Ready to Start, a few questions

Hello All,

I am completely new to the hobby. At this point I am just reading books and getting all the info I can before I go out and buy anything to get started. However, there are some questions that I do still have.

1) There are numerous kits out there that contain a 6.5g bucket and a 5g better bottle for secondary, and have all the exras like bottlers, airlocks, thermometers, etc. Is it good to go with these, or is it generally better to buy it 1 piece at a time. I realize you get a better deal with the kit, but I am skeptikal of their quality. After all, if I save 30 bucks but my equipment doesn't last or brews poor beer what have I gained?

2) How do I manage to keep the primary/secondary fermenters cool in the summer. Most ales (and definitely lagers) require a much cooler temperature than I keep my house (about 76).

3) Is it better to start out with partial or full boils? I want to get this right up front because my home range can not handle a full 5 gallon boil, and I want to invest in the proper equipment.

Thanks in advance, and if anyone has any other advice, feel free!

If I were you, i'd go to your local HBS and see what they have for a kit. You will eventually need them one way or another so getting to know them and their store will benefit you. Start out simple with a partial boil on your stove to make sure you enjoy the process and to get your process down. You can always upgrade (you will) later. Put your fermenter in a tub of water, changing out frozen water bottles to keep it cool.

Keep reading! There is a ton of info here. I personally trolled this site for about 2 months before I bought anything.

Oh, and read all the sticky threads. This is a must for here.

adhomebrew10 said:

1) After all, if I save 30 bucks but my equipment doesn't last or brews poor beer what have I gained?

2) How do I manage to keep the primary/secondary fermenters cool in the summer...

3) Is it better to start out with partial or full boils?

Thanks in advance, and if anyone has any other advice, feel free!

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In order:

1. If you have to buy off the internet, a big part of your initial purchase will go to shipping. You'll want to buy as much as possible at one time to minimize shipping. Buying one piece at a time will be very painful cost wise. There are many reputable internet homebrew supply stores- if you have questions about a particular package, ask on this forum and you'll probably find someone who's bought it recently who can tell you all about it.

2. search for "swamp cooler" with the forum search function.

3. From what I've read, full is better, but no starter kit I know of comes with a brew pot that size. (6 gal. and up). Most kits come with a 5 gallon or smaller. What you could do is buy a kit that comes without a brewpot, and buy the larger pot at the same time as the kit so you save on shipping.

CrAzYmOuSe said:

If I were you, i'd go to your local HBS and see what they have for a kit...

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+1 if you have a local homebrew store. If you don't, then Midwest Supply, Austinhomebrew, and Northern Brewer (and others, there are many more) are good internet homebrew suppliers with solid reputations.

1) I wish I would have just bought the kit. I bought a lot of stuff individually because someone gave me some items. I later realized it would have been cheaper to just buy the kit. Also, there are few beers that I actually put in secondary so that is something to consider. Buckets are cool to start with and some people still like them after becoming "veterans". The problem with buckets is that they should be replaced after a couple batches due to small scratches and such. I don't like them because mine never seem to seal up well after 2 or 3 lid "cycles" (on and off).

2) Most ales are fairly simple. Put the fermenter in a bucket of water. If needed, put a shirt over it to wick up the water and use a fan (swamp cooler concept). Or you can add ice/frozen water bottles to the water. My house is kept reasonably cool during the summer and just the water is cool enough. Lagers are another story... short of a ferm chamber or refrigerator, you are kind of out of luck.

3) I like full boils (started with partial), but if your stove can't handle it, then it can't handle it. Best thing that happened to me was the wife kicking me out into the garage (damn boil overs). I stole a two burner propane set up from my parents house and already had the 10 gallon pot doing stove top partial boils. If you ever plan to move into all grain (not necessary, by the way - you can still make awesome beer) you need to have a full size pot anyway.

-The other thing you can do is try and hook up with brewers in your area and join them for a brew day. The books are good, but seeing in action is awesome. I did my first extract batches without ever seeing a brew day before and it was okay. My first batch was a disaster, but second was good. For AG I hooked up with a brewer locally and he let me help him on brew day. I also joined the homebrew club he was in and there are a lot of resources that way.

-My first batch sucked because I let it ferment in the laundry room; right under the fluorescent light. It skunked so bad that the smell alone would gag you.

-Patience is probably the best thing you can have in homebrewing. If using a bucket, don't open it up to "check it" a lot. A guy I got into homebrewing would call me every other day to panic about what he saw. I told him there is nothing he can do now, just wait. Then we bottled it and he cracked one a week later and was convinced he would need to dump the batch. RELAX!

Good luck! I hope you have fun. That is the point, right?

adhomebrew10 said:

Hello All,

I am completely new to the hobby. At this point I am just reading books and getting all the info I can before I go out and buy anything to get started. However, there are some questions that I do still have.

1) There are numerous kits out there that contain a 6.5g bucket and a 5g better bottle for secondary, and have all the exras like bottlers, airlocks, thermometers, etc. Is it good to go with these, or is it generally better to buy it 1 piece at a time. I realize you get a better deal with the kit, but I am skeptikal of their quality. After all, if I save 30 bucks but my equipment doesn't last or brews poor beer what have I gained?

2) How do I manage to keep the primary/secondary fermenters cool in the summer. Most ales (and definitely lagers) require a much cooler temperature than I keep my house (about 76).

3) Is it better to start out with partial or full boils? I want to get this right up front because my home range can not handle a full 5 gallon boil, and I want to invest in the proper equipment.

Thanks in advance, and if anyone has any other advice, feel free!

Click to expand...

1. Go with the kits. Save money in the long run and you don't have to piece it together. (imho)

2. Swamp cooler. Search it and you will get plenty of info. Works great for me year round.

3. Full boil, but do whatever the kit/recipe calls for. Check out sporting goods stores like Academy, Dicks...etc for a smoking deal on a turkey fryer setup. I got mine with an 8 gallon pot for $30. Even better, get a good 7-8 gallon stainless steel pot with a Banjo burner (or something similar) and you are good to go for full boils.

Hope this helps.
Welcome and good luck!

Buckets are cool to start with and some people still like them after becoming "veterans". The problem with buckets is that they should be replaced after a couple batches due to small scratches and such. I don't like them because mine never seem to seal up well after 2 or 3 lid "cycles" (on and off).

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I have read this before. I was leaning towards the better bottles, but was curious as to whether they had enough head space for a full 5 gallons? Also, I have read on their site that they are "virtually" impermeable to oxygen... does the group find this to be mostly true?

adhomebrew10 said:

I have read this before. I was leaning towards the better bottles, but was curious as to whether they had enough head space for a full 5 gallons? Also, I have read on their site that they are "virtually" impermeable to oxygen... does the group find this to be mostly true?

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The 6.5 gallon are fine for 5 gallon batches (primary). Most use the 5 gallon for secondaries. There are a lot of opinions on the better bottles. I like them and it seems that a lot of folks do. Glass is fine, but you have to be careful with it. Some of the guys in my club swore them off when one of them ended up in the ER after it slipped. As far as actual oxygen permeability, my understanding is that there have been no observable evidence to indicate anything contrary to the manufacturer. I certainly haven't noticed any.

I like the better bottle because I can force transfer beer out of it with CO2 and they are easy to lift and move around.

I highly recommend full boils over partial. That has so far the biggest improvement I've made in my brewing(my first batch of AG is still fermenting so I can't comment on that just yet). If you are looking to do that I'd say go buy a cheap turkey frier with a propane burner and brew outside, or ask around, I got my turkey frier burner for free from a friend who no longer wanted it.

As far as keeping it cool, do you have a basement? I just keep mine downstairs on the concrete floor and it keeps them between 60F-70F depending on the time of year which is perfect for most Ale yeasts. For Lagers you will need cooling unless you only brew them during winter or live somewhere really cold, no way around that.

I'm new to the hobby too, am drinking my first batch (and making notes about how to avoid mistakes in the future)

I got a "starter kit" from my local HBS. They even had a class that was a whole lot of fun, and made it look so easy I decided to skip the Coopers kit and start off with an extract batch with steeped grains, and a "smack pack" of liquid yeast.

Equipment: Starter kit is an excellent suggestion. Usually they come with "Everything you need" to make a no boil kit. (bucket, spiggot, airlock, sanitizer, hydrometer) It's up to you what you want to make, but I decided to jump in and buy a brew kettle.

You can get a 5 gallon brew kettle for pretty cheap these days online. Go with stainless, not aluminum.

I decided that I would use my starter kit bucket as my "bottling bucket", and then purchased a 6 gallon "better bottle" with the appropriate stopper (works with the airlock that came with the starter kit).

Some other groovy stuff that I found insanely useful to have, but not required was something called a "thief" (or "wine thief") for taking samples for your hydrometer to read, a floating thermeter to test my water and wort temperature, and this no rinse sanitizer called Star San. I filled up a spray bottle with the mixed starsan solution and used it to spray everything as I went along in the process ... counter tops, scissors, yeast pack, hydrometer, anything that would come in contact with my wort.

I'm also very fond of my auto siphon (also an inexpensive item that is very useful on bottling day)

One mistake I made in my first batch was not using a clarifying agent like Irish Moss or gelatin to clarify my wort.

Another was not boiling enough volume (I boiled a fairly small volume and then added water to top it off).

A third was long-term temperature control. When you start reading up on temperature control for fermenting, also consider where your beer is going to live after you bottle it (especially if you live someplace where warm temperatures can drag into September and beyond).

As far as recipe goes, once you figure out what style you would like to brew, there are some excellent extract kits with "specialty grains" available from various vendors. I like Northern Brewer out of St. Paul, MN but there are others who are equally good. I found that the extract kit was simple enough to follow to get my feet wet understanding the whole process, and produced a decent enough beer that knowing "then" what I know now, would have been great (vs. "good")

My next batch I'm going to try a partial mash (that's how easy everyone makes it look here!)

This site is an awesome resource, lots of nice folks here, lots of really helpful info.

Have fun!

Not really sure why mermaid says no aluminum. If it's a health issue, it's been beaten to death in an faq on here. You can make up your own mind. You should build up the oxide layer on it though, just search for a how to. If it's a durability thing, I think it doesn't matter for the price. If you can afford SS, do it. Otherwise aluminum is fine.

ndsgr said:

Not really sure why mermaid says no aluminum. If it's a health issue, it's been beaten to death in an faq on here. You can make up your own mind. You should build up the oxide layer on it though, just search for a how to. If it's a durability thing, I think it doesn't matter for the price. If you can afford SS, do it. Otherwise aluminum is fine.

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I only said that because that's what my HBS told ME when I was getting ready to start. Remember, I'm a "noob" here as well

With that said, I was planning on picking up a cheaper aluminum pot for my sparge when I do my first partial mash BIAB batch.

I think starting at AG may be a bit overwhelming for some people. The 1st brew day will be pretty intense and you will worry about every little thing. I did an extract 1st and am REALLY happy I did. It was a kit that had some stepping grains. I, like most new brewers, practiced hitting and holding temps, how to add in the malts and hops ect,ect. It takes some time to get used to your equipment. Either way you choose will be fine. Some people need to be "put in the water to see if they can swim." while others can handle "being thrown from the cliff to see if they can fly."

Next I did a partial mash then went to AG from there. AG is great and everyone will tell you to get into that for a bunch of different reasons (they are all good ones btw). I personally liked a fast stepping stone approach and with each step being able to add a bit more.

Either way do what you feel most comfortable with.

I will direct you to read Death Brewers easy stove top partial guide and AG guide (they link to each other and the 1st one is stickied at the top of this section.) if you have not.

Since you stated that you will be doing this "stove top and can not boil more than 5 gallons at a time" I do have a few good suggestions for you since I am still on the stove top, as well. I do AG "split boil" batches now and love it. * Split boil is boiling your 6.5-7 gallons of wort in 2 different pots and splitting the hops additions in half, then cooling them generally with an ice bath and dumping them into the fermentor.

- Get 2 boil kettles. I prefer stainless steel and 5 gallon sizes (25 quarts), I currently have 1-5 and 1-4 gallon pot. Walmart has these and if there is a Big Lots near you check with them (or even the vendors here).

- Get a basic kit that will include: a 6.5 gallon ale pail, a carboy or Better bottle (6 or 6.5 gallon), a floating thermometer and a hydrometer. You will also want an auto siphon, capper, bottling wand as well as caps and sanitizer. The kit should also come with an airlock and bung.

- Do yourself a massive favor and invest a few dollars in a spray bottle and fill it with sanitizer. This will help you use less AND you can spray the hot break so you do not have a boil over and a huge mess on the stove.

- A digital scale (for food) is another great investment and will help you greatly.

- A large spoon and/or mash paddle, also a must for brewing.

I also have some extra brew bags large fine/coarse and a jumbo coarse, Irish Moss and Camden tablets on hand as well.

The above will be enough to get you through either an extract or DB's partial mash easily.

Here is the really nice to have section but not necessary: A vinator and a wine thief. Crates or empty bottle cases. Walmart has some for back to school for $3 each they hold between 24-30 bottles. Each batch is about 50 so you can figure out how many you want. These just make life easier...

Next comes the DIY or "deep pockets section", your choice.

You will need pry off capable bottles. You can either buy empties or start buying some decent craft brews to test. I choose the later...because to get them filled with beer is just a little bit more than buying empties and I get to learn what I may like to brew...

- blowoff tube and bucket - these are pretty straight forward and IMO a MUST to have for every beer that is in primary. I have had a few close calls that my blow off tube has saved me from cleaning massive messes. search for it here.

- a swamp cooler if you need temp control. Also easy to find a ton of info here on this.

I built the rubbermaid cooler conversion MLT and it is AWSOME for AG, indoors.

The above will let you do AG no problems.

I also am building - a bottle tree, wort chiller, grain mill and stir plate because they are nice to have also in the DIY section and far cheaper to DIY than buy.


The next step is to move outside and do larger than 5 gallon batches which all the above will "prime you for". For that you will need a larger boil vessle (keggle or pot) and a good burner.

The reason I mention moving outside is it will probably come to that and I want to add here that Craigs list is a GREAT way to get items for cheap. I check mine daily. I have bought a few kits/items and hit a few rummage sales that have paid off BIG TIME IMO.

I hope this is not an "information overload", it is not meant to be. Having a good plan is important! The very last piece of advice is this, Try to plan your next batch/brew day 2-3 weeks from your 1st one so you do not run out of home brews! I also try to squeeze in 1 DIY in-between batches if I can.

Let us know how it goes and welcome to the obsession!

There's a ton of great information in this thread (another soon-to-be-brewing- homer brewer myself). I guess it's about time I head over to the local store to see what kits they offer...I would very much so like to avoid paying any shipping if I can...

start here:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_33_52


keep reading....I tend to read everything to death when it comes to a new hobby. Knowlege is power and security. I'd start with a super deluxe kit(deluxe with kegging if you want to avoid bottleing all together). It comes with everything you need, including a great intro book and a wort chiller...as well as all of the odds ans ends associated..you just need a few brushes and minor things to make your brewing life easier. Oh and the most important thing_ PICKING YOUR FIRST RECIPIE...AHS has a great selection and a great support staff. good luck!~cheers!

Hey, I'm new to brewing, just started my first batch, and had a random question looking into the future. I was wondering if anyone could tell me is it better to use fresh hops or the hops pellets?

sdhomebrewbro said:

[...] I'd start with a super deluxe kit(deluxe with kegging if you want to avoid bottleing all together). It comes with everything you need, including a great intro book and a wort chiller...as well as all of the odds ans ends associated..you just need a few brushes and minor things to make your brewing life easier. [...]

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I stopped by the only store in my area that carries brewing equipment, and sadly they did not carry any pre-assembled kits. But I did jot down some prices on the individual items, and took some time to play with some of the various items. After checking out various online sites, it's looking like it'll be more economical to pick up a kit online after all, even with shipping (Gotta love living out in the middle of nowhere). Now to find the best kit for me!

I will probably choose to upgrade some of the components sooner rather than later, though, at least if they're anything like the items at my local store. Of course, I'll probably get a few batches under my belt before I do...with the possible exception being the bottle capper - I can already visualize myself making a huge mess trying to use the handheld versions that I saw at my store and in many online kits. A bench-top version looks well worth the extra investment, in my opinion.

studlyswimright said:

Hey, I'm new to brewing, just started my first batch, and had a random question looking into the future. I was wondering if anyone could tell me is it better to use fresh hops or the hops pellets?

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The pellets are a pain in the rear due to the sludge residue. On my first batch, I used hop pellets and straining the wort into the carboy took forever due to the hop sludge. After that, I switched to whole hops and a hop bag. Very easy.

sdhomebrewbro said:

[...]Oh and the most important thing_ PICKING YOUR FIRST RECIPIE...[...]

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Is there such thing as an "easier" recipe and/or style to simplify your life as a beginner?

john727 said:

Is there such thing as an "easier" recipe and/or style to simplify your life as a beginner?

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Absolutely! Buy an extract kit with "speciality grains", in a style that you want to brew (except for maybe a lager, as they are pretty temperature sensitive), from a good online supplier. I like Northern Brewer (out of Minneapolis), but there are others who are great too.

I also recommend (just from my own experience) that you buy the yeast that they recommend with the kit (I really like the "smack packs" from Wyeast - I find them incredibly easy to use) - but you could read up here online how to make a starter, it's not too hard to do and just needs a little extra equipment (a gallon bottle, huge mason jar, or 2000ML flask works).

Anyway, back to your original question - I'm a total noob here. I decided to bypass the "no boil" beer-in-a-can kit that came with my starter set and try my hand at steeping grains, boiling extract, and working with liquid yeast.

I'm very very glad that I did. The investment was only a little more - and I learned a LOT in both the positive and negative columns.

There's also a great vendor (whose name escape me at the moment) who has this nifty "recipe builder" tool right on their web site that can help you put together your own kit based on what kind of beer you would like to brew.

Just visualize yourself drinking your first batch.. what does it look like? smell like? taste like? Then go for it!

john727 said:

Is there such thing as an "easier" recipe and/or style to simplify your life as a beginner?

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Stay away from Lagers until you can control your fermentation temps and have a few brews under your belt.

Otherwise I'd say just order an extract kit for any style Ale you like and follow the directions....and just keep in mind that your first brew probably won't be the greatest brew you've ever had(I said "probly" not won't )

My first brew turned out OK, which was fine because I was still learning what I was doing, your 2nd batch will go far smoother than the first, trust me, and the more you brew, the better it will get