Equipment Advice

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Grizwald
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Equipment Advice

Post by Grizwald » Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:42 am

Hi all,

I have a 50L AG brewing system on its way so am now looking to source the following equipment:

Malt Miller
Weighing Scales
Digital Thermometer
Refractometer

Would love any recommendations of this equipment based on your experiences? Willing to pay for quality (within reason of course!).

Also, appreciate any recommendations for grain/hop suppliers?

Thanks in advance! :D

chefgage
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by chefgage » Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:45 am

For grain and hop suppliers i always go to the malt miller. They have a handy recipe creator so you only buy the exact weight of ingredients you want so theres no loads of little bags of hops in the freezer scenarios.

gobuchul
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by gobuchul » Mon Oct 08, 2018 1:22 pm

Are you going to be large batches? If so, a spare FV and a set of bathroom scales is good for weighing large quantities of grain.

Thermapen make some very good quality thermometers.

Wet Spaniel
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by Wet Spaniel » Mon Oct 08, 2018 1:45 pm

If by malt Miller you mean a malt mill (I'm not trying to be pedantic - there's a great home brew supplier called malt miller too) if you're just starting out, save the expense and buy the grain already crushed - it's readily available.

bottles
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by bottles » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:01 pm

Refractomoter is a useful bit of kit but you will need a hydrometer more. Hydrometers will acurately give you start and finish measurements when fermenting. Refractometers give a sugar level at start then you need to use additional calculations to get the final gravity. I use the web for these calculations as alcohol changes the measurements.
I bought a second hand one and find it useful to check sugar levels during mash and end of boil.
I usually leave a hydrometer in my fermenter till I track rack off/keg.
If I broke mine I don't think I'd rush to replace it.
Andrew

bottles
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by bottles » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:07 pm

Weighing scales? Are you wanting to weigh a lot (5kg+) or a little (5g or less).
For weighing malt I use a 5kg kitchen scale. For hops I use a fine scale (0.1g-100g). But only got this as I use it for sausage/salami making where fractions of grams matter. Hops isn't that important.
Don't over think what is required? Beer had made it self for centuries.
Andrew

bottles
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by bottles » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:16 pm

Digital thermometer are Ok. But I'd prefer anolog as batteries go flat at the worst of times.
With brewing having back ups help on brew day.
My set up has a thermometer in the heat controller. I also have an old red dye thermometer as a back up. I did have v a digital thermometer using type ķ thermocouples that I bought for a different project altogether. This had stopped working and I still need to either replace the thermocouple (£30) or handset (£25).
Andrew

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LeeH
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Equipment Advice

Post by LeeH » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:33 pm

Thermo pen, no flat battery issues in years. Comes with calibration cert so can me used to calibrate your STC100, kettle dial thermometer, RIMS etc.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2807526515

Grain mill if you are feeling flush.
http://www.millarsmills.com/barley-mills.html

Also the dogs refractometer at a cost.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2884931967


Bracknell scales.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3535497357

Malt Miller are as good as it gets for your consumables.


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guypettigrew
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by guypettigrew » Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:53 am

The digital refractometer looks truly wonderful.

How do you calibrate it, and how does the reading compare with a 'normal' hand held cheapie refractometer?

Guy

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LeeH
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by LeeH » Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:34 am

You calibrate it with water and just plop in a sample. Simples.


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Rhodesy
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by Rhodesy » Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:52 pm

LeeH wrote:
Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:34 am
You calibrate it with water and just plop in a sample. Simples.


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Do you use fermented wort on it also by using an excel /calculator?

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orlando
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by orlando » Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:53 am

chefgage wrote:
Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:45 am
For grain and hop suppliers i always go to the malt miller. They have a handy recipe creator so you only buy the exact weight of ingredients you want so theres no loads of little bags of hops in the freezer scenarios.
I thought hops were only sold in 100g in the recipe generator, is that not right?
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

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orlando
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by orlando » Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:59 am

LeeH wrote:
Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:33 pm
Also the dogs refractometer at a cost.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2884931967
That link takes you to one for Seawater, that right? :shock:
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

chefgage
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by chefgage » Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:38 am

orlando wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:53 am
chefgage wrote:
Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:45 am
For grain and hop suppliers i always go to the malt miller. They have a handy recipe creator so you only buy the exact weight of ingredients you want so theres no loads of little bags of hops in the freezer scenarios.
I thought hops were only sold in 100g in the recipe generator, is that not right?
Whole hops yes only in 100g. Pellets can be sold in any quantity i.e. if your recipe needs 13g of fuggles pellets then thats what you can have, vaccuum sealed in a foil packet.

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orlando
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Re: Equipment Advice

Post by orlando » Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:50 am

chefgage wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:38 am
orlando wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:53 am
chefgage wrote:
Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:45 am
For grain and hop suppliers i always go to the malt miller. They have a handy recipe creator so you only buy the exact weight of ingredients you want so theres no loads of little bags of hops in the freezer scenarios.
I thought hops were only sold in 100g in the recipe generator, is that not right?
Whole hops yes only in 100g. Pellets can be sold in any quantity i.e. if your recipe needs 13g of fuggles pellets then thats what you can have, vaccuum sealed in a foil packet.
Agh, thanks for that, I will change my order to pellets, if they do it.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

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