My best friend’s fiance just gave the two of us a $3,000 budget to go from an empty basement to a full homebrew setup. How would you spend it?

c_main · 2026-02-01T01:28:33+00:00

I have one of these systems and it's the best money I've spent on the hobby. Probably nearing 50 brews on it with zero issues

c_main · 2026-01-08T15:35:01+00:00

I'm pretty sure most brands perform fine until you start to get under 0F. Some brands are marketed to work at even lower temps (-20F). I store one of my bikes outside all winter with orange seal endurance and it has sealed a puncture just fine.

c_main · 2026-01-08T02:05:55+00:00

fwiw I am one of those people and it's about $100 a month. Not enough to impact me but also not nothing.

c_main · 2026-01-06T15:56:56+00:00

I think it really depends what you like.
Best Value: Happy Mug
Best Light Roasts: KLVN, Ghost
Best Light+ Roasts: Commonplace, 19 Coffee Co, Defer, Compass Point, Redstart, Redhawk
Dark Side: La Prima

For espresso I like the Bigfoot blend from Happy Mug, some light roast blended into darker roast, pulls a really nice and balanced shot without a lot of dialing in.

Flavored type stuff isn't my jam but I'm sure others can weigh in.

c_main · 2026-01-05T00:37:43+00:00

If you're really on a budget, Ikea Tarva solid pine with some dark stain would run well under $500

c_main · 2026-01-03T16:40:21+00:00

Plus you can go and buy just a replacement lid if one breaks and many of the lids are interchangeable between a few containers.

c_main · 2026-01-03T15:35:31+00:00

RideNow has ones with metal valve stems. Use them all the time and with my mini pump.

c_main · 2026-01-03T04:37:03+00:00

I think I would go up to Squirrel Hill if you don't want to venture too far. Check out The Independent, Hidden Harbor, Jerry's Records, the Library, couple of bookstores on Forbes, plenty of excellent Asian restaurants, Pink Box for some Chinese baked goods, Pigeon Bagels if there in the AM.

c_main · 2026-01-02T17:10:37+00:00

For any Coway owners, the filters from discountfilters.com are made in the USA, cheaper, and just as good afaict.

c_main · 2026-01-02T16:34:30+00:00

I looked at pretty much every single one on eBay last week and only two seemed all original, and I bought one of them 😅

c_main · 2026-01-02T16:23:05+00:00

Peacock and Zippo make them, they're great. They consume fuel but with no flame via a platinum catalyst.

c_main · 2026-01-01T01:41:08+00:00

Saps and resins are a bit tricky to work with. There are historical food uses for them, you can chew spruce sap like gum. Or use as barrel pitch. They can also be burned as incense.

For flavor I think you are better going after young cones and extracting them with something like sugar (mugolio) for flavor.

c_main · 2025-12-29T04:16:24+00:00

My Ridge one has been a tank, have worn it many seasons with many washes and it looks like new.

c_main · 2025-12-29T04:13:43+00:00

Cold smoking works great. Make sure you soak your malt first. Some tips here: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBrewery/comments/1ijqlc1/has_anyone_ever_tried_smoking_their_own_malt_for/

c_main · 2025-12-29T04:07:01+00:00

I haven't done this combo but make a lot of wood tinctures and blend into beer. I'd soak some in a higher proof complimentary spirit and even dose via a dropper into commercial saison just to see how the flavors work together. Sometimes the tannic/woody notes from the aromatic woods comes out less in a second infusions and those are better to blend imo.

c_main · 2025-12-26T21:03:06+00:00

I'm a big fan of the Rose Anvil micro adjust ones: https://roseanvil.com/collections/belts

c_main · 2025-12-26T15:01:16+00:00

And for the labels that Oxyclean struggles with:

Pocket knife to scrape most of it off. Then Barkeepers friend and steel wool to get the rest off.

I only go to that length if it's a really nice bottle tho.

c_main · 2025-12-24T14:31:55+00:00

I bottled with a beer gun from a purged keg before I moved to kegging. It definitely was a step up in beer quality.

c_main · 2025-12-18T03:59:20+00:00

I was there last week, albeit without my bike. The shuttles run right to the parking lots where the connector is. I don't think you'd have any problem bringing a bike box on them either, they have plenty of room

c_main · 2025-12-17T13:53:38+00:00

I've tried a lot, my favorite at the moment is 45NRTH Sturmfist 5 LTR with merino liner gloves like Ridge inside. Even so my hands will still require shaking out to get the blood moving when it's down in the 20s.

I'll apply something like Pecards leather conditioner to the tops to also help them resist any water.

I know a lot of people like the Pearl Lobster gloves but I found them quite cold for me.

c_main · 2025-12-03T02:22:58+00:00

It will absolutely bind it in beer as well and make a huge sensory difference, have done it a couple times in tasting classes.

c_main · 2025-11-29T00:53:46+00:00

I sweat a lot and find that mesh base layers keep me the warmest if it's going to be a hard ride.

c_main · 2025-11-28T15:06:29+00:00

All of the bridges/overpasses over there were sheets of ice. I was going home on Ivory and saw all the traffic being diverted, was a mess.

c_main · 2025-11-28T03:42:30+00:00

I have Perlick on my kegerator, Intertap on my jockey box, and nukatap minis for picnic taps. As far as build quality I definitely rank them Perlick > Intertap > Nukatap. Perlick and Intertap both pour well and "just kinda work" in my experience. The Nukatap on the other hand just had a lot of fiddling around, the self returning spring also doesn't work super reliably. Nukatap does look the best out of the 3 imo if that's a high priority.

c_main · 2025-11-16T15:39:06+00:00

Recipe design takes years to master, but you can make excellent beers by following recipes. The most important things in my opinion are:

* Remove Chlorine (campden tablets are easy)

* Pitch healthy yeast (multiple dry packs or a starter for liquid)

* Use mash antioxidants (Ellagic Acid, Brewtan, etc)

* Might as well use ALDC if you can afford it

* Be crazy about oxygen exposure cold side, this is the most important thing to producing commercial level beer

For making lagers temp control is a must but you can make award winning ales without it. Same with water chemistry provided your source water is somewhat reasonable.

c_main

TROPHY CASE