COMPLETELEY NEW, What kit to start with

[Yooper]

Will do IPA. I also got some potentially great news. I mentioned to a friend of mine that I wanted to start home brewing and he said that he was going to at one point but just never followed through, well....He bought a complete kit,not sure what brand, and he's thinking of just giving it to me. He said it just needs the recipe mix. He said it has capper and bottles and a glass container ( carbouy?? ) Going to see it tomorrow and hopefully get it. Sounds like a Coopers kit???

It may or may not be a Cooper's kit. If all it needs is the recipe kit, and it holds 5 gallons (not a Mr. Beer kit), it sounds perfect!

I love austinhomebrew.com for recipe kits. They have hundreds, and they make them up fresh when you order them. They come with grain bags, and with good instructions as well. Here is a link: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_452_43&osCsid=7164fbea4009f5950b3845afb02f5097 I've done quite a few of the "clone kits" and been very happy with them!

 

[unionrdr]

Cooper's kits don't come with capper,bottle caps,& the like. They use brown PET bottles with screw on caps.

 

[Oifvet0708]

So, I picked up the kit today. It's from Midwest Brewing, Looks like the basic starrter kit. Huge problem with the Glass carbouy, it has 2 very dried up dead mice in it, kit is 10 years old, never been used. I will not even try to clean the mice out, I am assuming I need the carbouy or no???. Kit came with a video ( on VHS, pictured and I apologize I couldn't flip pic to be right side up. ) I'll list whats here and ask what else I should get thats NEEDED, asided from the extract kit itself.

6.5 gallon bucket
6.5 Gallon Bottling bucket " ale pale"
Italian bottling spigot
lid, drilled and grommeted for econolock
ecocolock, 3 piece airlock
brewers liquid crystal thermometer ( peel and stick )
Hydrometer, triple scale
Racking tube with tip
Fermtech Bottle filler- 13" no spring plastic tube,
5 feet of siphon hose
Beer bottle Brush
Another "L" shaped brush for???
Bucket Clip
8 ozs sanitizer ( 10 years old so I'm guessing I should replace this, and it's been tore open from?? )
2 Red Baron Cappers, don't know why 2

2 Bags of bottle caps

Someone mentioned a wort chiller is a good idea. WHat should I get to make this complete? Is it good enough to do my first mix kit? should I update to a DVD instruction, and what other advise on this kit do you reccommend?

 

[Oifvet0708]

Oh, I need bottles as well, LOL

 

[RM-MN]

I have never used a glass carboy in all my brewing and if you are asking the question, the answer is usually no. The only time it is really suggested is for long term aging (months), adding fruit or oak, and not too much else.

You could dump the mice out, they won't mind being dead already. The glass carboy will clean up fine with no mouse odors remaining. That is one reason that glass is used. The L shaped brush is to clean the upper end of the carboy when you have krausen stuck there.

Other than that, everything you need but bottles and a pot to boil in are included in the kit. It even looks like you got a bonus with 2 cappers. Things that you will like to have are an autosiphon and a wort chiller.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

So, I picked up the kit today. It's from Midwest Brewing, Looks like the basic starrter kit. Huge problem with the Glass carbouy, it has 2 very dried up dead mice in it, kit is 10 years old, never been used. I will not even try to clean the mice out, I am assuming I need the carbouy or no???. Kit came with a video ( on VHS, pictured and I apologize I couldn't flip pic to be right side up. ) I'll list whats here and ask what else I should get thats NEEDED, asided from the extract kit itself.

Lol dead mice. You should be ok dumping the mice outside and let nature take care of it. If it eases your mind soak the carboy in some cleaner for a few hours. It's glass so it wouldn't have absorbed anything nasty.

As far as needing carboys, they're not necessary probably 90% of the time, but they're good for long aging strong beers, dryhopping and especially for oaking and adding fruits etc to the beer.

You didn't list it but did it come with an Auto-Siphon? If not you need that, trust me.

 

[unionrdr]

The shorter brush is a bottle brush,& I see you have what looks like a hydrometer in that tube. NB has a thick blue hard foam washer that goes on the bottom of that tube as a base for $1.60. I love how it stabilizes the hydrometer tube for testing. Also,watch my 2 gadget videos on Youtube for all the little things that make brew & bottling days easier & faster. You'll def WANT those! Matter of fact,here they are;

 

[Oifvet0708]

I failed to mention that the nice are solidly decayed to the bottom. I tried scraping then with the L brush and they didn't budge. Perhaps pouring some hot water and letting them soak may help. I will try but I have watched about 6 videos and read the brewing book that cane with the kit and it seems I don't need the carboy anyways. Ill just use the 2 buckets. I think I'm leaning towards a honey wheat ale to start or an irish red. The video in the kit is ok, but is missing some info that was in others, like how long to ferment before bottling. Who has recipe kids with video instruction. The Midwest Brewery kit was partial mash, which doesn't look hard to do just a few mire steos and a muslin bag needed.

 

[unionrdr]

I prefer to use a paint strainer bag that'll fit ofer the lip of the kettle with a cake cooling rack in the bottom to keep it from burning. Then lash a floating thermometer to the kettle handle to monitor temps. The paint strainer bag allows stirring of the mash to break up dough balls & get the grains evely wetted for higher effciency. I wrap it up in an old quilted hunting coat to maintain temps during the one hour mash. Would work just as well with steeping too.

 

[RM-MN]

Use a stick to dislodge the mice. I would look for something like a long dowel so I could reach the bottom easily and still have enough sticking out of the carboy to pry a bit if necessary. Trust me, dry dead mice are much nicer to deal with than soaking wet dead mice.

 

[Oifvet0708]

So the mice came out easy with a stick and boiling water, all cleaned out, NOT steralized yet as I'm not ready to brew for a while yet. More questions
Can't I just ferment in a bucket and not use the glass carboy at all? ( so basically all I need is 2 buckets and a 6 gallon pot to brew , plus the air lock stuff etc...
Who has a good start to fifnish instructional dvd to follow with my first batch or 3,LOL, or will one come with the extract kit some with one

Does anyone have a line on an inexpensive 6 gallon pot, looked at turkey fryer pots on ebay, good??
Irish Red too risky for a first beer?

 

[RM-MN]

The word "sterilized" isn't use much in brewing because it requires high temperature. We instead sanitize. Much easier to accomplish and does what we need.

I have brewed for about 7 years now and have never used nor owned a glass carboy. You can just store it until a situation arises where you are certain you need it or you can sell it or use it for trading stock. All you really need is about 6 buckets, oops that comes later when you get more into brewing and have 5 batches in various stages of fermentation or dry hopping. If you don't have a brew pot to use, please consider one that is at least 7 1/2 gallons (turkey fryer size) as then you won't need another pot for a while. I started with a 5 gallon and soon wanted a bigger pot so I could do full volume boils. When you do a full volume boil, you'll need 5 1/4 gallons for the wort plus at least a gallon to boil off, sometime quite a bit more, and room for the hot break material. An 8 to 10 gallon would be a good start.

I had an instructional movie once. It didn't make a lot of sense until after I did my first brew and by then I didn't need the instructional movie. There are a bunch available online if you really feel you need one.

Your first beer can be about anything you want. Some things I would suggest you wait on would be lagers (needs good temperature control and lots of patience), Imperials (needs lots of patience) or fruited beers. Prove you can make a normal, average ABV beer first, learn the tricks and techinques, then expand. An Irish Red is a fine starter beer if that is what you like. I make one or 2 each year.

 

[LovesIPA]

I have an 8-gallon pot and really wish I'd gotten a 10 or 15 gallon pot. 8 is a little small for 5 gallon batches. I boil off about 2 gallons in an hour.

 

[unionrdr]

I do single stage brewing most of the time myself. That's a primary fermenter till it's done & settled out clear or slightly misty. the rack to bottling bucket. I only use a secondary when oaking or the like. So most of the time,you don't need a secondary (2 stage) fermentation system.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I have an 8-gallon pot and really wish I'd gotten a 10 or 15 gallon pot. 8 is a little small for 5 gallon batches. I boil off about 2 gallons in an hour.

a 5 gallon is all you need to start. If you do the 3 gallon in the pot and top off method for extract. I brew 1 gallon AG and 5 gallon extract and a 5 gallon pot is fine for me. But you have to top off. Which for extract is fine. My brother and I do PM and we have an 8 gallon pot we bought together and again with topoff it's fine.

Now when you make the AG switch than absolutely you need a bigger pot but to start a 6 gallon pot is fine.

 

[andy6026]

I don't know about that brand of bottle capper in particular, but my introductory kit came with the same style of capper (as opposed to a bench capper). It broke half way through my 7-8th batch. My LHBS that sold it told me then said, 'wow, we're surprised you got that far out of it.' wtf???

So, as much as you might save some money now by buying a kit, in the long run you'll save more by buying the right pieces of equipment that are going to last. You'll also find them easier and more joyful to use.

just my 2 cents...

 

[MindenMan]

I can say with a five gallon pot, you can still make beer. I started out with a 22 quart pot, and for a while it suited my needs using extracts. When I went to all grain, and heavier grain bills, it just wasn't big enough.
I personally bout one of these pots a couple of months ago, and they are plenty thick enough to not worry about scalding your wort:
http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/update-international/apt-40/p4857.aspx, and no, I don't work there . remember to always check and see if a lid comes with the pot or not.

P.S. check out how to make a mash tun/ sparge bucket out of 5 gallon buckets.

 

[Oifvet0708]

Ok. Mindens pot is getting orderd Monday. As well as a thermostat and the extract kit. Question is. .... where? Who had all extract kits? I keep seeing partial mash, which is fine I guess. Just looking for suggestions for a place to order everything. Please look back at my photo and lay off whars in my kit and ley me know what I need. Do you think my sanitizer is all good after 10 years? The package was toe open too. Thanks all

 

[unionrdr]

After 10 years,I'd replace the sanitizer. Here's some links to kits & stuff;
Good basic starter kit with DVD-
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-basics-equipment-kit-2.html
Bottle tree & bottle/carboy cleaning stuff-
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/neat-and-tidy-cleaning-brewing-equipment-upgrade-1.html
SS 5 gallon brew kettle like mine-
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/economy-stainless-steel-brewing-pot-5-gallon.html
The Super Agata bench capper I switched to from the Red Baron capper they give you-
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/super-agata-bench-capper.html
PBW cleaner-http://www.midwestsupplies.com/pbw-by-five-star.html
Starsan sanitizer,no rinse-http://www.midwestsupplies.com/star-san.html

 

[E_Marquez]

Ok. Mindens pot is getting orderd Monday. As well as a thermostat and the extract kit. Question is. .... where? Who had all extract kits? I keep seeing partial mash, which is fine I guess. Just looking for suggestions for a place to order everything. Please look back at my photo and lay off whars in my kit and ley me know what I need. Do you think my sanitizer is all good after 10 years? The package was toe open too. Thanks all

Austin Homebrew Supply sells each of there kits in three varieties... All Grain, Partial Mash, All extract http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_452_42
They build the "kits" in house, so your getting fresh off the shelf ingredients,, not a prepackaged kit that has been in a warehouse for months, years....
No doubt other big name supply places do the same,, so not saying AHBS is the only place, just the one Im familiar with and have been into.

Other items///

I don't seen any cleaner in your kit. Which sanitizer is a personal choice... likely they all do as advertized...clean

I like PBW http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_56_36&products_id=514 or C-Bright http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_56_36&products_id=500 for cleaners and Starsan http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_56_36&products_id=513 for sanatizer

I don't see a Auto siphon in the picture of list... you can do without, but it sure makes things easier with one. http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_59_548&products_id=970

I don't see a spoon to stir with.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_59_84&products_id=880

Pick up a spray bottle to put sanitizer in..then spray everything the comes in contact with wort...(this in addition to having bucket of sanitizer to soak most thinks in) mostly after the boil.. but it cant hurt to spray everything before the boil as well... more so in the beginning when your just figuring out the process.

 

[Oifvet0708]

So let me ask ask this, is there really a problem with using an Aluminum pot?? I only ask because one of the sanitizers reacts with it. I was going to gon with Star San instead, so I could save the money and buy Aluminum.

 

[unionrdr]

Starsan is an acid sanitizer & will react with the aluminum. Just boil water in it for 30 minutes to build up the oxide coating on it. then use it for brewing. clean it lightly so as not to remove the coating. You're boiling in it after all,so sanitizing isn't necessary.

 

[E_Marquez]

So let me ask ask this, is there really a problem with using an Aluminum pot?? I only ask because one of the sanitizers reacts with it. I was going to gon with Star San instead, so I could save the money and buy Aluminum.

Al pots are fine and if thats what you have, use something other than Starsan for sanitizer..

Yes we boil in the brew pot, and yes that should kill anything the boiling wort touches... but what of the parts of the pot, your your hands that touch the pot, or a utensil.. ect..that may later come in contact with the wort? to me, saving $ .0005 in sanitizing cost and 90 sec of time to NOT sanitize my brew pot makes no sense.. So I give um a spray with starsan... 90 sec later, the bugs if any are dead..

But you can't prove a negative.. so those that never sanitize a brew pot and have not ever had an infection... can say, see this works... or course,,, I can say the same.... perhaps it's just dumb luck on both parts

 

[unionrdr]

Nope. Infectious nasties that can ruin your beer can't survive in the boil...or the steam coming off them. Sanitizing a brew kettle isn't really needed. But paddles,spoons thermometers,etc...can't hurt to give'em a spritz.

 

[Oifvet0708]

SO I should just use an oxygen based sanitizer, as I just got a good deal on a 32 Quart new Aluminum pot at the restaurant supplier here in town, and a spoon. Ordering Extract kit, Auto siphon, sanitizer, and I think thats all I need in a few minutes from Austin Home Brew. If I'm really lucky I could do my first batch next weekend.

 

[Oifvet0708]

So I bought the Honey Hefe to brew, made a wort chiller ( 20' ) for $43 ), and have one last question...bottles. I was plannig on reusing the ones I have been drinking out of now and just washing them and sanitizing them, is that fine?

 

[Oifvet0708]

Actually I have another important question. It says the grains are to be crushed/ cracked?? do they come that way in the kit or do I have to do this. I got the kit from Austin Brew, what are your experiences with this?

 

[unionrdr]

That's what monster mills,barley crushers,etc are for. the grains need to be lightly crushed to expose the inside the gets converted to sugars. the hulls should be as intact as possible to keep the mash loose. Whole grains wouldn't convert very well,as it's the inside part that's needed. Some suppliers have a box to check off as to whether you want your grains crushed or not.
And just soak the bottles in some PBW overnight to float of or loosen the labels & glue. It'll also float away the dirty moldy gunk inside the bottles,if any. Then rinse well & hanf on the bottle tree to dry. Sanitise them right before filling. A vinator on top of a bottle tree will make short work of this.

 

[E_Marquez]

Actually I have another important question. It says the grains are to be crushed/ cracked?? do they come that way in the kit or do I have to do this. I got the kit from Austin Brew, what are your experiences with this?

When you ordered the brew kit, you had to select, All extract, mini mash, or all grain.. Only the All grain has the option for unmilled.

 

[E_Marquez]

So I bought the Honey Hefe to brew, made a wort chiller ( 20' ) for $43 ), and have one last question...bottles. I was plannig on reusing the ones I have been drinking out of now and just washing them and sanitizing them, is that fine?

In general you can not sanitize anything that is dirty.. so cleaning them first is important, de-labeling them at the same time THEN sanitize.

There are lots of right workable ways. ME? I use oxycleen Free in a bucket (30 gal plastic trash can bought just for this) Let them sit in the solution over night, labels will be loose or off the next day.. I give a good rinse and final scrub under running hot water, then store till bottling time.

As I bottle, I dunk 20 or so in a 6 gal bucket with about 4 gal starsan mix.. let sit while I fill a set of bottles (I fill and cap 4 at a time ,, or in a row) So I know each bottle is getting that required 90sec of contact.

Grab the next 4 bottlles, drain, fill, cap, repeat till bucket is empty, drop in the remaining bottles and do it all again.