Northern Brewer has their 20% off sale going on and I'm thinking about taking advantage of it to upgrade my setup. I've only brewed one beer so far and I'm working on what the next one will be. Any suggestions on what to buy? I'm thinking about one of the following two items but also looking for any other suggestions. http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/silver-serpent-stainless-steel-immersion-wort-chiller.html or http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/oxygenation-kit.html
I would get a wort chiller before an oxygenation kit. You can use it for every brew session, but the oxygenation kit isn't necessarily a requirement every time. If you want to spend more for the sale price, I'll also suggest a spare hydrometer. Those things are easily broken, so a spare is always the best thing to have in reserve at a critical time in the fermentation process. Consider a spare thermometer too.
Thanks! Anybody have personal experience with that chiller? I understand that copper might cool slightly faster but stainless steel won't corrode and will be easier to keep sanitized.
I would go with a wort chiller over the oxigenation kit also. You will get more use out of it. As far as stainless vs copper... either will work fine. Copper is just as easy to clean and I have not had any issues with corrosion. I just wash it off after im done, then when I need it next time I put it into the boiling wort 5-10 minutes before flame out and that will sanitze it.
