best price on a complete starter kit?

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802VermontHomebrew

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Just like the threads title asks... I am looking for a complete starter kit to begin my brewing journeys. If you know of an incredible price online that I can order from or if you (or know somebody) who is selling a kit PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I need everything to get started! :mug:
 
In my experience nearly all the starter kits across different companies are the same. And all within +/- $10 of each other. So you really can't go wrong with any of them. My only advice is upgrade to get the 'deluxe' with the autosiphon. So really just find a site with flat rate shipping that has an ingredient kit that's appealing to you and order from there.

A quick search Austinhomebrew.com has a good deluxe kit. Has a few extras that I had to buy separate like a grain bag and spoon. Can't really go wrong there. They have endless clone kits and house kits to start off with too.
 
I just bought my kit a few months ago. First, check craigslist or other local ads. There are occasionally local homebrewers who are selling materials at a good price.

super cheap - you will find threads of guys getting food grade buckets from bakeries, etc. A few of the other items (siphon, airlock) are pretty cheap, but a bottling bucket will make you life easier.

Kits - I agree with another post that the prices are pretty similar. It seems that Austin, Midwest, or Northern Brewer have flat shipping and may have the volume of business to have prices a hair cheaper.

Style - There are a few differences in the kits and that is what is worth looking into. I got the better bottle NB kit. In part the 6 gal BB can be used for beer or wine kits. Midwest kit has a bucket for primary and 5 gal carboy for secondary for similar price. I just didn't want all of that stuff, yet.
 
Check out austin home brew, I went with midwest but austin has a little better kit now that I know what i'm doing (bigger fermenter, floating thermometer)
 
find a local brew store. you just might have one pretty close. go talk to them. they may be a little more then what youll find online but least youll get to know them. just check out midwest and austin to make sure your getting a complete setup. many things can be upgraded. IE get a bench capper for an upgrade. tell them you would like to have a thief instead of the "sample tube" and get starsan instead of the dry sample sanitizer they will throw in. the williams brewing kit is pretty complete. but with a little work and sweat of your own you can do the same for cheaper.

[ame="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=local+home+brew+store+vermont&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai="]google search for vermont home brew stores[/ame]
 
Thanks for all the links guys! You have been very helpful... I do in fact have a brew supply store, its an hour and 40 min. from my house but only 15 minutes from my inlaws house which we visit pretty frequently. Next Time I am up there (this weekend coming up) I will be making a special trip out there. The starter kit is basically what you guys posted links for the single stage without a carboy is 74.99 I however am leaning towards this kit on midwest:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/everything-a-carboy-complete-brewing-package-equipment-kit-2.html

This kit HAS IT ALL! The price seems very fair and comes with bottles, carboy and a stainless steel boiling pot... The shipping is a little high (45.00) but thats alright... I would probably spend that in total buying those items seperatley... From my research so far stainless pots are anywhere from 25-35.00 and thats pretty much the shipping cost right there... and the bottles per case are about 13-17.00 so there yah go! So I think my mind is made up on which kit I need to go with. Only question now is what do I get (the better barrel or the glass carboy) Plastic would be nice so I dont have to worry about dropping it and having it break, but glass seems like a very nice option as far as easy to clean etc.. Which do you guys prefer since I do get to chose which one. Thanks,
-Scott
 
I also get to chose which type of beer I want to make for my first batch (amber ale, irish red, or a stout).. I am thinking amber ale would be the best for my first batch then work my way up to the more full body beers.
 
FYI: You can reuse standard commerical bottles as long as they are twist off. So generally I would count the 2 cases of bottles as FREE. I got a set of 4 stockpots for $45 I think. So you can easily find those cheaper. But sometimes easier just is better.
 
Once you price in the cost of a decent brew kettle and a wort chiller, the Williams deal wins from what I have seen at the other sites. You will want a chiller at some point in the future.
 
I ordered a delux kit from Midwest Supplies...came eith everything; primary bucket, glass carboy, botting bucket, autosiphon, wine thief, thermometer, carboy brush, bottle brush, floating thermometer, hydrometer, stainless steel brew kettle, stainless steel spoon, 6 feet of tubing, bottling wand, 2 cases (48) brand new bottles, and an extract kit of my choice. All that purchased and delivered for $209. Probably a little overboard, but I was looking at a "basic" kit that was around $89.00. With shipping, it was near $105, or so...but it lacked the brew kettle, the glass carboy, the autosiphon, the bottles, the extract kit and the hydrometer. For an extra $100, I thought it was worth getting the delux. The carboy, kettle and kit alone were probably worth $100.

Where do you live in VT? I lived 15 minutes from Killington for nearly 20 years.
 
I got the deluxe kit from northern brewer... I was never a fan of using buckets, I started on better bottles (6gal + 5gal)
 
yeah i'd like to see somebody cap a twist off :)

Done it. It sucks. I had SWMBO hold the bottle down on the counter, and I was very, very ginger with the two-handed capper so that I didn't break the neck. I've heard that bench cappers can do it without breaking the bottles, though.
 
I ordered a delux kit from Midwest Supplies...came eith everything; primary bucket, glass carboy, botting bucket, autosiphon, wine thief, thermometer, carboy brush, bottle brush, floating thermometer, hydrometer, stainless steel brew kettle, stainless steel spoon, 6 feet of tubing, bottling wand, 2 cases (48) brand new bottles, and an extract kit of my choice. All that purchased and delivered for $209. Probably a little overboard, but I was looking at a "basic" kit that was around $89.00. With shipping, it was near $105, or so...but it lacked the brew kettle, the glass carboy, the autosiphon, the bottles, the extract kit and the hydrometer. For an extra $100, I thought it was worth getting the delux. The carboy, kettle and kit alone were probably worth $100.

Where do you live in VT? I lived 15 minutes from Killington for nearly 20 years.

That sounds about right. :)
 
On one hand you can get plenty of good advice from your LHBS, especially if you are a beginner.

On the other hand, you can get plenty of good advice here 24x7x365.

I would go with the Midwest or Williams Brewing kits and get everything you need from the go. If there's one REALLY frustrating thing when you are brewing it is needing something and you know that the LHBS is closed for the night. Those two kits have what you will need to make good beer from batch one, assuming you pay enough attention to the instructions and to sanitation practices.
 
Everyone else posted up some vendors/retailers for you to check so I am not going that way...I am pointing you at super cheap because I think every new brewer should spend the very least on starting equipment because I am 1000% sure you will get hooked and want to "upgrade" soon. If you can "wait it out and get things on sale" you will spend WAY less than if you jump in and need everything by day X.

Stainless steel stock pots on the dirt cheap:

http://www.harborfreight.com/stainless-steel-4-piece-stock-pot-set-94829.html

These were $24.99 last week........and the "big un" is 4 gallons.

Craigs list / ebay can be a great place to get a kit or supplies. Just remember that scratches in plastic anything is bad.

Need food grade plastic buckets? ask your grocery store's deli/bakery. They may only be 3-4 gallons but they are the exact same "food grade plastic" and are free or very near it. (If you slip them a "tip" they normally go out of the way to help you out....) vs. 40+ dollars for a 6.5 gallon "Ale pail"

Air locks and blow off tubes are cheap to buy/make. I suggest the blow off tube.

+1 on getting an auto siphon, wine thief, hydrometer, floating thermometer and bench capper. (the wing capper will work but can be a PITA.)


The last bit of advice is check this forums DIY section to save even more money.

Good luck.

PS. I am in NO way saying the other posters helping are wrong I am simply providing some "food for thought."
 
Has anyone compiled a list of basic components with potential upgrades? That would be very useful for people (like myself) trying to decide between kits and à la carte purchases.
 
Has anyone compiled a list of basic components with potential upgrades? That would be very useful for people (like myself) trying to decide between kits and à la carte purchases.

The issue here is there are tons of distributors of equipment, and just as many "work arounds" by the time the list was compiled it would probably be out of date or inaccurate.

As a rule of thumb generally everything is upgradeable. With the exceptions of auto siphon, wine thief, hydrometer, floating thermometer and bench capper and even those have potential upgrades... plastic to glass as an example.

My theory is if you buy nice: auto siphon, wine thief, hydrometer, floating thermometer and bench capper you should not need to replace them any time soon. You will never have enough carboys, bottles or kegs and just when you do you will want to make larger batches or make batches faster/more often which nearly always equates to new or more equipment. (bigger boil kettles, going all grain, kegging, ect.ect.)
 
It's hard to directly compare kits, because they all seem to come with different stuff. That said, once you add in all the same gear they're all pretty close to each other.

As a result, I got mine from MoreBeer.com because they were local and I didn't have to pay shipping. Although tax probably negated that savings, I still liked being able to get it right there and then.
 
If you are looking for "the cheaper the better" that depends on what is included. A lower price means less or inferior equipment. If you find a equipment kit you like let me know and I will compare.

Forrest
 
The only thing I would recomend is getting a better bottle instead of a glass carboy if you can. It is just my personal preferance because I think it is a little safer. I'm sure there are plenty out there who could make a valid argument why glass is better.

Looking back, I wish I would have started out with more than a 'basic' kit, but then again, as I learn more I am developing a more 'custom' equipment setup.
 
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