Please help me with my starter kit

I've read John Palmer's How to Brew, and have done a lot of reading here and on other sites as well. I'm getting ready to brew my first batch. I decided (maybe foolishly) to start with a partial-mash instead of an extract only recipe. I'm going to do an Organic Coffee Oatmeal Stout, because that's one of my favorite beers and it seems like a good choice for the coming Fall season. I ordered an ingredient kit from Seven Bridges Cooperative, but I've yet to buy my basic brewing equipment.

I've checked out the kits at AHB, Northern Brewer, Seven Bridges and a couple of local shops. All of them look okay, but I decided after doing more research to try to put my own together based on my preferences and the fact that I'm doing a partial mash. I'd like to get your feedback to see if there's anything I'm missing. I also have a few questions.

The Kit:
- 6 Gallon Glass Carboy
- 6 Gallon Bottling Bucket
- Dome Lid 5 Gallon Stainless Steel Pot
- Straight-A Cleaner, 8 oz. Package
- Iodine Sanitizer, 4 oz. Bottle
- Emily Hand Bottle Capper
- Large Straining Bag
- 3/8" o.d. x 22" Acrylic Racking Tube
- 6' of 3/8" i.d. Siphon tubing
- Auto-Siphon: For 3/8" Tubing
- The Thief Wort Sampler
- Fermometer Stick On Thermometer
- Greenline Hydrometer
- 3 Piece Plastic Airlock
- 8" Funnel with Snap In Screen
- Carboy & Large Water Bottle Brush, Bottle Brush, Airlock Brush
- Fermtech 3/8" Springless Bottle Filler
- Plain Crown Caps, 1 Lb. Package

Total cost: approximately $210 with shipping

Is there anything I'm missing? I'm planning on doing Deathbrewer's simplified partial mash method, so I'll be using another pot on the stovetop for mashing instead of a lauter tun.

Looking good!

4 dozen bottles, burner, propane, food safe spoon (wood, metal), thermometer that reads up to 212F, fish take aerator, air stone, plastic tubing, size 6.5 and 7 carboy stoppers, measuring cup (for making primer)

Yes, bottles. I plan to get those locally. I have a food safe spoon, and I have a highly accurate thermometer I use for cooking. I also have two glass measuring cups.

Why a fish tank aerator and air stone?

What is the plastic tubing you're referring to? I have 6' of 3/8" tubing on the list. Or do you mean blow-off tube?

Accidental double post.

You don't need the air stone, and it'd be a bad idea if you didn't have medical-grade oxygen from what I hear. It's for aerating your wort before you pitch your yeast. Just make sure it's cooled to pitching temps (70-80*F) then once it's in your fermenter jostle it around a bunch so it splashes and gets air into it, as well as pouring it so it splashes, then pitch your yeast.

You'd enjoy a bench capper, but the one you've got up there will work fine. Use it for a while to make sure you really appreciate the bench capper, though...

Thanks. I did look at the bench capper but it's significantly more expensive and I figured that would fall into the "nice future upgrade" category.

If you are like me, you will switch to kegging long before you wear that winged capper out. Although I did have a kegerator before I started brewing so that helped in the decision to switch to kegs.

With a 6g carboy for primary, I'd definitely get a blow off tube.
You don't need a lid for the kettle (but I doubt you'll find one without a lid).
Why straight A? OxiClean works great and is probably cheaper.
I'd get a bigger bottle of sanitizer than 4 oz. Bigger bottles are cheaper in the long run.
I don't like the look of the Thief Wort Sampler. I have something similar, and I can't get an accurate reading with it because the hydrometer sticks to the sides. I use a turkey baster and hydrometer jar.
With OxiClean, you don't need the 3 brushes, but a jet bottle washer is wonderful for cleaning and rinsing bottles.
You may want to think about a wort chiller.

-a.

Thanks ajf for your reply. So would I be better off with a 6.5 gallon carboy? Or perhaps a 6.5 gallon primary bucket and a 5 gallon secondary carboy? The place I'm ordering this stuff from (Seven Bridges) doesn't have them, that's why I went with a 6. I appreciate all of your other recommendations. A wort chiller is probably the next thing I'll get, but raises the price of the initial kit beyond what I want to spend.

switters said:

Thanks ajf for your reply. So would I be better off with a 6.5 gallon carboy? Or perhaps a 6.5 gallon primary bucket and a 5 gallon secondary carboy? The place I'm ordering this stuff from (Seven Bridges) doesn't have them, that's why I went with a 6. I appreciate all of your other recommendations. A wort chiller is probably the next thing I'll get, but raises the price of the initial kit beyond what I want to spend.

Click to expand...

My starter kit back in 2003 included a "ale pail" fermenting bucket, a 5 gallon glass carboy, and a bottling bucket. The great advantage of having two vessels for fermenting and/or brightening and conditioning is that you can start a batch before the previous batch is the bottles. I don't think it much matters if you use a bucket and a glass carboy, or two glass carboys, or better bottles, etc. But the setup I had in my starter kit - fermenting bucket, glass carboy, bottling bucket - worked really well and allowed me to get a pipeline of beer going without breaking the bank.

And a big thumbs up on Seven Bridges! I just received a fairly big order of organic hops from them yesterday! Their supplies are great and its good to support organic brewing.

I completely agree with Pappers.
I like glass carboys for fermenting because I prefer to watch beer fermenting than re-runs of Law and Order, and the fact that SWMBO tends to use any plastic buckets I may have for non-brewing activities. Unless we're both married to the same woman, I doubt that my prejudices would apply to you.
I use a 5g carboy for the few instances when I need a secondary (about 5 times a year), but need two primaries about 25 times per year. A couple ale pails, should be cheaper (and much more useful) than a single carboy. You could always add a carboy later if you feel the need.

-a.

like GrizlyGarou said the aerator and stone are for aerating your wart. you dont need a O2 tank. that's what the pump is for it will pump the air through your wart. but i would recommend getting an inline air filter to keep unwanted dust,mold, and bacteria out.

ive read (not actually experienced) that using medical grade O2 affects the taste of the beer. makes it seem like a "smaller beer". IF it is true i would suspect that using real air dissolves other gasses into the wart which affect its taste.