And so it begins..........from Addison, IL

[00drew]

Hello everyone, I am very new to the process of brewing but definetly not new to process of drinking beer! For the past few years I have thought about jumping into the brewing hobby, and now I am ready to get started. I have spent time on this site reading and trying to figure out what kind of equipment kit I want to start with. I know that I will be getting into this for the long haul, so I do not want to start with something that I know I will need to upgrade in the near future. What are your recomendations? Also for the guys/gals who live in the chicagoland area, what is your favorite shop? I look forward to using this site and sharing my experiences in the pursuit of brewing great beer!

Cheers! - Andrew

 

[dunnright00]

Welcome to the addiction!

..and the website!


edit: I should read the whole thread!
I suggest getting a starter kit and brew a couple of extract brews to start with. You'll soon find out if you're into it and you'll just keep going from there.

As for equipment, I doubt anyone here got started with it all. It's a progressive thing. You keep adding to your arsenal.

 

[00drew]

Welcome to the addiction!

..and the website!


edit: I should read the whole thread!
I suggest getting a starter kit and brew a couple of extract brews to start with. You'll soon find out if you're into it and you'll just keep going from there.

As for equipment, I doubt anyone here got started with it all. It's a progressive thing. You keep adding to your arsenal.

Thanks for the welcome! I have been looking at starter kits and that seems like the route I want to follow, just which one? So many kits??? And I do look forward to the progession and the fun of learning the art.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Buy what you can afford...the more equipment the better...at least I've never said I wish I had gotten _____ instead...

Welcome.

Where's Addison?

 

[00drew]

Buy what you can afford...the more equipment the better...at least I've never said I wish I had gotten _____ instead...

Welcome.

Where's Addison?

I am planning to spend around $200 initially on the equipment. From what I have seen it should be enough to get me started. But I am open to spending a little more if justifies it.

Addison is a western suburb of Chicago, near 290 and 355/53

 

[homebrewer_99]

I am planning to spend around $200 initially on the equipment. From what I have seen it should be enough to get me started. But I am open to spending a little more if justifies it.

Addison is a western suburb of Chicago, near 290 and 355/53

I figured that out... There's a lot of you guys from the 'burbs.

I'm out in western IL off I-80. About 150 miles from Chicago.

 

[wcarter1227]

Welcome. Start off with the initial kit. The first couple brews you want to keep as simple as possible. As time goes on you can start adding equipment, adjusting techniques, etc. If your first beer doesnt turn out well, keep trying, and give it more time.

If you havent already done so read how to brew by john palmer, you can read it for free online. theres a lot of good information in there. Good luck and maybe we can exchange some brews someday. Im in aurora so im not super far away from addison.

 

[R2-D2]

Welcome from Naperville!

I'd recommend starting with a relatively small kit setup that includes the basics - primary 6.5 gallon bucket/carboy, bottling bucket, thermometer, hydrometer, capper, caps, cleaner, bottling wand, racking tube, etc. Also, buy a sanitizer and two cases of bottles (unless you have some old bottles). Purchase an extract kit of your favorite style. That should run you around $150-200. For your first brew you can use some old pots to brew in on your stovetop.

I bought my initial supplies from the Fox Valley Homebrew store located in downtown Aurora. There are a few shops around the area but I tend to order everything off the internet. It's just more convenient for me to do that.

Austin Homebrew features a pretty good intro kit for $79.99 (with $7.99 flat rate shipping!): http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_52&products_id=11356
They have a ton of great intro kits with excellent instructions.

Locally, Perfect Brewing (in Libertyville) is also a good option: http://www.perfectbrewingsupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=1
They are probably an hours drive from Addison so definitely plan ahead and give them a call to make sure they will be open.

No matter what, be patient!

 

[mklawz]

Also for the guys/gals who live in the chicagoland area, what is your favorite shop?

Welcome, from a little further west.

You are going to want to shop at the St. Charles Homebrew Shop. The amount and quality of products, and the help from the staff simply cannot be beat. The Aurora shop and the Brewers Coop leave a lot to be desired. I have never to been to the Libertyville shop, but St. Charles is closer to you.

 

[jbambuti]

Welcome, from Chicago proper.

I've been brewing for about a year, and am producing pretty good beers with the equipment from a starter kit, plus a few things. I started with one fermentation bucket, and now have 4. Two pieces of equipment that I'm most thankful for are my immersion chiller and my autosiphon. I'm of the opinion that, if I can brew well with what I currently have, I'd rather spend my money on more ingredients, rather than more stuff. As I refine my technique, I get things that will help with that. I'm not planning to go AG in the near future, so I'm pretty happy with what I have.

I do most of my buying off the internet, but I also have a Brew and Grow near where I work. Good for a forgotten ingredient or to stock up on yeast, etc. Otherwise, I find better prices online. Check out Northern Brewer and Austin Homebrew.

Happy brewing.

 

[00drew]

Great information here. Thanks! I will continue to read up and make a decision on which kit I want to go with over the next few days and place my order. I want to get started ASAP. I will start reading the "How to Brew" book by John Palmer. I have heard about the shop in St. Charles and there is a shop in Elmhurst called Chicagoland Winemakers, and according to their site they do sell some brew equipment, not sure how it is though. They seem to be more about wine making than brewing beer. What about the Brew and Grow shop in Roselle? I would prefer to order online and some of the retailers on this site come highly recommended which is always a good thing. But it would be nice to have a place where I can go to if I need to.

Any home brew events in Chicagoland worth attending?

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome
In November, Northern Brewer is opening a shop in Milwaukee, West Allis actually.
If you plan for a number of brews, you could take a trip up there every month or so and pick up enough supplies to keep you busy until the next trip.

 

[wcarter1227]

im a huge fan of the shop in st charles, they always have a good supply of stuff i need. really helpful too.

 

[00drew]

im a huge fan of the shop in st charles, they always have a good supply of stuff i need. really helpful too.

Looks like I will try to make a trip this week! Just still trying figure out what equipment to buy. I am pretty crazy when it comes to buying things. I do not want to spend money twice....

 

[mklawz]

If you go tomorrow (tues) or Wednesday evening, I can help you out. Ask for Mulligan.

 

[00drew]

If you go tomorrow (tues) or Wednesday evening, I can help you out. Ask for Mulligan.

I may be able to get there on Wednesday night, but Saturday looks more realistic. We will see, if I do go tomorrow, I will be sure to ask for you. Thanks!

 

[JoeMama]

One thing I can suggest from the get go is a BIGGER POT (or kettle) you can always boil smaller batches in a bigger pot, and going to a full boil even if you never go AG is bonus.
And if you DO get addicted to the hobby, chances are a bigger boiling vessel will be on your list.
-Me