How much to go ag

[donny_1972]

After reading lots on here about ag i might now have an interest in giving it a go. How much would all the equipment cost to get me up and running? Also once set up what cost would it be to make an average 40 pint batch? I do live in a remote area of the uk so i would probably have to get all my ingredients posted to me which would no doubt increase the cost.

 

[Muddydisco]

Anything from £50 - £1000. Most make equipment themselves out of Fv's etc, or you can go out and Buy ready made stainless steel brewerys! Depends on how handy you are with power tools.
I worked out a 40 pint batch costs about £15-20 depends on what grains are in it and what hops etc.
Most of the forum sponsors post out ingreidients and all at good prices, there also Worcester hop shop and the Malt Miller all good retailers :thumb:

 

[donny_1972]

I have a huge 80 ltr cool box that would do for a mash tun.

 

[Muddydisco]

About 50 ltr too big, but if you can find some 120ltr boilers your luck is in :lol:

 

[Moley]

My start-up costs were right at the bottom end of muddy's price range and my brews have worked out anywhere from 25-35p a pint. Now I've bought a sack of grain from the Malt Miller (and allowing for carriage) I reckon I could knock out a session bitter for below 20p a pint.

 

[battwave]

See also the "Increasing Numbers Going to AG" thread

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14495&start=0

Nice pictures of bare bones kit, and don't dismiss doubling-up your boiler as a mash tun providing you can wrap it up warmly enough. I do this, albeit i use a stainless boiler with false bottom, which has served me well for nearly 15 years.

 

[dennisking]

The savings in the long term outweigh the initial cost

 

[artyb]

there are some great beers brewed using biab....check out youtube... :thumb:

this fella brews great ag beers with very little kit.... :party:

http://www.stempski.com/biab.php

 

[prolix]

to start with it was fine I could handle it just a bit a plastic here and there.... then a metal boiler just the one... it was ok though I could handle it... the next stainless was bigger.... then came the first pump... but it was ok... the cornies the cornies they were so nice but it was an investment I could always sell them again if necessary... then they doubled left in a darkened garage... then came the thermo pots three of them they are so beautiful just look at the curves... the stainless quick release fittings and silicone tubing... well it would have been rude not to... then came the fermentor the beer stone you see I was going though plastic fermenters too quickly... herms... beer fridge .... hop plants... I blame the hop plants I have to use up all those hops see... float switches semi automation... pids ... pt100's... but it's ok in 15 years my average beer cost will be fine... oooh they do firkins shiny firkins and pins oooh pins oooh shiny........

 

[Growler]

Quick someone grab the White jacket with the buckles up the back!!!!

 

[Shug]

I just built my first setup. Was meant to be on budget but prob overspent on copper stuff! (bought compression fittings whereas cheaper solder fittings would have done just as well)
Boiler was 1 fermentation bucket @ £9 (LHBS) with two homebase value kettles for elements @ £8 the pair.
£4.50 for the tap, £3 tank connector. (screwfix and homebase)

Mash tun was coolbox @ £23 quid (amazon), with tap and tank connector as above
Bought 3 metres copper pipe and connectors which set me back about 35 quid for the filters. (screwfix and homebase again)

Already had fermentation bucket and hydrometer, thermometer etc.

So about 89 quid. Using grain prices from online sellers, a 40 pint brew bill comes to under 15 quid. + delivery)
Prices naturally skyrocket the shinier you want to go from the above!

 

[markp]

The savings in the long term outweigh the initial cost

Not just that, it is the flexibilty to be able to brew whatever style you want.

Start cheap and then build up better quality kit as you go....that's how I did it.

ATB

 

[Hawks]

I agree with all the previous, my first set up was plastic buckets all done from info scavenged around this site ( and some from Jims to be fair ). Set up costs were £150 but that did include ingredients for my first 3 brews as well - so probably around £100. I could have done cheaper, but not much patience for scavenging and freecycle is carp round here.. so all was bought new and separate HLT, boiler and mashtun, I now have stainless but it has probably paid for itself numerous times over ( I try not to add it up anymore though) :thumb:

As said, 40 pints can be made from around £10 and then going up depending on what you make :thumb:

 

[Sean_Mc]

HERE is my first set up and it worked well, but be careful of the attraction to shiny

 

[BigYin]

I have steadfastly refused to work out the true cost of my AG build :whistle: :lol:

Pastic FV's - roughly £8 each (biggerjugs.co.uk)
Tesco value kettles, a tenner for two
copper tube, tank connector, tap, various fitting - unknown :whistle:

Mash tun made with another plastic fv, more copper tube, tap, tank connector, homebase radiator insulation (foil covered bubble wrap) and some duct tape.

Then there's the imerssion chiller - thanks to silly copper prices these are getting dearer every day - ones I make now have a minimum of £40 worth of copper bits and pieces in them, plus incidentals like flux, solder, ptfe tape etc.

Finally there's the issue of temperature control and the worl of PID's.... best not go there :lol: