Getting started with all grain

[graymatter81]

Hey folks,
I've been brewing partial extract for a little over 2 years but I really want to get started with all grain. Any recommendation on a good place to get some starter gear? I've seen so many places online that my head is starting to spin.

I need a mash tun, brew kettle and grain mill for now at least. I'm also stuck brewing on a electric stove, the joys of renting. Any ways, any info or advice is always appreciated.

Cheers 

[Jake]

Can't go wrong with Ontario Beer Kegs (OBK) or Everwood for kettle. My suggestion for a Mash tub would be to fabricate your own from a bazooka screen and a coleman cooler. That's how many of us get started.

Many of the members do the brew in a bag as well, so basically do all grain completely out of the kettle. Couple guys in the club love this method due to the simplicity. All you'd need from there is a grain mill and a chiller and you'd pretty much be set.

[Two Wheeler]

Welcome!

You can certainly brew on the stove, I did it for a few batches no problem. It's slow, but it works.

Since you're renting, like me, I'll assume you have little storage. I would highly recommend the BIAB (brew in a bag) method. This way, you really only need one pot, a heat source, and a bag.

For a bag, I have great experience with these guys out of NS: http://www.mashedin.beer/collections/custom-brew-in-a-bag-biab

For a heat source, if you're using the stove you're probably going to be limited to 5 gallon batches. I used a standard shitty apartment stove to boil 6gal for a 5gal batch before. It works, but it's slow. A great way to get your feet wet anyway. If you have a balcony or outside space a cheap $50 burner from Canadian Tire works well.

For a pot, there are lots of good options out there. The best deals seem to be at OBK for a pot with a thermometer and ball valve. Based on the Stove's limitations, a 9gal pot will be enough for most 5gal batches, but might be tight. I started with an 8gal pot and it worked good, but I wanted some more room so I upgraded to the 15gal.

At this point, you really will want a wort chiller as an ice bath will take FOREVER and it's best for your beer if you chill it quickly. The longer the beer spends at near boiling temps, the more bitter it will become and you'll lose hop aroma. Also, a quick chill will create a "cold break" which will help drop out some proteins and lead to clearer beer.

Ideally, you would have the ability to control the fermentation temps consistently. Some people use their basement, some people use a "swamp cooler" (google it) and some people have built a fermentation chamber out of a fridge or freezer with a temperature override. Temp control is one of the most important aspects of GREAT beer.

So- really all you need at this point is the pot, the bag and the chiller. A burner is optional. If you decide to go with a mash-tun set up in the future, then all of this equipment would be usable, aside from the brew bag.

Edit-> You don't need a mill right away either. You can buy pre-milled grain from Noble Grape. I did this for the first few batches. You can always lean on people here to help you out for a few batches too.

[graymatter81]

Hey thanks for the advice guys. Thankfully I rent a town house and have the basement as my computer/brew room so space is not a huge issue. I'll check out the brew in a bag this and keep an eye out for a chiller and the kettle.

[Jake]

If you got the space, wouldn't rule out building a mash tun. Easy build too if you're into that kind of thing. Mash tun allows you have a smaller kettle too, since you need an abnormally large kettle for BIAB setup

[Two Wheeler]

[robcoombs]

I tried to get as little gear as possible from the start and in the end I always end up spending just a little more so I don't have to upgrade later.

It does suck paying for all that gear up front. But like others have said the Coleman cooler mash tun is cheap and easy. Get a 15 gal kettle, it's not that much more than the 9gal. That way if you want to do 10 gallon batches eventually you can. There's a guy in the club, Adam, that may be able to help you out with cheaper copper to make your own chiller. Again, it's not difficult.

I tried to go without a mill at first. But it was so inconvenient, especially for unplanned brew days.

I know it's easy just to say just buy all of that. But once you have everything you're set. No need to borrow, upgrade etc.

I haven't HAD to buy anything gear related for brewing since I got all of that.

[Roger]

I agree with @robcoombs if you spend a little at first you'll need to upgrade less in the future.
It'll also make your brew day more enjoyable.

[graymatter81]

Yeah, sounds like its time to start saving up for a few new toys. Thanks again guys. It's really great having a resource like this place for pretty solid advice.