OK, new guy here. I've surfed around the net, and it seems like there are a million and one beginner kits which vary both in price and what comes in them. So confusing. What is a wannabe to do? Any advice on what kit to start with? Is buying indiv. parts better than kits? How much money (roughly) should a starter kit cost? Thanks in advance.
Advice on start up equipment
- Thread starter melee2
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I guess it all depends on how fast you want to get started as well as finances.
I went cheap, but with enough equipment and then bought more stuff as I went along. I only started in mid June so I'm new also.
Have the money? Then you can but everything at once.
My initial purchase was a $50 kit that included a plastic food grade primary fermenter, a bottling bucket with spigot, hydrometer, stick on thermometer and flask, airlock, siphoning tube, racking cane/auto siphon, bottling wand, caps and capper as well as one step sanitizer. I bought a 20qt kettle prior to that. Along with the kit I also purchased 2 cases of bottles which cost under 20 bucks. The extract that I used cost me around $25 for 2 cans of extract...also purchased prior to my kit purchase.
That was fine for brewing my first batch and everything worked out fine. I have beer!!!
Right after that I went out and bought a 5 gallon glass carboy for about $15 to use for a secondary on my second batch. Every now and then I purchase some other piece of equipment. Yesterday I bought one of those wine thingys sort of like a turkey baster to remove a sample from the fermenter...cost about $5.
I find everything relatively cheap. My next purchase will be a glass carboy for primary, only because I want to watch my brew churn!!
This weekend I'll buy a carboy rest that allows you to rest your carboy upside down for drying. Is all this stuff necessary? No, but sometimes it makes things easier. I probably could have continued with my original $50 kit and nothing else.
Tommy
I went cheap, but with enough equipment and then bought more stuff as I went along. I only started in mid June so I'm new also.
Have the money? Then you can but everything at once.
My initial purchase was a $50 kit that included a plastic food grade primary fermenter, a bottling bucket with spigot, hydrometer, stick on thermometer and flask, airlock, siphoning tube, racking cane/auto siphon, bottling wand, caps and capper as well as one step sanitizer. I bought a 20qt kettle prior to that. Along with the kit I also purchased 2 cases of bottles which cost under 20 bucks. The extract that I used cost me around $25 for 2 cans of extract...also purchased prior to my kit purchase.
That was fine for brewing my first batch and everything worked out fine. I have beer!!!
Right after that I went out and bought a 5 gallon glass carboy for about $15 to use for a secondary on my second batch. Every now and then I purchase some other piece of equipment. Yesterday I bought one of those wine thingys sort of like a turkey baster to remove a sample from the fermenter...cost about $5.
I find everything relatively cheap. My next purchase will be a glass carboy for primary, only because I want to watch my brew churn!!
This weekend I'll buy a carboy rest that allows you to rest your carboy upside down for drying. Is all this stuff necessary? No, but sometimes it makes things easier. I probably could have continued with my original $50 kit and nothing else.
Tommy
Desert_Sky
Since 1998
i have a question for you.......
do you have the space to do full boils. for example...do you have the space for a turkey fryer on which you can put a 7 gallon pot? if so, full boils are the way to go
do you have the space to do full boils. for example...do you have the space for a turkey fryer on which you can put a 7 gallon pot? if so, full boils are the way to go
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=6876
It's a great Newbie/Intermediate set up and only costs $118 after Shipping. I'd go for the Class Carboys over the Better Bottles. (Both cost the same)
Product Description:
Brewing Intermediate Kit: We have revamped this equipment kit to incorporate Better Bottles. These are becoming more and more popular for their many advantages over glass. Check out page 41 for all the details on these revolutionary fermenters. In addition, we have upgraded this equipment kit to include a Fermtech AutoSiphon, the easiest method of starting a siphon. The components of this kit represent a considerable savings compared to being purchased separately. This equipment kit is sure to keep you brewing for years to come. Brewing Intermediate Equipment Kit List: Instructional Homebrewing Video or DVD • 71 page instructional book • 6 Gallon Glass Carboy • 5 Gallon Glass Carboy • 6.5 Gallon Plastic Fermenter • 6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket with Spigot • 8 Oz. of Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser • two #10 Rubber Stoppers • 2 Airlocks (Keeps air out of the fermenter) • 8 Inch Funnel • Hydrometer (Determines alcohol content) • Bottle Brush • Carboy Brush • Twin Lever Red Baron Bottle Capper • Bottle Caps • 2 Liquid Crystal Thermometers • Bottle Filler • Fermtech AutoSiphon • Siphon Tubing • shutoff clamp
It's a great Newbie/Intermediate set up and only costs $118 after Shipping. I'd go for the Class Carboys over the Better Bottles. (Both cost the same)
Product Description:
Brewing Intermediate Kit: We have revamped this equipment kit to incorporate Better Bottles. These are becoming more and more popular for their many advantages over glass. Check out page 41 for all the details on these revolutionary fermenters. In addition, we have upgraded this equipment kit to include a Fermtech AutoSiphon, the easiest method of starting a siphon. The components of this kit represent a considerable savings compared to being purchased separately. This equipment kit is sure to keep you brewing for years to come. Brewing Intermediate Equipment Kit List: Instructional Homebrewing Video or DVD • 71 page instructional book • 6 Gallon Glass Carboy • 5 Gallon Glass Carboy • 6.5 Gallon Plastic Fermenter • 6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket with Spigot • 8 Oz. of Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser • two #10 Rubber Stoppers • 2 Airlocks (Keeps air out of the fermenter) • 8 Inch Funnel • Hydrometer (Determines alcohol content) • Bottle Brush • Carboy Brush • Twin Lever Red Baron Bottle Capper • Bottle Caps • 2 Liquid Crystal Thermometers • Bottle Filler • Fermtech AutoSiphon • Siphon Tubing • shutoff clamp
Depends What you want and What you can afford.. If you are just trying it out I'd say don't go over $75 including first kit/ingredients... If you think you want to do this $200+ is not unreasonable for an SS pot, Carboys, siphons, capper, etc.. I started with a $179 rig including 1st kit.. within 6 months my investment was over $1K
desiderata
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I would recommend going with one of the least expensive/basic kits. Doing your first batch, you will probably screw it up. (Sorry to be discouraging.) This will also give you an idea of how the process works, so you can then purchase what you want piecemeal, once you better understand what each piece of equipment's purpose is. I don't think that the cost savings from buying a kit with everything will be that much of a difference in buying individually each item, especially if you end up with some things you don't use at all. Less expenses will also be easier for the significant other/partner (SWMBO?) to digest.
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