New AG set up...starting from scratch...any comments?

[Mr Squiffy]

If you are in the market for a Buffalo induction hob, they are currently on offer with Nisbets- £109.99 + vat

[ches501]

If you are in the market for a Buffalo induction hob, they are currently on offer with Nisbets- £109.99 + vat

Thanks for the heads up

[cerbera84]

ches501, i may be selling my Buffalo induction hob in the near future, if you're interested. PM me

[orlando]

Hydrometer first, a refractometer is of little use once fermentation has started. A Thermapen for your thermometer, standard mercury one as a backup. A copy of BeerSmith. Some gram scales, useful for "odd" hop additions and vital for water treatment. Bin the 5.2 stabiliser nonsense . Water analysis from Wallybrew. A 10l (approx) bucket, the most under appreciated bit of kit I have but gets used 10 time at least every brew day. If you like feeding garden birds get a bucket of fat balls, the brewery and the birds benefit. pH meter eventually. You might take a glance at Pantsmachine's recent post.

Patience, never appears on any list and should start it. Corner cutting rarely if ever improves your beer, ask me how I know. Look for a brewer nearby and or a Home Brew Club, talking to other brewers (obsessives) makes a change to the largely indifferent exchanges you might have at home.

[cerbera84]

Patience, never appears on any list and should start it. Corner cutting rarely if ever improves your beer

+1 - wise words

[ches501]

Patience, never appears on any list and should start it. Corner cutting rarely if ever improves your beer

+1 - wise words

Well I've been planning this for about 2 years and in that time I have patiently been emptying as many beer bottles as possible - purely for research purposes only I should add

Thanks for all your comments - it's really helped.

G

[orlando]

Well I've been planning this for about 2 years and in that time I have patiently been emptying as many beer bottles as possible - purely for research purposes only I should add

Thanks for all your comments - it's really helped.

Continue to do so, it's useful to benchmark against commercial stuff. If you get this game right you will surprise yourself how good your own stuff can be.

[orlando]

Patience, never appears on any list and should start it. Corner cutting rarely if ever improves your beer

+1 - wise words

Too often home brewers look at commercial practises and want to ape them; laudable but! At our scale though, it's sometimes not worth it or possible. There is something about brewing at scale that separates it from our brew lengths. A big commercial brewer might be able to ferment out in 2 days, depending on what they are brewing but at our scale it can take longer. To get a wort to a standard that will ferment out in 3 days is possible at our scale but it requires a lot of good technique and understanding to do it. Time can be restrictive on home brewers, real life gets in the way, when it does I guarantee the quality will go down. With good planning & patience the rewards will make it all worth it.

If there is a secret it's probably in the phrase "it's all about the mash". Get that right every time and you have an excellent chance of not just making beer but making outstanding beer.

[Kev888]

Yes, it isn't always appropriate to emulate big or commercial breweries. In some cases this can be quite positive - we have the luxury of not needing to make the same compromises.

[guypettigrew]

Hydrometer first, a refractometer is of little use once fermentation has started.

A refractometer is fine after fermentation has started as long as it gives you readings in Brix. Then you can use an online calculator such as this one.

Others have said this. but I'll repeat it. If your splashing this much cash then your plastic fermenter seems a little below the quality of your other stuff. I know you've got a brew 'fridge, but a stainless conical would keep the shiny stuff all along the line.

If it won't fit your 'fridge then go the whole hog and get the temperature control function with it. It's made a world of difference to my brews!


Guy

[donchiquon]

Look for a brewer nearby and or a Home Brew Club, talking to other brewers (obsessives) makes a change to the largely indifferent exchanges you might have at home.

Brilliant - not sure which of these is more true but the latter is definitely funnier