On the road to brewing: Brewing Kit

Hello guys, I have been researching for countless hours about brewing, and I think I'm ready to buy my first kit! I need feedback from the more experienced brewers about what kit to get (if there's a certain type of kit). So far, the one's I've seen from the online brew stores are about $100+. I found this nifty looking one on ebay for $100 shipped. Please leave feedback on the product, and links to better/similar/cheaper products. Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Home-Beer-Brewi...050?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5191c66bea

That looks OK. Good price for a kit with a 5 gallon carboy in addition to the buckets. I'd recommend getting getting a bottle of StarSan since it looks like that kit comes with a powder cleaner (they all do).

In my opinion, unless you have a burning desire to add fruit or dry hop your first several beers, get the more basic kit without the carboy and add a second fermenter bucket. i think you will spend less money and have a more versatile starter kit that will allow you to make a couple of brews before you get too impatient to bottle. From what I've learned in the past 15 batches, you really need to let your beer sit in the fermenter for more than 2 weeks and you really don't need a secondary unless you add fruit or aroma hops. I've begun leaving my beer in the fermenter for 3 to 4 weeks (it's hard but I manage) and found that it comes out tasting better without having to wait so long for it to "bottle condition". If you decide you really like this hobby, you'll probably be adding another fermenter real soon too.

I am not a fan of kits. I just started and found buying everything individually suited my needs the best. I knew I didn't want glass carboys but rather better bottles and not buckets. I wanted to be able to primary and secondary.

You only save money on these kits if it's exactly the set-up you want. If it's not you'll probably find yourself buying more equipment sooner then you wanted too. I probably spent closer to $150, so for $50 more I got 2 better bottle carboys, a bottling bucket, a bucket for cleaning, 2 airlocks and bungs, I was able to specify my cleaners based on my equipment and conditions (my B&M suggested Iodophor since I live in a condo and couldn't guarantee super hot water). It also allowed me to buy extras, such as more tubing, always buy more tubing.

If I were you I'd check out Austin Homebrew, I am getting my next recipe kit from them, and they ship for free for orders over $100. Probably get to you quick since you are only a few hours down the road.

Same kit from the sellers own site. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-starter-kit.html


BTW, My kit came from Midwest, I upgraded to twin ported 5gal Betterbottles and added Equipment Upkit 1. Which gives a carboy Dryer, jet bottle washer, nylon mesh bag, and Palmers book.

I got basically the same kit but the Brewers Best brand from a local homebrew store for $90 and I didn't have to pay shipping. And when I say local I still had about a 40 mile roundtrip but it was worth it.

You also paid taxes. and this is the Brewers Best brand kit.

I'd forego the glass carboy, personally. Unless I were making wine or mead or something. I rarely use a secondary, and beer is not kept in any fermenter long enough for a plastic container to be a problem IMO.

I'd get one with at least 1 6.5 Gallon fermenter and a bottling bucket with spigot. You may even wish to get a second fermenter because you will likely want to start brewing a second batch while the first one is still bubbling away.

And I second the Star San suggestion. I highly recommend it, or Iodophor. (But I prefer starsan...)

Don't forget an ingredient kit to go with it.

And whatever you do, maintain proper fermentation temps and use a better timing system for it like, 3 weeks primary, 3 weeks in the bottle. Many instructions say to primary for 1 week, then secondary for 2-3 weeks. I'd just leave it in primary for at least 3 weeks then bottle.

Also it might be worth it to check out craigslist, buysell.com etc. in your area to see if anyone is selling excess homebrew stuff. When I was starting out I found a guy selling 6 carboys for $5 each, at first I thought that was way more than I'd ever need but figured I couldn't go wrong. They are currently all full of beer. I'm also found a couple other great scores online at a fraction of the cost of new.

I believe Austin Homebrew Supply has a very simular kit and they offer free shipping for orders over $100

Thanks for all the help guys! Something I forgot to mention is I plan on bottling until i make an acceptable tasting batch, and plan to keg all my beer from there (will not be adding any fruit until I know exactly what I'm doing), so I'm not sure if that affects any of the input you all gave me.

In any case, I found a nice used kit on craigslist that includes a huge boiling pot (7+ gallons), 6 gallon carboy, a bucket, syphon, and tubes (and other stuff which I can't see from the pic) for $20. I think that will be a good place to start until I can see what else I'm missing. Please advise me what else I'm missing from what you can see here. Thanks in advance!!

Caca,

Seriously give consideration to a siphonless kit. Williams Brewing Supplies has a great set-up kit. Check this out.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWERY_WITH_BROWN_ALE_P2198C73.cfm

This was my first kit and it comes with the kit to brew 5 gal. of Brown Ale. It's a great beer to start with.

NRS

Cacaman said:

Thanks for all the help guys! Something I forgot to mention is I plan on bottling until i make an acceptable tasting batch, and plan to keg all my beer from there (will not be adding any fruit until I know exactly what I'm doing), so I'm not sure if that affects any of the input you all gave me.

In any case, I found a nice used kit on craigslist that includes a huge boiling pot (7+ gallons), 6 gallon carboy, a bucket, syphon, and tubes (and other stuff which I can't see from the pic) for $20. I think that will be a good place to start until I can see what else I'm missing. Please advise me what else I'm missing from what you can see here. Thanks in advance!!

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That's a pretty killer deal and you can't go wrong picking up all that for $20. You'll need some other stuff to pick up (including a capper) but I would jump on that as a great starter kit for 20 bucks.

Unless the tubing appears to be unused, I would replace it. It's pretty cheap to do anyway.

ongreystreet said:

Unless the tubing appears to be unused, I would replace it. It's pretty cheap to do anyway.

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Roger that :fro:

I'm driving up to Austin this weekend, so i'll probably stop at the Austin home brew store and pick up any supplies I'm missing, plus the ingredients for my first batch! Can't wait!