First batch bottled...equipment on the way

[Ishraider]

Ok so i got my first batch of beer ever bottled. I tasted it and it taste like flat beer which from what i read is a good sign. Its a Mr. Beer kit so im not expecting the world...Im spoiled cuz I live in oregon and we have some of the best commercial beers in the world, so I cant expect the world with this mr. beer kit but im sure ill still be satisfied.

Ive talked to a guy who has some old equipment he is gonna sell me for $50 bucks which with everything im getting is a damn good deal. Hes gonna give me a 15 gal. boil pot, a 10 gal. mash/lauter tun, hydrometer, couple utility buckets, bottle capper, large SS spoon (not sure what ss means im sure someone call tell me ), and a few minor items for kegging.

Thinking about it though I dont think it has a fermenter so im gonna need to buy one. Im not a big enviroment freak or anything but im wondering if someone call fill me in with some information. Im wondering if using plastic bucket fermenters is safe from all the harmful toxins in the plastic. Ive read about those BetterBuckets but they seem hard to find with the good setups due to the company only selling to stores. What does everybody think about this? I know it sounds like im being over paranoid but i figure it doesnt hurt to ask cuz im sure someone will have an answer.

Im gonna post some pics of the beer in the bottles as soon as i turn my phone back on. Just put a ZAGG screen cover on my LG DARE to keep it from scratching and just waiting for it to dry.

 

[Buzz_Armstrong]

Welcome to the addiction!

SS means Stainless Steel.

I use see-through bottles for fermentation. "Better Bottle" is a food safe plastic bottle, or you could go with good old fashioned glass. I don't know anything good or bad about the plastic buckets except - I can't watch what's happening in there!

 

[22415 Brewery]

Dude, welcome!

You might not think you will do this whole brewing thing much.......but you will.

The plastic bucket versus glass carboy (those huge water bottles) versus plastic carboy versus metal fermentor debate has been around forever.

In the end...it all doesn't matter.

I've fermented 'best of show' beers in plastic better bottle carboys. Trust me, the judges couldn't tell the difference, it's not like they wrote in their tasting notes "tastes as if it had settled disturbedly upon a bed of plastique!".

Plastic is lighter than glass...by a lot. Add 5-10 gallons of liquid inside and it becomes pretty darn heavy...lift that a few times and walk around with it FULL and you'll see.

The best thing about plastic buckets is that they are CHEAP and AVAILABLE. There's absolutely no shame in using a plastic bucket...sure you can't see what's going on in there but hey this is fermentation....a science....it will be ready when it's done converting sugar....not when we think we can see it being done....measure it.

The professionals use stainless steel tanks...do you think they can see every yeast cell burping away? do you think they want to? no way. They're more worried about transferring that beer when it is done fermenting, having it taste right, and getting it out to people to drink.

Invest in a good hydrometer and be patient. And yes, that is a damn good deal.