Buying first home brew kit

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rmedved

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So I am looking to by my first home brew kit. Should I just go with a basic extract brewing kit or go straight to all grain brewing? I hope to some day open my own brewery so my thought is to just jump straight into all grain. Are there benefits to starting your learning process with extract brewing? If I were to get a good kit for extract brewing, how hard is it to upgrade it to be able to move to all grain?

Thanks
 
For all grain you will need a kettle capable of full boils (7gallons +) and a mash tun to mash in obviously that is all I can think of that is necessary to do all-grain as opposed to extract!
(LHBS/supplier can mill the grains for you usually)
 
I would start with cans - kit brewing - its easier, will give you enough stress as it is, in a good way, without having to panic about AG problems - has huge margin of error and is forgiving and, besides, all the equipment is usable in AG later anyway.
You will get the basic experience you need and understanding how things are done etc, few panics like "OMG, airlock not bubbling" and stuff as it is :)

You can check premade kits, kinda "all in one" - coopers have decent box with everything you need to start brewing at home.

Important thing is, its still tasty beer and lots of fun! I bet you will be hooked with it as I am, and welcome to HBT!
 
Extract Brewing


PROS

It's easy! Not as much equipment needed! Everything is available ready to go!

CONS

It's expensive! (can's of extract cos 10 dollars or more compared to 2.05 for a pound of grain)

It can get boring compared to AG (all you do is play with powder and syrup! C'mon man!)


All Grain Brewing

PROS

It's cheaper than extract! Grains cost 2 bucks or less per pound. It's better to buy in bulk.

It's more fun!

You can really get creative with mixtures (think of cooking).

CONS

The only con I can think of is that it's costly as far as equipment goes.

You need a Boil Kettle, Mash Tun, Wort Chiller,False bottom, etc.



TRUST ME

Once you go All Grain you will never consider extract ever again.:mug:
 
i started with extract, then went mini-mash.. now im AG... im glad i did it this way.. i was able to slowly learn more and more as i went along..
 
I bought this kit from midwest: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-starter-kit.html

In addition i purchase a turkey fryer off amazon. Other than that, the only other piece of equipment i've had to purchase to do AG is a cooler to convert to a MLT and an immersion chiller I made.

My suggestion is to buy a starter kit with all the equipment that can be used for any type of brewing. This lets you be much more flexible - you can brew an extract one night after work, or brew up an AG on a day off. I've got 4 AG under my belt, but i still enjoy doing an extract because i can do it in half the time of AG. But again, if you buy the equipment to do AG, you'll be in better shape since you can do any brew.
 
I forgot to mention that it is BEST to get a large brew kettle to start.

Also, start extract to understand the fundamentals of brewing.

Look into reading Charlie Papazian's book "The Joy of Homebrewing" or John Palmer's book on beer.

This site is another resource for info. PRetty much every section has sticky notes that list important tips for beginners and veterans (some of us brewers need reminders that we should be patient when brewing and to NOT dump out a beer when we start to panic).:mug:
 
I started out extract brewing and I am glad I did. It allowed me time to learn the process and begin to acquire the equipment to go all grain.

One thing you will have many people tell you - and it is true - even if you decide to start with extract BUY A BIG BOIL POT! Like "KevinW" said, at least 7 gal, larger if you can afford it. Spend the money now so you won't have to when you start AG brewing.
 
One thing you will have many people tell you - and it is true - even if you decide to start with extract BUY A BIG BOIL POT! Like "KevinW" said, at least 7 gal, larger if you can afford it. Spend the money now so you won't have to when you start AG brewing.

I can't agree with this more. My wife bought me a 5 gallon pot for fathers day (it's what I asked for) because I thought to myself that I would never really make the venture to all grain. After 3 batches I am already wanting to get into all grain for various reasons. Now when I do decide to get into it (hopefully next summer) I will have to buy another pot. Which may end up being difficult to get the wife to understand. At least I will still be able to use the other pot for other things along with brewing.
 
I started out extract brewing and I am glad I did. It allowed me time to learn the process and begin to acquire the equipment to go all grain.

I'm only on my second batch and I'm glad I went extract first as well. My first brew was riddled with beginner mistakes (sanitation procedures were terrible, knocked a rubber grommet into cooled wort, didn't measure stuff properly, didn't have proper equipment, didn't take SG reading because of irrational fear of contamination, etc.).

Going all-grain from the beginning seems rather daunting. I'm even doing an extract second batch. Now that I have a better idea of the procedures and have some equipment I should've had the first time, I'm in much better shape. After this, I'll consider the switch.

My advice: Go extract first, nail down all the procedures especially sanitation, and then consider going AG.
 
nice kits there, I envy you guys a bit because you have really nice choices to pick from there, on this end I had to go through 10 online shops in UK and only 2 decided to deliver to my place, nevermind it costs arm and leg and to save monnies, have to order 30kilos (60 pounds roughly)... sometimes it sucks to be on outer rim! :D
 
I just finished my first batch with a NB equipment 8tarter kit. As stated above, more things will go unplanned and wrong than you even know, but at the end you will have beer. I would not have made it if I had to learn process, equipment and all grain technique at the same time. The beginner kit and extract kit kind of decreases a couple of variables so you can concentrate on your process, sanitation and temperature readings.

I had no problem starting with a partial grain or mini mash recipe on my first go around. These kits are kind of between extract only and all grain. I used a Northern Brewer recipe with very clear instructions. AHS offers the choice on their recipe of extract only or mini mash. I have not tried one yet, but it is next on my list as a mini mash
 
I would start with cans - kit brewing - its easier, will give you enough stress as it is, in a good way, without having to panic about AG problems - has huge margin of error and is forgiving and, besides, all the equipment is usable in AG later anyway.
You will get the basic experience you need and understanding how things are done etc, few panics like "OMG, airlock not bubbling" and stuff as it is :)

You can check premade kits, kinda "all in one" - coopers have decent box with everything you need to start brewing at home.

Important thing is, its still tasty beer and lots of fun! I bet you will be hooked with it as I am, and welcome to HBT!

I agree with going with the extract kit, but I disagree with going with a canned kit such as coopers.

First, fresh product is paramount in homebrewing. Why would you want to buy the a can of extract that has sat in a container ship from Australia to the US for who-knows how many weeks then sat on a shelf for how many months?

Furthermore, their directions are horrible....telling you to transfer to secondary 7 days after brewing (common convention these days is waiting 3-4 weeks before transfer, and most people don't even USE a secondary anymore), fermenting lager yeast at ale temps (WRONG), etc., etc.

Here is what I suggest doing....buy an ale kit from a reputable online dealer like AHS, NB or Morebeer....they have a wide variety of styles available (as opposed to Cooper's....what the hell is "draught" anyway?) and they have instructions that have been updated sometime this decade.

You could also patronize your LHBS and they'll help you with equipment, but might push these canned extract kits on you instead of some better ingredients....why? because they've had those kits sitting on their shelves for months too!

Sorry for the rant, good luck!
 
I agree with going with the extract kit, but I disagree with going with a canned kit such as coopers.

First, fresh product is paramount in homebrewing. Why would you want to buy the a can of extract that has sat in a container ship from Australia to the US for who-knows how many weeks then sat on a shelf for how many months?

Furthermore, their directions are horrible....telling you to transfer to secondary 7 days after brewing (common convention these days is waiting 3-4 weeks before transfer, and most people don't even USE a secondary anymore), fermenting lager yeast at ale temps (WRONG), etc., etc.

Here is what I suggest doing....buy an ale kit from a reputable online dealer like AHS, NB or Morebeer....they have a wide variety of styles available (as opposed to Cooper's....what the hell is "draught" anyway?) and they have instructions that have been updated sometime this decade.

You could also patronize your LHBS and they'll help you with equipment, but might push these canned extract kits on you instead of some better ingredients....why? because they've had those kits sitting on their shelves for months too!

Sorry for the rant, good luck!

I agree freshness is paramount to homebrewing. That is why Coopers date stamps their cans and yeast. That is why Coopers puts on their cans store in a cool, dark place.

Draught is the Old English spelling for draft. Coopers produces 18 styles of beer kits - probably more than enough for a beginner to choose from. Your argument is illogical. If the kits are sitting on the shelves for a long time it is likely because the retailer is not pushing them.
 
I agree freshness is paramount to homebrewing. That is why Coopers date stamps their cans and yeast. That is why Coopers puts on their cans store in a cool, dark place.

They may date their cans...but can it possibly be fresher than the bulk LME/DME that a high volume business like AHS uses in their kits? Probably not. Also, I bet most American suppliers are are selling domestically produced LME/DME in their kits and in their stores. I can't see how an Australian company like Coopers can get their product across the pond quick enough to be as fresh as a domestically produced product.


Draught is the Old English spelling for draft. Coopers produces 18 styles of beer kits - probably more than enough for a beginner to choose from. Your argument is illogical. If the kits are sitting on the shelves for a long time it is likely because the retailer is not pushing them.

I went on the AHS website to look at how many kits they had and realized it would take me awhile to count them all. Ballpark figure 100-300 kits available!
You know how many bulk containers of LME/DME they must blow through a week to fulfill orders?...and you can honestly tell me the canned stuff, shipped over from Australia is of comparable freshness?

(PS...I'm not a shill of AHS.....I am just a big fan of how these companies have worked to put "proven" recipe kits in the hands of beginning homebrewers. We are long away from when I first started homebrewing and all we had were these canned extracts shipped in from far-off places (pre-hopped no less). Sure...you might be able to make some good beer from a canned kits like coopers-but why bother when you can get a kit made from fresher ingredients?

Again, just my 0.02
 
I would ABSOLUTELY NOT start with something like that. First, you don't need something like that, and second, you can get a pretty nice setup with everything you need for the price of that fermenter. Start with a good bucket or carboy.
 
Anybody have any thoughts on the V-Vessel? http://www.homebrewit.com/v-vessel-fermenter.php

If I were to get this, what else would I need to get started? Brew Kettle, hydrometer, thermometer... what else?

Honestly, that looks like a great product for starting out, but I'd be worried about sanitation on the valve when you disconnect the sediment collector 2 or 3 times per batch (unless you soaked it in sanitizer each time, maybe??). Plus the fact that it's made from plastic, which is easy to scratch and harbor nasty bacteria in.

Simply put, here's a basic shopping list of what I'd suggest you start off with:

-6 gal. carboy (glass or Better Bottle...reviews are pretty much 50/50 from what I've seen)

-Bottling bucket w/ valve (you can secondary into this, as well)

-Brew kettle, at least 6-gal.

-Airlock & bungs

-Hydrometer

-Thermometer (glass ones are too risky IMO-try to find a metal one that clips to the side of the brew kettle to make life easier)

-Carboy handle...can't believe I went 6 months before getting mine. Makes hauling a 40-50 lb. carboy sooo much easier!

-As already mentioned above, Papazian's "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing". Considered the bible of homebrewers, although some feel the material is a little outdated.

-Hop & grain bags (grain bags for steeping)

-Stir spoon (matter of opinion, buy metal or wood only-don't go the plastic route)

-Plastic food-grade tubing for transferring & bottling

-Bottling wand (unless you go straight to kegging, which I haven't done yet, and can't comment on)

-Sanitizer & cleaning solution-I use Iodophor and PBW exclusively, just b/c I'm used to em. :p

-If you want to brew outside, I'd recommend a Bayou Classic burner & propane tank. I don't remember which model I have, but look for ones marketed as "turkey fryers" for the proper size.

As a side addition, look for a vertical carboy stand as well. Allows for faster draining/drying after cleaning. Also bring a pen/paper with you to take notes with, unless you already have brew software on a laptop/iPhone. Notes = critical!

Hope it helps! :mug:
 
In case the opinion still matters, I would go with an extract kit. Not a "beer in can" kit, but something well put together by the LHBS or trustworthy online dealer so you know it is good.

the main reason is because you are new to this you need to learn the basics and get them down pat. Like any hobby or sport, you need to have the fundamentals down cold before adding flair. That way, when you go all grain, you don't even have to think about sanitation, hops additions, fermentation schedules, sanitation, bottling, and sanitation.

I am glad I did it this way, as I am always certain I messed something up in my brews, so I can assure myself it wasn't the major steps. I recently started doing all grain, and it is fun, but I still do extract with steep occasionally as it is quicker and still makes great beer!
 
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