Extra stuff for the new brewer beyond starter kit.

[herbler]

My buddy is taking the plunge and I sent him an email with some recommendations to make life easier. He is ordering the intermediate kit from www.midwestsupplies.com with the betterbottles. It includes an auto-siphon already and that's what I thought of first!
He's in the Dallas area in the Republic of Texas.

Attached is what I sent him and would welcome any additional suggestions you may have.

Wine thief for taking hydro samples. $12
Irish moss... don't forget, it goes in wort 10-15 minutes at end of boil! $4
Beer kits (duh)$30 a piece or so.
Paint strainer bags and some sisal or cotton twine for hops. Small 1gal paint
can type. 4 bags 6 bucks and clean after use.
Tongs for removing bags from 210* boiling wort. I'm sure you already have...
just sayin'...
Extra dry yeast. SafAle-05 or Nottingham is great for pale/IPA etc...
SafAle-04 for british stuff. $2-4
StarSan concentrate 8oz. I'm still using mine and will need more soon after
almost 2 years. $9.
Homer bucket or similar with lid.
Cheap sprayer. I think I paid $8 at Home Depot.
New bottle sprayer from Wally World $3 for clean water to spray on possible
boil-overs during hot break.
Wort chiller and plumbing. A small plastic hose valve for throttling flow. I'll send you a link/picture.
Get a decent new hose or use the dirty one you drag around the yard, wash cars and leave full of foul water all the time .
Clean pickle jar or similar for re-hydrating dry yeast.
Extra 3-piece airlock (optional). Make sure you get bungs/caps for those fermenters!
Muck bucket for controlling ferm temps.
Buy milk/juice in 1/2 gal, save containers and freeze water in 'em. 2-3. Milk
does a body good!
Paper towels.
Dedicated new sponge or use a funky one if you're a gambler with your precious beer/wort/yeast etc...
Unscented SUN oxygen cleaner from Wally-land. $3
Nice pint glasses... If you don't have already, quit brewing... You're NOT
WORTHY!
Clean hands.
Patience. I wish someone bottled this stuff!
Plenty of space to brew/store stuff, notepad and 3-ring binder to save
recipes/receipts/notes. You will take notes right?
homebrewtalk.com nuff' said here!
hopville.com free account to **** around with recipes, ideas, contribute.
SWMBO buy in!
Did I forget anything... Sure I did... can't remember now as I'm buzzed.

He really is a super guy and I just want him to get the FEVER! Perscription... MORE CARBOYS!

 

[BillyBroas]

If someone would have sent me that list before I brewed my first batch I woulda had a heart attack. I'd just recommend the bare essential for his first time and then "drip-feed" tips as he goes along so he's not overwhelmed.

But tack on a vinator to that list, it's money very well spent.

 

[herbler]

If someone would have sent me that list before I brewed my first batch I woulda had a heart attack. I'd just recommend the bare essential for his first time and then "drip-feed" tips as he goes along so he's not overwhelmed.

But tack on a vinator to that list, it's money very well spent.

Great point! I know it's a lot to swallow. I still regret not buying the vinator 2 years later!

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

If he's in Dallas he will want to find directions to Foreman's in North Richland Hills (a suburb between Dallas and Fort Worth), as I am unaware of any other LHBS in Dallas. I hear there are a couple others but I am unsure where they are...

They are pricey for a LHBS, so he's better ordering online unless he needs something urgently.

 

[cmoon]

Auto-siphon if he doesn't already have one.

 

[jaynik]

except for a good thermometer, my kit included everything I have needed. I agree that this list is too overwhelming. Keep it simple. He'll probably give up after reading that list!

 

[ChshreCat]

Send him a six-pack of your home brew so he has something to have while relaxing and not worrying about his first batch.

 

[herbler]

Send him a six-pack of your home brew so he has something to have while relaxing and not worrying about his first batch.

Already planning on this!

This dude is the engineering-type-person. I just thought of stuff I learned from you guys during the first 3 batches and tried to consolidate it. It does look long to the neophyte with all the explanations. How about this?

• 
  wine thief

• irish moss

• extra yeast

• Starsan

• extra bucket

• bottle sprayer

• wort chiller if doing full boil

• good hose

• notebook

• homebrewtalk.com

I only omitted a few things and goofy descriptions.

Better now?

Please add anything you WISH you had early on. Thanks. HEERRRBBBB!

 

[DeafSmith]

If he's in Dallas he will want to find directions to Foreman's in North Richland Hills (a suburb between Dallas and Fort Worth), as I am unaware of any other LHBS in Dallas. I hear there are a couple others but I am unsure where they are...

They are pricey for a LHBS, so he's better ordering online unless he needs something urgently.

Homebrew Headquarters in Richardson would be closer - I've been in there a few times and it seems to be a pretty decent LHBS, though I don't have enough experience to compare it to others.
Web site:
http://www.homebrewhq.com/

 

[mikebiewer]

Looks like a decent list. I sometimes wish I had a theif, but if you've got buckets you don't need it.

I personally think I've got a decent list of the essentials and what they do on my blog. Check it out and tell me what you think?

Getting Started Brewing My Own Beer

I really think $170 could get you started with a kit. From there on its just fun equipment to add. I really don't think someone needs Irish Moss for their first brew. Its about sanitation and the process first, then making things better and better. If you have to many steps its going to turn him off from it. Make it easy and rewarding and he will inherently want to know more...and if not...he's still brewing up special batches to call his own.

So cheers!

 

[Bricetrine]

Thanks for the input... I'm the guy herbler (the OP) is trying to help get started, and I'm glad to say that I made my purchases today. I went with the Midwest kit but instead of getting two 5 gallon secondary fermenters, I swapped one 5 gallon for a 6 gallon Better Bottle so I will have two primarys and one secondary. Then I called the guys at Austin Home Brew and bought a couple of kits... After many hours reading this site, and talking to my bro the "herbler" I am stoked and can't wait for my "weapons of mass distraction" to arrive!

 

[BillyBroas]

I am stoked and can't wait for my "weapons of mass distraction" to arrive!

Couldn't have said it better myself. Congrats man and make sure to keep dropping in here.

 

[herbler]

Auto-siphon if he doesn't already have one.

Yeah, like cmoon said.

Good luck bro! I'll try to ship out that package of 22oz samples friday.

HEERRRBBB!!!

 

[nhman]

I'll third the auto siphon and add a long spoon if doing full boils. All I had for my first batch was a plastic ladle and although it did the job, a nice long stirring spoon works much better.

 

[thristy]

How much do you figure all that will cost? plenty i bet I think its a little over kill for starting off..... IMO