Is this all I need?

[thezepster]

Doin my first all-grain in a couple of weeks and need to buy the equipment. I already have a 7 gal turkey fryer but thats it. This is a list of everything that I need to buy. Am i missing anything?

All-grain kit (Milled w/ wyeast)
Mash tun (Cooler,braided hose - home depot)
High temperature hose (3/8” x 10ft?)
6.5g carboy
Drilled carboy stopper
Airlock
Auto-siphon/racking cane
Starsan
oxiclean
Blowoff hose (1&#8221
Mash paddle
Hop bags
Hydrometer

I am planning on purchasing everything from the northern brewer site. They seem reliable and just a tad cheaper than AHS. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[Sreidy12]

Lookin like you have a pretty good list going. Northern Brewer is awesome, very reliable. Best of luck with your first AG!

 

[thezepster]

I changed my mind. AHS is offering a free stainless 20 qt stock pot with their deluxe beer making equipment kit. has anyone bought this kit? what else would I need to purchase along with it?

 

[944play]

Immersion chiller.

 

[thezepster]

Immersion chiller.

got it.

with the kit im going to get the AHS 1492 pale ale. I dont plan on making a starter, but ive heard that its a good idea to use 2 smack packs instead of 1. is that necessary?

 

[vhampyre]

Are two smack packs necessary? No. You can probably get away with one.

Good idea? Yes, especially if you aren't making a starter.

It's probabilities. Making a starter gives a solid head start, as you want your wort overwhelmed and taken over by your yeast- not something random (and worse yet, not yeast).

If you don't use a starter, liquid yeasts have lower cell counts in solution, so using a starter or 2 smacks just helps increase your odds.

Personally, I like to tilt the odds as far as I can in my favor, while being as cheap as reasonably possible. I'd use 1 and make a starter- it isn't tough to do.

 

[dummkauf]

I strongly recommend one of these over the drilled stoppers: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/small-universal-carboy-bung-drilled.html

Once you sanitize the stopper with starsan that little bastard is too slippery to stick in, those drilled bungs will slide out a little bit, but I've never had one pop out.

Alternatively, you could always tape the drilled stopper on, I have 2 of those I got when I first started, tried to use them once, and have been using the rubber bungs ever since.

 

[JJL]

with the kit im going to get the AHS 1492 pale ale. I dont plan on making a starter, but ive heard that its a good idea to use 2 smack packs instead of 1. is that necessary?

If you aren't making a starter, 2 packs will likely start your fermentation faster. If you only pitch 1 pack without a starter, make sure you aerate well and be prepared that you may not see much activity for as long as a couple of days.

I'd recommend a starter, since it really only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish to get one going the day before you brew. You could smack the wyeast in the morning before work and let it swell all day, then make the starter that evening. By the next morning your starter will be ready to pitch.

 

[thezepster]

alright im gonna take the advice and make a starter. thanks for the input guys

 

[jgln]

I immediately thought of the ending to the movie “The Jerk” with Steve Martin when I saw you title.

 

[Shepherd5]

Also, you will need a thermometer!


I recently did my first all-grain, and here is what I recommend for you:

I also recommend getting Whirlfloc tablets, drop one in last 15 minutes of the boil.

Lay out your hops and such in the order you will be adding to your boil

When you choose an immersion chiller, make sure it is a good one. You want to get the wart temperature down to pitching temp as fast as you can.

As far as your boiling kettle goes, your preboil volume for a 5 gallon batch of all-grain brew can be as much as 7-8 gallons for higher gravity beers, so choose accordingly. I recommend a minimum of ten gallons for your kettle size, with a ball valve.

A five gallon pot is good for heating up your sparge water, so i guess you could use your 7 gallon fry pot for that.

I found that I don't need a kettle mounted thermometer, and it was easy for me to just use a floating thermometer. (that is if money is an issue)

You may also consider using hop bags for your hops additions to reduce the amount of trub in your wart.

I will be installing a boil screen in my boil kettle next time to help filter out solids.

Just my .02, hope that helps!

 

[thezepster]

I also recommend getting Whirlfloc tablets, drop one in last 15 minutes of the boil.

What exactly will this do?

As far as your boiling kettle goes, your preboil volume for a 5 gallon batch of all-grain brew can be as much as 7-8 gallons for higher gravity beers, so choose accordingly. I recommend a minimum of ten gallons for your kettle size, with a ball valve.

A five gallon pot is good for heating up your sparge water, so i guess you could use your 7 gallon fry pot for that.

I havent done my boiloff measurement yet, but lets just say it is 1g/hr. I would have to have 6.5g starting, right? is a half gallon of headspace in the kettle enough space for the hot break? I dont want to go buy a 10g kettle if I can do without. Here's what my plans were:

1. Mash
2. run first runnings into bucket once runoff is clear/start heating sparge in kettle
3. batch sparge when first runnings are ALMOST done emptying into bucket (pour slowly)
4. empty first runnings from bucket into kettle and start heat for boil
5. empty second runnings into kettle and boil
etc...

 

[Shepherd5]

Whirlflock tablets will help clarify your beer. I used it in my first AG and it was crystal clear.

As far as your kettle size, you can get by with the 7 gal for normal gravity beers, but if you want to brew a higher alcohol beer, your preboil volume can be as much as 7 to 8 gallons in some cases. Just FYI

With 1/2 gallon of headspace in your pot, you will have to keep a good eye on it at all times during the boil.