I'm interested to see everyone take on this, and hopefully some useful information can be gleaned for some newer brewers. In thinking about your ENTIRE brewing "career" what in your mind stand out as the top 3 BEST on bottom 3 WORST upgrades/equipment purchases/tips you have tried.
I know for myself anyway, I spend WAY too much time "brewing" only in my head, drooling over every new piece of equipment, reading countless blog articles and the like. I will spend hours daydreaming and "brewing" in my head, going over every detail, only to totally BLOW IT on brew day or have my shiny new equipment that should have taken me to the next level, sit idly on a shelf. Or worse yet, try something that makes my beer worse.
I'll start with the bottom, since they were hard learned lessons, but lessons I needed to learn none the less.
WORST / BOTTOM 3
1. Starting out extract brewing. While this got me into brewing, I spent YEARS making sub par beer simply out of fear of "going all grain". The amount of money I spent on extract kits and equipment that would prove to not be big enough when I made the jump would have EASILY been enough to purchase a simple batch sparge all grain setup.
2. TAP-a-Draft mini keg kit. This one is tough since it more than likely saved my brewing career and kept me brewing when I really didn't want to bottle more beer. Unfortunately it was just as expensive as a simple kegging setup when all was said and done with modifications etc, and now I barely use it.
3. One-Step cleaner/sanitizer. Not bashing the brand, but I lost a few batches before I realized I needed to totally revamp how I clean and sanitize. Faster is NOT better, and no time saved is worth losing a batch of beer.
BEST / TOP 3
1. A $20 Coleman 48QT RED square cooler. Thank you denny from the bottom of my heart. You made the transition to all grain easy and cheap, just the way you wanted. I would not be brewing today had I not gone all grain, its the best $20 I ever spent (my wife would argue that..)
2. Bayou Classic SQ14 propane burner. Only $48 on amazon. This got me out of the house and most importantly has grown with me. This is a solid burner that would easily boil a 10 gallon batch and it is rugged as all get out.
3. My "Corona" mill. Don't let anyone ever tell you this mill cannot produce a great crush and provide excellent efficiency. For $20 you can introduce an element into your brewing that no online kit seller or LHBS can, CONSISTANCY, by milling your own grain at home.
Thank guys, hope to hear from everyone on their top and bottom 3!