Besides the standard kit (or more expensive options like a Grainfather) what additions have you added to your equipment to make your brewing easier
Brew/Ferment fridge
2nd hand fridge from Adverts, etc
~€50
Inkbird/STC/BrewPi
~€30
Greenhouse heater
~€20
Should be the next bit of equipment you buy, after your first kit; transforms your brewing.
Autosyphon. Great piece of kit.
Quote from: irish_goat on April 08, 2018, 03:48:04 PM
Autosyphon. Great piece of kit.
I don't know how people cope without one!
Mill and Drill - Freshly milled malt for every batch.
I've gotta say I'd be lost without my brewpi
Chugger pump for transferring mash water, recirculating wort through herms, transferring sparge water, transferring wort to boiler, recirculating the wort for chilling and finally for recirculating cleaning solution and clean water at the end of the brew day. Would be absolutely lost without it. It was a large outlay but have it for three years now and it still going strong.
Shanna
Quote from: mick02 on April 08, 2018, 08:37:52 PM
I've gotta say I'd be lost without my brewpi
This. My first good beers came as soon as I got this. Also an o2 kit had a big impact.
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Software.
I have brew smith, but use Biabacus ( it's set up for biab) I invested time getting to know it, and now find I can get very predictable results. I also use brun Water. Again, all leads to predictable and repeatable results.
Lots of good software out there, but does need a few runs and time to tune your system. But definitely worth it
And for me, RO system. Allows for a consistent water profile
Also, reliable measurement instruments - thermometer (thermopen and multiple thermocouples) , scales (decent salter, plus a know weight for calibration), volume markings for all vessels (verify any embossed graduations. Use water by weight to verify litre levels).
Quote from: Slev on April 10, 2018, 11:25:37 PM
And for me, RO system. Allows for a consistent water profile
Also, reliable measurement instruments - thermometer (thermopen and multiple thermocouples) , scales (decent salter, plus a know weight for calibration), volume markings for all vessels (verify any embossed graduations. Use water by weight to verify litre levels).
100% agree on calibrated instruments. If you want to improve your beers you will be relying on luck without good instruments.
Cheap refractometer from eBay, for under a tenner, is great for all sorts of rapid brewday gravity calcs.
The stirplate has made me very happy. I don't have a flask, but I did get a rum bottle that looks remarkably like a conical flask, that I'm looking forward to trying out.
Haven't gone down the software route as it is well without my capabilities, but I imagine it's a lot of fun, and really useful.
Kegerator! Fresh draught beer rocks the party that rocks the party. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180412/d17c2646e8f66236ab1c646b45b8ffcd.jpg)
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Quote from: Slev on April 10, 2018, 11:16:09 PM
Software.
I have brew smith, but use Biabacus ( it's set up for biab) I invested time getting to know it, and now find I can get very predictable results. I also use brun Water. Again, all leads to predictable and repeatable results.
Lots of good software out there, but does need a few runs and time to tune your system. But definitely worth it
For me Beersmith is invaluable. I don't have a lot of the items above, but Beersmith allows you to gauge what to expect from your recipe and also helps make adjustments on the fly as you sometimes have to.
Quote from: mac2k on April 12, 2018, 11:31:47 PM
Quote from: Slev on April 10, 2018, 11:16:09 PM
Software.
I have brew smith, but use Biabacus ( it's set up for biab) I invested time getting to know it, and now find I can get very predictable results. I also use brun Water. Again, all leads to predictable and repeatable results.
Lots of good software out there, but does need a few runs and time to tune your system. But definitely worth it
For me Beersmith is invaluable. I don't have a lot of the items above, but Beersmith allows you to gauge what to expect from your recipe and also helps make adjustments on the fly as you sometimes have to.
+1 on this, Beersmith is fantastic value for money. Great for formulating recipes as well.
Oat husks are something I always have on hand and use in every brew that oats are in the recipe.
Recently got a pulley and a pump which has has helped with my biab system. Recirculation works a treat and no broken back anymore
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