hi all i am completely new to brewing and i am looking for advice on buying equipment. there are two places local to me that sell equipment one has a coopers starter kit the other a youngs brew buddy and they also sell equipment on its own such as fermenting buckets,kegs etc. i was hoping to get some advice on which to buy as money is a factor im on a pretty tight budget i mainly drink strong ales and stouts and some craft beers and these are the type of beer i hope to brew myself so i dont want equipment which will reproduce a generic beer each type which is why i am afraid to buy a starter kit but i a have little knowledge on what equipment i need to buy seperately to begin brewing. the staff at both shops have absolutely no knowldege on brewing they just sell the goods so their not much help thank you in advance
buying my equipment
- Thread starter darragh
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emmdubb23
Well-Known Member
Any combination of fermenter, bottling bucket and hydrometer will work. Assuming you have a boil pot and you are going to make beer from extract to start. You will also eventually need a bottle capper and bottles and don't forget to buy some sanitizer like star-san. I bought most of my equipment used for next to nothing... But that requires patience.
Midwes supplies has a basic starter kit for $65. Options can be added as well,depending onwhat you have to spend.
thanks guys for your quick replies youve been a great help a ferementing bucket only costs 11 euro so il start with that where can i find instructions on extract brewing as i wont get them if i dont buy a starter box to they come with the premade brewing cans you can buy ? i plan to start with these as practice before moving up and testing my own recipes
Look at the starter kits on Midwest Supplies, Northern Brewer, Austin Homebrew Supply etc. Determine the differences and decide what would work for you.
Depending on whether you brew extract, partial mash, BIAB or other all grain procedures you will require different equipment.
You can get a starter kit or possibly part it out and save some $$.
I started with Northern Brewer's deluxe starter kit. I added to it over time until I now have a gravity system for all grain with two 10 gallon pots, two propane burners, a 10 gallon cooler mash tun, and a fermentation chamber that will hold 3 fermenters at one time.
Depending on whether you brew extract, partial mash, BIAB or other all grain procedures you will require different equipment.
You can get a starter kit or possibly part it out and save some $$.
I started with Northern Brewer's deluxe starter kit. I added to it over time until I now have a gravity system for all grain with two 10 gallon pots, two propane burners, a 10 gallon cooler mash tun, and a fermentation chamber that will hold 3 fermenters at one time.
I use the same equipment I bought to do extract brews for partial boil,partial mash biab too. Just had to get a grain sack for the mash step of pm. Midwest has partial mash kits too.
emmdubb23
Well-Known Member
In other words you will make beer from a malt extract, not from grains. It's a good way to get started and comfortable with the brewing process. And you don't have to worry about a mash lauter tun or a pot big enough to brew in a bag. You can usually find extract ingredient kits that provide all of your ingredients for a reasonable price.
Extract means that you will get a "premade sugar syrup" which you will add to boiled water to make your wort. To this wort, you add your yeast which ferments the sugars making alcohol/beer. Extract brewing tends to be easier, less time consuming and requires less equipment. It is a little more expensive than the alternatives of using grain to create your wort, but this requires more equipment, time, knowledge.
Here's what you need:
Boil kettle/pot
Fermenting bucket w lid
Airlock
Thermometer
Hydrometer
Bottling bucket with spigot
Bottling wand
Capper and caps
Sanitizer - highly recommend star San
Siphon and tubing
I think those are the "must haves" that come to mind right now.
At your lhbs, they may have extract kits which include the extract, some hops , and yeast. These usually make decent enough beers and take a lot of the guessing out of things. I would also recommend reading "how to brew" to get some basic info about process, ingredients and equipment. Hope this helps!
Here's what you need:
Boil kettle/pot
Fermenting bucket w lid
Airlock
Thermometer
Hydrometer
Bottling bucket with spigot
Bottling wand
Capper and caps
Sanitizer - highly recommend star San
Siphon and tubing
I think those are the "must haves" that come to mind right now.
At your lhbs, they may have extract kits which include the extract, some hops , and yeast. These usually make decent enough beers and take a lot of the guessing out of things. I would also recommend reading "how to brew" to get some basic info about process, ingredients and equipment. Hope this helps!
wow im overwhelmed with the amount of help and the speed of the replies i obviously joined the right forum. i live in ireland and despite having the reputation of drinking capital of the world home brew in a relatively new thing over here with kits only starting to appear in shops and supermarkets recently(in my area anyway) so there is little information or help around and i was worried about not having instructions on paper but the how to brew article you suggested has me on the right track thanks for your support i really am gratefull
Glad to help. We're all here to help each other out & learn in the process. 
