Kit upgrade, but which one?

[Badseed1974]

Yo brewers!

I'm going to be upgrading my brewing setup this month and have narrowed it down to two choices


http://www.geterbrewed.com/basic-biab-starter-kit-kit-brewers-upgrade/

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk...iler-chiller-mashing-bag-mash-kit-p-2426.html

What I was hoping to find out was if anyone had either of these kits and what they thought of them.

Also open to other similar suggestions if you have them.

Cheers!

 

[ManseMasher]

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/b...iler-chiller-mashing-bag-mash-kit-p-2805.html

€90 = £65.30. Then you get 5% discount if you qoute the HBF member discount code (available in the information, announcements and support forum).

Yo brewers!

I'm going to be upgrading my brewing setup this month and have narrowed it down to two choices


http://www.geterbrewed.com/basic-biab-starter-kit-kit-brewers-upgrade/

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk...iler-chiller-mashing-bag-mash-kit-p-2426.html

What I was hoping to find out was if anyone had either of these kits and what they thought of them.

Also open to other similar suggestions if you have them.

Cheers!

 

[Badseed1974]

I like the price :)

Anyone got one though? Seems almost too cheap and was just wondering how reliable, well put together etc they are.

 

[ManseMasher]

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=55447&highlight=biab+starter

People seem happy enough.

I like the price :)

Anyone got one though? Seems almost too cheap and was just wondering how reliable, well put together etc they are.

 

[Badseed1974]

Cheers Manse, I did search, honest :)

 

[ManseMasher]

:grin:

Cheers Manse, I did search, honest :)

 

[ian808]

I have the one from HBC it's pretty good and a real bargain, you need to buy a false bottom or change the tap and fit a hop filter.

 

[Badseed1974]

I have the one from HBC it's pretty good and a real bargain, you need to buy a false bottom or change the tap and fit a hop filter.

Thanks for the info, could you tell me exactly what you bought to improve your kit? (Links would be nice!)

Also, I always use muslin bags for my hops, would I still need a hop filter/false bottom?

 

[dweb]

I can recommend the HBC set up.GeterBrewed do a false bottom which does help but it doesn`t quite sit right in the boiler so I have to put 2 SS egg cups under it to hold it horizontal.
All in all it`s well worth the money and saves you dismantling kettles and drilling a bucket.
The wort chiller is great once you fit a garden hose onto it.I used hozelock fittings but there were drips of water,which after 20 minutes of cooling,made quite a mess on my garage floor,so I removed them,stuck a bit of duct tape around each end of the copper and just pushed the hoses straight onto the pipe and stuck a jubilee clip on.
You also get a grain kit to get you started.

 

[CreweBrewer]

Here's my review of the Peco boiler...

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=53709&highlight=Peco

Just an update on that; I never did fit a ball valve. I just transfer into the FV using a jug and a sieve at pitch temp. I find it aeriates the wort better that way.

Dave

 

[Badseed1974]

Here's my review of the Peco boiler...

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=53709&highlight=Peco

Just an update on that; I never did fit a ball valve. I just transfer into the FV using a jug and a sieve at pitch temp. I find it aeriates the wort better that way.

Dave

Thanks for that :)

If I was fitting a new tap would this be the sorta thing I'd need?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-3-4-G...UG-BSP-/251632884566?var=&hash=item3a967d1b56

 

[Duffman]

Thanks for that :)

If I was fitting a new tap would this be the sorta thing I'd need?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-3-4-G...UG-BSP-/251632884566?var=&hash=item3a967d1b56

The only difference i can see between the two is the HBC one doesn't come with the false bottom, i'm assuming with the false bottom you don't need the tap filter, and therefore wouldn't need to change the tap they supply with the kit ?

I wonder if for a little extra the HBC would supply the BIAB starter kit with a false bottom that fits ? might be worth asking.

Or is it possible to make one yourself, it can't be any more than a wire mesh thats supported somehow above the heating element.

Or alternatively could you not put everything in bags, the grain goes in its own bag and buy bags for the hops

- For me I'd want the most simplistic set up possible (especially if your paying for it), having to additionally filter the wort, change taps or manufacture bits to go in seems like a load of faffing about, though the difference of £35 is quite a lot, plus i like the kit selections from the HBC more than getabrewed

Edit - Just noticed you dont get a thermometer either with the HBC BIAB starter kit !

 

[clibit]

I don't have the Peco boiler, I'm still dedicated to gas, but I reckon that something to keep the bag off the element would be a good idea, so you can heat the mash with the grain in to adjust temperature, or mash out. A cake stand would do.

If you used hop bags, you wouldnt need anything else.

 

[Duffman]

I don't have the Peco boiler, I'm still dedicated to gas, but I reckon that something to keep the bag off the element would be a good idea, so you can heat the mash with the grain in to adjust temperature, or mash out. A cake stand would do.

If you used hop bags, you wouldnt need anything else.

But wouldn't the hop bags eventually sink and touch the heating element ?

- I was thinking more on the line of a sheet of fine wire mesh, measure the circumference of the top of the Peco boiler then add a couple of extra inches to the overall circumference and cut out the bigger circle, then cut and fold so the wire mesh fits into the boiler

 

[clibit]

But wouldn't the hop bags eventually sink and touch the heating element ?

- I was thinking more on the line of a sheet of fine wire mesh, measure the circumference of the top of the Peco boiler then add a couple of extra inches to the overall circumference and cut out the bigger circle, then cut and fold so the wire mesh fits into the boiler

Not if there was a cake stand or similar over the element. Your idea sounds very similar.I doubt the hop bags would sink to the bottom anyway.

 

[ian808]

Thanks for the info, could you tell me exactly what you bought to improve your kit? (Links would be nice!)

Also, I always use muslin bags for my hops, would I still need a hop filter/false bottom?

The only thing I changed was the tap so I could get a hop filter on it and it was the lhbs that done it for me so didn't have to buy anything, no other changes to it

 

[Duffman]

Not if there was a cake stand or similar over the element. Your idea sounds very similar.I doubt the hop bags would sink to the bottom anyway.

I've just been looking at Peco Boilers and found a web site where they say all you need is mesh bags to stop the hops touching the elements, though having priced up everything individually i'm of the opinion that the geterbrewed one if the better option, a digital thermometer costs circa £15, and there Peco comes supplied with a wire filter.

Or i'd even be more tempted to go for this

http://www.geterbrewed.com/peco-mashing-bin-beer-brewing-all-grain/

and buy the mesh bags separately, this way you don't need the thermometer

 

[Badseed1974]

Thanks for the help guys, appreciated :)

I think I might just go with the HBC kit as I always boil my hops in bags anyway, and I don't really need anything other than the boiler and chiller.

Could always get this as well if I feel I need it at later date


http://www.geterbrewed.com/stainless-steel-false-bottom-for-peco-boiler/

 

[Duffman]

Thanks for the help guys, appreciated :)

I think I might just go with the HBC kit as I always boil my hops in bags anyway, and I don't really need anything other than the boiler and chiller.

Could always get this as well if I feel I need it at later date


http://www.geterbrewed.com/stainless-steel-false-bottom-for-peco-boiler/

MMMM - I'm liking your thinking here, buy the cheaper kit from HBC and then separately buy the false bottom for an extra £10, still saves you £25 overall !

Had another thought moving on from my previous post, you'd still want the cooler, so the kits seem like the cheaper way to go, and the HBC one the cheapest of the two options.

 

[Badseed1974]

Yeah,and the grain kits look a bit better from HBC as well.

That'll be my Saturday morning sorted then