Essential equipment???

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ochocki

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I am still shopping online for my beginning equipment kit. I know i love making beer as i have done it with my dad for years, I want to start doing it on my own. the thing is this, when I brewed with my dad I was younger (he quit drinking years ago) and i don't really remember any of the equipment we used. i am looking to get a great list of equipment for my needs, I would rather spend a bit more now than have to upgrade a bunch in the future. I will be doing extract kits to start, likely stouts. I would also like to be able to brew rotating batches for when i want to pump out beer a bit quicker.

What equipment would be essential and handy in my homebrewing experience?
 
So far from my research i have found that this equipment to meet my brewing needs

2 6.5 gal glass carboys
1 Plastic primary fermentor
1 bottling bucket with spigot
carboy brushe
stoppers and airlocks
floating thermometer
wort chiller
brewpot
bottles
caps
hydrometer
6' siphon hose
auto siphon
wing capper

Like I said, I want everything to brew good 2-stage beer, but also if I want to, be able to cycle batches so I can pump out beer a bit faster. Please tell me if I am missing anything or if something I have isn't really essential.
 
Are the (2) 6.5 gallon carboys for your secondary? From what I read you should use 5 gallon carboys for your secondary, because you don't want much airspace. But I am new at this too. Someone more experience would know for sure.

If you like... you can visit my webpage, I list the equipment I bought. Tavern of the Red Wyrm
 
Looks pretty good to me for "essentials", although I would go with 5 gal carboys for secondary. Be careful though, the term "essential" will start to expand as you get going, so far I've purchased something new for every brew.
 
So could I buy 1, 6.5 gal carboy for primary fermentation and 2, 5 gal carboys for secondary? Basically my thoughts are that I can make a batch and put it in primary for a week, then transefer to secondary, then immediately make another batch in the primary and transfer it to the other secondary. That way I can brew a batch that will be ready faster inbetween waiting for a 2+ month long batch.

Does that make any sense?
 
There isn't a clear answer on using 5 gallon or 6.5 gallon carboys for secondaries. I have 5 gallon carboys, but I've also heard it argued that there's enough fermentation still occuring to put a "blanket of CO2" over the beer, preventing oxidation. If that's true, the 6.5s are better because they are more versatile (you can use them for primaries, as well).

My conclusion? I don't think it really matters.
 
Sounds good... thats was what I was thinking of doing. Brew a batch, transfer to secondary... wait a week, brew another batch... etc.

That way Im using the suggested 1-2-3 method.
 
I'd agree with Cregar about the carboy size. The 6.5g carboys make good primary fermenters.
I prefer digital thermometers to the floating ones. They may cost a bit more but they react more quickly, and are usually more accurate, and if you get one that doesn't roll around, they usually last longer (at least for a klutz like me).
For the wort chiller, consider a counterflow chiller rather than immersion. They chill much more quickly. However, for extract brewing with partial boils, you could probably get away with an ice bath instead of a wort chiller, then get a chiller if you go on to full boils or all grain.
I have heard that bench cappers are much better than wing cappers.
Don't forget some sanitizer such as Iodophor or Star san.
You can get the siphon hose much cheaper at Home Depot than buying by the foot at the LHBS.
A bottle filler makes bottling much easier, and doesn't cost much.
If you are going to get a brewpot just for brewing, and you intend to go for full boils or all grain in the future, then get a 10g or bigger pot.
Many people recommend the bottle tree for drying sanitized bottles. I use a bucket, but I couldn't do that if it was being used as a primary when I wanted to bottle.

-a.
 
I will be doing extract kit/partial boils for a while, at least a few years until I feel I have a good enough understanding to do full boils and all grain. I will skip the wort chiller at this time.

I would like to buy a 10gal pot but I have read that a regular kitchen oven doesn't have the power to get it to a boil. If this is the case I would have to invest a lot more money not only for the bigger pot, but a burner as well. like I said I will be doing extracts for a while, if it's not a big deal I will go with a 5 gal for now and just upgrade later.
 
Personnaly I wouldn't even consider a 5 gal for a secondary , like said before two 6.5 gal gives much more flexiblity and I have never had a problem using a 6.5 for a secondary. actually sometimes my batches will run a bit over 5 gal then what would you do . ( I do all grain brewing though).
If you are just going to do extract brewing ( nothing wrong with that by the way )
You can buy an enameled pot or a 5 gal stainless fairly cheaply.
I didn't buy a 10 gal pot till I went all grain and now I have just bought a converted Keg ( going to 10 gal syst.) It just gets more involved all the time but I love it.....
 
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