Experienced Brewers Advice Please

[Jonnycheech]

 Hi all,

first time poster, thanks for having me!

I am making the move to all-grain after a few extract brews and I am unsure about which equipment I should buy. I have been reading around the boards feverishly but I still need some help, this is were all you experienced beerosseurs come in.

1) HLT - I have a 32l SS pot that I used for extracts but it has no tap, thermometer or water level on it. Should I upgrade to an electric boiler for ease of use or stick with the SS pot? Would anybody recommend where I could get the tap and other accessories welded on?

2) MLT - I am thinking of getting an insulated box for the mash, lauter and sparge, but have read of people using separate pots to mash and lauter? Also do people prefer false bottoms or pipes with slits for drainage?

3) Brew kettle - gas or electric? Anybody recommend a good kettle? I was thinking about geting this one.

http://www.mybeerandwine.ie/grain-equipment-brew-kettles-c-152_156_170.html

4) Chiller - I have read around the boards that most people would for an IC over a plate due to cleanliness and speed?

5) Grain mill - anyone recommend a not too pricey mill?

I have some fermenters, heaters, bottles, etc. so should be good there but if there is anything that someone thinks I would be missing out on please shout.

Thanks for your help,
Johnny 

[halite]

Hi Johnny,

Ask homebrewers their opinion and you get a lot of different answers, we all do the same thing, but slightly different. Here are my suggestions:

1) HLT - I have a 32l SS pot that I used for extracts but it has no tap, thermometer or water level on it. Should I upgrade to an electric boiler for ease of use or stick with the SS pot? Would anybody recommend where I could get the tap and other accessories welded on?

If you can convert this the capacity would be perfect for a HLT. Find a friend who has a decent step drill and some cutting fluid, then buy a weldless kit for the tap. Weldless thermometer can also be added.

2) MLT - I am thinking of getting an insulated box for the mash, lauter and sparge, but have read of people using separate pots to mash and lauter? Also do people prefer false bottoms or pipes with slits for drainage?

Nearly everyone starts off with an insulated cooler box for their mash tun (I did), I have since upgraded to a SS MT from Hop & Grape. Go with the cooler box and a copper manifold, this is not too expensive and you can upgrade to an SS pot later if you prefer.

3) Brew kettle - gas or electric? Anybody recommend a good kettle? I was thinking about getting this one.

http://www.mybeerandwine.ie/grain-equipment-brew-kettles-c-152_156_170.html

I have no experience with gas, but electric works great for me. I got a SS BK from hop & grape and I am really happy with it, similar to the one on the link above. Alternatively if you want to save some cash convert a 33 litre fermenter with two kettle elements and a tap!

4) Chiller - I have read around the boards that most people would for an IC over a plate due to cleanliness and speed?

I use an IC chiller, I did recently look into plate chillers but it would seem that the advantages (if any) do not justify the time and money. Typically I can cool my wort (30-35 litres) in about 30 minutes.

5) Grain mill - anyone recommend a not too pricey mill?

Corona Grain mill mounted in a fermenting bucket, replace the handle with a bolt and drive with a drill. They were on special offer at the homebrew company recently.

Best of luck with it.

[Ciderhead]

Thats a lot of consultancy for a first poster!
Welcome to the forum btw.
trawl a bit more and you will get more info as all of your questions are covered in the forum, some in the members section and been debated to death.
As an intro offer 
Q3 I will tell you that very few of us use gas, its just too expensive, up to twice the cost per brew, and you always run out mid brew.
The majority use kegs with a few using modified plastic boilers and then an odd one uses stainless double or single skinned pots.

Don't forget to become a member!

[DEMPSEY]

What are your DIY skills like. Halite is right about using a cooler box as a Mash Tun and for me its electric for the Kettle. If you decide to use bog standard electric kettle elements then the hole you need to drill is 38mm.Oh and Welcome to the forum.

[Eoin]

The other option is BIAB where you just need a boiler and a bag.

It's producing very good beers and a great way to get started in AG brewing for the least investment.

Some guys go from three vessel systems to BIAB exclusively and some go from BIAB to 3 vessel...possibly more in this direction than the former.

[Jonnycheech]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Halite - thanks for the tips. Hop & Grape looks to have some nice bits alright and I think I'll buy that SS BK, looks good. Now the question is one or two elements.

Ciderhead - thanks for the intro offer, I'll go with electric so. Sorry if I'm a looking for a lot for a first post, just don't want to be regretting my buys. I have applied for membership btw   

Dempsey - my diy skills are mediocre, wouldn't mind getting up and running soon though.

Eoin - thanks for the BIAB, I didn't know about that. I think i'm going head first into AG though.

Cheers

[Shane Phelan]

I would definitely go with two. There are several advantages:

You can have the two on to heat water/wort quicker and flick one off when you have a rolling boil. (This saves a lot of time)
If you are brewing a high gravity wort and one of them cuts out due to scorching you can flick on the other one to finish the boil.

[Ciderhead]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Ciderhead - thanks for the intro offer, I'll go with electric so. Sorry if I'm a looking for a lot for a first post, just don't want to be regretting my buys. I have applied for membership btw   

ok based on your application
are you handy with pipework building stuff etc as you can save yourself a lot
It really depends how much you want to spend and how quickly you want to start brewing
If you are in a hurry go plastic buckets with elements, picnic mash tun with bazooka and you can brew.
Its a great way to "cut your teeth and learn basic before you scale up or clear the bank balance.

Where are you at on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a kit brewer, 10 being a 100 Litre batch semi pro. brewer.
btw there is nothing wrong with kit brewing we all started there and the NHC has some really clever kit brewers who can mod the hell out of their kits.

[Ciderhead]

I would definitely go with two. There are several advantages:

You can have the two on to heat water/wort quicker and flick one off when you have a rolling boil. (This saves a lot of time)
If you are brewing a high gravity wort and one of them cuts out due to scorching you can flick on the other one to finish the boil.

+1 

[Jonnycheech]

Thanks Shiny, two elements it is so. That sounds like a man talking from experience!

I guess I'd be pretty low on the food chain Ciderhead, coming in at about a 2 or 3 on the scale. I have done a good few kit brews but I have also done a few brews were I have added hops to extract. I suppose the next logical step would be to do an extract brew and steep some grain, but I'm going to skip that step. My background is in science and I like to cook so I think I have the relevant skills. I am very eager to get going so I think I'll just start cheap and scale up later when I feel the need.

Thanks for all the help.

[Kieran the Human]

Don't worry too much about skipping the steeping grains step, my first 3 brews were extract then I went straight to all-grain, no problems whatsoever.

Definitely go for 2 elements, shinys spot on, you're screwed if an element cuts out on you mid boil without a back up.

The cheap tesco kettles with the switch at the bottom are very easy to take apart and rebuild plus you get a nice "everythings ok" light

[Ciderhead]

I went from kits straight to AG, I feel I missed out
Argos Value Kettles as well.

[Jonnycheech]

Are these the kettles your talking about Ciderhead?

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10152&langId=111&q=KETTLES&pp=20&r_001=1|Brands|Argos+Value+Range|1

Is it easy enough to get the element out? Also that's a two piece kettle, how does one fashion it for a BK element?

[DEMPSEY]

Yes The €7.49 priced kettle has a 2.2Kw element. You will need a get a kettle lead with the 3 pin sealed head. The same lead used on your computer only this lead cable is not recommended as the computer one is lighter. The element has 3 retaining screws that hold it on. very easy to break.

[Ciderhead]

Yep just search forum for Argos