Getting back to brewing.

pizza_guy

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I have brewed off and on from the 1980's, but mostly off. I did about sixty about ten years ago, and that's when I moved from bottles to kegs. Then I got distracted. Now I am getting back in again.

I have always brewed from extract, but did experiment with adjuncts. Right now, I am getting back in slowly and simply. My latest purchase is a stainless wort chiller. I should have bought one years ago.

I also make pizzas. Like beer, they taste great and use yeast.
 
Welcome to Brewers Friend there PG!
You will find a thread to post you Pizza exploits in the General Chit Chat section of the forum.
 
Welcome to the community! I too took a sabbatical from brewing when my twins were born. Glad to be back on my regular schedule now!

Don't be scared of jumping into all-grain brewing with MIAB (BIAB). Easy way to get your feet wet!

:)
 
Welcome to the community! I too took a sabbatical from brewing when my twins were born. Glad to be back on my regular schedule now!

Don't be scared of jumping into all-grain brewing with MIAB (BIAB). Easy way to get your feet wet!

:)

Yeah I'm planning on scaling back this fall for that reason, really don't want to stop because I'm just really starting to figure this out.

Anyways welcome to you both!
 
Welcome buddeh!
 
Last time I was brewing beer, forums weren't as popular so this will be my first go at it with a support group. Looking forward to it.
I have some long term and short term goals (long term meaning within the next year or so)
Right away, I would like to get back to where I left off years ago (no equipment left, nothing) When I last brewed I was doing glass primary and secondary, using kits as well as making semi-custom beers. One custom I remembered was taking a dark clone kit and adding coffee and lactose to make a coffee beer. I would bottle everything and would usually have 2 beers going at a time, about a week apart.
If im going to buy a new setup, I'm going to also switch to kegging in place of bottling. I believe besides being easier I also have the benefit of force carbonation.
Okay, lots of words. Looking for ideas for a good homebrew setup. Ill need tools, carboys, airlocks, racking canes.....You know the deal. I already have pots and burners. Any ideas of places to buy this type of stuff would be great.

Im also looking to set up a kegging setup. This is a bit new to me. I have a co2 tank but that's it. I also have no experience with the smaller kegs and associated taps. So, please offer any ideas, advice, and setups I could buy. Im going to start with 1 keg but will expand to 3 or 4 with a refrigerator converted to hold kegs and taps.


Moving forward and considering I already have some beer fermenting. I have my long-term goals. I have a 2nd kitchen that we use for nothing. My in-laws are also getting rid of a beautiful 6 burner commercial stove. My plan is to remove the old kitchen, install this large stove (great for boiling) and build a brewery. Would love to hear your ideas as well as tips you may have for making this a nice simple yet effective brewery.
 
Pizza and beer, always a good combination! We are all trying to figure this out, and it’s great to have a supportive community to help guide us along the path.
 
Im also looking to set up a kegging setup. This is a bit new to me. I have a co2 tank but that's it. I also have no experience with the smaller kegs and associated taps. So, please offer any ideas, advice, and setups I could buy. Im going to start with 1 keg but will expand to 3 or 4 with a refrigerator converted to hold kegs and taps.
I suggest 5 gallon ball-lock kegs (click here), as they are plentiful and inexpensive. Get a new set of gaskets with it. They are about 25" tall, so be sure you have a place to keep them cold. Smaller kegs are available, but generally new and therefore more costly. In any case, try to stick to ball lock OR pin lock, keep them all the same. Ball lock is dominant.

Each keg has an inlet and an outlet, gray fittings are used for inlet (gas in), black fittings for liquid out. The gray fitting is connected to your regulator hose somehow (I suggest using quick disconnects like these). For dispensing, get a "picnic tap" (like this), real taps can come later.

The tank and regulator should remain outside the fridge, as some will argue that the cold and attendant moisture (from condensation when the fridge is opened) can hurt the regulator. I drilled a 2" hole in the side of the fridge to run the gas line in.

As for a converted fridge: Good! It can double as a fermentation chamber (maybe later, room temperature is mostly fine) by getting a temperature controller (like this) for the fridge. It handles heat (I use a heating pad, the kind you get at a drugstore for a sore back) and cooling (the fridge!). This can set you up for more interesting yeasts and beers, but the downside (for me at least) is by having only one, my kegs are not cold when I am fermenting.

Welcome back to the craft, we're here and happy to help!

Oh, by the way: On the last Saturday of every month, a bunch of us get together on Zoom to chat, drink, and show off for a couple hours. The next one is July 31, next Saturday. They start at 4pm Eastern. There's a separate forum here just for the monthly zoom call, and posts in there have all the details for joining in. Consider this an invitation!
 

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