Brewery Next Steps
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    JLW said: I need to upgrade my brewery some. I could buy a mill or a 15 gallon kettle or maybe something else. What do you fools think?
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I need to upgrade my brewery some. I could buy a mill or a 15 gallon kettle or maybe something else. What do you fools think?
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    jlw said:

    I need to upgrade my brewery some. I could buy a mill or a 15 gallon kettle or maybe something else. What do you fools think?



    The kettle is probaly the first investment I would make. The mill is a close second.

    The way I look at it, you can get your grain milled without paying much of a premium on the grain over full bag prices, but you can't have the lhbs boil it for you.

    C_B
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    This is what I was thinking. Plus I have a pretty limited schedule once the soccer season starts so I was thinking I could do low to medium gravity beers without a bigger mash tun (10 gallon igloo water cooler)? If I could brew 10 gallons of ipa instead of 5 then I increase my efficiency.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    jlw said:

    This is what I was thinking. Plus I have a pretty limited schedule once the soccer season starts so I was thinking I could do low to medium gravity beers without a bigger mash tun (10 gallon igloo water cooler)? If I could brew 10 gallons of ipa instead of 5 then I increase my efficiency.



    that's pretty much what i did. plus if you want to do something higher gravity you have a couple of greeat options.. supplement with a second brew in a bag mash, or just use malt extract.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    Lakewood said:

    jlw said:

    This is what I was thinking. Plus I have a pretty limited schedule once the soccer season starts so I was thinking I could do low to medium gravity beers without a bigger mash tun (10 gallon igloo water cooler)? If I could brew 10 gallons of ipa instead of 5 then I increase my efficiency.



    that's pretty much what i did. plus if you want to do something higher gravity you have a couple of greeat options.. supplement with a second brew in a bag mash, or just use malt extract.


    I hadn't thought about doing either of these. I figured I would just do 5 gal high gravity batches.
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I would love a single tier system with pumps and such but I'm not certain how realistic it is right now. PLus I really know my system and it's easy to break down and store in a closet.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    jlw said:

    Lakewood said:

    jlw said:

    This is what I was thinking. Plus I have a pretty limited schedule once the soccer season starts so I was thinking I could do low to medium gravity beers without a bigger mash tun (10 gallon igloo water cooler)? If I could brew 10 gallons of ipa instead of 5 then I increase my efficiency.



    that's pretty much what i did. plus if you want to do something higher gravity you have a couple of greeat options.. supplement with a second brew in a bag mash, or just use malt extract.


    I hadn't thought about doing either of these. I figured I would just do 5 gal high gravity batches.


    the brew in a bag is an easy way to get an all grain high gravity. and partial mash with 3-4 lbs of DME is even easier. i've got a 15 gal mash tun, and filling that i can get about 1.085 gravity @ 10 gal. throw some DME in there and you can hit 1.100.

    my first few all grain batches were entirely BIAB, i didn't even have a mash tun at first. just got a 15 gallon kettle and started there.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    jlw said:

    I would love a single tier system with pumps and such but I'm not certain how realistic it is right now. PLus I really know my system and it's easy to break down and store in a closet.




    if it aint broke, dont fix it.... unless you are looking for a project ;)

    the single tier will definitely require more maintenance. more parts to clean and maintain.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    personally, i believe that if you can do a 10 gal batch, there is no reason to do a 5 gal batch.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    Lakewood said:

    personally, i believe that if you can do a 10 gal batch, there is no reason to do a 5 gal batch.


    thats true. when I go to do this I may need help.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 122,708
    jlw said:

    Lakewood said:

    personally, i believe that if you can do a 10 gal batch, there is no reason to do a 5 gal batch.


    thats true. when I go to do this I may need help.


    any time. im always online ;)
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,786
    bigger kettle, definitely.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,786
    what's your burner situation? is it going to be able to "quickly" bring all that water/wort up to temps?
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    FromZwolle said:

    what's your burner situation? is it going to be able to "quickly" bring all that water/wort up to temps?



    I use a turkey fryer with propane. It seems to be powerful enough. But maybe not.
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    jlw said:

    FromZwolle said:

    what's your burner situation? is it going to be able to "quickly" bring all that water/wort up to temps?



    I use a turkey fryer with propane. It seems to be powerful enough. But maybe not.


    I use turkey fryers, I upped one of the regulators, with that mod I could easily boil a ten gallon batch, doesn't really take all that much longer, and the joys of ten gallons verses five is not to be underestimated.

    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 89,071
    jlw said:

    FromZwolle said:

    what's your burner situation? is it going to be able to "quickly" bring all that water/wort up to temps?



    I use a turkey fryer with propane. It seems to be powerful enough. But maybe not.

    I use a turkey fryer burner. This last brew day I don't think I ever got fully through hot break eventhough it boiled it never really stopped foaming. But it was cold outside. Usually it isn't a problem.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    turkey fryers are wildly different. depending on that situation, i would suggest a banjo burner, i love mine. i upgraded to it when i went to ten gallon batches. plus, the burner was only around 110 bucks, and you can use it for stuff besides beer too. good investment.

    but my old burner was just a wally fart special, so it wasn't very good.
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