Getting Back into Brewing Beer

So much has changed in 8 years. I don’t think beer and/or brewing is nearly as popular as it was 8 years ago. Seems like whiskey, bourbon and distilleries are where things are going nowadays.

I'm in a similar situation as you. Haven't brewed since 2019 and I have a lot more money now than I did then. I still have my keggle/mash tun system that worked well but was a pain in the arse to store and set up. I think I'm going to get an Anvil or Grainfather system. I know a few folks with them and they are all impressed. It's a smaller storage footprint and easier to clean.

mchias has the right idea on an all-in-one system. Whichever one you get, go 240v. Don't waste money with the 120v systems. They're okay, but if you have the budget, go bigger. I have a 15 gallon Wort Hog system that I love. Mine is a little older and has some different components, so I can't speak to the new versions, but my interactions with the owner have all been positive, so I doubt he'd out out a sub-par product.

Throw the tap-a-draft out. Go ball-lock kegs and perlick faucets.

With your budget, you may have enough to get a grain mill. I use an older Monster Mill 2.0, but there are many good options out there. A mill is especially important if you're going with an all-in-one system. The homebrew store crush is too coarse for the all-in-ones.

A few other things that are sometimes overlooked: Kitchen scale for grain, small drug-dealer scale for brewing salts, storage containers for bulk grain, if you go the bulk grain route.

Funnily enough, I'm you several years back. I'm lucky if I get to brew once a quarter now that I have two little ones. I used to always have three beers on tap and tons aging. Now I barely have one beer on tap.

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deeprig9

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First, welcome back to the hobby!
Second, we have a homebrew thread when you get back going if you have some more questions. Homebrewing Thread
Third, as others have said, the all in one systems seem the way to go. If i was starting over again, i'd probably go with the grainfather or something to that effect. I am using the standard 3 vessel system, but i've upgraded equipment now and then. I don't think i could pull the trigger on an all in one now, i know my system and once or twice a year i do some complex brewing (turbid mash, decoction) that might make it difficult in an all in one.

I am looking to eventually go electric. At first i wanted an electric brew pot but thinking that an electric mash tun might serve me better with step and decoction mashes as well as my turbid mash lambics.

These are way cheaper than the three vessel systems I've looked at. What kind of efficiency do you get from these single vessel systems? I'd love to get back into all grain as well.

Most get between 60-80% with the all-in-ones. You'll get on the higher end with a recirc pump.

I measure my gravity after boiling and I'm usually pretty close (+/-.05 max difference) to estimated post boil gravity.

The best part of homebrewing is when you know it sucks but people drink it because they don’t want to hurt your feelings

I even had people saying they liked my sake which tasted like burnt rice because I burnt the rice when I boiled it

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I'm in the low to mid 70's.

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Is that mash efficiency or total brewhouse efficiency?

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I think I'm going to get an Anvil or Grainfather system.

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I’ve got a grainfather, chest freezer I use to ferment and a chest freezer I turned into a kegerator. I ferment in kegs and close transfer to serving keg. It’s a pretty seamless process. I don’t drink as much as I used to so I haven’t brewed in at least 6 months. I need to get a couple small batches brewed for summer.

One thing I’d like to try is use hook up a second keg during the fermentation process to capture the CO2. This would cut down on the amount of CO2 used to purge the keg before you transfer it to the serving keg. It obviously involves another keg which doesn’t seem like you have an issue with. I’ve never bottled and couldn’t imagine that pain in the arse.