First time posting. I'm considering homebrewing and thinking on set up costs. I'd consider a grainfather or brewzilla sort of set up, wondering what else I'd need. And are supplies plentiful in North west or am I looking to buy online.
Hi from The Roe valley.
- Thread starter Roevalley
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Welcome to the forum.
There are many different all in one systems out today and many members use them.
This may be of interest -
(2) Which all in one? | The Homebrew Forum - Homebrewing Forums
There are many different all in one systems out today and many members use them.
This may be of interest -
(2) Which all in one? | The Homebrew Forum - Homebrewing Forums
Welcome RV
Whereabouts in the North West - there is an active group in South Cheshire
We have a collective that pools demand for malt - just have a look here
Also - don't be afraid to ask stupid questions - you can rely on me for stupid answers
Hello and welcome to you :-)
On the other hand you could say they're a bit pricey for what they are, and you can do just as well (and possibly with a bit more flexibility) using a Burco-type hot tea urn and a few 30L plastic buckets if you don't mind rolling your sleeves up and drilling a few holes.
(1) 2 or 3 lidded 25L buckets to ferment in, wash up in, store stuff in, etc
(2) ideally, a second hand fridge to manage your fermentation temperatures and 'cold crash' your beer
(3) something to store beer in until you drink it - PET bottles work; glass crown cap bottles are a bit nicer; a pressure keg (search for 'Corny' keg on here) and gas bottle is more expensive can work out easier in the long run
(4) cleaning chemicals (e.g. sodium percarbonate) etc
(5) lots of odd bits of hose, taps to fit to buckets, connectors, spare connectors, spare spare connectors...
(6) a BIG STICK to beat off your friends and family when they turn up and try to drink all your beer
The all-in-one setups have the advantage that they are quite compact and quick to set up, and there are certainly a lot of satisfied users on here.
On the other hand you could say they're a bit pricey for what they are, and you can do just as well (and possibly with a bit more flexibility) using a Burco-type hot tea urn and a few 30L plastic buckets if you don't mind rolling your sleeves up and drilling a few holes.
Depends a bit what sort of stuff you want to brew, and frankly the list can be endless - but the main things that spring to mind are:
(1) 2 or 3 lidded 25L buckets to ferment in, wash up in, store stuff in, etc
(2) ideally, a second hand fridge to manage your fermentation temperatures and 'cold crash' your beer
(3) something to store beer in until you drink it - PET bottles work; glass crown cap bottles are a bit nicer; a pressure keg (search for 'Corny' keg on here) and gas bottle is more expensive can work out easier in the long run
(4) cleaning chemicals (e.g. sodium percarbonate) etc
(5) lots of odd bits of hose, taps to fit to buckets, connectors, spare connectors, spare spare connectors...
(6) a BIG STICK to beat off your friends and family when they turn up and try to drink all your beer
I've been considering using the utility room counter. I don't know if the all in one are compact. Can I set up a all in one solution, leave it and come back ready to bottle without a lot of buckets, pipes, etc. If not I would use my garage and be more open to a less compact set up
The all-on-one basically gets you to the point of having 22L or so of hot, sugary water that smells of hops. Your next job is to cool it down to a temperature that won't fry the yeast, and transfer it to something that it can ferment in (ideally at about 18-20ºc) for a week or two, before you then bottle it
Excellent. This is sounding do able. So if I decant it into a large food grade container and leave in something like a fridge or chest freezer (not switched on( leave for a few weeks and put into freshly sterilised bottles. I think I could do this and I'm called Frank Spencer by the missus.
Maybe have a quick look online for videos like 'how to use a grainfather' ... but just be aware that many of them are just thinly disguised "advertorials".
Personally I'd recommend getting hold of a copy of Greg Hughes "Home Brew Beer" which will take you though all the equipment and process, and also give you a load of excellent recipes.
If you can, sit on your credit card until you've done that - then you'll be in a far better place to decide whether an all-in-one is the way to go
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Brew-Beer-Master-Brewing/dp/0241392578
Personally I'd recommend getting hold of a copy of Greg Hughes "Home Brew Beer" which will take you though all the equipment and process, and also give you a load of excellent recipes.
If you can, sit on your credit card until you've done that - then you'll be in a far better place to decide whether an all-in-one is the way to go
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Brew-Beer-Master-Brewing/dp/0241392578
Yes, you can! And the big secret is that, no word of a lie, you can fairly easily make beer that will knock spots off what you can buy in a pub or from the shops. No kidding.
I'm a sucker for shiny toys too - but equally, I like to know what I'm buying before I get my wallet out...
Hi and welcome, i do biab (brew in a bag) in a 30L Klarstein boiler, shortly i am getting a 35L Brewzilla all in one, what i will say is don't dive in have a good think about what you need to get started, i started 2 years ago with a basic setup doing kits i now have a fridge corny kegs and gas and do all grain also this hobby can be heavy on the old wallet, but the beer is great happy brewing 
Roevalley said: "I will of course do my research. Finding this thread very helpful too"
Well good luck to you - and take everything we "self proclaimed experts" on here say with a pinch of salt ;-)
The truth is that although we like to obsess about it:
(a) observing sensible hygiene and sterilisation makes sense, but you don't need to follow the people who say you need to bleach everything in sight twice a day.
(b) "pressure fermenting" may be useful for certain types of beer but in my opinion it's over-hyped and unnecessary
(c) go step by step and brew good, honest, normal beer - you need very little kit and you'll love the results.
Well good luck to you - and take everything we "self proclaimed experts" on here say with a pinch of salt ;-)
The truth is that although we like to obsess about it:
(a) observing sensible hygiene and sterilisation makes sense, but you don't need to follow the people who say you need to bleach everything in sight twice a day.
(b) "pressure fermenting" may be useful for certain types of beer but in my opinion it's over-hyped and unnecessary
(c) go step by step and brew good, honest, normal beer - you need very little kit and you'll love the results.
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+1 to what @Rodcx500z says there about brew-in-a-bag: it's a great way to get started. Take a look at Brew In A Bag: All Grain Brewing Made Very Easy
Hi and welcome to the forum.Im assuming limavady or surrounding area with your handle and good to see another local brewer on the forum.Up the road in Derry/Londonderry/Stroke City or whatever you would like so if you need help give us a shout as I'm all grain and have done kits and BIAB so know your pain as such.
Binkei Huckaback
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Units like the Grainfather won't allow you to set up and return to fermented beer. At the very least you'll need a fermenting vessel.
Also, be aware that the Grainfather etc still produces a lot of steam and you might want to consider how you can vent it without covering the unit or having condensate drip back in.
Before deciding on equipment, you may want to consider the following:
- Expensive equipment doesn't necessarily make great beer
- 'All in one' systems aren't 'all in one'. You won't need a seperate mash tun, but you will need a sparge heater.
- How much money you really think is worth spending
- Do you enjoy building things yourself
You don't necessarily need temperature control for fermentation if you have somewhere that has a fairly constant temperature, but if you do have it, it will make a good beer great and allow you to brew a wider range of beer styles.
However, If you're going to spend a lot of money on any one part of brewing, it would be foolish to leave anything to chance. Why buy a Grainfather which will contol the temperature of your mash for 90 minutes and then leave the wort in an environment where the temperature fluctuates wildly over 14 days or so of fermentation?
Hi Gerryjo, I am down in Limavady. Thanks for offer of help. I'm considering my options and doing some research at moment. Thinking on creating space in my garage now so I have more room but wondering if the steam created would cause possible damp or make a small shed to do the brewing in. It's all adding up lol. But I do love a drink!
