[Jimmy K]

If you want to build up over time, start off by doing extract with full boils. Get a 10 gallon pot, ball valve, burner, and chiller. Then add a mash tun a little later.

[denny]

Focus on the process (cleaning, sanitation, fresh ingredients, water profiles, pH, mash temps, yeast starter, fermentation temps) and not the equipment.

This is what every new brewer needs to hear.

[kylekohlmorgen]

+1 for fermentation temp control. My best (award winning) beers have come from wort produced with a Gott Cooler, an aluminum pot (that doesn't even have a valve), and a focused, practical, RDWHAHB mindset.

The trick was the two stage controller with a chest freezer and heat belt. There are plenty of good threads to explain the specifics - but the money spent on these items yielded SIGNIFICANTLY more return than any pump, pot, or shiny automatic widget (and this coming from a Controls Engineer!).

I made my own immersion chiller from 1/2" copper when I started going > 5 gal batches - 'bout as fancy as I get.

[GolfBum]

Thanks for all the info guys! I have been brewing a little while with extract and grains. Just moving into a place with more room for me to store my equipment. I use a bucket of water right now to keep fermentation temps constent. It works for now. The place I am moving into will have an extra full size fridge and my girlfriend has said it's dedicated to beer and drinks. So I have that to play with.

But after reading I will stick to 5 gallon batches but will upgrade to a bigger pot to go full boil. And I will pick up a cooler for mashing. One thing I want to get though is a turkey fryer and brew outside. Anyone have useful info about those? I've seen them at the LHBS but don't know about pricing on those.

I can't wait to finally get some money saved up to start brewing all grain and have full control over my beer.

[denny]

I think I paid between $50-75 for my setup at a hardware store.  Included a burner/stand and a 7-7.5 gal. AL pot which I still use.

[GolfBum]

I think I paid between $50-75 for my setup at a hardware store.  Included a burner/stand and a 7-7.5 gal. AL pot which I still use.

Thanks, looks like I'll be doing all grain sooner than I thought. making a mortgage payment and a rent payment at the same time for a month will slow it down a bit. Gives me time to think about my first all grain recipe.

[bo]

Thanks for all the info guys! I have been brewing a little while with extract and grains. Just moving into a place with more room for me to store my equipment. I use a bucket of water right now to keep fermentation temps constent. It works for now. The place I am moving into will have an extra full size fridge and my girlfriend has said it's dedicated to beer and drinks. So I have that to play with.

But after reading I will stick to 5 gallon batches but will upgrade to a bigger pot to go full boil. And I will pick up a cooler for mashing. One thing I want to get though is a turkey fryer and brew outside. Anyone have useful info about those? I've seen them at the LHBS but don't know about pricing on those.

I can't wait to finally get some money saved up to start brewing all grain and have full control over my beer.

Check out the major sporting goods stores, like Dicks, Academy, etc.  I bought a high pressure burner, alone, for under $20.

[veldy]

So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a "starter" set up that I can upgrade easily?

Thanks a bunch.

I second the link to Denny's site.  Also consider John Palmer's site.  http://howtobrew.com/section3/index.html

[greyghost]

Nobody has said anything about the Brew In A Bag method. It works very well and is easy and cheap way to do all grain. http://biabrewer.info/ . 

[stadelman]

I just recently wrote a post that takes you from stovetop extract to all grain outside, using current deals, for $191 shipped...
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/05/from-stove-top-extract-to-all-grain.html

So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a "starter" set up that I can upgrade easily?

Thanks a bunch.

[GolfBum]

I just recently wrote a post that takes you from stovetop extract to all grain outside, using current deals, for $191 shipped...
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/05/from-stove-top-extract-to-all-grain.html

That is a very helpful writeup. 200 ain't bad either. So that tube screen goes inside the mash tun and keeps the grain out of the wort?

[stadelman]

Yep.  It screws into the back of the bulkhead.

[GolfBum]

Yep.  It screws into the back of the bulkhead.

With this would I still need a false bottom? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have both but wondering if just the hose would be good enough.

[stadelman]

No.  It's either a screen or a false bottom.  You don't need both.
 

Yep.  It screws into the back of the bulkhead.

With this would I still need a false bottom? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have both but wondering if just the hose would be good enough.

[davidgzach]

Pay a trip to YouTube as well.  There are a ton of do-it-yourself videos.  The more you research, the more one particular set-up will make sense to you. 

Dave