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**unionrdr** · 10-10-2012, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajebeyr

Thanks for your help. I think to start off, I want to do a few simple batches and get comfortable and then broaden my horizons. I would rather not try to transfer to a secondary bucket when first starting, so Im glad to hear that its not a necessity. Is it cheaper to peice work your equipment together or to just buy a beginners kit?

If you buy used,it may be cheaper. I'd rather have new stuff,& $64 dollars isn't much more than peicemeal would cost in the end.

ajbeyer · 10-10-2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darwin18

I would also recommend one of the starter kits from a company like Northern Brewer or Midwest. A lot of that gear you will end up using if you decide to expand into larger batches or all-grain. I would really recommend not going with glass carboys but going with either buckets or better bottles. The plastics are cheaper, easier to lift, and do not have the safety issues that glass carboys do. I would also recommend picking up a cheap stock pot (Bass pro shops, camping stores, etc) and using that as your kettle for now. If you decide you really like the hobby, then you could move on to more expensive kettle.

Also don't ignore your yeast! Temperature control and pitching rates is critical!

Found this on amazon. Doesnt have bottle caps, but those are dirt cheap. Does this cover all my basic needs?

http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Homebrew-Home-Made-Beer/dp/B000QGI5RS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1349882337&sr=8-7&keywords=fermentation+bucket

signmastr · 10-10-2012, 03:35 PM

I started with the Midwest kit, ($64 Groupon) gets you started with a kit plus $25 coupon. Then maybe pick up a Tamale Pot, cheap at most markets. Most of all have fun with it!

JordanThomas · 10-10-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajebeyr

Found this on amazon. Doesnt have bottle caps, but those are dirt cheap. Does this cover all my basic needs?

http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Homebrew-Home-Made-Beer/dp/B000QGI5RS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1349882337&sr=8-7&keywords=fermentation+bucket

You will still need a brew kettle and a burner strong enough to do a full boil, unless you decide to do partial boil. Both can produce good results. Do you plan on brewing indoors on your stovetop or outside on a propane burner?

ajbeyer · 10-10-2012, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordanThomas

You will still need a brew kettle and a burner strong enough to do a full boil, unless you decide to do partial boil. Both can produce good results. Do you plan on brewing indoors on your stovetop or outside on a propane burner?

I will most likely start by brewing indoors. I dont want to buy a burner system yet. If i buy a 5 gallon stainless steel kettle, can a stove top handle that size of a batch

inhousebrew · 10-10-2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajebeyr

I will most likely start by brewing indoors. I dont want to buy a burner system yet. If i buy a 5 gallon stainless steel kettle, can a stove top handle that size of a batch

With a five gallon kettle you can boil about four gallons total which after a boil will end you at roughly three gallons before adding an additional two gallons of water to get to a full five gallon batch. Four gallons on my stovetop is pushing it and that is straddling two burners at once, I normally do three at most but it depends on your stove I guess.

**unionrdr** · 10-10-2012, 03:51 PM

You'll also need a long plastic spoon or paddle to stir with,& at least a 4 gallon (16qt) brew kettle for partial boils. I have a 5 gallon (20qt) SS stock pot that I use. The midwest basic equipment kit comes with a few more things the one on amazon doesn't. like easyclean,bottle filler wand,bottle caps,LCD thermometer,hydrometer,& an instructional DVD. Def a better value.

**twistr25** · 10-10-2012, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unionrdr

You'll also need a long plastic spoon or paddle to stir with,& at least a 4 gallon (16qt) brew kettle for partial boils. I have a 5 gallon (20qt) SS stock pot that I use. The midwest basic equipment kit comes with a few more things the one on amazon doesn't. like easyclean,bottle filler wand,bottle caps,LCD thermometer,hydrometer,& an instructional DVD. Def a better value.

I agree with the Midwest Kit here, you'll NEED all the extras that were pointed out, may as well get them in one fell swoop.

I brew indoors on my apartment stove. I also do full boils, takes about an hour to get it to boil. Really not that big of a deal. I do have to put the lid about half on to get a decent rolling boil, but I always get enough to evaporate. I got my BK from Amazon for $60 or so and it's a 7.5 or 8 gallon. I would recommend going for a kettle you can do full boils with even if you only plan on doing partial boils to start.

acidrain · 10-10-2012, 04:34 PM

I'm new too, and recently purchased/upgraded equipment and there are a couple of things I would have done different:
Don't brew indoors... it makes a mess, and takes up the kitchen for the entire duration of the brew.
Buy a turkey fryer with stainless pot and strainer in the 10 gallon range. It's big enough to move up to BIAB all grain brews, and small enough to do extracts too. I got mine for around $100 at Cabelas.
You'll need a chiller. Immersion chillers work really well for 5 gallon batches.
Unless you're set on bottling, skip all the bottling equipment and go straight to the corny (or others) kegging system. I never bottle anymore, and all my bottles, bottle tree, washers, etc. are just taking up floor space, not to mention the initial cost.
Go with a 6-1/2 gallon glass carboy with the S shaped air lock and a plastic bottling bucket for the secondary. The larger carboy will give you plenty of headspace, and the bottling bucket is much easier to draw from than a carboy.
Plan on collecting yeast from the very first transfer... it will save you money on future brews.

I don't know how handy you are, but there's a lot of home-projects that you can do to save money:
Keezer/kegerator build
Immersion chiller
brew stand
fermentation chamber
stir plate

You're doing the right thing... figure out exactly what you want, then work towards it, hopefully without wasting money and effort along the way.
Good luck!

ACbrewer · 10-10-2012, 05:00 PM

I've done well getting kits off craigslist. HOWEVER that can be hit or miss. I've picked up all my fermentors that way (4 buckets and 7 carboys which is funny because I prefer buckets, but I also do wine which is better in carboys for clearing). I got 2 hydrometers and some other bits with them. Most often you find someone who got the kit, did it once and decided that they didn't like it.

With that said, it was a matter of taking the Midwest kit or similar and going 'ok this craiglisting has all those parts I'll get that'. And I knew a little bit about what I wanted. I don't yet have a chiller, I brew 3 gallons (max) on the stove in a 4 gallon pot - about $20 from the store for a 4 gallon pot. To do a 5 gallon full boil, you need a gas stove, 2 pots on 2 electric burners or to go outside and boil. If you do 1 pot with 5 to 6 gallons of wort in it (about 1 gallon will evaporate/boil off) you need a pot that is 7.5 to 8 gallons. I then top off to about 5 gallons from my 3 gallons

My advice if you are not totally confident on going the craigslist route is to buy new from someone like midwest, get a 4 gallon pot(if needed) from walmart or similar (we have a store that carries the extra inventory of places and is marked down. I got my pot there, I think it was a Ross). After a few brews, upgrade to a serious pot and external heat like a turkey frier if you want. If you decide you need more fermentors, take a look at craigslist from time to time. People put all sorts of Homebrew deals on there.