BeerBorg

My second stepson gave me a $75 Amazon Gift Certificate last Christmas. (I tend to hold onto these things. I still had Borders GCs when they folded) I'm going to buy brewstuff. At first I thought I'd buy ingredients, and I may, but I'm pretty well stocked. I always try to get stuff I wouldn't buy for myself. After all it's a gift. So, suggestions? I have a thermometer, hydrometer, Auto-siphon, bottling wand, wing capper, 5 small fermenters, and an Ale Pail. Right now I'm leaning toward a wort chiller. What would you get if you had $75 burning a hole in your pocket?

A wort chiller is the next on my list for purchase so I agree with your thoughts.

If I didn't have a wort chiller or bench capper, those would be at the top of my list.

A bigger pot.

1. A bigger pot
2. A wort chiller

If you're going to get serious about five gallon batches, you will definitely need a bigger pot, a wort chiller, and a bench capper.

I have thought about the pot too. Right now I use a 20 qt canner. I have a 32 qt aluminum pot on the back porch. But I had to use thinner to get old paint out of it, and it has some pits. I've done a bunch of 5g batches with the 20, I top off during and after the boil. I could do better with the bigger pot, but I think I'd need the chiller for it. Right now I spend about $8 per batch on ice, so the chiller will pay for itself over the winter. I'm also concerned about putting 50 lbs of wort and kettle on the glasstop stove. Anyone do 7+ gallon boils on a glass top?

Have you got a burner? If not, $75 can more than buy a cheap one, or go towards a better one.

No burner, but then I'd need a bigger pot and a chiller. It's insidious. Plus, I might want to brew outside in summer, but definitely not in winter. And If I buy a burner, my wife will want me to brew outside.

John Sand wrote:No burner, but then I'd need a bigger pot and a chiller. It's insidious. Plus, I might want to brew outside in summer, but definitely not in winter. And If I buy a burner, my wife will want me to brew outside.

I have a glass top, takes too long to heat up, I don't think it would do 7 or 8 gallons. As for a burner, your wife would be right, u do NOT want to run those inside. I ran mine in the garage last winter with the door open about a foot for fresh air, it still nailed me, thought I was a goner.

Glad you're still with us. I'd miss the jokes.

$75 + a few bucks more would get you an electric turkey fryer for e-biab like Russki used to do but the online reviews didn't look great (for turkeys that is).

A refractometer is about $30 +/- and it has been one of my favorite brew day time savers for checking hot wort.

I didn't see scales on your list, we like our two MYWEIGH scales, one for pounds and one for grams and ounces.

I do wonder though; are you also asking this question on your sailing forum?

LOL, no I quit the sailing forums. Too much negativity and bickering. I do have scales, one modest one for grain, one old pharmacy scale (with weights and balances) for hops. Refractometer is an interesting thought. I've also thought of a convection burner, but there again leads to bigger pot. This discussion has helped me solidify my plan to buy an immersion chiller. With shipping that comes to about $60. Now, what to do with the other $15? And, in chillers, do you prefer stainless or copper? Copper conducts better, stainless is stronger.

Copper is plenty strong, if you damage it, you've done something wrong.

How about an oxygen system? Or a regulator/CO2 tank (if you don't already keg)? It could get you started acquiring pieces...