Choosing Between Counterflow and Wort Plate Chillers



Complete Brewer’s Equipment Manual for 2025

The tradition of beer-making is expanding fast, with over a million home brewers in the United States alone. To produce top-tier beer, the right beer brewing equipment is indispensable.

At Installation Parts Supply, a wide range of specialized beer brewing equipment awaits, suiting both beginners and experienced brewers. From starter-level, one-gallon beginner kits to digital, electric-powered semi-auto systems that can produce up to 10 gallons of beer at a time, the appropriate tools can make a significant difference in the brewing process.

Choosing the right kit can be challenging, but with the right guidance, brewers can attain their preferred outcomes. In this guide, we’ll examine the must-have products and equipment needed for home brewing, enabling you to brew superior beer with ease.

Essential Insights

  • Understand the critical beer brewing equipment for home brewers.
  • Explore the diverse types of brewing kits you can buy.
  • Uncover how to decide on the right equipment for your brewing needs.
  • Examine the recent advances in brewing technology.
  • Learn how high-grade materials and construction influence brewing results.

beer brewing equipment

Crafting Perfect Brews with Quality Equipment

The cornerstone of excellent brewing lies in the grade of the equipment used. At Installation Parts Supply, we provide a curated selection of brewing equipment crafted to refine your brewing workflow.

  • High-grade gear delivers repeatable outcomes batch after batch.
  • Each item is engineered to simplify and enrich the brewing routine.

By investing in top-tier tools, you’ll gain better temperature control, improved grain efficiency, and enhanced beer character.

Back-to-Basics Beer Equipment

The secret of winning home brewing lies in understanding the basics of beer brewing equipment. Every reliable home brewing setup requires several fundamental components that work together to change raw ingredients into delicious beer.

Key Parts Every Brewer Needs

The brewing process generally uses equipment for converting, kettling, chilling, fermenting, and packaging. Quality equipment is pivotal for crafting superior brews. A well-made steel brew pot is a crucial component, delivering an ideal vessel for wort boils and hop additions.

Material Considerations: Stainless Steel vs. Alternatives

Stainless steel has emerged as the premium choice for brewing equipment due to its durability and ease of cleaning. Other materials like aluminum or copper may be cheaper but come with trade-offs in terms of durability and maintenance. Installation Parts Supply provides a range of conical fermenter options, stressing the value of material choice in brewing equipment.

Conical fermenters offer a huge upgrade from basic fermentation vessels, allowing for streamlined separation of beer from sediment. Temperature control systems are also critical, helping maintain optimal conditions during fermentation, which significantly affects the final flavor profile of the beer.

First-Step Brew Packages

Initiating a home brewing journey calls for the right equipment, and beginner brewing kits are the perfect starting point. These kits offer everything necessary to brew a tasty batch of beer and are great for those starting out in brewing.

Mini Brew Sets

Installation Parts Supply provides all-in-one 1-gallon starter systems that are perfect for hobbyists who want to learn the craft without a large first outlay. These compact brewing kits are excellent for small-space residents or those with tight quarters.

What’s Included in Beginner Kits

Beginner kits typically include essential tools like a fermentation vessel, airlock, thermometer, siphon, sanitizer, and bottling tools—everything necessary to complete the entire brewing process from start to finish. Quality ingredients, including hops, grains, and yeast, are also provided to ensure a trouble-free first batch.

Mid-Tier Systems and Solutions

Advance your craft with intermediate brewing systems from Installation Parts Supply. These systems are engineered for brewers who have nailed the basics and are ready to increase their batch sizes and brewing capabilities.

5 gallon Counter Cookers

The 5-gallon stovetop brewing kettles are a well-loved choice among home brewers, providing enough volume to create approximately two cases of beer per batch while fitting on most household ranges. These stainless steel kettles include triple-layered bottoms for consistent warmth and hot-spot avoidance.

Large-Batch Propane Setups

For larger batches, the 10-gallon propane-heated systems grant significant capacity increases and let you brew outside. These systems include a stainless steel grain and hop basket, allowing brewers to craft all-grain recipes with confidence.

Next-Gen Electric Brewing

Experience the peak of home brewing technology with Installation Parts Supply’s advanced electric brewing systems. These systems are engineered to offer brewers with pinpoint thermal regulation, hands-off steps, and commercial-grade construction, fitting for both home brewers and pilot setups.

Ten-Gal All-Electric Brew-in-a-Bag

The 10-gallon electric BIAB (Brew In A Bag) systems ease the brewing process while maintaining complete control over every variable that influences beer quality. These systems feature programmable controllers that can keep precise mash temperatures within 1 °F, making possible complex step-mashing profiles.

Large-Scale 20g Kits

For dedicated hobbyists or taproom labs, the 20-gallon systems deliver production-scale capacity with the same fine-tuned regulation and operator comfort as their compact versions. These systems are packed with fast plate coolers and heavy-duty hot-liquid pumps, supporting smooth transfers and looping during mashing.

Installation Parts Supply’s advanced electric brewing systems do away with the need for propane burners, adding safety indoors and lower in emissions. The heavy-gauge steel body ensures these systems will withstand years of routine use, representing prudent spending for committed hobbyists.

Core Fermentation Gear

The heart of the brewing process lies in fermentation equipment, where wort is transformed into beer over several days or weeks.

Fermentation equipment is vital for brewers, as it strongly affects the quality of the final product. Installation Parts Supply offers premium conical fermenters in various gallon capacities.

Cone Fermenter Upsides

Conical fermenters boast a sloped bottom that gathers yeast and other trub, making it easier to remove sediment without disturbing the clear beer above.

Precision Ferment Temp

Temperature control during fermentation is essential for flavor development, and Installation Parts Supply’s jacketed fermenters enable exact temperature control.

Cutting-edge fermentation systems, such as the BrewBuilt X2 Jacketed Conical Fermenter (7 gal.), feature features like sampling ports and spunding-capable hardware, signifying the front line of home brewing technology.

By investing in high-grade fermenters from Installation Parts Supply, brewers can ensure batch-to-batch reliability, save on ingredients costs, and yield brighter, longer-lasting brews.

Key Add-Ons for Better Beer

Brewing quality beer requires not just the right equipment, but also the right accessories. At Installation Parts Supply, we offer a broad range of products designed to improve brewing efficiency, repeatability, and quality.

Liquid Transfer Solutions

Pro-grade pumps are vital for advanced brewing systems, supporting the shuttling of hot wort between vessels while preserving temp and minimizing oxidation. Installation Parts Supply’s variable speed brewery pumps, like the MB® Variable Speed Brewery Pump, include sanitary steel wet-ends and powerful motors capable of moving up to 13.2 gallons per minute.

Chillers and Temperature Management

Fast wort chillers are essential for great flavor, as speedy chill-down locks in volatile oils and lowers infection chances. Our plate chillers use counterflow heat exchange principles to cool boiling wort to pitching temperatures in minutes.

Supplemental important extras include transfer systems with silicon tubing and flow control valves, temperature management tools like digital controllers and thermowells, and sanitary sprayers and CIP gear. Measurement tools such as refractometers and pH meters allow brewers to make data-driven decisions, producing more consistent outcomes.

By bringing these accessories into your brewing setup, you can notably boost your brewing throughput and brew pub-grade beer every time.

Precision Brew Instruments

For brewers pushing boundaries, measuring and testing equipment is critical. Installation Parts Supply’s accurate instruments lets brewers to get steady outcomes by removing estimation from each step.

Exact Instruments for Better Beer

Digital thermometers with stainless steel probes give accurate temperature readings during each step. Hydrometers and refractometers enable brewers to measure the specific gravity of their wort and beer, calculating alcohol content and tracking ferment.

Smart Brew Control Panels

Installation Parts Supply provides high-tech digital controllers that can automate temperature ramps, holds, and cooling cycles. These controllers boost repeatability and free brewers from constant monitoring.

More key devices include pH meters, water testing kits, dissolved oxygen meters, flow meters, and pressure gauges. These tools assist brewers in holding optimal conditions during brewing, fermentation, and packaging, ultimately producing better beer quality.

The connection of digital controllers with multiple hardware pieces creates semi-automated systems that blend the creative side with the repeatability of industrial plants.

Putting Beer in Glass & Steel

For home brewers, the right bottling and packaging solutions can make all the difference in their final product. Installation Parts Supply provides complete bottling and packaging solutions that help preserve the quality of your homebrew and highlight appearance.

Sealing Solutions

Bottle cappers span simple hand-operated models great for small batches to bench cappers that provide leverage advantages for larger bottling runs, lessening effort and ensuring consistent seals. High-quality crown caps with oxygen-absorbing liners fight staling, preserving the crisp character of your beer over time and prolonging freshness.

Home Keg Packages

For brewers ready to skip bottles, Installation Parts Supply offers complete kegging systems that ease final steps while offering the pub-style pour for your homebrew. Cornelius (Corny) kegs in 2.5 and 5-gallon sizes give the perfect solution for home brewers, combining simple sanitation, pressure capability, and fit with common taps.

CO₂ regulators, gas tanks, and dispensing equipment are available as complete kits, providing brewers everything necessary to condition and dispense their beer with professional results. Transfer equipment made for closed transfers keeps aromas bright and blocks oxidative damage during the critical transfer from fermenter to bottle or keg.

Bottle fillers with counter-pressure capabilities enable filling without CO₂ loss, eliminating the need for bottle conditioning with priming sugar and keeping bottles clear. Installation Parts Supply keeps ample inventory of both standard amber 12 oz bottles and custom shapes for those looking to create a distinctive presentation for their homebrew.

Kegging systems notably shrink packaging time compared to bottling, letting brewers to package a 5-gallon batch in minutes rather than the hour or more spent on bottle prep, fill, and seal.

How to Choose the Right Beer Brewing Equipment

Choosing the right beer brewing equipment is key for producing great brews. Whether you’re a seasoned brewer or just starting out, owning proper gear can make a huge difference in your brewing experience.

Gear for Your Skill Set

Beginners should start with a simple brewing kit that includes must-have pieces, while advanced hobbyists can upgrade selected hardware such as fermentation temperature controllers to refine their brewing process.

Balancing Price and Value

When choosing beer brewing equipment, factor in both the initial cost and lifetime payoff. Stainless steel equipment may be more expensive upfront but lasts longer and cleans easier, yielding strong ROI for committed artisans.

At Installation Parts Supply, brewers can get a selection of equipment to meet their budgets, from beginner-friendly kits to advanced systems. By considering factors such as skill stage, budget, and brewing goals, brewers can pick the perfect tools when selecting their equipment.

Summary: Improve Your Beer with Installation Parts Supply

Installation Parts Supply is your single source for all your beer brewing equipment needs, from beginner kits to advanced systems.

Our expansive selection evolves with your skills and ambitions, ensuring you have the right tools for repeatable, high-grade beer.

With a focus on quality and a skilled staff available for guidance, we enable your home brewing goals. Browse online or get in touch with our team today to improve your brewing experience.