homebrew kit?

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mcubed45

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hey guys, i'm new to home brewing and stopped by my local home brew shop today. they've got this kit available for first-timers:

http://www.homebrewinparadise.com/Beer.aspx?cattype_id=1&cat_id=3&subcat_id=14

does that seem like a pretty good deal for $160?

the only thing i might not use is the bottling stuff since i'm pretty sure i'll go straight to kegging. might come in handy at some point later on if i wanna bottle a few tho..

keep in mind that i live in hawaii, so while there might be better deals online, the cost of shipping would most likely negate any savings.

thanks in advance
 
Go for it and dont look back! Just make sure the ol' lady's on board with your new endeavors.
 
... Forgot to mention... Start with a bigger brew kettle then you think you might need. You'll expand...
 
Or you could buy the following from your LHBS:

1) fermenting bucket, with lid, airlock. ($12+3+1=$16)

2) bottling bucket with spigot (don't need a lid) ($12+3=$15)

3) autosiphon with 5-6 ft of tubing ($8+6=$14)

4) star San (various amounts available $8-20)

5) bottling wand ($8 )

6) bottle capper and 1 pound of bottle caps ($15+4=$19)

7) extract kit of your choice ($25-45)

8 ) brew pot. If you have a large (3 gal+) pot you can use that for now. If not I'd recommend getting an 8 gal aluminum pot so you can advance to all grain using BIAB without having to get another pot. If you look around you can find an 8 gal+ aluminum pot with ball valve for $60ish. Or you can get a turkey fryer kit on black Friday and add a ball valve to it. ($0-$90)

If you don't need a pot you can assemble everything for around $75 + an ingredient kit. With the kit you listed you ferment in the bucket, rack to the carboy, then back to the bucket for bottling. You can just ferment in a regular bucket and transfer to a bottling bucket to bottle. Star San > Iodophor.
 
Or you could buy the following from your LHBS:

1) fermenting bucket, with lid, airlock. ($12+3+1=$16)

2) bottling bucket with spigot (don't need a lid) ($12+3=$15)

3) autosiphon with 5-6 ft of tubing ($8+6=$14)

4) star San (various amounts available $8-20)

5) bottling wand ($8 )

6) bottle capper and 1 pound of bottle caps ($15+4=$19)

7) extract kit of your choice ($25-45)

8 ) brew pot. If you have a large (3 gal+) pot you can use that for now. If not I'd recommend getting an 8 gal aluminum pot so you can advance to all grain using BIAB without having to get another pot. If you look around you can find an 8 gal+ aluminum pot with ball valve for $60ish. Or you can get a turkey fryer kit on black Friday and add a ball valve to it. ($0-$90)

If you don't need a pot you can assemble everything for around $75 + an ingredient kit. With the kit you listed you ferment in the bucket, rack to the carboy, then back to the bucket for bottling. You can just ferment in a regular bucket and transfer to a bottling bucket to bottle. Star San > Iodophor.


does the kit include a bucket and a carboy for the purpose of secondary fermentation? if i'm planning on kegging, i could just transfer to the keg instead, right?
 
If you are definitely just kegging, I wouldn't do that kit since it has bottle capper, bottle caps, bottle filler, bottle brush, etc. that would be useless.
 
mcubed45 said:
does the kit include a bucket and a carboy for the purpose of secondary fermentation? if i'm planning on kegging, i could just transfer to the keg instead, right?

you need a bucket for primary, then you can rack straight to the keg.
 
you need a bucket for primary, then you can rack straight to the keg.

icic

i'm planning on starting simple with a coopers kit. if i primary in the bucket and then transfer to the keg, is there anything else i need besides this?


STAR SAN 16 OUNCE 16.95 each 16.95 Remove
FERMENTER, 6.5 GALLON W/MARKS 14.95 each 14.95 Remove
FERMENTER LID, 6.5 GALLON 5.50 each 5.50 Remove
BUCKET SPIGOT 4.95 each 4.95 Remove
AIRLOCK THREE PIECE 1.35 each 1.35 Remove
STOPPER, BORED, #6.5 1.79 each 1.79 Remove
FERMOMETER STRIP 3.95 each 3.95 Remove
HYDROMETER,TRIPLE SCALE (.99-1.170) 7.95 each 7.95 Remove
TEST JAR FOR HYDROMETER 4.60 each 4.60 Remove
CORNELIUS KEG W/O-RINGS[BALL] 48.50 each 48.50 Remove
4.712 % Tax 5.21
Shopping List Total 115.70


i'm gonna be ordering the other various kegging hardware online (manifold, tubing, connectors, shanks, taps etc)
 
I wouldn't put a spigot on your primary as they can leak. I would go with a autosiphon and tubing. You don't have to have a test jar for your hydrometer. You can use the tube it comes in. You have to hold on to it but it also takes a little less beer for a sample.
 
Aloha,
That is an expensive kit by mainland standards. Did it include shipping? I believe you can do better
For $69 at Morebeer.com
Bottle of Star San Sanitizer (4oz)
3/8” Plastic Bottle Filler
Bag of Bottle Caps (1/4lb)
Bottle Capper
Reusable Mesh Steeping Bag
Reusable Mesh Hop Bags
Home Beermaking Book
Bottle Brush
Plastic Bucket Fermenter with Spigot
Plastic Bottling/Sanitation Bucket with Spigot
Bucket Lid with Hole
Airlock
Rubber Stopper with Hole (Fits Bucket Lid)
Hydrometer
Hydrometer Jar
5ft Vinyl Transfer Tubing
5 inch long dial thermometer

But the cheapest shipping on it is about $94.

So yes I believe your original find is a reasonable deal in Hawaii at $160. Living in paradise has a few drawbacks, not many but shipping cost can be and usually are outrageous.

Mahalo
Dan
 
I wouldn't put a spigot on your primary as they can leak. I would go with a autosiphon and tubing. You don't have to have a test jar for your hydrometer. You can use the tube it comes in. You have to hold on to it but it also takes a little less beer for a sample.

Never had a leak... knock on plastic... :tank:
 
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