Buying gear second hand?

Does anyone have an suggestions for where I might look to acquire gear second hand? I'm on a fairly limited budget and want to buy local to avoid spending my hard earned cash on shipping. I want to keg instead of bottle. I've seen some things on craigslist that seemed promising but I wonder if there are more classifieds or other sources that anyone has used before. Craigslist is always kind of scary to do business on anyway.

Thanks

I generally use the classifieds on this site and Craigslist.

On a super tight budget you may want to consider bottling to start out with. Kegging can be turn out to be a large initial investment.

+1 to both comments above. Bottling is no where near the PITA most make it out to be.

RedOktoberfest said:

+1 to both comments above. Bottling is no where near the PITA most make it out to be.

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Bottling is hassle free. A time for reflection.

Look for free shipping on Amazon.com

What kind of gear are you looking for anyway?

RedOktoberfest said:

+1 to both comments above. Bottling is no where near the PITA most make it out to be.

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Truth. Kegging can be very expensive. Especially when things break, leak or need replacing. Not to mention some beers taste way better bottle conditioned. Or aging experiments.

I just like the idea of having one container to clean. Also, I love mechanical things (likes kegs). It's like a work of industrial art. I'm a chemistry student and one reason I love chemistry is scientific glass. While not a viable career choice these days it is beautiful.

I've yet to do my first batch but I'm just exploring all my options until I get some extra money to buy supplies (soon). I keep changing my mind about what size batches to make. I started out thinking 1 gallon batches then 5gallon, and now I'm thinking 1 gallon again. I don't drink that much beer a week and get bored with one flavor for a long time but 10 beers just does not seem like it's worth it. I could do 2 one gallon jugs or 3 but then the standard extract kits available are not sized for those batches and dividing LME seems tedious. Northern Brewer has 1 gallon kits but they're expensive for what they are.

Brew 5 gallons, bottle or keg and don't worry about having too much. Just my opinion.
I got my glass carboys off CL for a fraction of what they cost new. I couldn't find any chest freezers though, I would only save about $40-$50 over buying a new one from costco. If you go with kegging you need to be willing to make the investment.

Keg Connection has a good deal on used kegs with shipping, and they have good customer service if you have any issues.

Don't be afraid to get the equipment to do 5 gallon batches. I do a lot of 1/2 size batches in mine and have built up quite a variety of beer. When I feel like it, I can do a 5 gallon batch which you can't do if you have equipment for only 1 gallon batches. I've beer sharing samples with friends and it isn't hard to get rid of extra beer. Bottles let you have a big variety of beer available too and are very cheap to obtain since you can plan to reuse them for many years. At any time I can choose from 18 varieties of beer and very few can afford to do that with their keg setup.

This is the 5 gallon kit I've been thinking about getting
http://www.finevinewines.com/XPListDet9C.asp?MM_PartNumber=2001

This place is my LHBS. Well it's the closest place anyway (we only have 2 in the area and none of them are in my city). There is another place that is a little bit further from me but all of the kits are more expensive and less comprehensive.

They give a 10% discount if you register with them and give a $10 off coupon if you join their news letter as well as $10 off a kit if you buy an ingredient kit. So this would cost me around $110 (including an ingredient kit) if I upgrade to the auto-siphon or around $100 if I just use the included racking cane. Plus! I can pick it up locally. It's about a 30 minute drive one way in traffic.

Does anyone think the auto-siphon is a must have or should I just use what it comes with?

The auto siphon is really worth it. No messing around with the transfer. Less messing around means less chance of infection. I bought mine after using the racking cane twice.

I'll also chime in on bottling. It's not as time-consuming as one might think. If you have your equipment ready to go, it's about an hour to do a 5 gallon batch (roughly 2 cases of 12 oz bottles). If your bottles are clean, all you need is to sanitize them right before bottling. Bottles are easier to deal with if you're bringing a few to friends, etc., and if you ever want to submit a beer for judging, it needs to be in a bottle. I know there is a big kegging-vs-bottling dichotomy here, and both sides bring up very good points. I don't want to stir up a debate on the subject. But I enjoy bottling, it's cheap, and so, my $0.02 worth.

On another note, some things can be built if you are so inclined. You can cobble together a stir plate from an old computer fan and magnets, build a bottle tree from scraps of dowels or PVC tubing, etc. Search through some of the DIY threads here for ideas. You can save some dough and have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Others may disagree, but I don't care much for some of the items in that kit:

• The ale pails are notorious for not sealing properly, since they have no lid gasket. I'd go with the white food-safe buckets from Home Depot instead (~$7). They're only 5 gal, but recipes are scalable (a chem major should have no problem with that).
• The bottling bucket is also a PITA. Mine has always leaked, no matter what I do. Instead, I just use another 5 gal bucket with my autosiphon.
• StarSan >> Iodophor. Get a 16-32oz bottle and you'll be good for a long time.
• 8 oz. of cleanser won't last long. Go buy some OxyClean Free.
• You don't need a book, you have HBT.
• Don't bother with a racking cane. You definitely want an autosiphon.
• You can get the tubing at your local Home Depot or hardware store. I've never needed clips or clamps.
• I'd never put a thermometer in my fermenter. How the heck would you read it inside a bucket anyway? Opening the bucket during fermentation is asking for infection.

In short, I think you can save money over that kit by buying only (and exactly) what you need.

That's just my two cents. Welcome to the addiction.

If you like variety stick to bottling. I have a dozen kinds of homebrew to choose from right now and the only thing I need to remember is to pop some in the fridge a few hours ahead of time. This is the main reason I don't keg at the moment. I don't want the hassle of keeping a bunch of kegs going and babysitting them.

Also, I have one of the cheapest 2 keg setups that I can imagine. I got fantastic deals on the fridge and kegs. It still cost me ~$300, and I'm only using picnic taps.

I'd definitely start with bottles.

Don't buy your food-safe buckets. Ask someone at a local restaurant if they have any they are tossing out. You might get your hands on a bunch that way, for free. BTW, you can never have too many buckets. What you don't use for fermenters, bottling, etc., can be used to store ingredients.

MaxStout said:

Don't buy your food-safe buckets. Ask someone at a local restaurant if they have any they are tossing out. You might get your hands on a bunch that way, for free. BTW, you can never have too many buckets. What you don't use for fermenters, bottling, etc., can be used to store ingredients.

Click to expand...

That's a great idea, but watch for scratches and steer clear of pickle buckets.

Shakybones said:

Others may disagree, but I don't care much for some of the items in that kit:

• The ale pails are notorious for not sealing properly, since they have no lid gasket. I'd go with the white food-safe buckets from Home Depot instead (~$7). They're only 5 gal, but recipes are scalable (a chem major should have no problem with that).
• The bottling bucket is also a PITA. Mine has always leaked, no matter what I do. Instead, I just use another 5 gal bucket with my autosiphon.
• StarSan >> Iodophor. Get a 16-32oz bottle and you'll be good for a long time.
• 8 oz. of cleanser won't last long. Go buy some OxyClean Free.
• You don't need a book, you have HBT.
• Don't bother with a racking cane. You definitely want an autosiphon.
• You can get the tubing at your local Home Depot or hardware store. I've never needed clips or clamps.
• I'd never put a thermometer in my fermenter. How the heck would you read it inside a bucket anyway? Opening the bucket during fermentation is asking for infection.

In short, I think you can save money over that kit by buying only (and exactly) what you need.

That's just my two cents. Welcome to the addiction.

Click to expand...

I have no problem making my own kit. I just don't want to start and then realize I don't have something I need. I want my first try to be successful. It might actually be better for me to buy things piecemeal anyway (as not to arouse the suspicions of the wife LOL!)

So I need:
-1x Brew pot 21qt tamale pot (~$23.00 @ My local target)
-2x food grade bucket ($3.97 @ Lowe's.com, on Home Depot I could only find 10 packs x.x)
-1x bucket lid ($1.97 @ Lowe's)
-grommet for lid ($0.50 @ Midwest supplies)
-3 piece airlock ($1.29 @ Midwest supplies)
-5/16 inch auto siphon ($9.99 @ Midwest supplies)
-5/16 inch tubing 6ft (~$3.00 @ Midwest supplies, probably cheaper at Lowes)
-Bottle capper ($12.99 @ Midwest supplies)
-Caps ($1.99 @ Midwest supplies)
-Bottle brush ($2.99 @ Midwest supplies)
-Large spoon (free, I have a large stainless steel spoon)
-Oxy clean (?$ but can't be that expensive)

This all comes to about $65 (plus the shipping from Midwest if I go that route)
This doesn't include a thermometer or hydrometer.
I'll be starting with extracts so I'm not sure if I really need these yet.
I don't think I really need a bottle filler. This breakdown is based off a list from John Palmer's website of a "college student" beginner setup. http://www.howtobrew.com/equipment.html

This doesn't include any ingredients but I could order a recipe scaled to 3 gallons from Brew Master's Warehouse or somewhere like that where you can order specific quantities of ingredients.

Yes, a hydrometer is necessary will give you both Original gravity(OG) and your Finished gravity(FG) need to tell you when it's done fermenting and ready to bottle.

Do I need a thermometer for extract + specialty grains? or could I wait to buy this till I move up to partial mash/all grain?

Good to have, nice to control temps but wouldn't hurt to get as soon as affordable.

A strip thermometer that adheres to the side of your carboy or bucket is essential ($1.99). You need to know what temperature the wort is during active fermentaton, (The low 60°s will give you the best brew for most ales). The bottle filler I consider essential. So easy to fill bottles with one. Eliminates messing around. Messing around equates to frustration.

henkelbrau said:

It might actually be better for me to buy things piecemeal anyway (as not to arouse the suspicions of the wife LOL!)

Click to expand...

Grommets are okay, but I just drill my hole with a 1" wood bit and use a #6 stopper.

You do need a hydrometer and I recommend stick-on thermometers (just don't get them wet for extended periods of time).

The bottle filler is very handy and fairly cheap. You can get by without it, but you'll probably spill enough to make it worthwhile.

You can get a 30qt aluminum turkey fryer with propane burner for $40 at walmart. It works great and allows you to brew outdoors, if that is desirable for you. Your SWMBO may appreciate it, if using the kitchen is bothersome to her. The extra 9 quarts make a big difference, and will allow you to do full-volume batches.

So, I came up with this combination from my LHBS. I know I can't make up my mind but I have a couple of weeks till I can afford to buy my stuff and this keeps me entertained. Also, I'll know I'm getting the best deal because I beat all the possible scenarios to death. Here's a breakdown of the various scenarios I have considered.

Scenario 1) LHBS kit customized the way I want it.

2x 6.5 Gallon fermenting bucket (2x$11.99)
I was gonna go with the 5 gallons one from home depot but I want the option of doing a full 5 gallons. I am just going to use the second bucket to bottle from minus the spigot.
1x lid w/ grommet ($2.99)
1x triple scale hydrometer ($4.99)
1x 3 piece airlock ($0.99)
1x 5' of 3/8" tubing ($0.59/ft $2.95)
1x tubing clamp ($0.59)
1x Bottle brush ($2.99)
1x Bottle capper ($17.99)
1x 144ct oxygen barrier caps ($4.99)
1x 8oz easy clean cleanser ($3.99)
1x fast flow bottle filler ($2.99)
1x stick on thermometer ($2.39)
1x True Brew Bavarian Hefeweizen kit ($37.99)

comes to: ~$106.00 including tax

Scenario 2) LHBS kit
same as above but without easy clean

but with these items in addition:
1)bucket clip
2)floating thermometer
3)bottling bucket (instead of just plain bucket)
4)large plastic food grade spoon
5)B-brite 8oz
6)Iodophor 4oz
7)Book

also including the True Brew Bavarian hefeweizen kit.

comes to: ~$120 including tax

Scenario 3)Brewmaster's warehouse kit

1x Don't Call me Hefe 5 gallon recipe kit
1x Bronze starter kit
includes:
6.5 gallon fermenting bucket
6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket
3 piece airlock
5 feet of tubing
3/8" Auto Siphon
Bottle Filler
Emily Capper
Fermometer
Star San (Doesn't say what size bottle)
Triple Scale Hydrometer

comes to: $112.71 shipped
although, I've heard that Brewmaster's warehouse take a long time to ship things and the recipe is from their recipe generator and doesn't give detailed instructions.

Scenario 4)Norther Brewer's essential starter kit
1x Essential brewing starter kit
includes:
6.5 Gallon Fermenting Bucket, Grommeted Lid, Airlock
6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket, Bottling Spigot, Bottle Filler, Bottling Tubing
Auto-Siphon
Siphon Tubing
Beer Bottle Brush
Bottle Capper
60 Caps
Instructional DVD
PBW Cleaner
Star-San Sanitizer
Recipe Kit
1x Triple scale hydrometer
1x stick on thermometer

comes to: $110.61 shipped

Scenario 4) Midwest supplies

1x Brewing basics equipment kit
includes:
Instructional Homebrewing DVD
6.5 Gallon Fermentor and Lid
6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket with Spigot
4-oz. of Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser
Airlock
Hydrometer
Bottle brush
Twin Lever Bottle Capper
Bottle caps
Bottle filler
Racking tube with bucket clip
Siphon tubing
1x stick on thermometer
1x 3/8 auto siphon
1x Bavarian wheat beer kit

comes to: $120.92 shipped

as for a kettle I think im just going to buy a 21 and 1/2 qt canning pot that I saw at the local Target store for $21.00. I could not find a turker fryer/burner for that cheap. The least expensive one I saw was at home depot for ~$60. The wife doesn't care if I do it inside. I'm mostly making myself paranoid that she won't want me to spend money on something she won't be taking part in (she won't drink beer).

All these kits have basically the same item's and would allow me to come in under my goal of about $150.00 to get started. I don't know if some of the items are more quality than others but my $106.00 custom kit seems to be the best deal.

I can't believe I'm this obsessed already. hah :cross:

Yea, we understand here

henkelbrau said:

Do I need a thermometer for extract + specialty grains? or could I wait to buy this till I move up to partial mash/all grain?

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Even though there is some wiggle room for temps when steeping specialty grains, it's nice not having to guess. Even a low-cost meat thermometer would be better than no thermometer at all.

Yeah, my bad, Walmart has the turkey fryer on for $49 on the internet.

It's $40 at our local store, though. Garden section by the grills.

21 qts is going to be problematic. You won't be able to boil full 5 gal batches (you lose ~1 gal in a 1 hr boil). You'll have to top them off. Not a huge deal, but a consideration. It will affect your hops utilization, in particular.

Oh, and if you do go with the ale pail style fermenters, I'll be waiting for the thread where you ask why there's no airlock activity.

LOL! (@ the pail comment) what other fermenting options do I have besides trying to get free buckets from the grocery store. I want at least a 6 gallon bucket and the home depot ones are only 5. I was looking at the 6 gallon ones from US plastics but the shipping is almost half of the cost of the buckets. I was thinking about a large better bottle but that significantly increases my costs as well. I could do two 5 gallon home depot buckets to make two 2.5 gal batches out of a 5 kit.

Couple additions:

1. If you use oxyclean, make sure it is oxyclean free. You can get it in the laundry detergent area at target. A box is going to be like $9-10. Get it with SWMBO and tell her you want to try it for laundry. Then steal it out of your laundry area (now it doesn't count in your initial $150 ).

2. She may not know it now, but its possible that SWMBO does NOT like you brewing in the kitchen. Wort has a particular odor that some don't enjoy. Not sure why because it smells delicious.

3. Get a hydrometer. It's like $5. Best $5 you'll ever spend on brewing stuff. In fact, get 2. There are two types of people: those that have broken a hydrometer and those that just haven't brewed long enough yet.

4. Your fourth and fifth scenarios were both labelled 4. Just an observation.

Happy brewing and welcome to the addiction. I can see homebrewing is going to have a strong hold on you!

henkelbrau said:

LOL! (@ the pail comment) what other fermenting options do I have besides trying to get free buckets from the grocery store.

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I was able to get one of my home depot lids to fit on my 6.5 gal fermenter. It was a tight fit, but it sealed, unlike the lid I got from MW Supplies. Problem solved.

If there's a bakery around your area, try them for buckets. They usually buy honey, malt, icing, etc. in big, high quality buckets.

I've never done a kit, so I may be speaking from ignorance on this subject. However, I suspect that you may be better off financially by just buying lme/dme, specialty grain, hops, and yeast and trying one of the awesome recipes available on HBT. It's really easy to do.

I mean, you can buy cookie dough at the store, but eggs, flour, butter, and sugar are a lot cheaper if you intend to make a lot of cookies.

So I can buy whatever "Ale pail" style fermentation bucket and the home depot lid should fit on it? I'm gonna try to local bakeries and see what I can find but if not that sounds like a good last resort. I can't believe my city has no home brew shop. Are any of the buckets better than any of the others? or do they all suffer from mal-sealing?

I won't promise that it will fit, but mine does fit (HD lid + MW 6.5gal bucket).

I feel your pain. My LHBS is 1.5 hours away. As a result, I just order from MW.

Don't know if any are better than others. I just know that without a gasket, they are likely to leak - plastic on plastic doesn't form a very good seal and it won't likely get any better as it ages.

Best of luck!

Shakybones said:

However, I suspect that you may be better off financially by just buying lme/dme, specialty grain, hops, and yeast and trying one of the awesome recipes available on HBT. It's really easy to do.

Click to expand...

This.

A downside of those extract kits is that they may have been sitting on a shelf for quite a while. The specialty grains are usually pre-crushed. Crushed grain has a much shorter shelf life than uncrushed. And who knows how old that LME and hops are in the kit?

Buying your own extract, hops and uncrushed grains will give you fresher ingredients, though it will cost a little more. For the small amount of steeping grains you'll be using, you can easily crush them yourself with a rolling pin or beer bottle on brew day.

BTW, another cost-saver: use dry yeast. While there aren't as many varieties in dry as in liquid, you can still brew many good styles using only dry. And you don't need a starter.

I found this lot of used stuff on craigslist. He wants $130 for it. You get the
-brew pot (5 gallons)
-5 gallon glass carboy
-carboy cap
-racking cane and tubing
-bottle filler
-drilled 6.5 gallon ale pail with spigot
-lid with stopper and airlock
-capper and caps
-dial thermometer
-ingredients for oatmeal stout
-16 oz star san
-spray bottle
-carboy brush
-40 empties

Good deal? The kit is from a local place. Ive seen it on their site for $110. The pot is at least $35.

Shakybones said:

Others may disagree, but I don't care much for some of the items in that kit:

• The ale pails are notorious for not sealing properly, since they have no lid gasket. I'd go with the white food-safe buckets from Home Depot instead (~$7). They're only 5 gal, but recipes are scalable (a chem major should have no problem with that).
  All of my fermenters are Ale Pails, Have had no sealing issues and a super tight seal is not necessary as while fermentation is going on it is all under positive pressure anyways.
• The bottling bucket is also a PITA. Mine has always leaked, no matter what I do. Instead, I just use another 5 gal bucket with my autosiphon.
  Unless things have changed since I was doing the bulk of my bottling or if they changed things up, as long as you assemble your bottling bucket properly (number of and location of the O-rings they usually include a spare and do not explain it) you should be leak free.
• StarSan >> Iodophor. Get a 16-32oz bottle and you'll be good for a long time.
  StarSan is easier, but they both are effective sanitizers.
• 8 oz. of cleanser won't last long. Go buy some OxyClean Free.
• You don't need a book, you have HBT.
• Don't bother with a racking cane. You definitely want an autosiphon.
• You can get the tubing at your local Home Depot or hardware store. I've never needed clips or clamps.
• I'd never put a thermometer in my fermenter. How the heck would you read it inside a bucket anyway? Opening the bucket during fermentation is asking for infection.
  Not particularly. Beer is far more resilient than most people think. True, you want to be careful with sanitation, but opening your fermenter (as long as it is not done excessively) is fine. How else can you check for gravity to make sure it is done? Just be sure to sanitize anything that touches it and you should be fine.

In short, I think you can save money over that kit by buying only (and exactly) what you need.

That's just my two cents. Welcome to the addiction.

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I beg to differ on a few points. see above in color.

That appears to be close to the beginners kit I got. I got the one from Midwest for ~$120-140 that came with an ingredient kit and 2 cases of bottles.
Bottling wands are nice. Just my opinion, but I am glad I had mine as it seems to have made things far less messy than the time I tried without it. The ceramic pot will work, but will probably stain. You will want to be careful to not chip off the coating. You can find cheapish Aluminum pots.

Check out CraigsList. You can often find equipment there. You will probably want to replace the fermenters or at the very least examine them for scratches that can harbor bacteria, and replace any hosing then thoroughtly clean everything if you buy things new.

henkelbrau said:

I found this lot of used stuff on craigslist. He wants $130 for it. You get the
-brew pot (5 gallons)
-5 gallon glass carboy
-carboy cap
-racking can and tubing
-bottle filler
-drilled 6.5 gallon ale paile with spigot
-lid with stopper and airlock
-capper and caps
-dial thermometer
-ingredients for oatmeal stout
-16 oz star san
-spray bottle
-carboy brush
-40 empties

Good deal? The kit is from a local place. Ive seen it on their site for $110. The pot is at least $35.

Click to expand...

I would pass on that one. You can get that equipment new for that price.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-basics-plus-kit.html for example. $144

henkelbrau said:

I found this lot of used stuff on craigslist. He wants $130 for it. You get the
-brew pot (5 gallons)
-5 gallon glass carboy
-carboy cap
-racking can and tubing
-bottle filler
-drilled 6.5 gallon ale paile with spigot
-lid with stopper and airlock
-capper and caps
-dial thermometer
-ingredients for oatmeal stout
-16 oz star san
-spray bottle
-carboy brush
-40 empties

Good deal? The kit is from a local place. Ive seen it on their site for $110. The pot is at least $35.

Click to expand...

Still sounds a little steep. Try to bargain a bit. You don't get a primary fermenter. The Ale Pail is drilled--it's a bottling bucket, and shouldn't double as a fermenter. The 5 gal carboy is usually used as a secondary fermenter, though you could put a smaller batch, say 4 gallons, in as primary. The stout ingredients may not be fresh--ask!

If you can bargain it down, use some of the $$ you saved and buy a 6 or 6.5 gal carboy for use as a primary. No worries about buckets not sealing well. Only problem--glass carboys are real heavy and can be a hazard if you drop one.

The bucket vs. carboy fermenter thing can be a hotly-debated subject here, and I might get flamed for saying this. But I'm just not a fan of plastic buckets, and only use one for bottling. Buying a used one is dubious, as there may be scuffs and scratches inside, which can harbor germs. At least getting a new one (and taking good care of it) will minimize the risk of infection.

There's also this one. He wants $200 for it. I don't have $200 so I sent him an email saying that I'll give him $100 just on a long shot.

2 x 3-piece Airlock
1 x Auto-Siphon Clamp (3/8")
1 x Stainless Steel Spoon (21 inch)
1 x Equipment Kit (2 Stage Plastic Secondary)
- Brew Pot Option: No
- Beer Bottles Case 1: 12 oz Beer Bottles Case of 24
- Beer Bottles Case 2: 12 oz Beer Bottles Case of 24
1 x AHS Bavarian Hefeweizen (15A)
- Kit Option: Extract - DME
- Yeast Option: White Labs Hefeweizen Ale WLP300
- BrewVint Yeast Fuel: Add yeast fuel
- Cold Pack: Yes
- 1% Alcohol Boost: Yes
- Beer Bottle Caps: Yes
1 x Bottling Bucket with Spigot (6 gallon)
- Lid for 6 / 7 Gal Bucket (solid): Yes

Here is what is in the Equipment Kit:

7.9 gallon plastic primary fermenter with a lid and stopper
5 gallon PET plastic carboy secondary fermenter
Medium universal stopper
3-piece airlock
6 feet of siphon hose (3/8" thin wall)
Auto-Siphon (3/8")
Bottle Filler (3/8")
Nylon Grain Bag
Triple Scale Hydrometer
Floating Thermometer
Red Baron bottle capper
Bottle caps
Cleaner/Sanitizer
An Illustrated Guide to Homebrewing

It's Austin Home Brew supply brand. They're expensive. I'll just have to get my money together and wait I suppose. I do agree with you that $130 is a little steep for that set. I also don't want a glass carboy if possible. I have a small child in the house. I was just attracted to it because it has the kettle with it.

Go to northern brewer and get a deluxe start kit. If you try to piece it together yourself or pay too much for too little elsewhere thats frustrating Save yourself some hassle spend the hundred or so and do it right the first time like you said earlier. I support local but If your local is too far I like northern brewer.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...-starter-kits/deluxe-brewing-starter-kit.html

Speaking of that kit. I bought something off craiglist today and it was ACTUALLY a good deal. For $40 + $10 gas and 90 minutes of my time I got a norther brewer kit minus the consumables.



It doesn't have the cleanser, the bottle caps, or any ingredients. It has PET carboys. Also, I got an extra bottle filler somehow. This leaves me $110 dollars under budget. Now I just have to find a turkey fryer combo. and then I still have money for ingredients. I told my SWMBO that it might smell a little and she decided that I should do it outside then. Also, I got like 100 empties.