What are you buying?

[MrC]

A recent auction for a stainless conical fermenter has made me ask myself some serious questions about what I should buy next for my 'Brewery'.

So here's a hypothetical question. If you were going to spend, say, $200 - $500 on beer gear, what would you buy?

I'd be looking at the beginnings of a kegging setup.

[jt]

Aww, what happened to the momentary Super Alpha craze ?

[JoKing]

I'm still riding that bike mate - simcoe, amarillo and auper alpha!!!

[Rusty Chch]

I sat down a few months ago and tried to prioritise the things I really wanted to get me along in the AG world.

In order I wanted:
1. A fermentation fridge
2. a temp controller
3. a kegging setup
4. a mashtun

I added up the price and briefly considered jacking brewing in. I'm ok now though.

For $500 I'd get a mash tun and a few small things like an autosyphon, a bunch more fermenters

[jt]

Yup, go with an investment, not a dream.
You can ferment in plastic, but it's a long, long lifetime washing bottles.
Forget the bling, buy the kegs.

[Richee]

$500 budget

-Corny Kegs from Hallertau - buy 2 roughly $150 ??
-Old freezer (chest) $150
-Temperature controller $100
-Tap setup and disconnect etc, you'll find taps on trademe $150?? plus disconnects

Oh my good I've just realised I've spent way more than $500!!! Better have a beer to console myself.

Hmmm haven't kept to your $500 upper limit, never mind.

Rich

[Ged]

Good question and very tough given the aladdins cave I now see everytime I log into craftbrewer or morebeer...Thank god for a very supportive mrs otherwise I'd be screwed...

Just now I am drooling over these but given its $500 I reckon I could buy half a 38 litre and just about cover postage and GST this side of the water...Anyone know someplace local (NZ) that can become a distributor of these. The US parent company only sells through distributors and the only one this side of the world is in OZ.

http://www.ibrew.com.au/html/equipment/Boilermaker/Boilermaker.htm

[Greig McGill]

Wonder if our friendly neighbourhood Liberty crew are keen? Of course, one is too busy cycling and being a Yeastie Boy, and the other is swanning around in the US drinking what remains of the US hops! ;)

[James P]

The first $500 would be as follows (most home made):

HLT - electric ($100 - 1/2 old copper hot water cylinder with heating element.)
Mash tun ($200 - rubbermaid 10 gallon with home made tap and mesh hose, I love the rubbermaid!!)
Whirpool chiller ($130 15 metre 3.4 coil with assorted angled bends etc)
New fermenter (or carboy) $55 - 75

[Stu McKinlay]

chest freezer / temp controller

Going to do it in the next month too. I'm about to have four kegs full and no fridge space.

Only thing holding me back is my fantasy of building a little cool room.

[Kempicus]

$150 worth of extract
$150 worth of specialty grain
$200 worth of hops

[jt]

Extract is bloody dear these days - $15 a tin of black rock last time I looked - you won't get many

[Kempicus]

hmmmm might have to buy all grain gear with that cash.....;0)