Do I have to much equitment?

[cbzdel]

This is more of a overwhelming rant than anything else, not even looking for responses, just typing as I think it haha..

I started off getting a full on home brew "starter setup" with ZERO knowledge or experience. Then I started to save bottles, and though to myself, this is way to many bottles why not just keg it as who would NOT want a keggerator, so I got a full double corny setup :cross: So I bought a starter kit online and was shipped two by accident, the company said just keep the second one, they will lose money if they have it shipped back, great I have alot of stuff now.

So right now I own two of the following:
6.5 gallon primary fermenter with airlock/stopper & temperature strip
6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot
5 gallon glass carboy
bottle caper
siphon kit & hose
bottle filler
carboy brush
bottle brush
100 bottle caps
hydrometer

So I never plan on bottling, as I have a corny kegging system. So right off the bat I am looking at:
(2) 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot
(2) bottle caper
(2) bottle filler
(2) bottle brush
(2) 100 bottle caps
- All that I will probably never use, so I am guessing I should probably just sell this all on Craigslist??

But then I started thinking, it seems like people prefer (or so I have read) single stage fermentation for ales, which is probably all I will make because its what I like to drink. So do I really even need my glass carboys, or at least 2 of them, as they are 5 gallons I cant use them for my primary. Then thinking of it even more, if I used my bottling buckets w/ spigots as my primary I wouldn't even need a siphon kit, I could just transfer straight to the keg with a piece of hose, correct?

Any input on what I should actually keep? I like to keep things simple and easy, I just hate owning more than I will ever need, I would rather sell it off and use the space for items I need and use the money for things I can actually use. I think I am just overwhelmed with the amount of info that is out there haha..

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't say you'd "never" bottle, as sometimes I bottle from the keg for entering competitions and giving a few beers to friends, so a few bottles and caps (and capper) is extremely useful. Also, if you ever make a barley wine or a Belgian tripel, you may want to considering bottling that batch. Otherwise you'd tie up a keg for a year or more for a sipping beer.

You can't really rack to the keg with just some tubing, as you'll still want to siphon from above the trub. Those spigots, when the bucket is used for a primary, are full of trub and often the trub goes over the top of the spigot. Also, when you rack above the trub with the siphon set up, you can get out almost all of the beer simply by tilting the fermenter and using the racking cane- you can't do that with a bucket with a spigot on it.

I rarely use 5 gallon carboys, except for wine making, although I occasionally use one for oaking or dryhopping or something.

I think getting rid of one bottling bucket and one carboy would be fine, but you'll only get maybe $20 so I'd just keep them.

 

[cbzdel]

Makes since about the bottling buckets being used to ferment. I do not drink wine, never found one I liked and dont feel like experimenting with it so no need to every head that direction haha

I think I would be safe to get rid of my bottling equipment, but maybe save just save one caper for now as if I ever want to bottle from the keg, as the capper is the only somewhat expensive part.

My brewing cabinet is full right now so if I go to all grain I may get rid of one of my glass carboys so I have room in there for a HLT, Maybe I would even debate selling both of them and getting 1 better bottle.

I plan on keeping my two 6.5 gallon primary pales though, they are very easy to manage and the handle is nice.

 

[rklinck]

Definitely keep some bottling stuff. I have five kegs (three in a kegerator and two in my extra fridge). About 95% of the time, I am drinking beer out of kegs. But, I recently made an imperial stout that it currently getting fully carbed in one of the kegs. After its has been in the keg a couple of more weeks, I intend to transfer it to bottles because it is definitely a sipping beer for me. I also am in the process of bottling some of each of my beers to give to my brother when he comes to visit in a few weeks.

Definitely keep both fermenting buckets. If you get hooked, you will want as many fermenters as possible (I currently have 5 beers fermenting). The bottling buckets also come in handy from time to time -- I use one as the "stand" for my HLT when I brew. I have also used it to mill grain into.

I never got a 5 gallon carboy and would have no use for one.