You are the pro, tell me what to buy!

In the market for my first home brew kit! I'll bet this question comes up often, but help a noob out & tell me what to buy, plz.
I want to spend about $200 on a kit, could go up to $300. I know nothing, but I'm excited to learn. I am handy enough to build things myself if I can save some money, but if you know of a good kit that has everything, I'll just buy it. Also want to grow my own ingredients. Were can I buy seeds to get started in a 10x10 foot garden? I have a large stock pot already, not sure if that matters or not, but figured I'd mention it. Thanks in advance!

Oh! I'm in San Diego & this place is selling 4 different kits: http://www.homebrewmart.com/
Are any of these good deals? Or should I order one online?

glass carboy, (or at least Betterbottles it you just cant get past the idea of glass) are so much easier than buckets with lids.

get a kit with a priming tank just skip bottle priming.

honestly I think your better off getting a cheaper $100-$150 starter kit, maybe an extra fermentor and then buying more after you make a batch or two. At that point you know your style and direction you want to take with equipment.

you might do a few homegrown hop batches, but you will never sustain brewing with only 10'x10', ever.

I might get blasted for this, but I recommend an extract kit for starters, and then move to all-grain later if you want to.

ncbrewer said:

I might get blasted for this, but I recommend an extract kit for starters, and then move to all-grain later if you want to.

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+1 on the extract kit to start off. It's the most foolproof way to start and make good beer. I don't know what you want to grow, I'm assuming hops, do a search for hop rhizomes. Do a lot of reading here on different subjects, a wealth of information here.

I like, and bought, the deluxe starter kit at Northern Brewer. It has everything you need except for a pot, bottles and ingredients.

I also suggest starting with extract kits. This will get you accustomed to the process of brewing before spending a lot of money on all grain equipment.

I recommend staying away from glass carboys. They are heavy, can be slippery and dangerous. Read the disaster threads.

You could grow hops but making malts is beyond the scope of most DIY. I think it would take acres not 100 square feet to grow enough barley.

Read up. Kits are notorious for abbreviated or bad instructions. There is a lot to learn. If you read first you will be less likely to be posting "Is my beer ruined?" threads.

+1 on the extract brewing kit, start small, but when you buy from there on out, always consider scalability of what you get. After a few extract brews, you'll know where you want to go with it. If you think you'll ever want to do 10 gal batches or all grain stuff, try not to buy anything that you'll need to replace when you take that step up.

Check groupon (may have to change location); the Midwest $120 kit will go on sale 1/2 off often.
Start with some premade extract kits and move your way up.

I would recommend these equipment kits to get really started:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/home...-with-two-5-gallon-better-bottle-carboys.html
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/home...kit-upgrades/equipment-upgrade-kit-three.html

Seriously appreciate all the information! I want to get started RIGHT AWAY, but you all are FORCING me to do my research, which I'm sure will save me a lot of headaches in the future. I just learned what an extract kit is & considering I won't be close to my first hop harvest for quite some time, it only makes sense for me to be a weenie & start with the kit. One thing I'd like to avoid is buying garbage that I won't be able to use in the future when I plan on upgrading (I assure you, I will be upgrading). I'm big on gardening, indoor & outdoor. It has become apparent by your responses that I need to be patient & be prudent in what I do. I'm going to try. In the meantime, I live in San Diego & wanted to try & find a good kit in the area that I can buy tomorrow without having to wait for it to be delivered. I love the GROUPON thing, but I'm so impatient right now! Anyways, there is a spot called home brew mart that I was thinking about driving to. I tried to post a link earlier, but I think I got Administrator-fied. If any of you could check out their website & let me know what you think would be best for me, I'd appreciate it. I'll look at the glass carboy issues that you mentioned, but if these substitute "betterbottles" aren't going to last me, I think I'd like to take my chances with glass. Again, I'd like to keep the future in mind. I'm very passionate about things when i get involved in them & this is no exception. I follow instructions well & research like a mofo, so I think I'll be safe...(but if not, you all can laugh at my debacles). Thanks again, let me know.

the75 said:

In the market for my first home brew kit! I'll bet this question comes up often, but help a noob out & tell me what to buy, plz.
I want to spend about $200 on a kit, could go up to $300. I know nothing, but I'm excited to learn. I am handy enough to build things myself if I can save some money, but if you know of a good kit that has everything, I'll just buy it. Also want to grow my own ingredients. Were can I buy seeds to get started in a 10x10 foot garden? I have a large stock pot already, not sure if that matters or not, but figured I'd mention it. Thanks in advance!

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How big is your stockpot? (Gallons). Will you be brewing outside, inside, in a small patio/deck. The groupon Midwest kit would be the way to go. Be patient and read the forum. In the meantime, buy some hop rhizomes and plant them. They won't produce this year but next year you should be good.

Check out the Basic Brewing Radio (and Video) Podcast. They have a BUNCH of shows, but, as a newbie, I've found their shows to be extremely helpful. They give great advice and instruction in a clear format. I discovered the show after my second batch -- wish I watched a few episodes before starting!

Cheers,

-W.T.Y

I just started this hobby two, and I highly recommend trying to find a local Home Brew Supply store and picking their brain. They might even offer classes that you can take with other rookies. This website is a great resource and everybody is so helpful and you get responses quickly. I would also highly recommend the book "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition", this book really simplifies the process and lays it out in any easy to understand way. Have fun!

The stockpot is 19 gallons. I'm planning on brewing in my garage. I'll check out where I can find some rhizomes & get them started. The groupon deal doesn't come with a glass or betterbottle carboy. Some have recommended staying clear of buckets...

Buckets are fine as long as you take care of them. I use buckets, and many people here do as well. The only problem with buckets is you have to be careful not to scratch the plastic on the inside, because scratches can harbor bacteria that can ruin your beer.

The important thing is to clean them properly and not use anything abrasive. If you do that, they'll last a while and are cheaper than carboys.

But some people like to stare at their beer fermenting, which is best done in a clear carboy

Buckets work.
I don't like dealing with lids and I like a clear fermentor.

But buckets work.

That helps. I would definitely like to watch my beer, so I think a kit with a clear carboy would be best for me. Looks like the groupon deal doesn't come with a carboy, just buckets. Here's what I'm thinking. I'll get a kit with a glass carboy (just to have one) & order an extra better bottle carboy for regular use & to get started. It seems that some people reserve the glass carboys for beers that take longer to ferment, correct? Again, appreciate all the help everyone!

the75 said:

It seems that some people reserve the glass carboys for beers that take longer to ferment, correct? Again, appreciate all the help everyone!

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on a long ferment i put a hydrometer in the carboy, forget it and only take a reading when it looks really close. One of the reasons I like clear.

I just started too, and am pretty happy with this kit: http://morebeer.com/view_product/15910/102142/Personal_Home_Brewery_#2_-_Deluxe

I like the PET 6 gallon fermenter bottle, and it came with a nice graduated bottling bucket, etc. You get all the essentials, hydrometer, thermometer, capper, and more.

http://homebrew-supplies.homebrewmart.com/starter-kit-2-p113.aspx
this is a good start up from your store, You can drive out buy your kit and brew that day!!
With the huge pot you have do a full boil ( i.e all the water your going to need with out needing top off water. about 6 gallons)

Start with a simple beer that you can use the carboy to watch your fermentation, its fun!!
once you become comfortable with it you can use the bucket as primary then carboy for secondary. This works great for me using lagers, I can ferment in the bucket for the two weeks then transfer to the secondary for the weeks of aging.

Wow! Well, that midwest place has great prices, but shipping KILLS IT! I'll call around & see if anyone price matches...doubt it.

this was my shopping list for the first time i bought myself all my brewing equipment. i made the decision that i didn't want to get a kit because none of them had what i wanted and i knew that i'd end up replacing everything very quickly. there is a lot of wisdom in starting off small and upgrading as you learn, but i had read tons beforehand and spoken with a lot of people. i knew what i wanted and i wanted to skip straight to "intermediate" level.

• 6.5-gal carboy (primary)
• 5-gal carboy (secondary)
• Brew-Hauler carboy strap
• 3-piece air locks (get at least 2, always good to have spares)
• stoppers for carboys (both drilled and un-drilled)
• 6-foot length of 3/8" (inside) clear plastic hose for racking
• 4-foot length of 1" (inside) plastic hose for blowoff tube (can also use smaller tube and connect to inside pole of airlock)
• thermometer (digital is ideal, but more expensive)
• hydrometer
• sample tube for hydrometer readings (AKA test jar)
• thief
• auto-siphon
• carboy brush
• bottlecaps
• bottle capper (bench- or wing-capper)
• 60 12oz bottles or 25 champagne bottles
• grain sock/brew bag (for steeping/BIAB)
• hop sock (get the finest mesh one you can, should be nylon not cotton/fabric)
• Star San sanitizer
• OxiClean for label removal
• Plastic bottling pail
• Bottle-filling wand (put on spigot of bottling bucket, needs a short piece of 3/8" plastic hose - cut a few inches from racking tube)
• Large funnel with built-in fine mesh sieve
• Large measuring cup (1 gal)
• Whirlflock tabs
• Fermicap

the secondary carboy really isn't necessary since i rarely need to secondary my batches. however i'm glad i bought it as it allows me to have 2 brews fermenting at the same time - it's more of a second primary for me, rather than a secondary. there are several bells and whistles in there that you can do without if you are on a budget - the wine thief, the autosiphon, the second carboy, measuring cup (you probably have a smaller one at home), Whirlflock, Fermicap.

print and bring with you to the store, have credit card handy. ignore CC statement when it arrives at the end of the month.

you're welcome :rockin:

Sweet! I'll snap a photo instead of printing though
Thanks a lot for all the help! I'm looking forward to getting started & becoming a full time forum troll.

Me personally... Do alot of reading first.. I think a kit would be the best way to go.(at first). Get a couple of batches under your belt first. Extract would be a great way to get your feet wet. I just got my first batch into the secondary. I'm no guru by any means. Hopefully Revvy will find this thread and drop some beer knowledge on you.. Anyway, welcome to the addiction and remember RDWHAHB . Cheers

the75 said:

Sweet! I'll snap a photo instead of printing though

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snap a picture so you can look at it on your phone? why not just bring up the web page on your phone, or e-mail yourself the list and view on phone that way, or text yourself that list? (email-to-text).

If you are thinking about buying a kit I would also recommend checking out northern brewer. Here's a link: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/beer-equipment-starter-kits

I have the deluxe kit from them and havent really needed anything else other than the brew kettle and bottles. I would also highly recommend that you consider buying a wort chiller, or making one. I am sure that there are posts on here about how to do that. Northern Brewer also has great recipe kits as well. The best part about them is that almost everything there will ship for $7.99. I find that if I need to buy a good amount it is cheaper to use them than my LHBS.

I recommend you go buy a 1/2 keg of your favorite beer. Drink said beer while browsing these forums. Once kicked, cut the top off the keg, and you have a kettle that will serve you for quite some time.

TDIBrewer said:

I recommend you go buy a 1/2 keg of your favorite beer. Drink said beer while browsing these forums. Once kicked, cut the top off the keg, and you have a kettle that will serve you for quite some time.

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Once again, illegal.

must be a local thing, certainly not illegal here.

I hate carboys. They're harder to clean, take longer to clean and the glass ones can even kill you in a wort case scenario. The better bottles have the same flaws as plastic buckets, but are still hard to clean.

I prefer buckets by a large margin. I could care less how my beer looks while it's fermenting. I want it to taste good, not look cool while being made.

amandabab said:

must be a local thing, certainly not illegal here.

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Theft is not illegal where you live? A new empty keg costs $120. Your keg deposit was less than that, no? Like it or not, you stole it. I'm not saying I wouldn't do the same thing, I just know what I'm doing when I do it. :fro:

we can buy filled no deposit kegs. no theft at all
same thing with gas bottles, no deposit/lease. actually own it and swap for full to keep the certs up to date or have Oxarc come to the house and refill.

So you paid for the beer, but not the keg, and kept the keg and somehow it's not theft?

Once again, I'm not criticizing you at all. But unless you paid like $200 for a half barrel you stole the keg if you kept it.

As long as it's an Anheuser Busch keg it's OK though.

Well, its certainly not illegal, you put a deposit down on that keg. The brewery could sue you, but they won't. And economics dictate the cost of the deposit so that they recover the cost of unreturned kegs.

TDIBrewer said:

Well, its certainly not illegal, you put a deposit down on that keg. The brewery could sue you, but they won't. And economics dictate the cost of the deposit so that they recover the cost of unreturned kegs.

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Your thought process would work it the law didn't mandate the maximum deposit charges they can bill you, and those charges are typically 1/4 the cost of a replacement keg.

Fact: You pay a $35-$65 deposit on a $120 keg when empty. If you keep the keg you stole the remainder.

It's OK man. Just admit it and move on with life. Many people do the same thing.

TDIBrewer said:

Well, its certainly not illegal, you put a deposit down on that keg. The brewery could sue you, but they won't. And economics dictate the cost of the deposit so that they recover the cost of unreturned kegs.

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No, rising costs of beer to mitigate the cost of purposely stolen kegs is more like it. They cant feasibly charge 120 bucks for a deposit without damaging sales. There is a huge difference between accidentally destroying a keg than purposely destroying three...

the75 said:

Seriously appreciate all the information! I want to get started RIGHT AWAY, but you all are FORCING me to do my research, which I'm sure will save me a lot of headaches in the future.

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At the very least, you should read through Palmer's book on brewing.

As far as gear goes, I personally feel that an extract batch or two is really important for learning in the beginning. Also, as we are headed into the summer season now and high temps all over the place, give some serious thought to temperature control for your fermenters. In my opinion, this should be a higher priority for you than jumping to all-grain or growing your own hops.

woah.... off track

y'all are gonna get this mans thread locked. Take it some where else.

I don't think steering a new brewer in the right direction is OT.

As far as answering the question, there are a lot of ways to go. I also agree with going with an extract or mini-mash option at first to allow you to focus on the very basics. My biggest complaint from my original kit was not having a large enough kettle to do full boils and needing an extra fermenter or two. I use buckets because I would rather not cover my fermenter to keep hops from being skunked. It is hot enough in Texas. I don't want to insulate an exothermic fermentation

Things that are great to have as a first kit:
2-3 fermenters
Bottle capper
Bottles (recycle)
hydrometer
Autosiphon
Hoses
Bottling wand
Sanitizer etc.
Stoppers for blowoff tubes (usually better than airlocks)

Nice upgrades to have:
Small propane burner to get full rolling boils and make your brew time much faster
kegging equipment

Other than that its just a matter of getting your hands dirty and figure out which way to go. Best of luck!

Sweet! All excellent information! Now not only do I have a better idea of what my options are, I also know people's opinions on what could or could not be keg theft.