Beer Forum

Good Evening All,

I have been digging all over the forums, and wasn't really able to get an answer to the following question - "What should I upgrade with/to now?"

A little back ground, I have been stockpiling cash from selling off some cornies, poker (20 here and there with buddies), etc, and have built up a $300 and change surplus. Now I want to add to my equipment. I stil haven't gone AG yet, though I had planned to, but I do have a 10 Gal round Cooler when I get there.

I have a 15 Gal SS Kettle, Burner, Refractometer, 3 6.5 gal. Carboys, 3 5 Gal. Carboys, Draft system, 20 Cornies, Big Chest Freezer ( I said Big Chest), Standup Fridge/Freezer, 2 Analog Thermostats, Pond Pump Aeration system with Stone, Jamil Style Whirlpool Immersion Chiller, March Pump, a number of Polysuphone QDs, and Stir Plate.

What now? Is a Grain mill the next need, or should I spend the money putting together an AG system. OR, do I keep building the cash a little more and go in for a SS Conical?

I guess I have hit a bit of a wall on this, and was hoping you's all could help me get back on track.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Edited title due to a minor subject change.

I guess I don't really see a whole lot that you need to buy to go All Grain. If you batch sparge, just some miscellaneous plumbing parts? I do all grain with a lot less equipment than you have.

If I were you, I'd get a grain mill, spend a little bit to go all-grain, and save the rest. Spend it on bulk grain. Or buy something for your wife. Or save it. Did I mention you could save it?

But that's just me.

You can build a MLT for next to nothing. A mill you can't.

A mill is a vital part of any home brewery. With a mill you can eliminate one vital variable in your brew house efficiency.... the crush. It also allows you to brew cheaper by buying base malt by the sack.

I think I paid $115 for my Barley Crusher. I avoided shipping by meeting the guy who makes them to pick it up. Even if you pay shipping your up to what $150 at most? You still have $150 to make a nice MLT and even buy some grain.

Having a stand alone HLT is nice but not a must. You can always add that later.

With every thing you already have I would just bite the bullet and get a mill. I think it was the best $100 I spent on my brewery.

Definitely make a mill your next purchase. With the stuff you already have, going to all grain shouldn't cost more than $20, most likely less.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

I agree, a mill.

Get two coolers, one for your HLT and the second for your MT. Plumb the MT for Denny style Batch sparging.

Then use the rest of the cash for some building materials to build a brew stand or something like that.

Thanks for the responses!

I was thinking the GM, I was just testing the water to see if anything else jumped out. I am pretty mechanically inclined so I am not too weary about making my own MT and HLT.

Now the follow up question, any mill to die for? Any I should steer clear of? I use NB quite often when I need stuff my LHBS doesn't have, and was looking at the Crankandsteins. Is a three roller mill going to give me much of a performance, crush quality or consistency boost, that it warrants the extra cash? I do have a couple 1 HP 120V/1P motors from work that I can use to motorize whichever mill I go for.

Thanks again for any help!

Hammy

Mitch-

Glad to see that you are planning to move to "All Grain". After tasting your beers with the Christmas Exchange, you have the process down, going to "All Grain" will allow you to play and tweak a lot more variables.

If you have money left over, look into temperature control for the ferment (ales and Lagers), this is what has helped my brewing over the last couple years.

Take care,
-Greg

P.S. Just enjoyed the New Glarus after taking the BJCP exam, and it was a real treat (Thanks again).

Chiming in late, but I really think my 8G plastic conical was one of my better buys. I HATED doing transfers from carboys. I had already switched to fermenting in cornies, and the conical was a better solution (though I still use a corny when I'm fermenting 2 beers in the fridge).

I still haven't figured out how to save and reuse yeast, but it has made of the tasks I hated the most easier.