Purchased myself some birthday presents!! But I have some questions

[dhendy91]

So today is my cake day! Last one in my 20's!

With my return to brewing recently, it seems that everything I wanted 5 years ago that was too expensive has come down a lot in price. So I decided to go all out for my birthday and get a 2 keg corny kit and convert a fridge into a kegorator and I also got myself a 30L brew devil for Paul over at angel home brew.

I converted the fridge last weekend but need to wait for my Co2 to be delivered on Tuesday. The Brew Devil turned up on Tuesday but I decided to wait to open it till today so it felt like a proper birthday present!

I'm over the moon with all the new stuff but it turning up and my return to AG brewing has brought up a couple of questions, that haven't been answered by all the youtube videos watched and forum posts read.

1. Do people usually sparge with the brew devil or brew full volume BIAB? If so what sort of efficiency do you get out of each?

2. I used to use Beersmith 2 before my 5 year break but Brewers friend looks like a worthy competitor to it so just wondering which people use and why? Also does anyone know if the Brewdevil has an equipment profile in Brewers Friend?

3. I'm wanting to paint the fridge as it is currently in the sitting room and sticks out like a sore thumb, I'm going to do the front in blackboard paint and get some blackboard pens, but what other paint works well and do I need to sand it at all first?

4. Completely off topic, I have a Lashing Dark ginger beer kit fermenting right now that is almost finished but there is not enough of a ginger punch for my liking, is there anything I can add for the final few days to give it a bit more kick?

Thanks for all the answers in advance! Going to do my first AG brew day back next weekend and can't wait!

 

[The Baron]

Most people mash with 18/20 ltrs and sparge with 12/14 ltrs to get 28ltrs pre-boil for 23 ltr to the FV. The bewing profile is somewhere on the internet search for Klarstein/Ace as I think it is the same and it should be out there if not any single mash/boil system will be very similar

 

[The Baron]

Try this link might help as a starter
http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php/topic,14483.msg57259.html#msg57259

 

[An Ankoù]

Happy birthday dehndy 91

 

[kelper]

I have some ginger essence but have not used it yet. It is for a winter ale.

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/products/...ompound-extra-hot?_pos=2&_sid=caffcc67b&_ss=r

There's also a girly version if you are a wuss.

 

[Leon103]

I rubbed the outside of my fridge with wire wool and the paint stuck with no issues.

 

[labrewski]

Some bin primer should help before painting

 

[GerritT]

 

[The Baron]

Paint wise rubbing it with wirewool or fine sandpaper to give it a key should be fine. You should also wipe it with thinners or meths to remove the last bit of dust and any grease after that you can paint direct or prime first thats upto you. I personally would prime very lightly but I think it not absolutely essential in this situation

 

[Brew_DD2]

For the paint, Rustins Blackboard paint works well. I never had to prime, just a quick sand of the surface.

I was always a big fan of Beersmith but I've recently switched over to Brewfather app. Same detail as Beersmith with GUI much better.

 

[Jakeyboi]

I used chalkboard paint on my kegerator with no sanding and it went on fine, did have to give it a second coat though, happy birthday

 

[Brew_DD2]

I used chalkboard paint on my kegerator with no sanding and it went on fine, did have to give it a second coat though, happy birthday

Yeah I did two coats. Dries bloody quickly, so you can have it done in a morning.

 

[dhendy91]

Wow, had a couple of birthday beers and came back to all of this advise! Thanks guys!

Will check out the blackboard paint recommended by BREW DD2 and probably do the front door and see what I think :)

I have also now had a bit of a play with Brewers friend and created a Brew Devil Equipment profile based on the one from BeerSmith and then created a recipe using the water volume advice from Baron and it doesn't look to bad! I will also take a look at the brew father app.

 

[The Baron]

Set you efficiency at 70% when creating a recipe and you should be about right on Brewers Friend

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I used chalkboard vinyl on mine.

 

[dhendy91]

Just an update on this I tried to go the chalkboard Vinyl route last night but turns out Vinyl application is not one of my strong suits..... . So have relented and ordered the suggested paint from amazon which should be here today. Also kegged and force carbed my first beer on Wednesday!

Why oh why did i bother with bottles for 23L batches for so long back in the day

 

[dhendy91]

So I got the chalkboard paint on the front last night! Makes such a difference straight away. Think I'm going to paint more if it, quite limited to what I can paint though as I have to wait until our 4 month old puppy goes to bed.