I’ve met quite a few homebrewers over the years and have learned tons from them. One of the things I always like asking about it their setup and getting to know what they use on brew day.
I figured it’s time for me to do a HIB (How I Homebrew) post and let you know what I started brewing on, and where I’ve progressed.
For Starters
When I first started brewing, I started on a hand-me-down Mr. Beer kit that had solidified LME with it. I went to Walmart and picked up a cheap 3 gallon aluminum kettle, and brewed my first beer (an ESB).
It wasn’t long before I realized that I wantd to brew larger batches and to do that, I’d need to upgrade. I upgraded my fermentation vessel (the Mr. Beer LBK) first. This was great, but I was essentially making extract in my undersized brew kettle, which I upgraded next. This began a long process of creating the piecemeal setup that I currently have.
Currently Using…
This is the fun part for me. I’ll skip over all the sequential upgrades, and get to the good stuff. Here’s what I’m currently using, and am quite happy with:
- 2 x 8gal Tamale Steamers (boil kettle & HLT)
- Igloo mash tun
- Some copper tubing from Home Depot (immersion chiller)
- 2x PVC buckets (primary fermenters)
- 2x 6gal glass carboys (secondary fermenters)
- Bayou Classic w/ 6” burner
But wait! There’s more!
I’ve got some incoming upgrades, namely a 10” burner for the Bayou Classic stand, and a Jaded Brewing Hydra! I’m hoping these will shorten my brew day. Not that I want them to be short, but I’m hoping for them to be a bit more efficient. Anywho, that’s the current setup!