Bought equipment today - brew next weekend.

[Kevin K]

I picked up my equipment yesterday!

Here's a list of what was in the kit:

*6.5 Gallon fermenting pail (no lid included, they gave me a plastic sheet and a rubber band )
*6 Gallon glass carboy
*Stirring spoon
*Hydrometer
*Thermometer
*Racking cane & syphon tube
*2 packs of 'Sparkle Brite' sanitizing agent (powder)
*2 packs of Sodium Meta-bisulphite
*Bung for carboy
*Airlock (3 pc)
*Carboy bottle brush
$51 CDN


I also went to Wal-Mart and bought a 14L (3.7 Gallon) stainless pot with a glass lid, and thick SS/aluminum/SS base. Should be nice.
$30 CDN

Next week I'll go pick up the 750ml bottles I found, and next weekend I'll buy my first kit. I cleaned a portion of the basement yesterday, looks like I'm all set and ready to go. Can't wait to start!

Kevin

 

[Catfish]

Get a lid, you'll be much happier. Sounds like you are all set.. until you decide to start doing full volume boils, and partial mashes, and growing your own hops....

 

[El Pistolero]

I*6.5 Gallon fermenting pail (no lid included, they gave me a plastic sheet and a rubber band )

I also went to Wal-Mart and bought a 14L (3.7 Gallon) stainless pot with a glass lid, and thick SS/aluminum/SS base. Should be nice.
$30 CDN

They seriously gave you a plastic sheet and a rubber band? It's work I guess, and with the advantage that you'll be able to see what's going on (assuming it's clear plastic), but that sure seems a little unconventional.

As for the 3.7 gallon pot...you're going to have to watch that really close to prevent boilovers. Personally I'd take that one back...I think you should be able to find a 5 gallon SS pot for about that same price.

 

[Kevin K]

I'm going to look for a lid. I don't like the idea of using a sheet of plastic.

I'll stick with the 3.7 gallon pot, I'm only doing partial boils for now, and I don't have a wort chiller, so I'll be adding ice to my wort once it's in the fermenting pail.

I'll be brewing with extract, not all grain, so I think I've got what I need to get a good start.

Kevin

 

[Pumbaa]

Forget the lid and just get a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, it'll be easier then finding a lid.

Ditto what El P said about the pot. If ya keep it be careful with the boil overs, cleaning them up is a PITA.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'll stick with the 3.7 gallon pot, I'm only doing partial boils for now, and I don't have a wort chiller, so I'll be adding ice to my wort once it's in the fermenting pail.

A typical boil volume for an extract brew is 2-3 gallons. That will work with your pot...you just have to be extremely careful.

Should you decide to upgrade just a bit tho, be aware that even with a 5 gallon pot you don't need a wort chiller...even with 4 gallons in it, you can cool it to pitching temp in 30 minutes with just an icewater bath.

 

[Kevin K]

A typical boil volume for an extract brew is 2-3 gallons. That will work with your pot...you just have to be extremely careful.

Should you decide to upgrade just a bit tho, be aware that even with a 5 gallon pot you don't need a wort chiller...even with 4 gallons in it, you can cool it to pitching temp in 30 minutes with just an icewater bath.

Thanks for the input EP. I'm prepared to be careful. (I looked all around locally, and this was the biggest pot I could find that had a thick base, and wasn't $100+)



I've been meaning to ask (as I don't have a wort chiller), what kind of timeframe do I need to stick to when chilling my wort? Is 30 minutes about the max? I plan on building an immersion chiller this summer, but for now I'll have to use an ice bath, or add jugs of ice to the wort.

Thanks guys!

 

[boo boo]

You don't want to add anything to the wort once it is removed from the boil. Ice is especially bad as it was made in an unhealthy fridge freezer where all kinds of bacteria live from the frozen meats that usually fill it. An ice bath is OK to do since the ice don't contact the wort.
Too bad you didn't get the cover, highly unusual in fact.
If it were me I wouldn't use the metasulphite either. It is used in winemaking where you don't want yeast after the initial fermentation.
On the pot. You almost could have bought a turkey fryer at Wal-Mart for $30 or so that would include a 30 qt AL pot.
It is recommended to chill your wort to pitching temps ASAP to get a good cold break and also to prevent phenols sp from being made. An ice bath or an imersion chiller both work to chill in about 20 to 30 minutes, especially with less than 5 gallons.
Cheers and welcome to the best obsession there is. Burn your credit cards, and feel free to ask any question no matter how small. We all were beginners at one point.
BTW, Paddock Wood in Saskatoon carry good sanitizers and chemicials and different brew items.

 

[Kevin K]

Thanks for the input boo boo. I had read this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7064&highlight=gallon+freezer and thought I'd follow the method of adding frozen store bought water to cool the wort down to pitching temps.

I'm going to see if my LHBS has Iodaphor in stock, if they do, I'll pick some up.

I've been browsing the Paddock Wood site for a bit, seems like they have a good selection. I'll probably order the ingredients to brew a Wheat beer of some sort for my next batch.

Kevin

 

[Lounge Lizard]

With no lid for the pail, six gallon carboy, and the sodium meta-bisulphite, it sounds like this is more of a wine making kit. Quite a few wine makers don't use an air lock on the primary. They just use a cover like you described. That doesn't mean this kit isn't also acceptable to make beer with. I would try to find a lid and an air lock for the pail, or like was suggested, a 6.5 gallon carboy...

 

[SteveM]

I will cast a vote in favor of your pot though. I have a stainless one that is four gallons, and as long as I do my boils uncovered, I never come close to a boil-over.

It has a vented lid, and even with the vent, boiling with the lid ON always gives me a boil-over.

 

[Kevin K]

Lounge Lizard, I suspect you are correct. I asked to look at their beer ingredients and they gave me a blank stare. Their stock consisted of a dozen different Coopers extract kits. The store was 98% wine kits. I'm going to another LHBS this week, I'll see if I can pick up a lid. I've already got an air lock...the 6.5 gallon carboy will come soon.

Do you think I'll be OK using the 6 gallon carboy as my primary? Enough room for krausen?


SteveM, thanks for the vote. I plan on boiling sans lid, as I've read that keeping the lid in place can lead to off flavours. (phenol alcohols?).

I'm going to dedicate time to brewing, so standing there watching the boil shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks guys!


Kevin

 

[Lou]

SteveM, thanks for the vote. I plan on boiling sans lid, as I've read that keeping the lid in place can lead to off flavours. (phenol alcohols?).

I'm going to dedicate time to brewing, so standing there watching the boil shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks guys!


Kevin

i also have a 4-gallon SS pot that doesn't give me any problems... standing and watching the boil isn't even really necessary after the hot break -- although, i must admit that i'm pretty paranoid so i find myself constantly checking on it...

 

[cweston]

20Qts (5 gallons) does seem to be a "wall" of sorts for stainless steel pot prices.

You can normally find pretty good prices on 16 or 20 qt pots at Walmart and the like.

Once you get larger than that, it's harder to find a bargain. I've seen 33 Qt enamel canners for around $35, which would make them the cheapest pot I know of capable of doing a full boil.

34 Qt stainless turkey fryer rigs seem to go for a little less than $100.

The best price I've ever seen on a stainless 40 Qt pot was about $75.

I brewed with a friend this weekend who has 2 30-qt turkey fryers. We did two 6-gallon boils and had small boilovers with both.

After investigating all these prices, I recently decided to go the converted keg route, 'cause I already have a propane burner.

 

[Kevin K]

OK, going to go get ingredients tonite. Brew tomorrow night.

Here's what I have now:

*6.5 Gallon fermenting pail
*2-6 Gallon glass carboys (swiped one from my father in law)
*Stirring spoon
*Hydrometer
*Thermometer
*Racking cane & syphon tube
*2 packs of 'Sparkle Brite' sanitizing agent (powder)
*2 packs of Sodium Meta-bisulphite
*Bung for carboy
*Airlock (3 pc)
*Carboy bottle brush



Here's what I plan on buying tonite:

*Thief
*Lid for pail
*Iodaphor
*Bottling wand
*Grain bags
*Spigot for pail (want to convert to bottling bucket)
*Funnel to transfer cooled wort to primary
*Stick on thermometer

*Cream Ale Extract kit w/hops & grains


Can you guys think of anything else that is essential for my first brew?

 

[davidkrau]

I never heard of a LHBS selling a home brew kit with a plastic bucket without a lid with a hole in it for an air lock. Also If you get a big pot and try to boil 5+ gals wort a kitchen stove wont cut it and you'll land up having to buy a propane cooker. As long as you're boilinf 3+ gals a kitchen stove should be fine. Just like some of the others I would urge you to forget the plastic bucket and buy a 6.5 gal. corboy. That would take care of all your fermenting needs for years to come especially since you already have a 5 gal corboy. If you buy the lid or corboy don't forget to buy a rubber stopper with a hole in it for the airlock.

 

[sause]

Do you think I'll be OK using the 6 gallon carboy as my primary? Enough room for krausen?
Kevin

A 6 gallon carboy should be enough, but if you want to be sure just get about four feet of 1.25"OD tubing and just stick one end in the top of the carboyand one end one a bucket with some bleach or idofor in it. This is the best blow off tube I have seen.

 

[Kevin K]

Well, I got everything on my list except for the spigot. He didn't have one that would fit my siphon tube properly, so I'll keep looking for that.

I picked up a Cream Ale 'kit', with hops, and added 1lb of Honey Malt to it.

Tonight the Honey Cream Ale is born!

 

[brewhead]

kevin - i wouldn't sweat the equipment at this moment. you've already made the cash investment so use your new equipment to it's fullest potential. yes, in the future you will want to add some things. scour the forums, ask questions, find a local homebrew club.

and welcome to a rewarding hobby.

 

[Cheesefood]

A 6 gallon carboy should be enough, but if you want to be sure just get about four feet of 1.25"OD tubing and just stick one end in the top of the carboyand one end one a bucket with some bleach or idofor in it. This is the best blow off tube I have seen.

Troof!

The "Boom Boom" ale is so named because it kept blowing the lid off the bucket and overfilling the carb-lock. Finally, someone on this board suggested the "Tube and Bucket" method and it worked FANTASTIC.