First time Beer batch question.

Hey guys, interesting scenario came up after my wife got back from the a home brew shop investigating beer kits to make are first batch of beer. We've done wine a few times, and I've done apple cider once, I have a good idea about the differences for doing beer after reading up on here a while.
So the guy working at the shop told my wife that you can make beer in a wine kit, but once you've done beer you cant use it to make wine again... ?? This seems odd to me due to the fact that if sanitized properly why would it make a difference what you brewed next? Its just fermenting juices more or less, correct?
Can someone shed some light on this for me? To me (and forgive me if I'm just a naive fool) it seems more like the guy at the brew store wants us to let him brew it for us because he'll make a better profit.
Thanks in advance!
Adam

I have made both beer and wine in the same fermenters. I make sure to clean everything well so there are no residual oils or other flavor or odor-producing substances on any surface.

I'm here in Nelson BC and buy kits from Wine Kitz or Art of Brewing. It's true that stores in BC make a substantial amount of money for doing what you can do at home and save 40 or 50 dollars a batch. In any case you can buy a pretty complete fermentation kit for 50 or 60 bucks at the grocery store here. At that price you could justify having two set ups.

Excellent. There is a Wine Kitz in Mission that I was in a while I ago, I liked it in there so I'll probably try and get back there to buy my supplies if I can. Its further to go than those "other guys" but sometimes service counts I think.
Thanks for the fast response, looking forward to trying our first batch.

The Wine Kitz in Nelson is short on brewing supplies but there are more and more guys in the area starting to get into scratch brewing and the owner is starting to try some malts and stuff. They have the wort-in-box beer kits but I have not tried them. Spagnols makes a "Brew House" line that produces a good IPA, Pale Ale, Stout and Pilsner that I like. Not too fond of their Honey or Red Ale kits. But for the time and effort you put into brewing beer from them (about 20 minutes plus bottling time) I contend one can't do better.

Buy a brewing equipment kit from Save 0n (or Overwaite), Wash everything thoroughly with Sani Brew, spray iodophor on everything that will touch the beer, keep the temperature in spec, don't expose to light, you should do ok.

I make both wine and beer and the same gear. That being said, all my fermenters are glass carboys. But I just use a normal siphon, bottle bucket, etc with no issues. I clean all my gear with PBW when done, and star san it when I put it away and right before I use it.

I've heard the same thing about wine/beer gear not mixing. I think it has more to do with if you use bottle buckets as fermenters although I'm not sure exactly why.

When I brew my beer in the plastic bucket the smell of the beer remains in the plastic. That may be why they suggest you not make wine after beer. Glass carboys would not hold that odor, and the odor can be removed from the plastic buckets by soaking in Oxiclean. I don't bother since I'm going to make beer in them again.

If you're using all food grade equipment and you clean everything properly, then you should have no issues. I have been brewing beer for 3 years and this year I have made 3 batches of homemade wine (from fresh fruit) and my wife has made 2 batches of wine from kits, all using the same equipment. Both carboys and brew buckets.
Honestly, if that same scenario had happened to me, I would never buy from that store again and I would tell everyone that I ran across to do the same. It sounds as though the owner was preying upon the "ignorant wife" that came into the store and tried to sell you equipment that you do not need. There are plenty of websites out there run by honest people that love brewing and won't try to sucker you.

Thanks Jon73, this is exactly how I felt. I absolutely hate it when people try to discourage you from doing something on your own, especially because they want your business. It makes no sense. I still have to buy supplies and ingredients, now because I got a negative feeling from that store I'm going to buy them somewhere ells.

I am happy that you recognize the same thing I do, and I am sad for the same reason. I am very fortunate to have a extremely honest lhbs where I live. Best of luck to you.