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First Extract Brew Kit - Which to buy?

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Rift485

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Joined
Jul 26, 2011
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Location
Boston
Hi all,

I'm new to the forum to apologize if this comes off as extra noob-ish ;)

The search function isn't working for me so I want to pose the question directly. I am looking to purchase my first extract brewing setup and see a ton of kits on ebay and elsewhere and want to see if any of them have the combination of pieces I have decided on. Also, I'm too new to know if there are any major differences in quality of certain pieces.

I'm looking to do a 5 gallon setup. I want to buy everything at once if possible so any info as to kits out there that have all of this would be great:


-Fermenter
-Air Lock
-Siphon with bottle filler
-capper
-hydrometer
-bottle brush


Since I'm new to this I want to keep it as simple as possible which is why I don't want a bottling bucket, secondary fermenter, or wort chiller (yet). I also don't need the kit to have ingredients as I have access to those already. Finally, I'm under the impression that there are a few different types of fermentation vessels and am unsure what the advantages are of the different choices.


I have brewed before but it was at a place that lets you use their equipment so although I have a general idea of how to do this, I'd like the make the first purchase of my own equipment the RIGHT purchase :)


Thank you!
 
I suggest a starter kit from either More Beer or Northernbrewer.
http://morebeer.com/category/personal-home-brewery-equipment-kits.html

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/beer-equipment-starter-kits

These kits should have everything you need, except a kettle.
I am going to strongly encourage you to get a bottling bucket (secondaries are not so important). It is pretty difficult to bottle just using siphon. If you are kegging (highly recommended at some point) then carry on.

For the different fermenter types:
Buckets are easier to clean and cheap but I like to think of them as disposable (I use buckets and replace them every year or two)
Glass carboys are harder to clean but stuff comes off better (glass cleans easier than plastic) but are heavy and can be dangerous but do last basically forever.
Plastic carboys are hard to clean but really I cant think of an upside.
Stainless conicals are easy to clean and look cool but are expensive

Oh and welcome
 
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