Hello from SE Michigan

[amishland]

Hello I am new around here, I have a few friends that home brew, all at different levels.


I am mainly going to be reading on here and doing very few posts for a while after this one.


I have brewed 3 times up at Kuhnhenn brewery in Warren and loved the process and the product we created.


I think I am ready to purchase my own equipment and would love to be given some advice and tips from any one willing to give....I have some space, some time, but I need to create a budget.

 

[amishland]

where on this site should I be looking to learn what equipment I should buy?

 

[RichBrewer]

Welcome to HBT!
You came to the right place! Check out the Home Brew WIKI. There is a lot of information for you.

I also recommend a good book on home brewing. I recommend The New Complete Joy Of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian. I'm sure others will recommend other great books as well.

 

[mrk305]

How much do you think you want to spend? Basic starter kits start around $60.00 assuming you have a large pot for boiling.

 

[amishland]

I have a large aluminum pot for turkey frying.


I prob have $200-$300 to spend on my setup. My friend is recomending me to not bottle and just begin straig to corny kegs draft beer in basement setup.

 

[mrk305]

Turkey fryer is a good start. You will want to get a basic beer kit. That will include a fermenting bucket, a bottling bucket, bottle filling and capping stuff, some hose for siphoning and a hydrometer. The more advanced kits come with better bottle fermenters that look like 5 gallon water cooler jugs. I would get at least two fermenting buckets or better bottles, since it takes two or three weeks to ferment and clear. You will also want to get a digital thermometer also.

If you don't have a home brew supply nearby, someone on HomeBrewTalk compiled a list of our favorite on line suppliers. Look in the recipe/ingredients section, and you will see it in the beginning with a push pin thingy to mark the thread.

That's what you need to make beer. Kegs can be found for around $25.00, but then you will need a refrigerator of some kind, hoses, a pressure regulator, CO2 gas and taps. I bottle and have around 12 cases full usually + 3 fermenters.

 

[capcrnch]

Welcome!
Not trying to hijack your welcome thread, but I have a 2nd homebrew set up that I was going to sell. I'm in the Auburn Hills area if you're interested!

 

[eriktlupus]

these guys are in taylor http://http://www.homebrewing.org/ one of the better places especially for cornies (homebrewers kegs)

 

[BrianP]

Welcome from another SE Michigan brewer (there are quite a few of us).

Also consider whether or not you want to do extract brewing or all-grain brewing.

Either way makes great beer, however all-grain gives you more control of the brewing process, but requires more equipment (a mash/lauter tun, a wort chiller, etc.) Generally an AG setup would cost you a couple hundred more.

Regarding kegging: I don't do it (however I might at some point). If I had a kegging set-up, I think I would drink entirely too much beer. Bottling is a good way to start, and even if you do keg, you will likely want to bottle some anyway to give to friends, etc.

One other good resource about technique, equipment, etc. is Palmer's "How to Brew" - it's in print, or free on-line at howtobrew.com

Welcome, and good luck with your brewing.

 

[TerapinChef]

Just another SE Michigan brewer chiming in. +1 to bottling. I don't think that I would have gotten as much into brewing as I have if I had gone straight into kegging. Bottling is not as hard as people make it out to be, and there are way better things to spend your money on when you are starting out than a full kegging setup. Kits are available at most LHBS's (not sure about Kuenhems, I usually go to Cap N Cork or the Wine Barrel for equipment) but I never got one. I just put my gear together myself so I didn't get anything I didn't need/want. Here's your basic list for beginning brewing:

- Fermenter (Glass or Plastic Carboy/Plastic Bucket)

~my thoughts: Stay away from the buckets, it's too cool to watch your beer when you are starting out to take that away....​

- Airlock/Cap for your fermenter
- Brewpot of some sort.

If you are starting with an extract brew, as most beginners do, your large kitchen pasta/stock pot will most likely work. You are looking to be in the 12-20 quart range.​

- Some plastic tubing.
- A capper (most start with a wing style ~$15)
- some bottles

Can be salvaged from just about anywhere, there is tons of info on HBT about sources for bottles.​

- Bottle caps

Optional but highly recommended

• a bottling wand - makes bottling easier and is like $3
  autosiphon - makes starting siphons a breeze, and again fairly cheap. Replaces racking cane
  bottling bucket
  milk crates - obtain them legally, but great for storing bottles, carrying full carboys, raising containers for siphoning, and a myriad of other things

This is about all I can think of. Read everything you can find about brewing, especially "How To Brew" by John Palmer (available online free to view)
Good luck, and feel free to message me with any questions. I will be brewing on New Years Day with a friend who is new to brewing and interested in all grain procedures.

 

[amishland]

wow thanks for all the replys. I have been reading a lot on here and recommended links. my friend is really passionate in wanting me to go straight to corny, and not bottle.


I really appreciate the recommendations for what to buy for my kit. I plan on posting cost of some used equipment that I may be buying from some folks who have gear and no longer brew.

I also may begin the process by buying a mini fridge and converting to keggerator, before I buy the brewing supplies. Is this silly should I walk before I run?

 

[capcrnch]

When I started, I wanted to stay with basics and work my way up, so I did bottle an im glad I did. I have a great selection of bottles now, so I always have a fall back (giving a 5 gallon corny as a Christmas gift is a pain in the ass, and expensive )

My mentality was just as you said.. Walk before run.

 

[Kegerator]

Welcome from another Michigan home brewer.
Start with the bottles so you can feel the pain every home brewer went through, then get a keging system so you can say how hard it was when you bottled.

 

[Mustangj]

Welcome.

I've brewed at Kuhnhenn brewery once.