Best Beginner Starter Kit?

[boolean]

Hello all.

I'm sure many have passed thru the Home Brew Talk forums foraging for the best beginner kit - but I am here again doing the same thing As a beginner, I'd love to find the best beginner starter kit for brewing. I've been looking at Northern Brewers kits but have been wondering if you experienced folks have any suggestions on better kits!

Let me know down below.

THANKS! Have an awesome Monday.

 

[GoodTruble]

Depends on what you want and what you want to spend.

Do you just want to make beer as easily as possible? (If yes, pre-hopped lme kit; maybe brewdemon).

Do you want to make the best beer you can as cheaply as possible? (Get a kettle. bucket, and bag for grains).

Are you testing the waters to maybe get more seriously into brewing? (Start with equipment that you may get to keep using awhile; facebook marketplace may be better than a starter kit).

So, what's your goal, and we can probably offer better tailored advice.

 

[redrocker652002]

Hello all.

I'm sure many have passed thru the Home Brew Talk forums foraging for the best beginner kit - but I am here again doing the same thing As a beginner, I'd love to find the best beginner starter kit for brewing. I've been looking at Northern Brewers kits but have been wondering if you experienced folks have any suggestions on better kits!

Let me know down below.

THANKS! Have an awesome Monday.

I bought the NB Starter kit about 2 or 3 years ago. Started with Extract kits on my stovetop (yes, the wife was watching very carefully, LOL). I moved on to all grain about a year ago, and other than the 5 gallon pot, I still use all the equipment that came in the starter kit. The buckets, in my opinion, are really good fermenters as the spigot at the bottom is the easiest to move the beer to either bottles or keg. I use the bottling wand, capper and all the various stuff. I think I paid 100 bucks or so for it, and to me, it was worth it. Now, if I am in your shoes and just getting started, I would look at Craigslist and other web sites to see what people are selling used. Lots get into this hobby and find it is not for them, and want to get rid of their stuff on the cheap. I have seen starter setups with more equipment for under 100 bucks. Good luck, but for me, Northern Brewer Starter kit was a good investment and has and continues to serve me well.

 

[boolean]

Depends on what you want and what you want to spend.

Do you just want to make beer as easily as possible? (If yes, pre-hopped lme kit; maybe brewdemon).

Do you want to make the best beer you can as cheaply as possible? (Get a kettle. bucket, and bag for grains).

Are you testing the waters to maybe get more seriously into brewing? (Start with equipment that you may get to keep using awhile; facebook marketplace may be better than a starter kit).

So, what's your goal, and we can probably offer better tailored advice.

I think my goal is the latter of the proposed goals. I want the basics to get started but also - I want to be able to grow and expand my setup. If I have more advanced stuff and I screw up a few times; Learning curves. Not a huge deal ya know? I'm patient and really think I'd like to brew my own beer. (Mead too once I get good.... hopefully)

 

[boolean]

I bought the NB Starter kit about 2 or 3 years ago. Started with Extract kits on my stovetop (yes, the wife was watching very carefully, LOL). I moved on to all grain about a year ago, and other than the 5 gallon pot, I still use all the equipment that came in the starter kit. The buckets, in my opinion, are really good fermenters as the spigot at the bottom is the easiest to move the beer to either bottles or keg. I use the bottling wand, capper and all the various stuff. I think I paid 100 bucks or so for it, and to me, it was worth it. Now, if I am in your shoes and just getting started, I would look at Craigslist and other web sites to see what people are selling used. Lots get into this hobby and find it is not for them, and want to get rid of their stuff on the cheap. I have seen starter setups with more equipment for under 100 bucks. Good luck, but for me, Northern Brewer Starter kit was a good investment and has and continues to serve me well.

That's good to hear. This is what I've been eyeballing for a while. Do you feel like it was "advanced" enough that it was easy to expand your set up as you got more experienced?

 

[redrocker652002]

That's good to hear. This is what I've been eyeballing for a while. Do you feel like it was "advanced" enough that it was easy to expand your set up as you got more experienced?

Like I said, I have been using all but the 5 gallon pot. My wife bought me a 10 gallon Gas One kettle and a Gas One propane burner. That has allowed me to do all grain instead of extract. In all honesty, if I had it to do over again, I think I would have worked a bit more with extract before making the jump. I have had a few less than stellar brews, but still drinkable. I use Morebeer and buy their kits simply because everything is included and no measuring is needed. They will grind the grains for you as well. I have added a grain mill and a temp controller but other than that, I am still using the NB setup with no issue other than user error. LOL. If you don't have anything yet, check out Craiglist and see what you can find. I have seen some pretty good deals there for used stuff that, with a little elbow grease, can be very useful.

Also, post any questions here. These guys and gals are absolute rock stars when it comes to advice and giving you things to think about. I have learned so much it isn't funny. You can PM me if you want to talk more about my setup and process, but I am still very new to it all and learning each time I brew.

 

[GoodTruble]

I think my goal is the latter of the proposed goals. I want the basics to get started but also - I want to be able to grow and expand my setup. If I have more advanced stuff and I screw up a few times; Learning curves. Not a huge deal ya know? I'm patient and really think I'd like to brew my own beer. (Mead too once I get good.... hopefully)

Then I would consider the morebeer kit with a solid kettle and fermonster. I think you could keep using that equipment for awhile.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/deluxe-homebrew-starter-kit-9.html
Alternatively, check Facebook marketplace and Craigslist just to see what may be available.

 

[BrianB]

@boolean - My son bought me the More Beer Premium Home Brewing Kit for Father's Day this year. It comes with everything you need, including a recipe kit (there are several to choose from) and a wort chiller which came in very handy. After doing a bit of study, decided I wanted a few more items, all low cost. We had a successful first brew and are now enjoying our first homemade beer. Cost was around $250.00. I'd highly recommend this kit.

 

[boolean]

Like I said, I have been using all but the 5 gallon pot. My wife bought me a 10 gallon Gas One kettle and a Gas One propane burner. That has allowed me to do all grain instead of extract. In all honesty, if I had it to do over again, I think I would have worked a bit more with extract before making the jump. I have had a few less than stellar brews, but still drinkable. I use Morebeer and buy their kits simply because everything is included and no measuring is needed. They will grind the grains for you as well. I have added a grain mill and a temp controller but other than that, I am still using the NB setup with no issue other than user error. LOL. If you don't have anything yet, check out Craiglist and see what you can find. I have seen some pretty good deals there for used stuff that, with a little elbow grease, can be very useful.

Also, post any questions here. These guys and gals are absolute rock stars when it comes to advice and giving you things to think about. I have learned so much it isn't funny. You can PM me if you want to talk more about my setup and process, but I am still very new to it all and learning each time I brew.

I'll definitely check out Craigslist to see what I can find. I received that advice about starting with extracts from a fellow member of this forum. That'll definitely be where I start. Do you find an advantage of using grains over extract though? I imagine there is a learning curve for grains, yea?

 

[boolean]

@boolean - My son bought me the More Beer Premium Home Brewing Kit for Father's Day this year. It comes with everything you need, including a recipe kit (there are several to choose from) and a wort chiller which came in very handy. After doing a bit of study, decided I wanted a few more items, all low cost. We had a successful first brew and are now enjoying our first homemade beer. Cost was around $250.00. I'd highly recommend this kit.

Sweet! Besides the few mentions in this thread of More Beer, I've never heard of them! I'll definitely check them out. What did you brew for your first run? When you mentioned first successful brew, that makes me think there were some failures before you struck gold. Tell me if I am wrong! If not, how many times did you fail and in what stages were the highest potential of failure?

 

[redrocker652002]

I'll definitely check out Craigslist to see what I can find. I received that advice about starting with extracts from a fellow member of this forum. That'll definitely be where I start. Do you find an advantage of using grains over extract though? I imagine there is a learning curve for grains, yea?

Using grain is a lot more work. With extract, you steep the small amount of grain that is considered "speciality" grains and then shut off the heat, stir in the extract and bring to a boil. With grain, you have to bring the water up to temp, pour the grain in fairly slow and stir as you go to prevent it from clumping up. Once the grain is in, you have to keep a watch on it to hold the mash temp, usually in the 150's for an hour. For me, that means sitting on a stool in the garage watching the temp gauge and adjusting the flame level on the propane burner. Once you are done with the mash and if you choose you have to then sparge with water you have preheated to about 170. Once you are done there, the processes become the same. Get the wort to a boil and add hops as directed. I like the grain process, but had a chose to start out doing that, I would not have lasted I don't think. Extract is much easier and you can concentrate on the process, making sure things are clean and sanitized and enjoy the results. To me, the taste difference was very minimal if any at all. Just my .02 from a newbie to the process.

 

[GoodTruble]

@boolean - My son bought me the More Beer Premium Home Brewing Kit for Father's Day this year. It comes with everything you need, including a recipe kit (there are several to choose from) and a wort chiller which came in very handy. After doing a bit of study, decided I wanted a few more items, all low cost. We had a successful first brew and are now enjoying our first homemade beer. Cost was around $250.00. I'd highly recommend this kit.

Yeah, that kit has the better kettle I was referring to. I mistakenly thought the next lower kit did too, but I was wrong. I have that same brewmaster kettle (bought separately) and still use it.

Regarding "failure", the only way to really fail is if you don't clean/sanitize well enough to prevent an infection. If you follow standard-ish cleaning and sanitary steps, infections happen probably less than 2% of the time (though new brewers freak out over it about 50% of the time when they see weird (but normal) stuff floating in their fermenting beer).

Beyond that, it's just a matter of how good (or not) the beer tastes, but it will still be beer.

 

[camonick]

@boolean - My son bought me the More Beer Premium Home Brewing Kit for Father's Day this year. It comes with everything you need, including a recipe kit (there are several to choose from) and a wort chiller which came in very handy. After doing a bit of study, decided I wanted a few more items, all low cost. We had a successful first brew and are now enjoying our first homemade beer. Cost was around $250.00. I'd highly recommend this kit.

Yeah, that kit has the better kettle I was referring to. I mistakenly thought the next lower kit did too, but I was wrong. I have that same brewmaster kettle (bought separately) and still use it.

Regarding "failure", the only way to really fail is if you don't clean/sanitize well enough to prevent an infection. If you follow standard-ish cleaning and sanitary steps, infections happen probably less than 2% of the time (though new brewers freak out over it about 50% of the time when they weird (but normal) stuff floating in their fermenting beer).

Beyond that, it's just a matter of how good (or not) the beer tastes, but it will still be beer.

That MoreBeer kit looks like a nice kit. Only problem I see is the ingredient kits they offer to chose from… 2 and potentially 3 of them (Pliny clone, hazy IPA and pale ale) are arguably 3 of the hardest styles to get right, especially for a beginner. The one that’s probably the easiest (amber ale) to be successful with, is out of stock.

Edit: the pale ale kit wouldn’t be too bad for a beginner, depending on the hopping schedule, but it’s out of stock too.

 

[boolean]

Using grain is a lot more work. With extract, you steep the small amount of grain that is considered "speciality" grains and then shut off the heat, stir in the extract and bring to a boil. With grain, you have to bring the water up to temp, pour the grain in fairly slow and stir as you go to prevent it from clumping up. Once the grain is in, you have to keep a watch on it to hold the mash temp, usually in the 150's for an hour. For me, that means sitting on a stool in the garage watching the temp gauge and adjusting the flame level on the propane burner. Once you are done with the mash and if you choose you have to then sparge with water you have preheated to about 170. Once you are done there, the processes become the same. Get the wort to a boil and add hops as directed. I like the grain process, but had a chose to start out doing that, I would not have lasted I don't think. Extract is much easier and you can concentrate on the process, making sure things are clean and sanitized and enjoy the results. To me, the taste difference was very minimal if any at all. Just my .02 from a newbie to the process.

WOW. That's a process. I'm trying to avoid having my wife help. If she helps, I have to help with her candle making hobby. That was our deal So thanks for the insight on this process! Definitely going extract first. At least until I get a hang of doing all this stuff by myself. I watched a really solid walkthrough of a basic brew from boil to bottle from More Beer. Basically, he did the boil process in the kitchen. I'd prefer to do this in my garage and I keep seeing folks mention propane burners. Is this the reason folks use propane burners? So they can sort of boil where ever they want?

 

[boolean]

Yeah, that kit has the better kettle I was referring to. I mistakenly thought the next lower kit did too, but I was wrong. I have that same brewmaster kettle (bought separately) and still use it.

Regarding "failure", the only way to really fail is if you don't clean/sanitize well enough to prevent an infection. If you follow standard-ish cleaning and sanitary steps, infections happen probably less than 2% of the time (though new brewers freak out over it about 50% of the time when they weird (but normal) stuff floating in their fermenting beer).

Beyond that, it's just a matter of how good (or not) the beer tastes, but it will still be beer.

That's good to hear. I just think I'll pre-sanitize/keep everything I need soaking in the sanitation water so I don't get "behind the ball" so to speak. The video I've watched - the guy sanitized during the 60 min boil process when he added the initial hops. That makes me nervous that I may not sanitize quickly enough. So I imagine if I sanitize beforehand, even if I use more sanitizer than normal - I'm ok with that.

This thought process goes back to how I cook: cut up the onions, tomatoes, etc... before even turning the stove on. Complete your prep work first so you're not trying to chop an onion mid-cook, ya know? Let me know if I'm being silly or over thinking this.

 

[boolean]

That MoreBeer kit looks like a nice kit. Only problem I see is the ingredient kits they offer to chose from… 2 and potentially 3 of them (Pliny clone, hazy IPA and pale ale) are arguably 3 of the hardest styles to get right, especially for a beginner. The one that’s probably the easiest (amber ale) to be successful with, is out of stock.

Edit: the pale ale kit wouldn’t be too bad for a beginner, depending on the hopping schedule, but it’s out of stock too.

Ooof! I definitely want to start with a simpler recipe. What is more simple than an amber ale? Any suggestions? Yeah I noticed most of their recipes were out of stock but they do mention they'll be back in stock in September which is actually perfect timing for me. I close on our house on the 18th of August and we'll be moving a few days after. By September we'll be settling in and I'll be ready to start my brew.

I am concerned about my ferm chamber. I plan on moving the fridge out of the kitchen and into the garage (we're buying one of those uppity LG fridges to replace it) and use this as my ferm chamber so I can regulate temps better. I noticed in the video I watched earlier, they stuck it in the closet in a ice water bucket wrapped in a towel but I'm afraid the temp in my house won't always be 65-68. What are some other options if you don't have a fridge dedicated for your ferm chamber?

 

[camonick]

I am concerned about my ferm chamber. I plan on moving the fridge out of the kitchen and into the garage (we're buying one of those uppity LG fridges to replace it) and use this as my ferm chamber so I can regulate temps better.

Using an old refrigerator that’s still in working condition is perfect for fermenting any style of beer you want. Get one of these and plug your fridge into the cooling outlet and you’re on your way. Attach the temperature probe to the side of your fermenter with a heavy piece of foam or bubble wrap with a bungee cord, set the controller to your desired temp and wait. Wrapping the fermenter in a wet towel in a water bath is called a swamp cooler and is a good alternative if you don’t have a refrigerator. The water wicks up the towel or T-shirt and the evaporation helps cool the fermenter. I’d definitely use the fridge first if it’s available.

As far as the kits offered, if you’re willing to wait and/ or place a pre-order, the amber would definitely be my recommendation for a beginner, followed by the pale, Pliny and hazy, in that order. Brown ales, porters, stouts, etc. are also good beginner brews. What kind of beer do you like?

Also be aware that if you’re not planning on kegging right away, you’ll need around 50-54 (12oz) crown top bottles (not twist-off) for each 5 gallon batch.

 

[boolean]

Using an old refrigerator that’s still in working condition is perfect for fermenting any style of beer you want. Get one of these and plug your fridge into the cooling outlet and you’re on your way. Attach the temperature probe to the side of your fermenter with a heavy piece of foam or bubble wrap with a bungee cord, set the controller to your desired temp and wait. Wrapping the fermenter in a wet towel in a water bath is called a swamp cooler and is a good alternative if you don’t have a refrigerator. The water wicks up the towel or T-shirt and the evaporation helps cool the fermenter. I’d definitely use the fridge first if it’s available.

As far as the kits offered, if you’re willing to wait and/ or place a pre-order, the amber would definitely be my recommendation for a beginner, followed by the pale, Pliny and hazy, in that order. Brown ales, porters, stouts, etc. are also good beginner brews. What kind of beer do you like?

Also be aware that if you’re not planning on kegging right away, you’ll need around 50-54 (12oz) crown top bottles (not twist-off) for each 5 gallon batch.

Okay, yeah I think I'll go fridge first. Obviously, the most simple way - sorry for the silly question. I personally LOVE IPAs. I know... typical "beer drinker" right? But I took a trip to DC back in June and we went to this authentic Belgian bar in Georgetown that had Belgian beers and I found myself in awe. I love the different brewing styles! The flavor profiles, the interesting ingredient combinations... I felt like that was the day I decided to brew my own beer. I was totally inspired. So I am glad to say my beer horizon is expanding and I'm really enjoying beers other than IPAs.

Any suggestions on some solid Belgium-style beers? Also I have a question about yeast. During my research on these starter kits - I notice some come with wet yeast or dry yeast... Is there a "preferred style" of yeast depending on what type of beer you brew?

Sorry folks, super noob here. Asking some silly questions.

 

[camonick]

Any suggestions on some solid Belgium-style beers?

I’ll have to let somebody else answer that question. I have very limited experience with Belgian style beers and I really don’t care for them either.

Also I have a question about yeast. During my research on these starter kits - I notice some come with wet yeast or dry yeast... Is there a "preferred style" of yeast depending on what type of beer you brew?

Yeast is definitely a major contributing factor to each beer. As a beginner, I would definitely consider using the dry yeast available. One packet for a 5 gallon ale batch is typically OK. There are a lot of dry yeast styles available that gives you a nice range for brewing different styles of beer. As you get comfortable and more experienced, then you could look into using the liquid yeast available.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I'd prefer to do this in my garage and I keep seeing folks mention propane burners. Is this the reason folks use propane burners? So they can sort of boil where ever they want?

There are 3 common heating sources.

• Kitchen Stove: Pretty much everybody has one, but they are often slow and may struggle to boil more than 3 or 4 gallons
• Propane Burner: A decent propane burner put out plenty of heat for 10+ gallon batches. They are reasonably priced and flexible. They do require ventilation, and propane tanks can be a bit pricey (I figure about $4 per batch) and a hassle.
• Electric: There are a few different types of electric systems. In the US, 120V vs 240V is a top driver. You don't have to worry about an open flame, and exhaust fumes. The electric all-in-one systems are very popular these days.

I do a mix of my kitchen stove for 2.5 gallon batches, and a propane burner for 5 and 10 gallon batches. More and more I find that working around the weather and daylight hours to use my propane burner on my back patio is a pain (I don't have access to 240V here in my rental home).

I will add...there are mostly just kits out there for 5 gallon and 1 gallon batches. There is a growing crowd of brewers targeting 2 gallon to 3 gallon batches. 2.5 gallons is a full case of beer. A 5 gallon batch means you have 2 full cases of the same beer. I am not sure about you, but I seldom purchase more than a 6-pack of a craft brew, so having 2 cases of the same beer can get a bit boring. As a new brewer, that is likely to be 2 gallons of fairly mediocre beer. And article of mine on the topic: Stovetop BIAB: The Best All-Grain Batch Size! - Cascades Homebrew

 

[boolean]

I’ll have to let somebody else answer that question. I have very limited experience with Belgian style beers and I really don’t care for them either.

Yeast is definitely a major contributing factor to each beer. As a beginner, I would definitely consider using the dry yeast available. One packet for a 5 gallon ale batch is typically OK. There are a lot of dry yeast styles available that gives you a nice range for brewing different styles of beer. As you get comfortable and more experienced, then you could look into using the liquid yeast available.

Thanks again, @camonick! Your contributions to this thread have been very fruitful! Happy Brewing. Also, I checked out your untappd page Cool stuff. I look to learn more from you in the future!

There are 3 common heating sources.

• Kitchen Stove: Pretty much everybody has one, but they are often slow and may struggle to boil more than 3 or 4 gallons
• Propane Burner: A decent propane burner put out plenty of heat for 10+ gallon batches. They are reasonably priced and flexible. They do require ventilation, and propane tanks can be a bit pricey (I figure about $4 per batch) and a hassle.
• Electric: There are a few different types of electric systems. In the US, 120V vs 240V is a top driver. You don't have to worry about an open flame, and exhaust fumes. The electric all-in-one systems are very popular these days.

I do a mix of my kitchen stove for 2.5 gallon batches, and a propane burner for 5 and 10 gallon batches. More and more I find that working around the weather and daylight hours to use my propane burner on my back patio is a pain (I don't have access to 240V here in my rental home).

I will add...there are mostly just kits out there for 5 gallon and 1 gallon batches. There is a growing crowd of brewers targeting 2 gallon to 3 gallon batches. 2.5 gallons is a full case of beer. A 5 gallon batch means you have 2 full cases of the same beer. I am not sure about you, but I seldom purchase more than a 6-pack of a craft brew, so having 2 cases of the same beer can get a bit boring. As a new brewer, that is likely to be 2 gallons of fairly mediocre beer. And article of mine on the topic: Stovetop BIAB: The Best All-Grain Batch Size! - Cascades Homebrew

@CascadesBrewer , Thanks for the better understanding of heat sources. I've noticed the same. With the starter kit I'm going to get - it's a 5 gallon starter kit. I'll probably need to grab the electric 240V electric set up as my garage is primed for electric cars. Hopefully that all works.

Good point about the amount of beer it'll make too. I'll have to give some to friends and family because I reckon my first brew won't be jaw-dropping but that's the part I love the most. The progression and perfecting. It's an art (as well as a science) to me.

I noticed in your signature you brew Belgium-style beers, yea? I'm going to check out your website, YT and IG to learn more about what you do Do you have any beginner Belgian beers you think a noob like me could suffice brewing? Maybe not the first brew but in the future after the initial attempt

 

[boolean]

Also, does anyone know how adaptable typical brew starter kits are to making say... cider? or Mead?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

@CascadesBrewer , Thanks for the better understanding of heat sources. I've noticed the same. With the starter kit I'm going to get - it's a 5 gallon starter kit. I'll probably need to grab the electric 240V electric set up as my garage is primed for electric cars. Hopefully that all works.

One advantage with extract brewing is that it is much easier to boil a concentrated wort (say 3-4 gallons) then top up the fermenter with water. This makes it pretty easy for most people to get started on a stove with a 5 gallon kettle.

I noticed in your signature you brew Belgium-style beers, yea? I'm going to check out your website, YT and IG to learn more about what you do Do you have any beginner Belgian beers you think a noob like me could suffice brewing? Maybe not the first brew but in the future after the initial attempt

In my book, Saisons are great beers that are fairly easy to brew. Saison yeast are often happy at warm room temps (say 75F to 85F). Saisons are generally a very simple grain bill and use a fairly small amount of hops. They get much of their character from the yeast, and a pack of a Saison or Belgian yeast is the same price as a neutral yeast strain.

 

[AlexKay]

Things that are slightly to moderately more difficult for a new brewer, that might be worth avoiding or at least slightly postponing:

1. Lagers, especially if you don’t have temperature control down.
2. High gravity beers (high ABV.)
3. Very hoppy beers, especially ones with a large dry-hop dose.
4. Beers with specialty grains.
5. Diastaticus yeast (particularly relevant for saisons.)
6. Liquid yeast.

If you like hoppy beers, go for an American pale ale or American wheat. If you want something Belgian, Belgian ale or single or pale ale. (Avoid S-33 dry yeast, though.)

 

[boolean]

One advantage with extract brewing is that it is much easier to boil a concentrated wort (say 3-4 gallons) then top up the fermenter with water. This makes it pretty easy for most people to get started on a stove with a 5 gallon kettle.



In my book, Saisons are great beers that are fairly easy to brew. Saison yeast are often happy at warm room temps (say 75F to 85F). Saisons are generally a very simple grain bill and use a fairly small amount of hops. They get much of their character from the yeast, and a pack of a Saison or Belgian yeast is the same price as a neutral yeast strain.

I think I found the perfect electric all-in-one starter kit! What do you think? I think this is a good kit to upgrade down the road for bigger batches and eventually all-grain! What do you think @CascadesBrewer ?

Can you link me to your book? I'd love to check it out. A Saison (can't remember the brewer) was what initially got be thinking I could brew. It was one of the most enjoyable beers I've ever had. To be honest, the reason I don't remember the name of it is because I had one too many of them that night.

 

[camonick]

After you get a few extract brews under your belt and you understand the process, that kettle will work well for 3 gallon BIAB batches if you want to experiment with all grain.

Edit: disregard this post since it refers to the earlier posts about the kit with the 8.5 gallon kettle. I know a few guys using the all-n-one systems that seem to really like them.

 

[boolean]

Things that are slightly to moderately more difficult for a new brewer, that might be worth avoiding or at least slightly postponing:

1. Lagers, especially if you don’t have temperature control down.
2. High gravity beers (high ABV.)
3. Very hoppy beers, especially ones with a large dry-hop dose.
4. Beers with specialty grains.
5. Diastaticus yeast (particularly relevant for saisons.)
6. Liquid yeast.

If you like hoppy beers, go for an American pale ale or American wheat. If you want something Belgian, Belgian ale or single or pale ale. (Avoid S-33 dry yeast, though.)

@AlexKay , thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, I think most of the starter kits come with a specialty grain "primer" (if you will). The option I plan to get does dry yeast - so we're good there. I'll definitely choose the kit that comes with the types of beers you (plus others) have mentioned as go-to beginner recipes.

The reason you say hoppy beers are worth postponing is because of all the different hops you need to manage during the 60-min boil stage, yea? A lot of moving parts to get right I imagine...

 

[camonick]

The reason you say hoppy beers are worth postponing is because of all the different hops you need to manage during the 60-min boil stage, yea? A lot of moving parts to get right I imagine...

Hoppy beers, especially those that require dry hopping after the boil, are more susceptible to oxidation issues that can have detrimental effects on your beer. They’re more of an advanced style.

 

[boolean]

After you get a few extract brews under your belt and you understand the process, that kettle will work well for 3 gallon BIAB batches if you want to experiment with all grain.

Edit: disregard this post since it refers to the earlier posts about the kit with the 8.5 gallon kettle. I know a few guys using the all-n-one systems that seem to really like them.

Yes! I can't wait to experiment with all-grain. Obviously, like you said, after a few brews under my belt. So it sounds like I've found my perfect starter kit then! That was the original goal: find something I can start with as a noob but slowly upgrade to more advance brewing techniques like all-grain. That kit also has an option for an all-grain upgrade (which I'll get in the future) with a DigiMash (whatever that is).

What do you mean by BIAB? Sorry.

 

[camonick]

What do you mean by BIAB? Sorry.

(B)rew (I)n (A) (B)ag
You’ll be able to accomplish the same thing in the all-n-one system you just posted… similar process, different equipment.

 

[AlexKay]

If you’re thinking saison, Lallemand Farmhouse is new in the scene. I’m doing my first batch with it now, so I don’t speak from experience, but I’ve heard good things.

Hoppy beers — specifically, with big dry hops — are prone to staling in ways that other beers aren’t. You can make a pretty hoppy pale ale with late and whirlpool additions and have the hops come through in the final bottled beer, but IPA and especially NEIPA are a level of difficulty up.

Mead and cider are pretty easy if you have a good fermenter and you remember to use yeast nutrient, but my limited experience is that fermentation is slower and less reliable than when you’re working with a malt-based wort. Patience is key.

 

[AlexKay]

Under no circumstances should you run a propane burner in your garage.

 

[boolean]

(B)rew (I)n (A) (B)ag
You’ll be able to accomplish the same thing in the all-n-one system you just posted… similar process, different equipment.

Interesting! That sounds more beginner friendly than anything but I do sort of like the thought process of adding hops at the appropriate time to create a signature flavor. LOL

If you’re thinking saison, Lallemand Farmhouse is new in the scene. I’m doing my first batch with it now, so I don’t speak from experience, but I’ve heard good things.

Hoppy beers — specifically, with big dry hops — are prone to staling in ways that other beers aren’t. You can make a pretty hoppy pale ale with late and whirlpool additions and have the hops come through in the final bottled beer, but IPA and especially NEIPA are a level of difficulty up.

Mead and cider are pretty easy if you have a good fermenter and you remember to use yeast nutrient, but my limited experience is that fermentation is slower and less reliable than when you’re working with a malt-based wort. Patience is key.

Do you have experience with meads and ciders? That was one of the questions I asked too. With my proposed electric all-in-one, would mead and cider (my wife loves that stuff) be possible too? What's different about the process vs good-ole beer?

Under no circumstances should you run a propane burner in your garage.

Yeah, definitely not. I slightly considered propane but I prefer no gas or open flames. Not as a noob. Maybe in the feature after some years of XP.

 

[camonick]

That sounds more beginner friendly than anything but I do sort of like the thought process of adding hops at the appropriate time to create a signature flavor. LOL

BIAB is a process of mashing all grain as opposed to the process of mashing with a more traditional 3 vessel system. Everything I make is with the BIAB method. I remove the grain from the wort instead of removing the wort from the grain like the 3 vessel guys… lots of different ways to skin a cat. I believe the all-n-one systems are just a fancy version of BIAB. Everything else after that is the same as a regular brew day, including hop additions in the boil.

Edit: some folks refer to it as Mash In A Bag/basket, which is actually a more accurate way of describing the process, now that I type it out.

 

[camonick]

I don’t remember it being recommended earlier so I’ll suggest buying a book to read while you decide on your new adventure.
The original first edition is available free online, but the most current updated edition is inexpensive on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Brew-Everything-Great-Every/dp/1938469356It will help you get a grasp of all the different ways to brew, as well as all the terminology so everyone is talking the same language.

 

[Rish]

With my proposed electric all-in-one, would mead and cider (my wife loves that stuff) be possible too?

You won't need to do a boil for mead or cider. For the basics, you just put honey, water and nutrients (for mead) or apple juice (for cider) and yeast in a fermenter and let it go. Much simpler process than brewing beer. You'll use your post- ferment equipment the same as making beer. Making alcohol is a fun hobby! Good luck!

 

[redrocker652002]

Under no circumstances should you run a propane burner in your garage.

Well, I do, but I usually leave the garage door slightly open and the door to the backyard all the way open. It get warm in there, but I have a pretty good airflow and I have nowhere else to do it for now.

 

[redrocker652002]

Do you have experience with meads and ciders? That was one of the questions I asked too. With my proposed electric all-in-one, would mead and cider (my wife loves that stuff) be possible too? What's different about the process vs good-ole beer?

I have not yet tried cider, but it is on my list. In the research I have done, store bought apple juice with no additives except Vitamin C (I cannot remember the chemical name for it) is needed. You simply either empty a small amount from the bottle if you want to try a one gallon batch first, add yeast and leave it on the counter to ferment. Make sure your airlock, the little bubble thingie that you put over the top of the bottle, and the stopper are sanitized and just let it do it's thing. You can get fancy later by adding different fruits, but for me, I am going to buy 5 gallons of apple juice, pasturized I believe, and dump it over my remains in my bucket from my beer batch. As I understand it, a quick shake to get the yeast riled up again is all that is needed to get the yeast to start eating the sugar in the juice and make cider. Again, not having done this yet, this is all based on the info I have gotten here and other beer related web sites.

 

[boolean]

BIAB is a process of mashing all grain as opposed to the process of mashing with a more traditional 3 vessel system. Everything I make is with the BIAB method. I remove the grain from the wort instead of removing the wort from the grain like the 3 vessel guys… lots of different ways to skin a cat. I believe the all-n-one systems are just a fancy version of BIAB. Everything else after that is the same as a regular brew day, including hop additions in the boil.

Edit: some folks refer to it as Mash In A Bag/basket, which is actually a more accurate way of describing the process, now that I type it out.

This seems interesting! With a brew in the bag, do you have to do any other additions? Or is it quite literally just steeping one bag? Also, thanks for the book. I'll grab it from Amazon. I'd love to introduce these new concepts and terminology. Thanks!

 

[boolean]

You won't need to do a boil for mead or cider. For the basics, you just put honey, water and nutrients (for mead) or apple juice (for cider) and yeast in a fermenter and let it go. Much simpler process than brewing beer. You'll use your post- ferment equipment the same as making beer. Making alcohol is a fun hobby! Good luck!I

That's definitely a future venture. I'd love to get into mead and cider and although they are easier, I'd love to dive into beer first. Mead would definitely be my next go-to once I felt like I've got a decent hang on beer mechanics!