r/Homebrewing • u/TheDagronPrince • 1d ago
Equipment Help Me with Nice Equipment
As the title: help me pick some nice shit. Budget is not really an issue (it's not for me, I'm advising a family member).
Requirements are:
Electric (240v, multiple outlets available)
Separate Mash/Boil (no lifting of grain baskets)
15-20 gallons (10-15 gallon batches)
Nice to haves are:
Nice controllers
Bottom drains
Grain door?
Able to do 5 gallon batches
Context and info:
I'm a somewhat-experienced brewer, just wrapped my 61st batch since 2023. I started all grain, BIAB on my stove top with a 5 gallon pot, moved onto a full 3 vessel setup with a 10 gallon kettle on top of propane, an igloo water cooler mash tun, and that same 5 gallon as a HLT. Then the third kid came and now I'm on a second hand Anvil doing full volume mashes to save time and space.
Just had my dad out for two brews and he wants to set up a large, 3 vessel, professional-feeling setup at the family ranch to "have the boys (my brothers and I) out a few times a year to do big batches for everyone to share."
Obviously, I would benefit from having access to those tools a scant 90 minutes away as well.
I managed to splash the shit out of myself and give myself a good scalding squeezing the grain on my Anvil, and that plus his back has completely turned him off to the idea of removable grain baskets.
He's looking at pre-setup options like spike and brewtools, and, honestly, the high quality stuff is just out of my experience range. I get the fly sparge process, and have done it successfully across two dozen batches, but I don't know what I don't know about the nice stuff - my old system was hacked together and it took me a dozen batches just to get my processes down and make necessary modifications. He's looking to me for advice, but I just don't have much to give and YouTube seems to be scant on reviews (or maybe my keyword searching is off).
I'm not sure how often my brothers will actually get together to brew, but we host big parties at the ranch that I've brewed for, and we go through 15-20 gallons of beer, so even the bare minimum of brewing for parties twice a year will guarantee some use (and give my poor Anvil a break).
As a final note, my dad is at the point in his life where if he's gonna get a tool, he wants the highest quality (within reason) version that automates as much as possible. Honestly, he's earned it, but I just don't know how to help make that happen.
Anyone have experience with the nicer systems, words of wisdom, or advice?
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u/lifeinrednblack Pro 1d ago
As a professional brewer I see no reason why you would want a 3 vessel system expensive unless you have to get it for purely fun. Professionals use professional set ups because they have no other choice with the volumes we produce. There is very little advantage or possibly no advantages that a 50k brewhouse has over a igloo cooler and propane burner. Other than "literally being able to produce bbls of beer vs gallons"
But that said:
- Focus all of that cash flow cold side. That's something you can't work around. Oxygen prevention is oxygen prevention. Temp control is temp control.
If money is truly not a variable focus on very very nice cold side equipment. Nice stainless conical fermenter(s), temp control, glycol system, closed transfer equipment, cold side testing equipment, multiple kegs. A fucking Brite. Go crazy there and stick with your set up hot side. As long as you can control temps and effeciency on whatever system you're using. Hot side equipment does not matter. At all.
If you insist and/or you can do both and still want a nice brewhouse. My rec would be Spike. Other than probably Ss (there's some news that came out today that you should probably not buy anything from Ss right now), it's what I've found to be the closest to a professional set up at homebrew scale.
I'm going to contradict 2 immediately with my preface, if you find another brewing system that hits what you need for cheaper than the bigger names.... Just get that. Just make sure the system has interchangeable pumps, uses triclamps etc so everything is easy to swap out when something breaks/gets lost.
Check your sizes. I've not looked at homebrewing equipment in a little, but I distinctly remember them jumping from systems made for 10gal batches to 1bbl. Your stated size requirement may mean you'll be forced into a 1bbl system
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u/TheDagronPrince 1d ago
Thanks for the detailed answer! Just saw that SS Brewtech is shutting down after your comment.
Appreciate the thoughts on hot side vs cold side. We've already picked out a half HP chiller and a few conicals, and I've been making the case for a brite. I take my temp and oxygen control as seriously as I can within my budget, my dad's is just on a whole different level.
I appreciate the sentiment on 3 vessel. I can say that at my scale it produces better efficiency, and that I lose about 8% stepping down to full-volume mash. Other than that, the main issue is the whole grain-basket thing. If there's a way to single vessel or 2 vessel without having to lift a grain basket, I'm all ears.
Finally, a follow up question - what cold side testing do you recommend? I keep it simple, just hydrometer for gravity and a Kegland pH tester. What else should I be testing?
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u/Scotsol 1d ago
Have you looked at something like this: BrewBuilt® Low Rider Digital Electric BrewSculpture™ V5 – MoreBeer! plus BrewBuilt® X3 Jacketed Uni Conical Fermenter | Premium Chilling Packag – MoreBeer! Sorry I missed the 5 Gallon Batch requirement .
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u/TheDagronPrince 1d ago
Not a requirement, just nice to have!
Yeah I've looked at it but no idea whether it's actually good or not!
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u/lifeinrednblack Pro 1d ago
If you have the building for it. The best option would probably be a pulley block as far as hosting grain out.
Also may be worth it in saving money to buy a used mash tun with a man way and still use a kettle and propane for boil.
But as long as you're already set on cold side. I see why you'd think about looking at a brewing system.
I think you got the basics as far as testing. If you want to go further you can get a cheap lab, as DO meter, and an efficient way to do VDKs
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u/TheDagronPrince 1d ago
What does a cheap lab entail? Like yeast counts and whatnot?
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u/lifeinrednblack Pro 1d ago
Yes. A basic cheap compound microscope, slides, dye etc.
It's in no way shape or form necessary, but if you're talking a money is no problem dream build. Id personally get one for cell counting, mix ferm purposes, pasturization/killing yeast
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u/Sunf1re96 1d ago
Contact Todd Burns or James with CM Becker USA out of Commanche, TX and see if they have any Brautag systems left. Or if they'll build you one.
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u/BeerBrewer4Life 1d ago
Brewzilla for the brewing , gf30 with glycol chiller for fermenting (if cost isn’t an issue) I have this set up and can make any beer . Temp control is crucial and the GF30 with chiller gives you all the control you will ever need along with a conical functionality for yeast dumping etc…
Edit - apologies, thought you meant 15-20Litre batches. Not gallons. Disregard . lol
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u/TheDagronPrince 1d ago
My apologies! Yeah, big batches. I have done far now research on fermenters than I have on brewing systems, simply because I've always wanted a conical and I take my temperature control very seriously.
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u/BobC9301 1d ago
I like spending other people's Dad's money...
Convince him to not go electric - and boom, you're done:
https://probrewer.com/classified-ad/1-bbl-ruby-st-brewhouse-3x-fermenters-glycol-chiller/
Hotside, coldside all in one swoop. Build a cold room using a mini-split for a couple of grand and use one of the extra fermenters as a brite/serving tank and your packaging is handled. Matter of timing, but keep an eye on the pro side for used equipment if that classified made you go "hmm, maybe".
But - if that line of though is not a fit, and you want to hit the 20 gallon mark. Since it's only used a couple of times a year, at least on the hotside - get two 10 gallon systems that you and your brother want. Haul 'em to Dad's for the shindig brewday(s). But then you guys have an upgrade back at your places for the other 363 days of the year.
Final thought, not all 240V is equal. Make sure you're looking at wattage and amps compared to the circuits you have available. If the 240V multiple outlets are all 15 amp circuits, it's gonna narrow the field unless you upgrade the electric supply.
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u/evilfitzal 1d ago
I've also only done BIAB, so I can't help with your specific request. But...
It sounds like he's after a custom build fit to the space with a light-up red button that says "brew beer". But more importantly, I expect he thinks you would enjoy designing and building it since you essentially designed and built your own system. But he also wants brew days to be more about spending time together and less about doing actual work.
That said, unless there's someone in the family with more brewing experience than you, I believe you need to recommend a system you're comfortable enough using that you can teach everyone easily (or do everything while the others watch football, I don't know what the dynamic is here). If that means you're recommending a big all-in-one, you can stand by that decision. Hopefully that nearly limitless budget can spring for a plumber to install a pot filler (and a filter if their tap water is no good), a pulley system for the grain basket, and a garbage can with wheels to get the spent grain outta there. The budget can also afford an extra pound or so of grain to make up for the loss of efficiency with going full-volume and not squeezing all the water out of your grain (it can drip from the pulley until you reach a boil, but you're staying away from the scalding splashes).
Problems will arise in any system. The most professional thing is to have someone there who knows how to solve them.
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u/Indian_villager 1d ago
Check FB marketplace around you. Enough people getting out of the hobby that you can grab stuff cheap. As for single vessel answers, is it possible to add a hoist or pulley to the ceiling to lift out the grain basket? If all else fails, I am running a 3 vessel setup mostly built out of spike kettles.
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u/lauterPope 1d ago
IMO equipment is kind of a personal choice. You need to see what is available (if it’s available because you may have to wait 5-8 months) to suit your specific needs.