N00B wanting to start brewing, advice plz

[irishgond]

I love and appreciate beer (mmmm craft beer) and want to start brewing.

I have read many articles and have a very good understanding of how and what it takes, but I would like some advice on if I should buy a kit of equipment and an ingredient kit or go another route and what companies are suggested to use.

I have plenty of dark beer bottles and an outdoor propane burner (if needed). My beer fav styles are stouts and IPA's

 

[Shizog4]

i went with a kit from austinhomebrew.com, i really like their site......kits are a great way to start, basic things you need is a bucket, and a fermentor(bucket,glass/plastic carboy) sanitizer of some sort is a must.

as for ingredient kits, they are a great way to start until you get the process down, again i like austinhomebrew because they have step by step instructions to go with their kits.

 

[h22lude]

Definitely buy a kit. It will have everything you need to start off with and then after a few batches, you can start to upgrade.

I would also recommend How To Brew by John Palmer. It will help you a ton. I plan on reading this book a second time soon.

 

[Hannable1975]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/new-brewers-collection-217520/

 

[birvine]

Start with a kit for a few brews until you know the process then expand as you wish as you read HBT.

B

 

[jonmohno]

Partial mash kit.I started with dme a grain some hops and yeast.Iwould research and read alot before hand thats what i did for months.Read John Palmers book.After all the reading and stuff i learned from my mistakes in my first few batches.Along with being a little disapointed in my turnout experimental recipe/batches.Still drinkable but a kit is almost your gonna get what you intended as a good beer. Search when in doubt. And patience will come with a brew pipeline.

 

[viking73]

Start with an extract kit, then a partial mash or steeping grains kit or recipe for a few brews.

 

[D0ug]

Get a basic equipment kit, you want an "ale pale", with a lid and airlock, hydrometer, bottling bucket, an autosiphon is handy but not mandatory, sanitizer. Most basic kits from the HBS include these things

You do NOT need a glass carboy for "secondary fermentation" to start with. After doing a lot of reading on this site and recent editions of brewing books you can decide for yourself if you want one. This seems to be the only thing added to most deluxe kits.

Then get an extract kit for a style you like. A stout might be simpler than an IPA, but a nice Brown Ale, APA, or some other type of ale would be good too. Stout kits can often include steeping grains or mini-mash ingredients, which might be a little complicated for a first brew, IPAs usually require dry hopping, Lagers require extended conditioning periods and strict fermentation temp control to do right.

A kit for a simple style would be good for the first couple of brews to get started, so you can get used to the process.

 

[BaldManBrew]

Bookmark these:

Palmer book that was referenced earlier:
http://www.howtobrew.com/sitemap.html

Great places to buy your equipment, first beer kit, and cleaning (PBW), and sterilizing (Star-San) solutions.
http://midwestsupplies.com/
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing

I am thinking about buying one for a friend as a gift so here is the prices i found for a Basic Kit plus shipping. The kits differ in sizes of primary buckets, but most kits yield 5 gal so all the sizes offered on the different sites will work. Another small difference between the kits are the cleaners that come with it (didn't use the one that came with mine). Remember you will still need: Beer kit, Brew kettle, bottles, cleaning and sterilizing solutions this is the kit and shipping only...

_____ Basic kit + Shipping = Total
Midwest: $59.95 + $11.47 =$71.42
Austin hb $80.49 + $7.99 = $88.48
Northern: $79.99 + $7.99 = $87.98

 

[irishgond]

Thank you to all that have replied thus far, I have previously checked out some of the sites, brew kits equipment mentioned so it is nice to hear what others have used when they first started etc. Definitely checking out the Palmer book this afternoon.

Anymore thoughts etc feel free to keep em comin

 

[Golddiggie]

If there's a LHBS in your neck of the swamp, go there and see what they have on hand for equipment, kits and ingredients. Make sure that the person behind the counter actually brews as well. If not, find another shop.

I got my start with kits (hardware and recipe) from Strange Brew here in MA. I started with the two bucket kit, auto siphon, etc (pulled the bottle capper out of the kit, since I'm using Grolsch style bottles)... Even though I've started getting my grains, and hops, from another store (ordering online) due to much better pricing, I still go to the LHBS to get some items that are either priced the same, or a little cheaper. Plus, I can bring samples of batches to them for second opinions. It's good to have people, that have been brewing for years, taste what you're making too.

I would second the info about not needing to rack a brew to another fermenter after X days. Let it ride on the yeast for 3-4 weeks (longer for bigger brews) and you'll get even better beers out of it.

I would also say that you should get a large pot... Get something that's a 32 quart (or larger) for when you go all grain. Or that you can use for full boil 5 gallon batches. You can use aluminum or stainless steel (there's a sticky about using aluminum, just condition it and you'll be fine)...

Also remember, quality in, quality out... Better ingredients will get you a better brew.

Personally, I've liked using carboy's to ferment in much more than buckets. That being said, I'm working out the logistics of switching to using corny kegs for primaries... I'm hoping that I'll be set to do that within a month (or so)... So probably in about two batches, I'll be using corny kegs to ferment in. One advantage (for me at least) of carboy's over buckets, is you can see (without opening) when you're post-lag phase in the process (after pitching the yeast in). You can also see if things are getting very active, and you need to install a blow-off tube (be ready for that ahead of time). I've had that happen even in 6 gallon carboy (blowing foam through the airlock)...

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

i would recommend a kit. Northern Brewer has some fantastic kits. using kits will get your brew/siphon/bottle technique down first and once you get into your pattern you can try new recipes or look up recipe calculators.

first batch i did was a kit and it worked out great. very few problems. then i took the bull by the horns (thinking i knew what i was doing) and tried to throw a recipe together on my second and third. big mistake. some fo the worst beers i have tried. (hence, the "worst-to-share" below) i went back to kits to get things down. started calculating and have afew good recipes now that i have tweeked from others on here and other sites. don't run a marathon before learning to crawl.

 

[Golddiggie]

Hockeyhunter99, that's why I like having a LHBS to go to... I bounce my recipe ideas (or recipe itself) off of them (as well as a few others) to get input on it. Especially if I have a specific target in mind.

I used extract kits (unhopped, with specialty grains) from the LHBS for my first three brews. After the first two, I started tweaking the specialty grains in the recipe. I also did some hop substitutions (a great reason to use unhopped extracts). For my fourth brew, I went with a partial mash (well, 11#'s grain, 3#'s DME) recipe that's aging on some oak chips now... Then I went all grain (BIAB)... Extract kits got me used to the process of brewing. The PM showed me to not fear the mash, so I went full bore into all grain...

Just wish I could move forward in time a few weeks to when they're ready for drinking (still sitting on yeast cakes, have another week or two to go there).

 

[bschoenb]

My experience as a newer brewer:

~Buckets work GREAT!
~Turkey Fryer is fine!
~Do a full Boild if you can
~Make sure you shake the heck out of the bucket prior to pitching yeast to get some O2 back in the Wort (five minutes ~ Rocking the bucket on the ground works good)
~Skip the secondary ~ just go three to four weeks in the primary
~ resist the temptation to taste anything and think it's the finished product until it's been bottled three weeks.. it changes allot and then you think it's all crap!; when it's not
Resist the temptation to open the bucket lid and look inside... no need to
Most of all ~ have Pantience! And, you can always do another (my wife had to talk me off the cliff)

Then after you've worried about it for two months.. Crack that bottle and "hey.. this tastes pretty DAMN Good"

Now you are hooked..............

 

[Golddiggie]

Instead of shaking the bucket, you can simply pour the chilled wort into the bucket (or carboy) getting a good splashing going on to aerate it fully. Even using a large measuring cup, with a funnel for a carboy, will give it enough aeration to do a proper fermentation.

Also, a slow, steady fermentation is better than one that takes off like a rocket, and then slows to a crawl (or stops) a few days later.

Just remember, as with the first time you do almost anything, you'll learn the first few times, getting better each time. Once you've got your processes down, it will be time to experiment with different recipe's, or start creating your own... With home brewing, the sky is the limit (mostly)...

 

[wulfsburg]

Without getting to in depth on "procedures as a new brewer" I am going to give my 2 cents on what you need to get started and what I did.

My girlfriend gave me a book when I mentioned I was interested in brewing. "The Joy of Homebrewing" is what I got. I read 1/3rd of it, went to my local homebrew supply store.

I bought a kit that had a 6.5 gallon pail w/airlock and grommit.
It came with a plastic spoon, a hydrometer, and a floating thermometer.
It also came with a bottle brush, a bottling bucket, bottling wand and a capper.
It also came with a sanitizer and cleaner.
The brewstore gave me 6 feet of siphon hose. They also gave me 15% off my first kit , which was a Brewers Best "Imperial Pale Ale" (Aarogant Bastard Clone). It came with specialty grains, extract, yeast, and hops.

I then went to target and bought a 65$ 4 gallon stovetop pot.

I followed the instructions, everything went wrong (broken floating thermometer in my wort, dropped an unsanitized ladle into the fermenter , etc ), but it turned out as one of the best brews I have ever done. In fact, amping up to do it again next week, except minus the mistakes.

I had 50 empty bottles on hand before I went there to buy all this.

You will make mistakes, you will worry, and then you will end up with something that you never bargained for . . . an addiction.

If you go the route I did, the only thing I suggest to get additional to what comes in the kit is a metal thermometer.

Good luck, you will love it. I haven't been brewing even a year and I have done 80 gallons since feb 2010. I am extract only.

Enjoy!!!

 

[ongreystreet]

I would try to see some stuff first hand, if you have a B&M that helps a lot. I didn't buy an equipment kit, and I think buying everything separate worked out better for me.

As far as kits go, the Brewer's Best Kits are pretty good, simple instructions and good ingredients(I think most come with extract, grains, and a few hop additions). I like their kits since you can look up the kits and the recipes/directions on their website.

If you take the time to truly understand the process, I think it makes brewing a lot easier. A lot of people make mistakes because they make assumptions. A good example is "a full boil is better", what does that really mean? For one it means you'll utilize your hops much better, which is great unless you don't want to. It doesn't mean you should steep your grains in a full pot either. So don't take any short cuts, figure it out once, and get it done right.

 

[irishgond]

Great advice so far everyone. I can do a full boil when needed as I have a large turkey fryer etc. I have a few questions but will wait to ask....

 

[completegeek]

Check out mikesbrewreview.com

He is a new home brewer an he just put out a free ebook about beginning extract brewing. It has very good info for a beginner and will get you started without a lot of fuss.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I bought the Midwest kit with carboy, bottles and bonus ingredient kit. Much cheaper than a more basic kit at the local HBS. Start with a beginner equipment and recipe kit and follow the directions and all will end up pretty well. Heck, so long as you enjoy yourself no worries. Worst case scenario you end up with 2 cases of bad beer. Then you try again and do better next time.

All in all enjoy yourself and the fruits of your efforts. Have a Home Brew on me.

 

[irishgond]

OK so after a LOT of reading I have decided to start with an extract (w/ specialty grains) or a partial mash first. I also think I'm going to see if I can scrounge up some equipment for free from a local brew pub etc here in the central FL area, and maybe post on craigslist, facebook etc to see if anyone has equipment for free or cheap and then buy whatever else I need. I have a ton of kitchen equipment as I'm a pastry chef (although I work in IT now) and others in my family are chefs. I just need the specialized brew equipment.