Buying Equipment Question

[Jake]

Hey folks.
I'm looking at getting into AG brewing and am looking at purchasing the equipment in the coming weeks. I have two options that I'm looking to pursue. The first would be to order online from a Canadian supplier ... would need to have decent shipping. My second option is that my girlfriend has been at me to take her to the States shopping for a couple nights maybe next weekend, so I could buy the equipment down there if anyone knows of any good brew stores that would sell kettles, crushers, chillers, etc. ... I have all the equipment for extract brewing so I just need 4 or 5 things.

What would you guys recommend? I don't really want to order from US online because I've herd the ding you with duty/taxes upon delivery.
If I go with the first option, what Canadian online stores sell the best stuff, or if I go to the states does anyone know of a place in Maine or NH where they sell the equipment (of course cheaper than here)? If I buy in states, it would have to sell at quite a discount to make it worth my while. Thanks.

[Jmac00]

when ordering online in the US, if its shipped USPS instead of UPS or fedex....usually its cheaper and don't get dinged for insane charges. Also, there's options of having it shipped within the US(shipping is very cheap within the US via UPS)...then making a trip to the border to pick it up...usually only worthwhile for larger stuff.

[Kyle]

Ask JohnWay about the package forwarding services that are offered in the US where you ship a package to them, and for a few dollars they will hold on to it for you. Sounds like a really good deal,

In that case, I reccomend Austin Homebrew Supply. They are amazing. The only thing is they are sometimes a little slow on shipping, so order in advance.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/


While in the US, check out these equally amazing craft-brew sellers:

http://www.kappys.com/
http://www.beveragewarehousevt.com/

Also don't be afraid to try the craft brew available in gas stations, the US has fantastic stuff there too.

[JohnQ]

Go across for 48 hours and you and your GF will each get $400 across for free, they don't include the cost of shipping within the US in that $400.

Go to https://www.kinek.com/kpointC/Home.action

Search for locations in calais, maine and you'll get 2 options, I use the ace hardware, they seem great, no idea what the other folks are like.
We went for a night in Bangor and a night in Portland, stayed in a couple of B and B's and by the time we came back I figured we saved enough money between taxes and the lower prices on what I bought to pay for the whole trip.

JW

[JohnQ]

Further,
A little planning goes a very long way on this one, I probably could have saved myself one of my 3 trips down if I'd done a little more planning.
In addition to the links Kyle gave you, I've had great success with Adventures in Homebrewing...http://www.homebrewing.org/, that's where I got my kettle, plus I know they have finished mash tun conversions, though I did my own using the Igloo from ace hardware, which ironically i wasn't clever enough to have ordered into Calais, and picked up in Portland... and I got my site glass from...http://www.brewhardware.com/, he also has a great price on the refractometer there too.
I'll see you on Saturday if you want to see any of what I've got, let me know and I can bring along.
JW

[Dave Savoie]

First what equipment do you have already





Check this out with taxes and shipping $225 CAD Taxes and shipping INC
http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?productid=175051&cat=778&page=1

[Jake]

What I have already is the equipment necessary for extract brewing. So I have 2 carboys, 2 pales with lids, big spoon, siphon/hand pump, and I have all the necessary kegging equipment (2 kegs, CO2, and dual tap tower).
So really all I need is a barley crusher/grinder, a brew kettle, electronic thermometer, wort chiller, and I think I can probably make my own mash tun.
Another concern I have is whether I will need to get a gas burner. I have a brand spankin new flat/ceramic top stove ... will this not bring 5+ gallons to a boil?

I went to the hopdawgs website and they seem to have some pretty good deals on there that are comparable to most US prices. I can get:
50 ft wort chiller for $90, 40qt brew kettle with 2 piece ball valve for $205, and a barley crusher for $140. Am I going to find stuff much more inexpensive in the US that you're aware of? I figured this will be most of the stuff I need to brew AG.

[Ian Grant]

Hopdawgs is great they get there stuff shipped crazy fast. I got the wort chiller from them and works great but put another worm clamp on it and test it before use. I never tested it and found out it wasn't clamped tight enough durning chilling.  You can make your mash tun cheaper than buying one pre made.  I got my crusher from the barley crusher site for around 150 total but I had to wait like 2 months to get it, so i would just get it from hopdawgs.  For the burner and pot I got a turkey fryer from walmat works good and the pot it came with was big enough for what I need.  Its a aluminum pot and it should be treated or so they say but I just boiled water in it for 30 mins which Is suppose to oxidize it.  Someone else might have more to say about that.

[JohnQ]

And take a look a the thread i did on the counterflow chiller build, way easy and cheaper.
I bought a kettle from AIH and have added my own site glass/thermo port, and ss valve with a dishwasher braided cable hops blocker. All in is less than $200, but I've done the work myself and had some fun.
Plus, I'm getting silly now and adding the hopdawgz very cool new quick release fittings on everything, and I'm more comfortable changing things up since I built them in the first place.

[Kyle]

remember, if you are using an induction stove, you need an iron based pot like stainless steel, and not alminium

[JohnQ]

And not all "stainless steel" pots work either, our ss whirlypop that we bought specifically for our induction cooktop doesn't, too much aluminum sandwiched in the bottom layers, not enough steel.

[Jake]

OK so I have a ceramic cooktop on our stove. If I invest in this specific kettle from Hopdawgs, what are the chances of it working ... it says stainless steel with aluminium core. Here's the link:

http://www.hopdawgs.ca/index.php/equipm ... ttle-40qt/

Chances of it working on my stove? I'd prefer to use my kitchen stove, but if it's not possible I would consider buying a gas burner for the basement, which I think I can vent outside

[JohnQ]

It depends on if it's a "normal" heating element or "induction". It's not likely induction if you didn't pay something like $2500-$3500 for it.  If aluminum pans work on it, then it's not induction, and you don't need to worry.  You'd know if it were induction already, because you'd have to have thrown out a bunch of cookware.
JW

[Jake]

Alright so it's not induction. Here is the exact model:

http://www.sears.ca/product/kenmore-md- ... -970-61523

Turns out it's on sale this week ... dammit I knew I should have waited for it to come on sale. Curse you sears

So with all this being said, is there any reason why I should not buy the 40qt brew kettle offered by hopdawgs? Can I assume it will work on my stove?

[Kyle]

looks good to me