Start up Equipment

[Bigster]

What I have got:

2 pressure barrels and injector
1 brew bin
Spoon, syphon tube,steriliser,finings
Heating belt
Hydrometers
Thermometer

Extras I think I need after looking around this site :

25m immersion cooler £35 ( Homemade incl hoses and fixings )
Electrim Mash Tun / Boiler £65 ( only this type cos my local HB shop stocks these )
Hop strainer £10 ( may make my own )
Mashing / sparging bag £8
Another brew bin £8
Sparging arm thing £15
Something to insulate mash tun £ ?
Shed loads of syphon tubes
£150 ( thats my birthday present sorted then missus! Well I can hope.. )

I am sure I will adapt as I go along but is this enough kit to start/any serious omissions?

Also I know I will need to sterilise the brew bin , tubes and spoon, immersion chiller but does the mash

tun / boiler ever need sterilising ( if so does it affect the element? ) or just rinse out in warm

water?
Does the tap and hop strainer get removed and sterilised?

Final question for now - I notice someone said about a hole in the brew bin lid. I must admit I have

always just fitted the lid on loosely. I suppose I could get a grommet and air lock - what do you think?

Thanks

[tribs]

Looks good to me

1) I don't sterilise my tun/boiler. Any nasties picked up will be killed by the boil. Like you say just keep it clean.

2) Same with tap just boil some water and let it run through it. I don't use a hop strainer. I use hop bags. but I imagine the same would apply.

3) I drilled a hole in the lid and fit a grommit with airlock, but I'm not sure thats necessary for a primary (I presume you'll secondary with the barrels). I don't use barrels so I need the airlock for secondary when I use one. Occasionally I just leave beer in the primary until its ready to bottle.

BTW: I bought a 35L stainless steel boiler off ebay delivered for under £50. I use that as my boiler and I converted a picnic coolbox for my mash tun. I also batch sparge so I have no need for the spinny sparge arm thing. Something you might want to consider, but thats up to you.

tribs

[Andy]

You only need to sanitise everything which comes into contact with the wort/beer AFTER the boil. All the kit used before or during the boil just needs to be clean as the boil will wipe out any nasties (as has been mentioned).

My setup:-

HLT == 25L fermenting bin with added kettle element and a nylon heat resistant tap
Mash tun == homemade using Thermos 30L coolbox from Argos (£15) + a stainless braid manifold. Fitted a standard W&D drum tap near the bottom of the tun.
Phils sparging arm a.k.a. spiny sparger
Boiler == 27L stainless burco boiler off ebay, bargain at £26. Homemade hop filter made from a frying pan splatter guard from the local pound shop (cost £1 )
Homemade counterflow cooler using 10m copper pipe inside a large diam. hose ( It's waaay over spec for homebrew and could be half that length)
Standard fermenting bin for primary, ferment with the lid off
Couple of King Kegs which I use for clearing/conditioning. Don't use a "secondary"
Cornies for further conditioning and subsequent dispensing.

Got a few spare 25L and 10L bins for collecting counterflow cooling output and general duties.
Good digital thermometer essential IMO, I've got two.
Hydrometer - now superceeded by a refractometer (excellent but pricey bit of kit)
Lots of different diameter plastic tubing!!

[bitter_dave]

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ Mar 31 2006, 05:20 PM) hot water cylinder jacket (the type that comes in strips)

I got some of this and it's great. Not only does it insulate my mash tun very effectively, but I put it around the boiler when I'm bringing it to the boil - this reduces the amount of time it takes to come to the boil in my experience. I got mine new from ebay for £2 (plus £6 postage), worth every penny

[Bigster]

Excellent advice again - thanks very much. My head is spinning :stun - not sure if it is all the info or the latest batch of gooseberry wine I am demolishing!

The only bit that not sure about is the batch sparging mentioned. Whats that all about?

Also as my bin lid doesnt have a hole in it I will carry on merrily as before.

[Bigster]

Ignore last message - i have found the discussions on other threads.

Thanks

[Reg]

I have an eletrim boiler and frankly they're a bit flimsy and the element's go in the end. Mine has. Go with a tea urn or similar as discussed.

[Andy]

Indeed, a stainless steel boiler is an object to covet!

There was a post on UK Homebrew quoting a *very* reasonable price for 35L stainless boilers from http://www.marco-bev.co.uk/manual_fill_standard.html

I may well investigate that option as my 27L Burco is great but the capacity is just short of the mark. All manageable but would be ideal having that extra capacity.

[FlippinMental]

QUOTE (andy @ Mar 31 2006, 09:31 PM)

There was a post on UK Homebrew quoting a *very* reasonable price for 35L stainless boilers from http://www.marco-bev.co.uk/manual_fill_standard.html
you got the price quoted there, andy?

[Andy]

Hi FM!

Just dug up the post:-

"Marco Beverage Systems Ltd. I am using one of their 35 ltr. ones at the moment. It will easily hold 8 gallons without boiling over. The element is flush with the bottom so that the hop strainer can sit low down. Very easy to convert as the tap unscrews unlike some older Burcos and kegs which are welded in. It`s rated at 3kw and gives a good rolling boil. The price £58.75 including vat.Carriage extra unless you collect it. They are in Wellingborough Northants."

That's a good price IMO, especially as my parents live about 3 miles from there so could save the carriage. TRUFACT: I was born in Wellingborough just over 40 yrs ago

[Bigster]

[the electrim mash bin, try e-bay, they always seem to have new ones on there for around £40.]

Nice one DAAB - got one for £44 incl posting. While I was on there put in a bid for 25m of 10mm microbore! Ebay is almost as addictive as this place.

[Bigster]

Agreed but I will make sure i pop down to my local HB shop for the rest of the stuff - I am lucky to have a good shop a mile down the road.

Cheers