Equipment starter?

[Krougar]

I'm looking to the future of my brewing right now. I hope to get a good handle on things and attempt some all-grain brewing at least before the year is up (Hello Christmas gifts!). After talking to a few people and reading up on what all-grain brewing involves, I'd like some advice from you guys on what I need to invest in to turn my extract equipment into a full all-grain brewing source.

Right now I have nothing higher than a good quality 5.5 US gal. stainless brewing pot, as well as stainless stock pots ranging down from that at 4, 3, and 2 gal. I don't, as yet, have a good temperature controlled environment such as a seperate refrigerator and/or lagering cooler. I'm lead to believe that the only thing I -really- need is something of the sort.

It's easy as hell to pick up an extract brewing kit anywhere around the world, but I'd like to know what you guys would put in a "kit" if you were going to sell one for all grain brewing.

Thanks for any input!

(ps) Sorry, I forgot to mention that I'd rather see opinions about converting my existing situation primarily, not links to sites that sell towers or sets of what I need...I'm trying to save some money at the start :)

[Jughead]

If you want to save money, you can do full boils using your existing pots (you may have to split the wort between a couple of them). You can also boil on the kitchen stove to save buying a burner. You'll need a mash/lauter tun. The cheapest way to go is likely a converted cooler. Palmer has instructions to make one, and there have been lots of threads here lately.

Will your grain supplier crush the grain for you? Are you set up with some kind of wort chiller yet?

That's about it for essentials.

All-grain does not mean that you need a temp. controlled environment. The fermentation temps are the same as when you were doing extracts.

Have fun!

[Stumptown]

In order to avoid making an easy process difficult, I'd suggest that the following are what you need to go all grain:

1. Mash/lauter tun -- can be made easily for like $30. Don't spend a fortune buying one from a brew store. It won't work any better.

2. Pot big enough to do a full wort boil (7.5 gallons or larger). You CAN split your batch into several pots but that, to me, is nuts. Again, you don't need to buy a $180 polarware pot. You can find 7.5 gallon pots out there for $30 if you look. They will work just fine.

3. Wort chiller. With 5 gallons of wort, it will take all day to cool without one of these.

4. Propane burner -- You can buy one for $20. Unless your stove has a super-powered burner, it will take you all day to get your wort to boil.

5. Thermometer -- You've got to know the temperature of your strike and sparge water, and of your mash.

Am I forgetting anything? In my opinion, it will be more frustrating than rewarding if you start all grain without adequate equipment. You can get this stuff in pieces. I'd suggest that you get the big pot, wort chiller and the propane burner first. These items alone will greatly improve your extract beers. After you digest that expense, get the mash tun.

[Jughead]

Originally posted by Stumptown
Unless your stove has a super-powered burner, it will take you all day to get your wort to boil.


I split the boil in two pots on two burners on my stove and it only takes about 30 minutes to bring them both to a boil. Plus I can start heating one while I'm still lautering into the other. With the weather where I live, outdoor brewing is not always an option, and the stove works great for me.

Also, with the smaller pots, you could get away without the chiller by sticking with the ice in the bathtub idea. You can start all grain really cheap, and add equipment as you go.

I agree with Stumptown on the thermometer. I would spend a few bucks and get a good one.

Cheers