Just looking into setting up

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kyle6357

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I have read books, blogs, etc on homebrewing and I am ready to get supplies. Anyone have a list of "must haves" etc.......I have about $1000 saved to get going. I know its something I will keep doing, and Id rather have nice stuff to start with so Im not getting better stuff once Im going strong. Thanks!
 
I started with an extract kit in my kitchen and then moved to AG propane in the garage about a year later. if i had it to do all over again. I would start with a BIAB. This will lay the foundation in equipment and process to move to AG in cheap manner when you are ready.

Get a 7-10 gal SS boil kettle.
good burner, ~60,000 BTU with LPG.
 
1.) a 7-10 gallon pot for full boils for 5 gallon batches
2.) a wort chiller of choice
3.) carboys and buckets to ferment in
4.) mini fridge for fermentation control
5.) Conical Flask (and stir plate if you want) for yeast starter

Like NWAleDad said, make some extract batches with the above equipment and then move on to all grain. All 5 pieces of equipment you will use as an all grain brewer, and all
 
My local home brew shop (LHBS) owner is pretty cool in that when I go in with money held out in my hand and say I need to burn this(not literally), she'll point me to things that make life easier, not the most expensive things.
If you have a good knack for reading people, try the same.

I would take some of that money to buy a nice big sink/plumbing that you can wash your carboys and kettles in, at standing height. I'm 6'3 and the bathtub sucks the big one!
 
1.) a 7-10 gallon pot for full boils for 5 gallon batches
2.) a wort chiller of choice
3.) carboys and buckets to ferment in
4.) mini fridge for fermentation control
5.) Conical Flask (and stir plate if you want) for yeast starter

Like NWAleDad said, make some extract batches with the above equipment and then move on to all grain. All 5 pieces of equipment you will use as an all grain brewer, and all

Hard to get a 6.5 gallon bucket in a mini fridge......me thinks.

A small to med. chest freezer is better as you'll have room for more than one fermenter at a time.

Sanitizer---StarSan
Bottling Bucket,
Bottling Wand
Auto Siphon
Refractometer
Hydrometer w/test tube
Good digita Thermometer
Lots of empty bottles starting w/full ones is fun, but you could go to local bar and ask to buy emptys NO SCREW TOPS for what ever deposit they get.
Bottle caps and capper.
 
Hard to get a 6.5 gallon bucket in a mini fridge......me thinks.

A small to med. chest freezer is better as you'll have room for more than one fermenter at a time.

Sanitizer---StarSan
Bottling Bucket,
Bottling Wand
Auto Siphon
Refractometer
Hydrometer w/test tube
Good digita Thermometer
Lots of empty bottles starting w/full ones is fun, but you could go to local bar and ask to buy emptys NO SCREW TOPS for what ever deposit they get.
Bottle caps and capper.

I agree with this list.. Get all of the above, but also get a Stir plate, and a 2L Erlenmeyer flask for yeast starters.

Get a chest freezer.. Once you get tired of bottling all of your beers, you'll be able to turn it into a keezer, and buy a big fridge to do your fermentation in there.

Keep in mind, you can buy all the fancy stuff and all of this elaborate things, but a few things will make better/good beer.

Controlling your fermentation temps, and pitching the correct amount of healthy yeast. Everyone can have a good recipe, and good process for the most part, but keeping it all controlled is another.

Goodluck with the addiction.
 
I started with an extract kit in my kitchen and then moved to AG propane in the garage about a year later. if i had it to do all over again. I would start with a BIAB. This will lay the foundation in equipment and process to move to AG in cheap manner when you are ready.

Get a 7-10 gal SS boil kettle.
good burner, ~60,000 BTU with LPG.


What is BIAB?
 
BIAB is brew in a bag.
I've never done it, lots of guys swear by it.
If you do a search you should find posts with pictures and all.

Maybe a youtube search also.
 
I actually just dropped a post on the set up that I put together.

From my buying experience, you should be able to get a fairly nice setup for $1k. Please let us know what you end up going with.

I can't wait to fire it up and cook my first batch!
 
Start Small.

I have two 6 gallon better bottles, a bottling bucket, capper, autosiphon, hydrometer, thermometer, and a pot.

I'd start small and work up from there. Get the basics down and work up (thats my plan).

You can have the best equipment in the world and brew crap you wouldn't want to drink and likewise if you take the time to play and learn starting small, you can make the best beer in the world.

if reading the forums here have taught me anything other than the importance of sanitizing and waiting, its taught me to start small.
 
Start Small.

I have two 6 gallon better bottles, a bottling bucket, capper, autosiphon, hydrometer, thermometer, and a pot.
Good advice starting any new hobby.

You can spend the rest later.
Go to one of the reputable websites, or a local homebrew store if you have one and get a basic kit and add some starsan to the order.

Get the kit without the stainless pot though. You want a better pot than that so that it's good for 5 gallon all grain full boil brews later if you want to.

Amazon has some good deals on 10 gallon range stainless pots.
 
Start Small.

I have two 6 gallon better bottles, a bottling bucket, capper, autosiphon, hydrometer, thermometer, and a pot.

I'd start small and work up from there. Get the basics down and work up (thats my plan).

You can have the best equipment in the world and brew crap you wouldn't want to drink and likewise if you take the time to play and learn starting small, you can make the best beer in the world.

if reading the forums here have taught me anything other than the importance of sanitizing and waiting, its taught me to start small.

This is good advice. Get your basic equipment and brew beer. After you have brewed a few batches you will have a better understanding of what you (that's you, not one of us) need or want to make the process flow more smoothly or make the product taste better. In the meanwhile, the extra $800 can be comfortable in your savings account. :rockin:
 
I actually just dropped a post on the set up that I put together.

From my buying experience, you should be able to get a fairly nice setup for $1k. Please let us know what you end up going with.

I can't wait to fire it up and cook my first batch!

I am in Durham, let me know if you need anything! Cheers and have a blast!
 
Awesome advise. Luckily I have a local brew supple store close by! I am going to get a "starter kit" they offer (contain what the majority suggest) and then add on some extras. Do you all mostly bottle or keg?
 
I'd suggest getting a good thermometer too. Don't go cheap on some junk, that is one thing I think people should invest in.

Oh, and I keg. I bottled 2 batches and said to hell with it.
 
IMO it all depends on your setup.

Are relegated to brewing inside? If so, Gas or Electric Stove? Are you able to brew outside? How much money do you have to spend? How much time are you willing to spend on brew day? Extract, All Grain, or Partial Mash? These are all questions that you need to answer before brewing.

The essentials are:
3gal + Brew Kettle (5 is better, 8, is even better but difficult if stove top brewing)
1 Fermenter
1 Bottling Bucket
Auto-Siphon
Hydrometer
Thermometer
Bottling Clamp
Bottle Caps
Star San Santizer and One Step Cleaner

IMO this is all you really need. I have made several good beers without a refractometer, stir plate (liquid yeast is fine). I started with Extract and Specialty Grains on an electric stove, improved my methods, then moved to partial mash and brewing in the garage.

You will find that there is no specific wrong way to brew. You have a lot of choice and there are many different opinions. But there is one way to make a bad beer and that is not sanitizing your equipment.
 
I'd suggest getting a good thermometer too. Don't go cheap on some junk, that is one thing I think people should invest in.

Oh, and I keg. I bottled 2 batches and said to hell with it.

What do you use to keg?
 
kyle6357 said:
I have read books, blogs, etc on homebrewing and I am ready to get supplies. Anyone have a list of "must haves" etc.......I have about $1000 saved to get going. I know its something I will keep doing, and Id rather have nice stuff to start with so Im not getting better stuff once Im going strong. Thanks!

A 6-gallon carboy (lose less in blow-off).

A good burner with high BTU and clean burn so your pot doesn't blacken (Blichmann I think is a good one).

Make your own wort chiller.

A big bottle of starsan.

And other stuff...
 
kyle6357 said:
What do you use to keg?

Thermometer, yes! Because if you're doing extract even with steeping grains you don't want to exceed 165-170 while steeping - important.

I would add to this that your fermentation temps are one of the top things in importance. Buy a "fermometer" for every single carboy you have and slap that bad boy on the carboy so you can always know your fermenting temps. During the really active fermentation the temp can go pretty high so you'll need a large tub or big stock pot that the carboy will be able to fit in where you can add ice/water/siphon-off to manage the temp. After about two days the temps will balance out and you won't need to do the ice bath anymore, but definitely get fermometers so you can know what your fermenting temps are.

Fermometer:
image-3981639464.jpg



Also I keg. You'll never catch me bottling. Pain in the arse.
 
I'd suggest getting a good thermometer too. Don't go cheap on some junk, that is one thing I think people should invest in.

Oh, and I keg. I bottled 2 batches and said to hell with it.

recommendation on a good thermometer? I used what my LHBS had on the shelf, wondering if i need to upgrade. it works fine for me, just curious if there is something new i don't even know about.
 
As someone who started on my own recently I'd recommend dropping about 200 bucks on your initial setup to get a good startup kit (where you get a carboy even if you won't need it for some time and an autosiphon) and a good kettle.

This is the kit I got so you have an idea what I'm talking about

http://www.love2brew.com/Complete-Beer-Making-Kit-p/bbek002.htm

If you have the money already stashed up as well I'd stash the "sanitizer" that came with your kit and buy Star-San instead.

If you want you can buy kegging equipment but that's one more thing to learn, so I'd probably not start out with that but if you want to more power to you.

I always suggest when you're starting a hobby start small and if it's something you'll love you'll grow into it. That's what happened with me and guitar, I started out with a cheap squire guitar and tiny Marshall amp, now I have about 2 grand worth of equipment in my current setup.
 
recommendation on a good thermometer? I used what my LHBS had on the shelf, wondering if i need to upgrade. it works fine for me, just curious if there is something new i don't even know about.


You CAN use a cheap digital one (I use a pocket digital in addition to the long-type that sits on the pot). Just make sure before you use one to put it in a glass of ice water as well as a pot of boiling water and calibrate as needed if it's off any.
 
I've never used a laser thermometer but I'd be concerned with it picking up the heat on the bottom of the pot rather than the temperature of the beer which can be an issue whenever the fire is on.
 
I've never used a laser thermometer but I'd be concerned with it picking up the heat on the bottom of the pot rather than the temperature of the beer which can be an issue whenever the fire is on.

That is what i was afraid of. I love gadgets and looking for feedback before i dropped the cash.
 
I to want an infrared thermometer for my steaks though, Since I cook my steaks and burgers on a cast iron skillet I can get it to the perfect temperature to get a great seer and have it be perfectly rare/medium rare
 
I to want an infrared thermometer for my steaks though, Since I cook my steaks and burgers on a cast iron skillet I can get it to the perfect temperature to get a great seer and have it be perfectly rare/medium rare

Great idea. Now i'm hungry for a good steak.
 
recommendation on a good thermometer? I used what my LHBS had on the shelf, wondering if i need to upgrade. it works fine for me, just curious if there is something new i don't even know about.

Do you calibrate it with something accurate? Some suggest checking ice water, and then boiling water. Thats not a bad idea, but doesn't mean it's accurate at all points. I'd suggest having two, and checking those against each other as well.

I have a Thermapen, and I have a spirit filled, lab grade glass thermometer to check each with. I use the Thermapen mostly, but will randomly do a check to make sure they both read the same, and they always have luckily. The lab grade one was roughly $60, but I had an extra from work, so I lucked out there. You can find them for pretty cheap online if you shop around.

I have 3 other thermometers, and none of them read the same as these two. Some are closer than others, but calibrating them makes a difference. Makes aiming for a temp, and reproducing a recipe hard if you aren't mashing where you "think" you are.

Be warned, Thermapens aren't cheap, but they aren't ultra expensive. I used mine for more than just brewing too!
 
I brewed in college and left the hobby with other activites. once beers started to get too "over priced" with gas prices I started again.
I restarted with a kit in oct of 2012 of irish red on a stove top, chilled with ice. took like 45 minutes to get to 80 degrees. didn't taste very good...I stuck with it and after about 2.5 years here are my suggestions:
1. go all grain immediately, if you're serious you will get here eventually, beers are better tasting, any color you can imagine, and any other control you wish)
2. I choose to do 10 gallon batches, takes same amount of time to do 5 as 10 so...
3. get a wort chiller, saves a lot of time, I DIYed mine, it was a piece of cake
4. think about kegging, I converted a small fridge to kegerator for about 20 bucks on ebay. if not kegging, think abut flip cap 1 liter bottles, they are awesome for Belgians!!
4. find a good spot in the nouse/apartment that has consistent temps for fermenting. my basement floor has 55degrees, basement table top has 62, bedroom floor 68, etc. as long as significant other can stand the beautiful odor of yeast!

good luck!
 
I brewed in college and left the hobby with other activites. once beers started to get too "over priced" with gas prices I started again.
I restarted with a kit in oct of 2012 of irish red on a stove top, chilled with ice. took like 45 minutes to get to 80 degrees. didn't taste very good...I stuck with it and after about 2.5 years here are my suggestions:
1. go all grain immediately, if you're serious you will get here eventually, beers are better tasting, any color you can imagine, and any other control you wish)
2. I choose to do 10 gallon batches, takes same amount of time to do 5 as 10 so...
3. get a wort chiller, saves a lot of time, I DIYed mine, it was a piece of cake
4. think about kegging, I converted a small fridge to kegerator for about 20 bucks on ebay. if not kegging, think abut flip cap 1 liter bottles, they are awesome for Belgians!!
4. find a good spot in the house/apartment that has consistent temps for fermenting. my basement floor has 55degrees, basement table top has 62, bedroom floor 68, etc. as long as significant other can stand the beautiful odor of yeast!

good luck!
 
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