commonlaw
Well-Known Member
It's been a long time since I've posted here. Mostly I've been happily brewing away and have made a lot of beer I'm happy with. But I'm starting to get the itch to improve my system. It just feels inefficient and kludgy.
My brother (with whom I brew) wondered what we could do if we each ponied up $1,000 to improve our setup. I'm curious what you guys think. My priorities (basically in order) are improved automation (e.g. simplifying the brew process and saving time), cleanliness / sanitation, beer quality, and possibly ability to do new things (like decoction mashing), saving money on ingredients.
Currently we are brewing 10 gallon batches and kegging. We heat water indoors on the stove in a large aluminum pot (and a bunch of other thrown together pots for additional sparge water) and carry it outdoors to mash in. We mash in a Gatorade cooler. We batch sparge. Boil is in a converted keg with an attached ball valve using propane on a turkey fryer. Fermentation is in 6.5g glass or plastic carboys. I have a temperature-controlled chest freezer. I have a stir plate for yeast and a 2L flask for making starters. I usually buy 2 things of yeast to add to the starter.
Problems encountered: not enough room in the mash tun to do 10 gallons of bigger beers. We cool with an immersion chiller that takes a long time and doesn't get the beer all that cold. Various pieces of equipment seem like they could be more sanitary (everything from the boil kettle to the carboys, tubes, airlocks, plugs etc. feel like they are not as easy to clean as they could be, especially the carboys and related equipment). Slow and inefficient heating and transfer of water for mashing and sparging.
Limitations: I rent, so I can't do any radical changes to the space. I will still be brewing in a small backyard with propane. There is access to electricity outside. When I start looking at gear, $2,000 doesn't seem like it necessarily buys that much. But I can't really imagine spending more unless I was going to try to legitimately start a nano-brewery somehow.
In any event, I'd love to hear thoughts on how you'd upgrade a brewery like this.
My brother (with whom I brew) wondered what we could do if we each ponied up $1,000 to improve our setup. I'm curious what you guys think. My priorities (basically in order) are improved automation (e.g. simplifying the brew process and saving time), cleanliness / sanitation, beer quality, and possibly ability to do new things (like decoction mashing), saving money on ingredients.
Currently we are brewing 10 gallon batches and kegging. We heat water indoors on the stove in a large aluminum pot (and a bunch of other thrown together pots for additional sparge water) and carry it outdoors to mash in. We mash in a Gatorade cooler. We batch sparge. Boil is in a converted keg with an attached ball valve using propane on a turkey fryer. Fermentation is in 6.5g glass or plastic carboys. I have a temperature-controlled chest freezer. I have a stir plate for yeast and a 2L flask for making starters. I usually buy 2 things of yeast to add to the starter.
Problems encountered: not enough room in the mash tun to do 10 gallons of bigger beers. We cool with an immersion chiller that takes a long time and doesn't get the beer all that cold. Various pieces of equipment seem like they could be more sanitary (everything from the boil kettle to the carboys, tubes, airlocks, plugs etc. feel like they are not as easy to clean as they could be, especially the carboys and related equipment). Slow and inefficient heating and transfer of water for mashing and sparging.
Limitations: I rent, so I can't do any radical changes to the space. I will still be brewing in a small backyard with propane. There is access to electricity outside. When I start looking at gear, $2,000 doesn't seem like it necessarily buys that much. But I can't really imagine spending more unless I was going to try to legitimately start a nano-brewery somehow.
In any event, I'd love to hear thoughts on how you'd upgrade a brewery like this.