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The OP is a fast learner. He already figured out the best first step - buying the best books and studying before spending money. For what it is worth, this is what I use to brew NEIPA's successfully with All Grain Brewing. A cheap Igloo Cooler Mash tun with a nice stainless false bottom, a...

If someone was really trying to avoid the expense of a spunding valve (not that expensive), it isn't hard to make a makeshift spunding type valve with a cheap push to connect plastic valve (few dollars at the hardware store) and a little polyethylene tubing. I use one of these for pressure...

That is pretty good advice. I would probably forget spending money and study a little more. For example, if you primarily do IPA's, I would start thinking about pressure capable fermenters and reducing oxygen exposure. I have a nice stainless conical fermenter but for IPA's, I use a much...

If you are willing to read and study extensively before you spend money and start brewing, all grain is very doable with great beer on the first try (and not even just with BIAB). If you aren’t, start with simple extract brewing. i started with all grain and a mash tun but I probably studied...

I wouldn't even waste my time using pH strips on the base water. That doesn't tell you anything about your brewing water management or what you should be adding to your water. You could have a base water with a pH of 6.5 that would make great beer and another water with a pH of 6.5 that would...

The bottom line is that you don't really know what your water contains (based on that document) and you probably haven't yet learned the basics of water management for homebrewing. I was at the same point not all that long ago. Now is a good time to educate yourself on an important part of...

Home brewing is not rocket science but it isn’t simple either to do it consistently well. Don’t be afraid to read and recommend higher level books like Palmers. You can save a lot of mistakes (and money) by starting out with a thorough textbook. All you have to do is read the daily questions...

Agree with getting a cheap TDS meter (amazon, etc.). I wouldn't trust any bottled water without checking it with a meter to confirm low mineral content. You can't do good water management without reliably knowing what you are starting with. You will also probably find a good source of RO...

My transfers usually take 2-3 minutes with no foaming issues. I pressurize both the fermenter and the keg to exactly the same pressure (doesn't really matter what pressure). I then set the fermenter higher up on a countertop and the keg on the floor on a scale to take advantage of gravity. I...

The best and cheapest way for me to do fermentation temperature control is with a mini refrigerator (or any used or new refrigerator or freezer), a fermenter that fits in it, a cheap Inkbird temperature controller and a heating wrap on the fermenter. I set the Inkbird controller to my exact...

All excellent lessons mentioned above. I made myself a cheat sheet with every step and now constantly update it as I improve each processes. Good notes have helped me to learn from my mistakes and to not repeat them. Someone above mentioned oxygenation. I use the cheap $10 red oxygen...

I think overall you did a good job with your yeast starter if that was your first attempt. You really followed all of the other Northern Brewer directions pretty well for that beer. Pitching the yeast at 83-85 degrees may have been your biggest mistake in retrospect. Better fermentation...

One possibility is that you have an air leak in the bucket lid (been there, done that) and all is going well. One option is to have a home brew and forget about it for 2 weeks.

It is definitely worth doing closed transfers to reduce oxidation (especially with hoppy beers). If I was going to go to this step though, I would spend a little extra money and get a pressure capable fermenter instead of a glass carboy. You can get a Fermzilla All Rounder for $50 ( or...

I have a stainless SS Brewbucket fermenter but I prefer brewing now with a cheap plastic Fermzilla All Rounder which allows me to ferment under pressure. It is hard to think of any good reason for me to use glass or plastic carboys anymore when cheap fermenters like the All Rounder are available.

You are not going to transmit covid or any other viruses through beer in a sanitized keg filled with an alcohol containing beverage that has been sitting sealed for days/weeks. Covid is primarily an air-borne transmitted virus. It potentially could be spread through a glass though that had...

Just for the sake of interest, I was exactly the opposite. I was obsessively good in school, was given the opportunities to stay in college till I was 29, got degrees in chemistry, biology and finally medicine ... and we both ended up in exactly the same hobby. :)

I do all pressure fermentations now including purging my kegs with fermentation CO2 and pressure transfers. I make sure all my keg rubber gaskets are sealed with keg lube and they all seem to be leak free. I don't worry about the small amount of air in my transfer lines. In fact, I would...

For a new brewer, the best advice of all is to just spend $16 and buy the latest edition of John Palmer's How to Brew book and spend a week or so studying this book. You will quickly learn most of what you need to know to answer your questions about extract brewing, partial boils and most of...