Hello all, this is my first post with an actual question. The problem is I am brewing extract beers now with some good luck, and I can do between 3-5 5gal batches at a time. I am wanting to go into AG now but really not looking forward to the small payoff of 5 gallons of beer... With the Wife's permission since I finally agreed to a baby and she's now due in February, I get something I want! Lol, I have about $3k to spend on a brew system. The way I am I like to go big. So in y'all's opinion, what would the largest/best setup be that I could afford for only $3000? I know its hard to answer but I feel like I'm missing something in my research and it's kinda hard to plan out a brew shop without a base line of knowing what I can finish out for the money. Thanks everyone!
Going bigger!!!
- Thread starter Maxedout
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
nosnhojm20
Well-Known Member
3k is plenty. I spend $1800 on a e-herms system. Also afforded a fermentation chamber, stir plate (lazy and bought one), and an oxygen set up. What is your goal? Do you want to brew inside or out? Electric or gas? More than 5 gallons? I brew 5 at a pop, makes me brew more often which is awesome. Also, I am the only drinker in the house. I think if you provide more of a goal/parameters it will help with feedback.
nosnhojm20
Well-Known Member
Search the threads, a good sized chest freezer is on sale right now ($160 delivered if memory serves). Should be able to ferment/lager 10 gallons at a pop. Homebrew finds is your friend, and so is brewhardware.
sandyeggoxj
Well-Known Member
An electric keggle system word be slick. I started brewing electric and it is the greatest thing ever! Keggles are low cost and allow you to go stainless and do 5 or 10 gallon batches. Should still allow you to get things like a mill and such so that you can keep good brewing consistency.
paperairplane
Well-Known Member
The only issue with 10 gallon batches - is you then have 10 gallons of 1 beer to drink. I mainly do 5's so that I can keep more variety in the pipeline.
What do you want to ferment in vessel wise, and how do you control temp of fermentation?
To me, 20 batches in, that is the real decision and what affects quality most. Cool clean fermentation is the real key to homebrew.
I would look at something that could do 10 gallon batches of 1050 or lower beers - which gives you plenty of room for 1080 5 gallon batches. Absolutely kegged / keezer setup and absolutely a large freezer or fridge for fermentation / lagering.
For me, a single tier with 2 pumps and 15-20 gallon pots sounds about right.
What do you want to ferment in vessel wise, and how do you control temp of fermentation?
To me, 20 batches in, that is the real decision and what affects quality most. Cool clean fermentation is the real key to homebrew.
I would look at something that could do 10 gallon batches of 1050 or lower beers - which gives you plenty of room for 1080 5 gallon batches. Absolutely kegged / keezer setup and absolutely a large freezer or fridge for fermentation / lagering.
For me, a single tier with 2 pumps and 15-20 gallon pots sounds about right.
mikescooling
Well-Known Member
IMHO, if you went with the 25 gallon pots off amazon for $300, TIG welded in fittings for an E build, it would cost a grand, build a panel and cords for another grand, 3 pumps and full port SS cam locks is another grand. Then you have to save and buy stuff each month as funds allow. because the spending is endless
paperairplane
Well-Known Member
Chiller is a big decision too - 5 gallons is easy to cool - 20 gallons of boiling wort is a much different situation.
Thanks people! This is the kind of info I was looking for. All tat stuff that seems to slip your mind when trying to price out. Maybe I'm just thinking to big. 5 gallons is a lot of beer and I can ferment 5 batches at a time. With a 10gal setup, I could still to 5 gallons batches as well with the same equipment.
Would also be fun for experiments to be able to boil 10gal wort, an split ferment into 5 gallon batches to play with dry hopping, yeast, and temps.... Hmmmm. Such difficult decisions.
This whole thread is just a comedy! Dude, you "agreed to a baby"? Now that is just a laugh riot. Your wife is going to carry a baby for 9mos, go through the sickness, the hormones, the weight gain, etc, etc and then give birth in February. You think you are going to be free to brew on a fancy brewing system that you are still planning in September? You should take that $3k and invest it for the baby. I'm not joking. I quit playing golf and stopped brewing for a while after our second was born. They were just too much fun and I never regretted giving up my hobbies. They are both away in school now and I miss them EVERY day. But what the hell, it is beer we're talking about. Since you are starting kinda fresh, I would suggest automated electric.
I'm 53 now and can buy about anything I want. I have been doing this since the mid 1990s and the biggest thing left on my wish list is a really big sink in my brewing area to make cleaning easier. I would suggest you consider something that is easy to clean. You'll need all the time you can squeeze out of a day soon.
You will also need more than the mash tun, brew kettle and HLT. You need the ability to chill wort, hoses, quick disconnects or tri-clamps, good fermenters, a way to control fermentation temperature, pumps, water filtration, lab equipment etc, etc. You'll grow tired of bottling and want kegs a keezer, etc, etc, etc
You better get started soon
I'm 53 now and can buy about anything I want. I have been doing this since the mid 1990s and the biggest thing left on my wish list is a really big sink in my brewing area to make cleaning easier. I would suggest you consider something that is easy to clean. You'll need all the time you can squeeze out of a day soon.
You will also need more than the mash tun, brew kettle and HLT. You need the ability to chill wort, hoses, quick disconnects or tri-clamps, good fermenters, a way to control fermentation temperature, pumps, water filtration, lab equipment etc, etc. You'll grow tired of bottling and want kegs a keezer, etc, etc, etc
You better get started soon
OMFG, Limulus. You just hit the nail on the head. Too frickin funny!
My wife and I though the same thing while she was pregnant, "oh, no worries! We'll have plenty of time to brew as much as we did before!" Not so much... We've brewed twice since then (he's 11 months old). Just now have we "recovered" and started really brewing more often. But! I wouldn't change a thing. I've been having waay too much fun with the little guy to think much about brewing.
To the OP, I would recommend thinking as much as possible about making the brew day as easy as it possibly can be. Quick and painless is key! We're building a single tier, 2 pump, 3 keggle system with a 1/2 bbl fermenter in a ferm chamber to do just that. Easy. As. Possible.
Congrats on the soon to be new addition!
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
My wife and I though the same thing while she was pregnant, "oh, no worries! We'll have plenty of time to brew as much as we did before!" Not so much... We've brewed twice since then (he's 11 months old). Just now have we "recovered" and started really brewing more often. But! I wouldn't change a thing. I've been having waay too much fun with the little guy to think much about brewing.
To the OP, I would recommend thinking as much as possible about making the brew day as easy as it possibly can be. Quick and painless is key! We're building a single tier, 2 pump, 3 keggle system with a 1/2 bbl fermenter in a ferm chamber to do just that. Easy. As. Possible.
Congrats on the soon to be new addition!
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
