What equipment would you least like to be without?

[Polcho]

My Grainfather conical fermenter. Temp control is great. If I get bugger all else right, at least I don’t have to wonder about the fermentation temperature.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

The £1 buckets from B&Q. Most brewdays involve at least two of them.

 

[obscure]

After cleaning out my fermentor just now I am tempted to add an electric shower makes life so much easier.

 

[TonyT]

Thermometer.

 

[Beerwegoagain]

Drinking water standard compliant hose. Makes filling my HLT from the tap so much easier.

Just moving from kitchen brewing to my manhcave in the garage. Do I assume standard B&Q hoses are slightly less than desirable for drinking water? Been thinking to run from the outside tap (clean mains) but wasn't sure about hoses. Needs to be flexible. Any pointers much appreciated ta

 

[pasgrampa2]

Just a standard bottling stick that can be bought from just about every HBS, which fits the tap on a 23 litre plastic tub.

 

[Mayor of Simpleton]

Just moving from kitchen brewing to my manhcave in the garage. Do I assume standard B&Q hoses are slightly less than desirable for drinking water? Been thinking to run from the outside tap (clean mains) but wasn't sure about hoses. Needs to be flexible. Any pointers much appreciated ta

Something like this should do the job.

 

[Agentgonzo]

The £1 buckets from B&Q. Most brewdays involve at least two of them.

They've doubled in price since I bought mine years ago!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Apart from the essential stuff, the thing I'd least like to do without is probably the counterflow chiller... speeds up my brew days by about 45 mins I think

 

[AnimatedGIF]

Apart from the essential stuff, the thing I'd least like to do without is probably the counterflow chiller... speeds up my brew days by about 45 mins I think

This is top of my wishlist as I can't tolerate chilling with my immersion chiller. They're out of stock on Malt Miller at the moment though (I am too time-poor to make one right now).

 

[OldPeculiar]

Brewzilla 3.1.1 So much easier, and less to clean up, since moving away from the 3 vessel system, although always have that as a back up and would never part with it. Too many memories...

 

[MrJay83]

The same could be said for my grainfather. So much more enjoyable than my old 3-vessel plastic setup

True. I do get enjoyment out of using my brewzilla rather than just dumping hot water into the bucket with the extract.

 

[Druncan]

My two stainless steel buckets and my water meter. Life is so much easier filling the unitanks accurately. My recipes are suddenly repeatable. Looks like this. With TC fittings it's great; iplusmile Lead Free Potable Water Meter Digital Tap Water Meter DN15 Cold Water Meter with Two Adapter Single Water Flow Dry Table Measuring Tool : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

1 - Auto syphon with attached little bottler (bottling stick)

2 - Heat pad for winter months.

A quick few questions if I may,

The heat pad, is it worth getting if my house is poorly heated?

Will a heat pad by itself be sufficient to keep a brew bucket (usually wine) warm enough? Or will I need to wrap it in blankets or something as well?

Do I need a thermostat with a heat pad and what temp would you set it to?

Which heat pad do you recommend?

Many thanks. I appreciate this is quite a list of questions.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Brew fridge and immersion chiller.

 

[MrJay83]

A quick few questions if I may,

The heat pad, is it worth getting if my house is poorly heated?

Will a heat pad by itself be sufficient to keep a brew bucket (usually wine) warm enough? Or will I need to wrap it in blankets or something as well?

Do I need a thermostat with a heat pad and what temp would you set it to?

Which heat pad do you recommend?

Many thanks. I appreciate this is quite a list of questions.

Probably not the answer you're looking for but might give you something to think about.
Get an undercounter fridge off gumtree, an inkbird and a brew belt/pad/tube. I managed to get all three for about £100. Been a game changer for me.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Probably not the answer you're looking for but might give you something to think about.
Get an undercounter fridge off gumtree, an inkbird and a brew belt/pad/tube. I managed to get all three for about £100. Been a game changer for me.

Yes I noticed this combination of products mentioned elsewhere and would seem like a great idea to me were it not for the price tag.

I consider myself something of a budget brewer, hence attempting to achieve an acceptable temperature with blankets lol. However it occurs to me; if the addition of a heat pad is all I need to keep winter brewing this is an attractive prospect to me.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

A quick few questions if I may,

The heat pad, is it worth getting if my house is poorly heated?
Will a heat pad by itself be sufficient to keep a brew bucket (usually wine) warm enough? Or will I need to wrap it in blankets or something as well?
Do I need a thermostat with a heat pad and what temp would you set it to?
Which heat pad do you recommend?
Many thanks. I appreciate this is quite a list of questions.

The heat pad, is it worth getting if my house is poorly heated?
Yes my kitchen is currently at 18c and the FV of wine is at 28c (no controller)

Will a heat pad by itself be sufficient to keep a brew bucket (usually wine) warm enough? Or will I need to wrap it in blankets or something as well?
No extra help will be needed to keep it above 20c even in the middle of winter.

Do I need a thermostat with a heat pad and what temp would you set it to?
No mine has never got above 28c.
(it's a 25w heat pad)

Which heat pad do you recommend?
I bought mine from Wilko years ago they no longer sell them.
Have a look at the one below mine is solid plastic but these seem very popular now i like the fact it has a thermal cut out for peace of mind -

https://www.geterbrewed.com/flexible-heat-pad/
@Mr_S_Jerusalem

 

[Stan's Brew]

A quick few questions if I may,

The heat pad, is it worth getting if my house is poorly heated?

Will a heat pad by itself be sufficient to keep a brew bucket (usually wine) warm enough? Or will I need to wrap it in blankets or something as well?

Do I need a thermostat with a heat pad and what temp would you set it to?

Which heat pad do you recommend?

Many thanks. I appreciate this is quite a list of questions.

With insulation under and around the heat pad and vessel then you will probably be OK, off a concrete floor and out of any breeze.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Many thanks guys that’s very helpful. Reckon I’ll get one of them.

Oh yes I appreciate I just rammed my way into this thread, so:

The equipment I would least like to be without is clearly a brew bucket, also hydrometer (SO useful) and siphon tube.