Home brew set ups?

[beatts]

Hi,

Just wondering how people go about their homebrewing in terms of what is on the go at any one time?

Do people generally have one kit in the fermenter, one ready to drink and perhaps one being conditioned?

I only have the one pressure barrel for now but I have a few fermenting bins. I think I will purchase another barrel so that I can be conditioning one, whilst drinking another, with one in the fermenter.

cheers


EDIT: I have just noticed that this info is highlighted at the bottom of peoples threads! Dur is me!

[bigtoe]

I like to get as many brews on as i can now the temperature has come down and the kitchen is at perfect brewing/fermenting temperature.
I keg and bottle here, right now i have 2 fermenters on the go and will be adding a 3rd, 1 keg free and 200 empty bottles

[alexlark]

I bought 3 x 25l jerry cans off ebay (food grade) and condition in those before moving to a keg to force carb and serve. Means I got a nice stock built up

[beatts]

Hi,

How long can you keep the beer in the jerry cans? Are these ok to contain the pressure build up?

[alexlark]

As long as there is no oxygen in them they will be good for months. I add some sugar for a small secondary fermentation so that I can unscrew the cap a little and release the pressure. They only need a bit of pressure, we're not talking pressure barrel pressure. You can tell by just feeling how firm they are.

[dbg400]

I started off with a all in one kit with FV, budget barrel & beer kit. That was frustrating when I wanted to get another one going and had nowhere to put it. I bought a second full kit (cheapest way to get another barrel, FV & beer kit), and then another barrel. That was better, with one in the FV, one conditioning and one being emptied I could also do two brews at a time, though I now prefer to stagger them if I'm brewing more than once a month.

Barrels are fine, but didn't keep well over summer and weren't exactly convenient for swapping brews! I now bottle everything**, which gives plenty of choice. I'm brewing every three weeks or so at present and have AG #7 in the FV, AG #6 in the warm for secondary fermentation, and AGs # 3 to 5 being enjoyed in rotation.



** Eventually I'll probably get a few cornies, and bottle the extra over the 19L. I'll still be able to swap brews but can enjoy draft beer too.

[WalesAles]

beatts,
I love it when people ask that question!
This pic shows my gear after 4 months starting brewing. Show this pic to your Mrs and you will soon have a Beer Shed built in the garden!

http://s733.photobucket.com/user/paulhe ... rt=3&o=159

Good Luck on the Brewing!

WA

[hazelbrew]

When I first brewed at uni many years ago... (like 20+).. we were four in a flat.

We had 2 FV and one barrel. So one being drunk from the barrel, one finished waiting to go in, and one just started fermenting. That was on a 2-3 week cycle...

Nowadays.. I have a few FV. Due to time constraints I seem to "batch brew". i.e. brew 2 or 3 at a time, bottle the lot... then drink them over a few months. then batch brew again. I guess I should really get into a habit of brewing once a month to keep it steadier.

[beatts]

WalesAles, that made me laugh, there is no way I would get away with that.

I will invest in another keg I think I have a rotokeg at the minute and really like it compared to the flimsier ones from wilkinsons etc.

I don't want to go down the bottling route, to be honest as the beer won't last that long once its ready to drink, especially once hooked up to the beer pump.

This is my drinking den that I constructed in my garden last year. Half a dozen mates round and a barrel is gone in a couple of hours easily.

My Pub shed :)

[WalesAles]

Phwoar!
Well Jel!

WA

[Pinto]

If only I had the space One day i'll have my pub tho

[beatts]

It was a labour of love. It took me a few months to get it just right and I based it on one of my favourite locals but since its been finished we have used it loads for get togethers, family doo's but also chill time.

My liver is suffering though

some more pics. I have added a lot more pics to the walls since these were taken and sorted out finishing touches i.e. lighting, heating etc.

[Pinto]

just missing the fruity and dartboard

[beatts]

Yeah, would have loved one of those table top spaceys but deffo not enough space for a bandit. A dartboard I could just about get away with but I didn't want holes all over my wall / bar when the missus decided she'd like a game. lol!

[thepatchworkdoll]

Heres my bar.
And heres my keezer

Heres my dispence system
Regards
Patch