth the money i paid for it, just keep in mind which ever you go, you can have all the fancy kit you like will it make better beer no, that is down to you

 

[MrJay83]

I have a BZ 3.1.1 and I think it's great. I have no intentions of upgrading until it gives up the ghost. You would probably get a great price on a bundle kit now with the Gen4 out for a while now.

 

[Leon103]

What was wrong with your beer in the 1st place? You can buy of the above but if your process is off, or expectations are too high then you will only give up again.

 

[MashBag]

+1

I don't think the kit is the issue.
In the nicest possible way, we make this sound easy, but a lot of peeps here have quite a few hours and many many pints under their belt.

Buy a good straightforward book on the subject. Consider also when you do purchase, mashing is only half of it. Fermentation is the other half, different again and needs just as much understanding and the right equipment & process.

Beer is to make you grin, not frustrated

What do you like to drink?

 

[QED]

All the all-in-one's are pretty much the same. I currently use a Hopcat and get great results. You get lots of free bits with the Hopcat too. As far as improving your results, keep the brews simple, repeat one until you nail it. Only change one variable at a time. Get your water chemistry sorted, look at your local report or get it tested for around £60. Invest in a Fermzilla, £ for £ the best homebrew fermenter. Starsan (or equivalent) everything! Temp control your fermentation (sounds like you were doing that anyway). Invest in corny kegs, then you can do closed transfers from your fermzilla and eliminate O2 otherwise bottle using an iTap. But most of all... enjoy making beer. As Charlie Papazian would say, 'have a homebrew'.

 

[QED]

There was a brewzilla 3.1 for sale here recently, would make an excellent purchase ( no connection honest).

I use a brewzilla and love it ,

BKT are selling off the Gen 3.1 35L at a steal just now....extra £40 for the accessory pack, including a paddle :) @Ray Porter

 

[Sadfield]

It sounds like a small BIAB setup, 10L or so, would be better. Minimal financial outlay and will have you brewing more frequently, speeding up the learning curve. More hands on and involving, whilst being simple and easily manageable. Less beer to bottle and kit is easier to clean.

Probably an unpopular opinion, but the problem with beginners homebrewing is the discrepancy between volume and yeast. Most start with dry yeast supplied in 11g sachets, which isn't enough for most 5 gallon batches that everyone advocates, and most kit is designed for. Leading to slow or stuck fermentations, stressed yeast and the resultant off flavours, clarity and foam issues.

Start small and simple and grow into the hobby. Rather than having all the gear and no idea.

 

[Ray Porter]

+1

I don't think the kit is the issue.
In the nicest possible way, we make this sound easy, but a lot of peeps here have quite a few hours and many many pints under their belt.

Buy a good straightforward book on the subject. Consider also when you do purchase, mashing is only half of it. Fermentation is the other half, different again and needs just as much understanding and the right equipment & process.

Beer is to make you grin, not frustrated

What do you like to drink?

I like to drink IPAs and Stouts/Porters.

I have a couple of good books and my brews were improving - the early days were clearly down to lack of knowledge and experience.
Family commitments at the time were also a big factor in why I stopped brewing. I have more time on my hands again now so want to get back into it. I was looking for an AIO set up due to space for all of the needed equipment.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I started brewing in the downstairs toilet albeit a saniflo that has never been used, doing kits never had a problem, moved on since then to aio cornys fridge all rounders and gas

 

[MashBag]

I suppose it makes getting rid of the trub easier

 

[-Bezza-]

Most people start with kits, move onto biab then onto all grain as they perfect each stage. If I were you, I'd go back to kits - the fermentation vessel and other gubbins will all be of use down the line. Perfect the fermentation side as much as you can, then figure out where you want to go from there.

 

[MashBag]

I have to disagree. Sorry. I did a few kits and came to "meh these are poor" I will do biab. Did one and thought "FFS this is a ball ache" and bought a braumeister.

The only reason I can see for biab is either entry price or v. small batches.

If you have the choice get an AIO soonest.

 

[Sadfield]

The only reason I can see for biab is either entry price or v. small batches.

The Braumeister is just an over priced BIAB, they operate on the same AIO principle.

Most people start with kits, move onto biab then onto all grain as they perfect each stage.

Strongly disagree. The shared stage is fermentation, which as also where most AG and Extract failures occur.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

Where in the country are you Ray? There may be a brew club nearby where you can hone your craft without major outlay first. For instance, Nottingham has Place To Brew.

 

[Ray Porter]

I'm in York, North Yorkshire