So I finally decided to take the plunge into the world of home brewing after making a few 15 Gallon batches of delicious brew at a local place. I bought a few books and have done my research but still have a few rookie questions I was hoping people could help me out with.
I would like to focus on simple ales at first (5 gallon batches), trying to get a solid basis in home brewing before venturing on to riskier things.
What brew kit would you purchase and is there really a difference for the beginner between a glass or plastic carboy? I know there are countless threads on this but for the first timer (I'll probably get hooked and upgrade all this equipment over the next 12 months) is there a real risk with glass vs plastic? I would actually prefer the plastic as it seems safer and more practical, but if it is more prone to contamination I will give glass a whirl.
Also, I was leaning toward purchasing this as many people have recommended. Its a little pricier than others I have seen but those mostly include 5 gallon fermenters and bottling buckets. Is it true I need these 6 gallon sizes for the extra space during the fermentation process?
Also, if I am going to do 5 gallon batches what size stock pot do I need. Can I get away with 20 liters or do I need to go as big as 30 liters?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
I would like to focus on simple ales at first (5 gallon batches), trying to get a solid basis in home brewing before venturing on to riskier things.
What brew kit would you purchase and is there really a difference for the beginner between a glass or plastic carboy? I know there are countless threads on this but for the first timer (I'll probably get hooked and upgrade all this equipment over the next 12 months) is there a real risk with glass vs plastic? I would actually prefer the plastic as it seems safer and more practical, but if it is more prone to contamination I will give glass a whirl.
Also, I was leaning toward purchasing this as many people have recommended. Its a little pricier than others I have seen but those mostly include 5 gallon fermenters and bottling buckets. Is it true I need these 6 gallon sizes for the extra space during the fermentation process?
Also, if I am going to do 5 gallon batches what size stock pot do I need. Can I get away with 20 liters or do I need to go as big as 30 liters?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.