Equipment List for Homebrewing Class

[Black Island Brewer]

I'm getting a great opportunity to teach homebrewing at a local community college, with a blank slate to approach it as I choose. I'm looking at doing a once-a-week, two-hour class for 6 consecutive weeks, and need to put together an equipment list for the class. It's three+ months away, so I have time to think it through.

I'm planning on starting right off the bat with an all-grain single-vessel brew session (BIAB) because it, theoretically, could be done in around 3 hours, or so I hear. I've never done it, but will give it a try before I start.

Anyway, much of the equipment I will be showing & telling but not using necessarily, so I'll bring my own gear for some of it, but I want to put together an equipment list for BIAB and fermentation/bottling. My idea is that after 6 weeks we can have a drinkable beer, and in that time be able to cover a huge number of topics from ingredients to fermentation to styles to competitions.

So far I'm thinking of hardware:

10 gallon pot
propane burner and bottle
mesh bag for BIAB
immersion chiller
hop bag(?)
autosiphon & hoses
fermentation bucket
rubbermaid bucket & t-shirt for temp control
air lock & bung
bottling bucket
bottling wand
bottles
wing capper

And consumables:
whirlflock
grain, hops, yeast
calcium chloride & calcium sulfate
gelatin
corn sugar
bottle caps

Any additions, comments and thoughts will be appreciated. I'm rather excited to be getting the opportunity, and want to make it a great experience.

 

[tally350z]

So your going to start out with doing an all-grain batch the very first class. Maybe you can start out by showing information associated with brewing and teaching them how to brew the first class. Than you can do a brew session on the second class, and with that I would start out with doing an extract batch. That way you can tell people they can do it without having to use propane burners. Its for a community college so alot of them live in apartments (assuming) and you can tell them they can do it on there electric stove tops. After that than start diving into all-grain and everything associated with all-grain brewing. Then progressively get mroe and more technical, but only if the class is ready for it, you will have to see how they respond to all the information you are going to throw at them.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

The first class will be a brewing an all grain beer, with additional information on how to substitute extract or partial mash. After mashing and sparging there is no difference in the brewing process, so each class will move along with the process until the last week when we will get to drink the bottle conditioned beer. Each step of the process will drive the conversation, with an exploration of various alternatives and techniques.

However, I still have several weeks to develop the curriculum, and I appreciate your thoughts.

This is a community college recreational class, so it will be people who are of all ages.

 

[jfk69]

Put me also in the group that would advocate the first class discussing brewing methods (extract, biab, all grain), with a discussion on procedures, cleaning/sanitation, equipment needed (for each type of brewing), etc. The second class I would brew an extract to show the actual process of the boil, cooldown, and putting in the fermenter and pitching yeast, with a discussion of the importance of temperature on fermentation. Only after the first 2-3 weeks would I do anything with all grain/biab. Maybe in the third week do a BIAB as you described, and even though it might not be ready 'till after the class is over, you could have a class picnic a couple weeks after the class is over to taste the fruits of their labor. JMO. I really think its important to start with the simplest method and work up from there. The need to maintain mash temps, have bigger equipment, etc. that goes with BIAB/all grain setups can be a little overwhelming and might scare folks off. Get them hooked on a little crack with extract brewing before you turn them into full fledged junkies with the rest lol.

 

[kombat]

I think this is a great initiative, but like the others, I have some reservations about diving straight in to brewing a batch on day 1. If you're planning on doing it in 3 hours, you're going to be busy brewing the actual beer, and I can't imagine you'd have much time at all for teaching. I can see the students feeling completely lost right from day 1. They need to understand the fundamentals first, like:

• What's barley?
• What does "malting" mean, and why is it important?
• What's yeast, and what does it do?
• What are hops, and why do we add them?
• What are the different kinds/styles of beer, and what makes them different from each other?
• How come some cans of beer say "Lager," and some say "Pilsener?"
• What makes a beer "Lite," and why do they all misspell it?
• What's a "mash?"
• Why do you have to boil it?
• How does it end up carbonated?
• Why do you add hops at different times?

Just stuff like that that seems obvious to those of us who've been doing it a while, but that we forget are non-intuitive to someone totally new to brewing. Besides, if you show them the whole process right out of the gate on day 1, what will you talk about in, say, week 5 while you're waiting for your bottles to carb up?

Also, you should add "hydrometer" to your equipment list.

 

[cmoewes]

I don't think there is anything wrong with brewing on the first day. I think you can provide enough materials during the first day so that people can follow what you are doing.

The best advice I got when teaching a community ed class (not on brewing) was "Tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them"

I would also get in ahead of time and get the mash started. Maybe 45 of the 60 minutes. There's nothing to learn from watching water heat up. If you already have it mashing you save time and can increase the value of the class.

You should still have plenty of time in the last 15 minutes of the mash to do your intro, explain what beer is (barley water yeast hops).

Don't narrate your brewing, just have it be what you are doing while you present the first days intro.

Then as you get to various steps (adding hops to the boil, chilling, transferring) you can then sign post those with "We will go into this more next week".

I would also suggest one other fun experiment that you can easily set ahead of time. Get 6 clean mason jars with lids. Put 2 gallons of water on to boil. When it is boiling drop in 2 ounces of a nice arromatic hop (e.q. citra or cascade). Now set a timer and take out 2 cups of the hoppy water every 5 minutes, out it in the jar and label it. That should give you a 5,10,15,20,25 and 30. Then when you are discussing hops and hop schedules you can have people smell the differences in aroma for each of the boil times.

Good luck with your class.

 

[rekoob]

I think brewing the first day is a good idea to get hold of there attention and "show" them what they can do themselves.
However, I have to agree with what's been stated so far, I don't know if the FIRST day is the best one to do it when there is so much intro info that can be put out. I would wait with AG for a later class. I would do an extract brew on the second class OR maybe the first class if it revolved around the intro to brewing type of start.
Just jumping into the deep end isn't the way to teach start a class with begginers IMHO.
I have teaching experiance and curriculum development experiance and know there is more than one way to get the job done.
However you do it I'm sure it will work out great and the students (and you) will enjoy the process. Keep them interested and supply new info when they can retain it and all is well.
Good luck.
Oh, I haven't BIAB so can't help with what's needed.

 

[CervezaMaLa]

As per your original question...

I'd add a hydrometer and test cylinder. Also a refractometer. People seem to get excited/intrigued by the refractometer.

Also, you could add a grain mill and explain different types and the effect of having the proper crush.

extra credit question on the final exam: explain RDWHAHB!

Sounds like a fun class!

 

[LandoLincoln]

I like the idea of brewing a BIAB batch on day one. Just show them the process and explain general stuff as you go, show them that the process is pretty simple. After class one, they'll leave there thinking, "heck yea, I could do that!" The intricacies of brewing can be explained as the class progresses. Water chemistry, adjusting for mash efficiency problems, hop utilization calculations, beer recipe creation, fermentation temperature, blah blah freaking blah. LET'S BREW SOME BEER.

 

[LandoLincoln]

One more thing: I'd use bottled drinking water. You don't know where these people live and what kind of water they have at their houses, so they should know that until they get deeper into water chemistry, bottled drinking water is a pretty safe bet.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I don't think there is anything wrong with brewing on the first day. I think you can provide enough materials during the first day so that people can follow what you are doing.

The best advice I got when teaching a community ed class (not on brewing) was "Tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them"

I would also get in ahead of time and get the mash started. Maybe 45 of the 60 minutes. There's nothing to learn from watching water heat up. If you already have it mashing you save time and can increase the value of the class.

You should still have plenty of time in the last 15 minutes of the mash to do your intro, explain what beer is (barley water yeast hops).

Don't narrate your brewing, just have it be what you are doing while you present the first days intro.

Then as you get to various steps (adding hops to the boil, chilling, transferring) you can then sign post those with "We will go into this more next week".

I would also suggest one other fun experiment that you can easily set ahead of time. Get 6 clean mason jars with lids. Put 2 gallons of water on to boil. When it is boiling drop in 2 ounces of a nice arromatic hop (e.q. citra or cascade). Now set a timer and take out 2 cups of the hoppy water every 5 minutes, out it in the jar and label it. That should give you a 5,10,15,20,25 and 30. Then when you are discussing hops and hop schedules you can have people smell the differences in aroma for each of the boil times.

Good luck with your class.

Thanks for the great input! I lead Weight Watchers' meetings for a living, and the "tell them what you're going to say, say it, then tell them what you said" is exactly the process. The first class will be an extra hour, and I plan to have the water up to strike temp before the class starts. The initial explanation will be that on day one they see the process, and for the remaining 5 weeks they learn the hows and whys.

I think brewing the first day is a good idea to get hold of there attention and "show" them what they can do themselves.
However, I have to agree with what's been stated so far, I don't know if the FIRST day is the best one to do it when there is so much intro info that can be put out. I would wait with AG for a later class. I would do an extract brew on the second class OR maybe the first class if it revolved around the intro to brewing type of start.
Just jumping into the deep end isn't the way to teach start a class with begginers IMHO.
I have teaching experiance and curriculum development experiance and know there is more than one way to get the job done.
However you do it I'm sure it will work out great and the students (and you) will enjoy the process. Keep them interested and supply new info when they can retain it and all is well.
Good luck.
Oh, I haven't BIAB so can't help with what's needed.

Several have suggested starting with extract. Assuming the use of steeping grains as well, the difference in time is negligible - a half hour to 45 minutes longer. I also think it would be more useful to see a full-volume boil with the required use of a wort chiller, and then provide info on using malt extracts, concentrated boils, stove top boiling, ice baths, etc.

As per your original question...

I'd add a hydrometer and test cylinder. Also a refractometer. People seem to get excited/intrigued by the refractometer.

Also, you could add a grain mill and explain different types and the effect of having the proper crush.

extra credit question on the final exam: explain RDWHAHB!

Sounds like a fun class!

I realized both the hydrometer/flask and the refractometer just after I posted. Grain mills and crush will be part as well. I'm going to have to learn myself about the fine double crush recommended for single-vessel brewing.

I like the idea of brewing a BIAB batch on day one. Just show them the process and explain general stuff as you go, show them that the process is pretty simple. After class one, they'll leave there thinking, "heck yea, I could do that!" The intricacies of brewing can be explained as the class progresses. Water chemistry, adjusting for mash efficiency problems, hop utilization calculations, beer recipe creation, fermentation temperature, blah blah freaking blah. LET'S BREW SOME BEER.

Exactly! At each step on day one I'll mention the weeks we'll be going into more depth, and each classes session notes will help reinforce that. One of my earliest cautions will be to not get started purchasing equipment until the class is finished. I'm really going to try to include as many of the different ways we reach the same end as possible - even the controversial ones - and let people make up their own minds. I hope to keep my own values out of the conversation as much as possible.

One more thing: I'd use bottled drinking water. You don't know where these people live and what kind of water they have at their houses, so they should know that until they get deeper into water chemistry, bottled drinking water is a pretty safe bet.

Yeah, water will be one of those "later in the course" discussions, but my tap water is very close to RO water thanks to the Green River here in Western Washington. I'll use the AJDelange's water chemistry made simple to adjust clacium chloride and calcium sulphate.


Thanks again to all of you, I'm excited to be getting a chance to do this!