CrookedFingers wrote:See, now there are a lot of things there that make me say hmmmmmmm.
I was expecting a little more pushing on he BIAB side, I am not against going that way. I like the lower cost of it, the simplicity also. Personal touch with the brew is a good thing.
But if the BM is that good then I have some researching and thinking to do over the next few months. One thing that I keep going back to is the repeat ability of brews. I like the idea of getting a recipe replicated if I really like it.
And yes, like any other red blooded bloke, I love toys and shiny stainless steel !
All be it an easy decision, I am just trying to justify the cost.
Thanks for your input so far guys.
I should jump in here and put in some info about BIAB via gas, given we've got good info from others on electric urns and the Brau of course....
I bought the various items I needed to move to AG brewing over a couple of months, as things went on sale....in the end, my 4-ring burner was about $70, the 40l alum pot (with crab cooker insert to keep the bag off the bottom during mashout) was $50, and the ball valve setup around $20. So you can be up and running with AG for around $150. Even if you bought similar stuff at full price, or went a 40l stainless steel pot from say G&G, and decided on another gas bottle, you'd likely spend well under $500.
So that leaves over $2,000 in your pocket vs buying a Braumeister. BUT...as a beer lover and gadget geek I'm happy to admit I think the BM is the
absolute duck's nuts, and wouldn't be at all surprised if I splashed out on one some time down the track....I love the interaction of brewing with my current setup right now, but that'll probably wear off, and I'd be looking for the ease of use and repeatability that you get with a BM.
And the good thing about these kind of forums is that it's easy to sell your old gear if and when you decide to upgrade, as someone's always looking to buy 2nd hand gear that's been well treated.