Help Me (Noob) Decide What to Buy!!!

Although I've been lurking around doing some research on the forum for a little while, this is my first post!

Recently I stumbled upon a Groupon from Midwest Brewing Supplies for a starter brewing kit (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/groupon-homebrewing.html), and I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger and buy it. Thanks to the help of my friend and this forum, I successfully brewed my first beer, an amber ale, and I am now waiting for it to finish fermenting so I can bottle it.

Thanks to my graduation, I have $200 in Amazon gift certificates, and I want to blow it on brewing equipment. :rockin:

In my cart I already have:

Bayou Classic 1044 44-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot with Vented Lid
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VXHKMC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Bayou Classic SQ14 Single Burner Outdoor Patio Stove
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYQ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER


So I basically have another $55 left to spend on more brewing stuff. My question for you guys is: what do you think is the best way for me to utilize that money? I was thinking either an immersion chiller, or just a bunch of little stuff (brewing paddle, scale, star san, etc.), or maybe a car boy.

What do you think?

Tim

Get an immersion chiller, if you have a garden hose accesible. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NZNJG2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This one has welded fittings. Get the StarSan!!

After years without one I made my own IC a few months ago. What a great device!

B

IC and a pond pump so you can pump ice water through it

Can't go wrong with an immersion chiller and StarSan. I would for sure get these to add to what you already have.

After bottling a few batches you may want to think about purchasing some kegging equipment, as it's much less of a hassle to keg than it is to bottle. I wish I would have considered kegging sooner, it really saves a TON of time and effort.

Thats a great starter kit. I recommend the following: Star San, Oxi Clean, Long stir spoon, Spray bottle, Wallpaper tray, Scale, Carboy/2nd fermentation bucket, 2nd airlock, 2nd crystal therm, then an IC.

I also bought that kit and read, read, read. I complimented that kit with an immersion chiller (ice baths are just too much trouble), a Bayou Classic turkey fryer ($64 to my door), Star-San, large paddle, and an extra airlock. I also was able to get 54 bottles from a friend. I have my second brew (Liberty Cream Ale) brewing now. I bought the second extract kit with the $25 coupon that came with the Groupon. Other things that I have done is pick up OxyClean, snag an old large cooler, and a spray bottle. the spray bottle sure keeps the boilovers in check.

Right now, I am only trying to understand the basic process before I "graduate" to bigger/better. My first brew is now bottle conditioning so I have no idea how well I am doing. Yet.

A couple of pics from Sunday's brew.

I'd get the bayou pot kit with the steamer basket included, in case you want to switch to a BIAB setup at some later point. Small premium if you buy the pot+basket, but can be a bigger ticket if you buy the basket alone.

puter said:

the spray bottle sure keeps the boilovers in check.

Click to expand...

A spray bottle with StarSan in it is just as valuable! Comes in handy for tons of things!

Get the immersion chiller for sure. Cooling a full boil of wort in the summer without one is damn near impossible.

You have two pretty good brewing stores in your area: Annapolis Home Brew in Severna Park, and Maryland HomeBrew in Columbia. You might want to check those out, both to see some equipment in person, and to make some decisions about what makes sense to ship and what makes sense to pick up yourself locally.

+1 for Maryland Homebrew in Columbia. They have a good selection, great prices, and a friendly staff. Was actually over there earlier today!

Thanks everyone! I went ahead and bought the immersion wort chiller and some Star San, along with the kettle and burner. Scratch thanks for the heads up about Maryland HomeBrew, I'm going to head out there at some point so I can get all the little stuff I'm going to need.

Cheers everybody,

Tim