Should I buy this equipment to get started?

Hello all! I have wanted to make my own beer for a long time now and just started researching how to do it. I bought a cheap kit a while back but either I didn't follow the instructions exactly or they were no good...because it all basically blew up all over my house!
Anyway, I see better-looking kits on ebay and I was wondering if you guys think they're worth the $$. For around $100 I can get a kit with two buckets, a 5-gallon glass carboy, siphon, capper, other odds and ends, and the thing that goes on top of the fermenter to let the gas out (don't remember what it's called!). Is that a worthwhile investment or can I get this stuff cheaper somewhere else??
Thanks in advance for any advice and help!

Give a list of stuff you have now and what you plan on trying to brew next.

I pretty much only have a 5-gallon stock pot. I don't have anything else that I know for sure I can use for brewing.
As for what I hope to brew...just some basic beer! I never brewed before so I don't expect to go too crazy the first few times.

Brewing stuff is generally good forever, or as long as you keep it clean well cared for. It is worth it to spend a few extra $$ in the beginning since it will last you for a very long time.

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101895/maestro-beer-equipment

I love Brewmasterswarehouse.com

This is the kit that I bought, and it's had everything I need. I paid about $20 more at my LHBS. You should also get a bottle of this...it will be the most important thing you buy.

I appreciate that...and it makes sense. As long as I can make some decent beer the first couple times I'm sure I'll be hooked forever.
That's why every clean 5-gallon bucket I come across ends up full of homemade sauerkraut!

prrriiide said:

This is the kit that I bought, and it's had everything I need. I paid about $20 more at my LHBS. You should also get a bottle of this...it will be the most important thing you buy.

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starsan yes, but you might want to do a search on the kegkits.com vendor before ordering from there....

at the beginning stage if you have a local shop it might be worth the extra money you spend (if any) for advice.

I would suggest you invest in a good book or two or go to the library. You mentioned the first batch not coming out well. Better equipment won't fix that. You can make good beer with the basic equipment, as long as you follow the instructions.

One thing to make better beer is use a good kit. Some of the basic kits use canned and hopped liquid extract. You are not going to get very good beer using that. A kit that has specialty grains and you have to add your own hops may take a little extra time but well worth it and you can make much better beer as a result. I second the suggestion to visit the local store if you have one. It will give you a source of last minute supplies and advice.

I did what "jmo88" suggests. I bought a kit from a major online supplier. I got Midwest's Intermediate Kit, and it was a great starting point for me as the pastime grew.

http://new.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-intermediate-kit-w-two-5-gallon-glass-carboys.html

I would personally get an inexpensive kit and wouldn't spend the money for glass carboys unless you are hooked on watching the beer. I like the buckets because they're inexpensive and easy to work with. Most folks complain about cleaning the carboys and moving them when full.

Thanks for all the replies guys! I had no idea there are this many people out there doing this as a major hobby!

Rico567, that looks like the exact same kit I am considering...except that the one I'm looking at only has one bucket and one carboy.

Thanks again!

Don't underestimate how much fun it is to watch your beer bubble. Especially when you got more than one batch going, I swing by the fermenting room when I get home to see how my batches are going. Glass carboys are cool that way.

For your fist successful batch KISS keep it simple. Prepare the wort put it in a bottling bucket to ferment then add your priming sugar then bottle. If you have success with that then add a carboy for secondary fermentation on your next batch. Also second fementing vessel allows you to brew and bottle on the same day, making one less mess to clean up. Or maybe a mess twice as big but one day less of cleaning up.