deluxe all-grain system

[jaw005]

looking to start doing all-grain and searching for all the equipment and found this. http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...xe-ags/deluxe-all-grain-system-10-gallon.html

is it more cost effective to buy most of it elsewhere or go with this "kit" from Northern Brewer.
it is also 20% off on friday

thanks

 

[lemmiwinks]

Definitely more cost effective to get the coolers and fittings from HD or Lowes.
You can build two coolers for under $100 total and then buy a kettle with what's left over.
Plus, you can pick up a bazooka tube for $20 at your LHBS instead of the false bottom.

 

[SpikeBrewing]

20% plus having everything already done and ready to pick up would be nice. I'm tempted to drive down HWY 100 to see how big the line is Friday!

 

[tre9er]

Wait, where's the BK? Its just two coolers, bulkheads/valves, tubing and a false bottom?? For $250? Am I missing something??

 

[Monster Mash]

Wait, where's the BK? Its just two coolers, bulkheads/valves, tubing and a false bottom?? For $250? Am I missing something??

Nope, they know there are a lot of people that can't turn a screwdriver or have more money then time, they are cashing in on those people.

 

[tre9er]

I'm not hating, but wow...I did two vessel for about $90 when I first started, kettle, cooler tun, BIAB voile cloth, racking/sanitizing and ale pail. I mean, this kit still needs fermenters and all of the racking/sanitizing, etc.

Hell, you can build a mash tun for about $50 and the HLT can be your kettle, too, just grab your ale pail for collecting first runnings. Bang, under $100 and you're brewing all grain. Or BIAB single vessel for even less. There's a 15g aliminum kettle on instawares for like $55. Voile cloth and an ale pail, done.

 

[Markd27]

Wow, $90? I first started all grain for about $20, just did my mash in trash bags and boiled in my microwave.

Seriously, $250 for that is no bargain, but it's not that far off. Two coolers, $50 each, two bulkheads and brass ball valves, $50, stainless false bottom plus hose barbs and hoses, $50. Add tax for local purchases and you are probably spending a little over $200 retail for the parts. They are allowed to make a profit right?

The "OMG, that's a rip-off, I can do it cheaper" crowd kills me sometimes. For someone that would like to get everything from one place, in a package, and is willing to pay a little bit of a premium, this is not that bad a deal.

 

[lemmiwinks]

Wow, $90? I first started all grain for about $20, just did my mash in trash bags and boiled in my microwave.

Seriously, $250 for that is no bargain, but it's not that far off. Two coolers, $50 each, two bulkheads and brass ball valves, $50, stainless false bottom plus hose barbs and hoses, $50. Add tax for local purchases and you are probably spending a little over $200 retail for the parts. They are allowed to make a profit right?

The "OMG, that's a rip-off, I can do it cheaper" crowd kills me sometimes. For someone that would like to get everything from one place, in a package, and is willing to pay a little bit of a premium, this is not that bad a deal.

When the question was is it more cost effective to buy the items and do it himself, the answer most certainly is yes. Didn't say it was a rip off or that they can't make a profit but, for the cost of 2 coolers and parts at Home Depot, I'd much rather spend $100 and spend 20 minutes assembling them and save $150 for ingredients, other equipment, etc. Just my $.02


Cheers

 

[rustym]

Hell, you can build a mash tun for about $50 and the HLT can be your kettle, too, just grab your ale pail for collecting first runnings. QUOTE]

I agree with this! I know a lot of people use the coolers as their HLT but I don't care for the idea. I like being able to raise or lower the heat and control it more with my burner. My first AG batches were done exactly as tre9er said and I quoted. With the Home Depot cooler and some parts from the "Cheap and Easy Mash Tun" thread, you can build this so easy. If you absolutely can't or don't want to DIY, then buying one cooler Mash Tun, already built, will get you there and still save money.

But at the end of the day, as was stated earlier, $250 not a bad price for everything there. I just don't like using the cooler as HLT.

 

[kombat]

Hell, you can build a mash tun for about $50 and the HLT can be your kettle, too, just grab your ale pail for collecting first runnings.

Is that safe? Is the (presumeably) HDPE plastic in an Ale Pail rated to endure the 150+ F temperatures of a mash first runnings? Or would it leech chemicals into the wort?

 

[kombat]

The "OMG, that's a rip-off, I can do it cheaper" crowd kills me sometimes. For someone that would like to get everything from one place, in a package, and is willing to pay a little bit of a premium, this is not that bad a deal.

No kidding. Seriously, this is a homebrewing crowd. Do you guys never buy store-bought beer? "LOLZ, OMG $19 for 24 beer? I could brew 5 gallons for less cash, and it would taste better! Ripoff!"

 

[rustym]

Well, we mash at ~148 - 160 in a plastic cooler, right? For an hour or more.

 

[kombat]

Well, we mash at ~148 - 160 in a plastic cooler, right? For an hour or more.

Hmm, good point. Still, I'd feel a lot better about it if someone came forward and said, "See the Recycling triangle on the bottom with the number '5' (or whatever it is) in the middle? That means it's good up to boiling."

 

[oakbarn]

Check out Stout. http://conical-fermenter.com/

If I had my way, I would have bought all my equipment from John. We bought a Blickmann 10 gal at Homebrew Headquarters (LHBS) and it worked fine for many a brew. We want to go bigger so we purchased a 20 gal Blickmann. I wanted the Stout 19.8 gal BK but was over ruled by my beer buddies. We had purchaced a 14.5 Conical from Stout and were very happy with it. The problem with the Blickmann's is that they tend to leak over time and you have to replace o rings. Additionally I can clean the Ball Valves from stout in a few minutes (just seconds to take apart and re assemble). I will replace the 20 Gal Blickmann with a Stout 19.8 in the future. My 10 gal will be mounted on a wall as a Trophy!

The lead time is long but worth the wait. Get TC Themowells if going "custom".