Brewing equipment can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. The quality of the beer made has very little to do with what equipment you brewed with. As long as your process is sound you can brew world class beer on inexpensive and simple equipment.
This is why I encourage new brewers to use the Brew In A Bag or Batch Sparge methods. These require less equipment than traditional Three Vessel Brewing.
Do you want to brew the easy way, or the complicated way?
They are also simpler to perform and thus have less likelihood of error.
They are also simpler to perform and thus have less likelihood of error.
Gallons
of tasty beer
Brewing Equipment
The Kettle
Brewing equipment begins with the kettle, a large pot for heating or boiling water or wort. A brew kettle of sufficient size and quality is essential to brewing.
The Burner
You will need something to heat your kettle with. A purpose built propane burner or electric heating element will allow you to achieve a sufficient boil quickly.
The Mash Tun
The Mash Tun is arguably as important as the kettle. The Batch Sparge method requires a separate mash tun. Using the BIAB method, your kettle can double as your mash tun.
The Grain Filter
Grain filters allow the wort to drain through while keeping grain particles from making it into the boil. There are four major types of grain filters.
The Fermentor
Yeast turn wort into beer in the fermentor. Fermentors come in incredible variety; from simple food grade plastic pails, to stainless steel-glycol cooled-conical fermentors.
The Wort Chiller
While not strictly a requirement, a wort chiller is extremely highly suggested. This device is used for cooling wort down quickly after the boil has finished.
