Check list to get started.

[Gatorade]

OK. I have some stuff but just wanted to make a quick list to see what hardware I needed and get some input on prices and the best place to get some of the things I need. I am not sure about some of the specific names so any help there also appreciated.

I have:
5 gallon glass carboy
2X 5 gallon food grade buckets with lids
Hydrometer
40 pint bottles with screw caps.

I need:
sanitizer
Bung stopper
One way valve
Racking cane with tubing and filter?
spout to install on food grade bucket
more sanitizer
tubing that runs from spout to one of those shut off filling things!
One of those shut off filling things.
sanitizer just to make sure I have enough sanitizer

Also I am thinking about my first batch being something along the lines of a Belgian White. I have no recipe and would love some input in that area as well.

Thanks!
Charlie

 

[Maxkling]

Do you have anything buckets or carboys larger than 5gallons?

If you plan on doing a 5 gallon batch the primary needs to be around 6.5 gallons.

 

[Gatorade]

No I don't so I will probably need to scale back from the 5 gallon batch. I guess 4 gallons or 4.5?

Which should I use for my primary? The glass or the plastic?

 

[dnslater]

costs like $8 at my LHBS for a 6.5 gallon fermentor.

 

[Gatorade]

costs like $8 at my lhbs for a 6.5 gallon fermentor.

lhbs?

 

[Cosper123]

Local Home Brew Store.

And don't bother, you have two food grade buckets just split it up into two primaries is what I'd do...unless of course you just happen to have the extra money. But if you plan to someday upgrade to carboys I'd just save the extra money for that.

 

[Gatorade]

Local Home Brew Store.

And don't bother, you have two food grade buckets just split it up into two primaries is what I'd do...unless of course you just happen to have the extra money. But if you plan to someday upgrade to carboys I'd just save the extra money for that.

OK that sounds good. So put two air locks on the lids. Use the racking cane to transfer to the single glass carboy for the second fermentation then bottle from there?

 

[scrambledegg81]

More sanitizer, just because you can never have "too much" sanitizer.

As for recipes--scroll down about half-way on the main HBT page to the recipes section. Pretty much any recipe for any kind of fermented, bubbly goodness can be found there. Also check in at your homebrew store & ask if they have a store recipe book you can look over. Most respectable stores have at least a few customer recipes stored away.

 

[gcdowd]

You may want to invest in an auto siphon. There are great and will make racking much easier

 

[Thehopguy]

Surprised no one said kettle yet. So ya, get a kettle (i'd invest in a big enough one for full boils right from the start but it isnt necessary) And a bigger carboy or bucket like others have said. I dont like screw caps but I guess its okay if you dont mind them. And how hot is it in FL right now? Make sure you can control your ferm temps.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Some LHBW post a whole bunch of recipies online. One of them's here:
http://stores.mdhb.com/-strse-template/homebreweing/Page.bok

Advantage of using your lhbw is they will most likely taylor to suit what they stock.

 

[brewit2it]

If you ask me, having to clean and sanitize an extra bucket each batch just to save 8 bucks isn't worth it. Just buy a 7 gallon bucket and be done with it.

Anything that makes brewing easier without compromising quality is always a good investment

 

[Gatorade]

Surprised no one said kettle yet. So ya, get a kettle (i'd invest in a big enough one for full boils right from the start but it isnt necessary) And a bigger carboy or bucket like others have said. I dont like screw caps but I guess its okay if you dont mind them. And how hot is it in FL right now? Make sure you can control your ferm temps.

I do have a big stock pot to boil it up in, forgot to mention that. Right now it is in the 90's most days but I have some space below my AC unit that is pretty dark and should stay in the upper 70's to low 80's. What temp is best?

If you ask me, having to clean and sanitize an extra bucket each batch just to save 8 bucks isn't worth it. Just buy a 7 gallon bucket and be done with it.

Anything that makes brewing easier without compromising quality is always a good investment

This is my first batch and I if I can do it for a little as possible then I am better off. I will probably upgrade later but for the first few batches I am trying to spend as little as possible. I have a habit of over buying early in my new hobbies. If I stick with it then I will have no problem spending on it. Then again getting a second one way valve and stopper would be 4-5 dollars. So it may just be worth it. Will I still be able to use my 5 gallon glass carboy for the second fermentation?

 

[Cosper123]

Yeah ditto to the auto siphon those things are awesome and worth every single penny even if they were twice as much


And yes you can use the five gallon carboy for secondary.

But yeah if you have to buy extra stuff to make the second bucket work (was assuming you had all the parts you needed) then spend the extra for a bigger whatever. Gotta factor in all the details and decide what will cost you less overall. Wouldn't base that decision on having to clean an extra bucket though buckets are easy to clean that's not a big deal to save some money you could spend more wisely elsewhere.

 

[BluWtrBrew]

Surprised no one said kettle yet. So ya, get a kettle (i'd invest in a big enough one for full boils right from the start but it isnt necessary) And a bigger carboy or bucket like others have said. I dont like screw caps but I guess its okay if you dont mind them. And how hot is it in FL right now? Make sure you can control your ferm temps.

+1 on the kettle, and its not as trivial as it sounds. (Been there, screwed that up.) There are posts on-line (not on this site of course) that will tell you its okay to use a smaller pot to boil then make-up the difference by adding water to the fermenter. Well it is, but, what they forget to add is that if you do that then you need to use more hops or boil longer ot get the same alpha acids. If you are using a kit, the beer tastes weak. 12qt or more for 5 gallons IMHO. More water means better hop utilization and as above, full boil is best. Also, you want to think about what you are buying if you are on a budget. The enameled canning kettles look like a real sweet deal. They are until the first time you scorch some extract or decide UTIOHB to make a huge batch of chili for the gang. Once you scrub the enamel very vigourously you will never get it clean again.

 

[ozzy1038]

There are beers you can brew to match your temp. Such as saisons or some Belgians. Or you can use any device that is fairly larger than your fermenting bucket/s to place them in and use water and frozen water bottles to regulate temps. Look up swamp cooler. They work well and cost nearly nothing. In fact you most likely have all that you need.

 

[ozzy1038]

I do have a big stock pot to boil it up in, forgot to mention that. Right now it is in the 90's most days but I have some space below my AC unit that is pretty dark and should stay in the upper 70's to low 80's. What temp is best?






This is my first batch and I if I can do it for a little as possible then I am better off. I will probably upgrade later but for the first few batches I am trying to spend as little as possible. I have a habit of over buying early in my new hobbies. If I stick with it then I will have no problem spending on it. Then again getting a second one way valve and stopper would be 4-5 dollars. So it may just be worth it. Will I still be able to use my 5 gallon glass carboy for the second fermentation?

I can wholeheartedly identify!!!!! Let me just say I have a lot of hobbies and my bank account reflects that!