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jgoette · 09-06-2010, 02:26 AM

Hey all. I'm looking into getting started in the HB world, but I do not have any equipment as of yet.

I am seeking some advice on a extract kit with the most bang for the buck (funds are limited (college student)).

Also, I am debating going BIAB, since I can get empty kegs fairly inexpensively and it seems that BIAB is a no-frills style of brewing.

Any feedback from the vets will be greatly appreciated!

**Pappers_** · 09-06-2010, 02:56 AM

My advice is to start with an extract beer - biab is for all grain.

Check out any of the good vendors here or do a seach for beginees equipment and you'll get lots of ideas. Check the links at the bottom of this thread, they might help too. Read through the stickies at the top of the begineers subforum.

Good luck and Cheers!

RogerMcAllen · 09-06-2010, 04:55 AM

If all you care about is bang for your buck and you don't mind hard cider I'd give apfelwein a shot.

A carboy, bung, airlock, yeast, dextrose, and 5 gallons of apple juice should only set you back ~$50.

If you are set on beer, I'd take Pappers' suggestion and follow some of the links below.

**kegtoe** · 09-06-2010, 12:50 PM

i'd buy a cheap starter kit with plastic bucket. It will have everything you need to make good beer. Buy an extra pail so you have soemthing to transferinto or as a back up. Last buy some bottles - you can get that equipment listed ~$100. I'd suggeting starting with extract just so you get your process and most improtantly CLEANLINESS skills in order.

**MetallHed** · 09-06-2010, 01:26 PM

everything except for the bottles, kettle, thermometer, sanitizer, and beer ingredients:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-basics-equipment-kit.html

This kit (like it says) has everything(almost) you need except, again, for a thermometer and sanitizer:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/everything-complete-brewing-package-equipment-kit.html

Start extract unless you're a liar and have lots of money for equipment, then go all-grain.

**renderit** · 09-06-2010, 03:09 PM

Having done this meself not long ago I would recommend:

Go with a cheap starter kit like one from Austin Homebrew Supply's website.

I would suggest you also consider (money being the ruler here) that you

1) upgrade to glass if you can and get NOTHING less than 6 gallons. I have a 5 gallon carboy that is pretty well worthless on 5.25 gallon batches.

2) Get a brush to clean the carboys.

3) Buy as much Brewvint or other sanitizer as you can. You go through it so fast I an trying to source large batches.

4) Go to BigLots or somewhere and get a LONG plastic container to dump those huge spoons, thieves, siphon pumps, etc in to sanitize. Long and thin is nice so you don't have to use as much sanitizer.

5) Get the nice plastic thief. You need it. You need a hydrometer that rides in it.

**MetallHed** · 09-06-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renderit

1) upgrade to glass if you can and get NOTHING less than 6 gallons. I have a 5 gallon carboy that is pretty well worthless on 5.25 gallon batches.

There is no reason you HAVE to upgrade to glass. It's a matter of preference.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/

Moonpile · 09-06-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renderit

3) Buy as much Brewvint or other sanitizer as you can. You go through it so fast I an trying to source large batches.

4) Go to BigLots or somewhere and get a LONG plastic container to dump those huge spoons, thieves, siphon pumps, etc in to sanitize. Long and thin is nice so you don't have to use as much sanitizer.

I've never used Brewvint, but StarSan can be used with a spray bottle so you don't have to actually immerse everything in it. You'll use a lot less sanitizer that way.

logan3825 · 09-06-2010, 05:24 PM

I just started a little over a month ago. I went with the Brewing Starter Kit from Midwest supplies. I would have gone with the basic cheapest kit but I wanted the auto siphon and I thought that along with the 5 gallon better bottle made it a pretty good deal in comparison to the basic kit.

I am very inexperienced but all I have been using for sanitization is Star San, a spray bottle and a gallon bucket. I buy a gallon of distilled water and mix up a Star San solution then pour it into the spray bottle and an empty(and cleaned) ice cream bucket. I rack it into the bottling bucket from the ice cream bucket then out through the spigot and bottle filler back into the ice cream bucket. I use the spray bottle to spray the Star San solution into the bottles, dip the top of the bottle into the ice cream bucket then put them on the bottling tree.

**kegtoe** · 09-07-2010, 02:47 AM

I also used starsan as in spray bottle - it works well. +1 to metal head on the plastic vs glass is more opinion. One otehr thing i'd agree with the last post is to get your self an auto siphon. no contamintaion as long as the tube and siphon are clean. Also all my buckets have a spigot on them. I set my primary (fementer) on the table with a clean secondary (clarifier) on the floor. I just hook up a 3-4 foot tube to the spigot and gravit transfer all my liquids. Its super east to transfer and super east to clean/sanitize.