No automation, but otherwise right there with you Denny. Started with a 50 qt, added a 70 qt extreme, and just yesterday finished conversion of my 2 new 5 gallon beverage coolers for the 3.5 gallon batches I have been playing with this year. I brew 12-15 days per year, and can now do about any size batch i want to, up to 10 gallons medium gravity. Way too much gear for my brewing frequency, but the different size options make it ideal