Alright Fellow Brewer's i know there are tons of threads about people starting to brew and they want your advice on what kit to use and what not.. This is similar to these threads but it is also a little different
So here is my situation and here are some questions.
I wanted to start home brewing back in Febuary of 2011 so i bought John Palmer's "How to Brew" and "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian And i preceded to read cover to cover Palmers book and then skimmed Papazian's book. Well when i finished reading those in june i was ready to buy my equipment but life got in the way and i put it off. Well I've procrastinated here long enough and am ready to for sure buy equipment and start by the end of january.
So i went to my grandparents house and asked my Grandpa who used to make wine if he had any supplies that i could borrow. Well he hasn't made wine since like 1991 and he said i could have whatever i wanted.. Well after looking at all his stuff there really wasn't a lot he had.. He made wine with the minimum he could..
So i was only able to score two 5 gallon glass carboys and a Old bottle capper
I already have a turkey Fryer burner i will use to boil and i also have a chest freezer with a rancho temp control that i use as a cellar to store about 150 beers at 50 Degrees. and would be able to use for lagers. I also have known i want to do this for a long time so i have been keeping beer bottles for over a year and prob have close to 300 bottles.
I have also looked at immersion chillers and feel that is one thing id really love to have and Lowe's in my area has 50 feet of copper for 46$ and i feel like the other parts necessary wouldn't be more than 5$ or so and so it would be cheaper for me to make one of those instead of buy one offline and have it shipped here.
So i have a few questions. I still need some more supplies. I love beer and I'm 95% sure this is a hobby id love to do for the rest of my life. So I'm pretty confident I'm in this for the long haul so id def. like nice equipment but also don't need the top of the line stuff and i am always ok with DIY projects.
Ive Looked at kits from Midwest and Nothern Brewer and feel like Northern Brewer's kit is better. I have also looked at "Great Fermentations" Beginning Brewer Kits - Homebrewing
Which is my a store just about 45 min from my house that has some decent kits and supplies.
My first question is should i buy a kit or should i buy the supplies separate. As i already have 2 glass carboys do i need any more? and i do have a bottle capper(now I'm not sure how good it is but i do have one) I also have both books that come with some kits(now i know thats not much of the cost). I also have over 300 plus bottles which also come in some kits as well. So just curious if i should buy a kit and if so which place is the best bang for my buck for a brewer that will 95% for sure stay with this for a long time.
My 2nd question is actually a bunch of questions rolled into one. What is the most important items or products you can buy to make good or even awesome beer. I plan on starting easy and doing extract for at least a year if not longer but would prob. like to go to all grain if and when i find i love this hobby and if and when i find i'm pretty good at making beer. So for an extract brewer that plans to stick with it a long time is a
1. Ferment chamber a big deal or will i be fine just keeping it in my back closet and checking on the temps?
2.Is kegging something i should go for right off the bat
3. i don't have a kegorator or another chest freezer to make a 3 tap kegging system but it that something i should use my money towards and do right away?
I will let you know i will be doing this in my kitchen so my supplies will have to be put in my spare room every time.. I don't have a sweet man cave or anything where i can just leave my supplies out 24/7(I'm not sure if this matters but thoughts id give as much info as possible)
So i plan on doing a pale ale as my first batch.. Something easy something simple to get my feet wet then ill move on from there.
Id love any advice on the questions i asked or any advice that you have for a new home brewer. Even any advice on questions maybe i didn't ask but should of asked.
BTW i have 250$ including shipping to spend to get my self started brewing..(that does not include ingredients as i don't need to pay for it as my friend who will be helping me brew is paying for all that)
Thanks for reading and thanks for any advice you can give a NOOB brewer!
So here is my situation and here are some questions.
I wanted to start home brewing back in Febuary of 2011 so i bought John Palmer's "How to Brew" and "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian And i preceded to read cover to cover Palmers book and then skimmed Papazian's book. Well when i finished reading those in june i was ready to buy my equipment but life got in the way and i put it off. Well I've procrastinated here long enough and am ready to for sure buy equipment and start by the end of january.
So i went to my grandparents house and asked my Grandpa who used to make wine if he had any supplies that i could borrow. Well he hasn't made wine since like 1991 and he said i could have whatever i wanted.. Well after looking at all his stuff there really wasn't a lot he had.. He made wine with the minimum he could..
So i was only able to score two 5 gallon glass carboys and a Old bottle capper
I already have a turkey Fryer burner i will use to boil and i also have a chest freezer with a rancho temp control that i use as a cellar to store about 150 beers at 50 Degrees. and would be able to use for lagers. I also have known i want to do this for a long time so i have been keeping beer bottles for over a year and prob have close to 300 bottles.
I have also looked at immersion chillers and feel that is one thing id really love to have and Lowe's in my area has 50 feet of copper for 46$ and i feel like the other parts necessary wouldn't be more than 5$ or so and so it would be cheaper for me to make one of those instead of buy one offline and have it shipped here.
So i have a few questions. I still need some more supplies. I love beer and I'm 95% sure this is a hobby id love to do for the rest of my life. So I'm pretty confident I'm in this for the long haul so id def. like nice equipment but also don't need the top of the line stuff and i am always ok with DIY projects.
Ive Looked at kits from Midwest and Nothern Brewer and feel like Northern Brewer's kit is better. I have also looked at "Great Fermentations" Beginning Brewer Kits - Homebrewing
Which is my a store just about 45 min from my house that has some decent kits and supplies.
My first question is should i buy a kit or should i buy the supplies separate. As i already have 2 glass carboys do i need any more? and i do have a bottle capper(now I'm not sure how good it is but i do have one) I also have both books that come with some kits(now i know thats not much of the cost). I also have over 300 plus bottles which also come in some kits as well. So just curious if i should buy a kit and if so which place is the best bang for my buck for a brewer that will 95% for sure stay with this for a long time.
My 2nd question is actually a bunch of questions rolled into one. What is the most important items or products you can buy to make good or even awesome beer. I plan on starting easy and doing extract for at least a year if not longer but would prob. like to go to all grain if and when i find i love this hobby and if and when i find i'm pretty good at making beer. So for an extract brewer that plans to stick with it a long time is a
1. Ferment chamber a big deal or will i be fine just keeping it in my back closet and checking on the temps?
2.Is kegging something i should go for right off the bat
3. i don't have a kegorator or another chest freezer to make a 3 tap kegging system but it that something i should use my money towards and do right away?
I will let you know i will be doing this in my kitchen so my supplies will have to be put in my spare room every time.. I don't have a sweet man cave or anything where i can just leave my supplies out 24/7(I'm not sure if this matters but thoughts id give as much info as possible)
So i plan on doing a pale ale as my first batch.. Something easy something simple to get my feet wet then ill move on from there.
Id love any advice on the questions i asked or any advice that you have for a new home brewer. Even any advice on questions maybe i didn't ask but should of asked.
BTW i have 250$ including shipping to spend to get my self started brewing..(that does not include ingredients as i don't need to pay for it as my friend who will be helping me brew is paying for all that)
Thanks for reading and thanks for any advice you can give a NOOB brewer!