Midwest supplies

[RM-MN]

Why not just use it as another primary. That way it isn't going to waste. Then you turn a mistake into more Beer. I think everyone (including you) would appreciate that.

I have used it as a fermenter but its capacity is 5 gallons which means that I can't use it for a 5 gallon batch without having the krausen blow off. I also found it to be much less friendly for cleaning. With my buckets, I have a huge opening where I can stick my hand in with a sponge and gently wipe the krausen ring off. The bucket all come with nice handles for moving them to the location I want for fermenting which is up a flight of stairs from where I brew. Have you ever considered carrying a full glass carboy up a flight of stairs? That heavy, fragile, slippery thing is just an accident waiting to happen. If I drop a plastic bucket I just get to clean up the mess of wort, no blood involved.

 

[RM-MN]

My kit came with a hydrometer but no theif or tube for checking gravity. One of those is a very good idea. The alternative is no reading or checking your levels in the wort which just saying probably made everyone reading this cringe.

My kit came with one temp strip and three potential fermenters. Ill have to buy more strips I guess.

My kit came with a 5 gallon stock pot. I think the SS is about paper thin. One boil and the lid is warped. Very very cheap. Ill be buying a nice new SS pot soon.

I use the plastic tube that the hydrometer comes in to check the gravities. It's pretty much the same size as the hydrometer so it doesn't take much wort to get a reading. The down side is that the base of it is small so it isn't very stable. I'll be making a base for it to sit in soon.

With 4 potential fermenters and the difficulty I had with reading the stick on fermometers, I replaced them with a non-contact IR thermometer. It didn't cost much more than the 4 plastic strips and I can read the temperature of all fermenters without getting down on my knees and I can do if from across the room if I choose. It is also much more accurate and I can use it for lots of other measurements.

You should never boil the wort with the lid on the pot. You need to let the steam escape and you may need to boil off a compound known as DMS which can leave you with beer that tastes like canned corn. I put the lid on to help bring the temperature up to near boiling but remove it as the boil nears. That also helps avoid a boil-over.

 

[Pickettj]

I use the plastic tube that the hydrometer comes in to check the gravities. It's pretty much the same size as the hydrometer so it doesn't take much wort to get a reading. The down side is that the base of it is small so it isn't very stable. I'll be making a base for it to sit in soon.

With 4 potential fermenters and the difficulty I had with reading the stick on fermometers, I replaced them with a non-contact IR thermometer. It didn't cost much more than the 4 plastic strips and I can read the temperature of all fermenters without getting down on my knees and I can do if from across the room if I choose. It is also much more accurate and I can use it for lots of other measurements.

You should never boil the wort with the lid on the pot. You need to let the steam escape and you may need to boil off a compound known as DMS which can leave you with beer that tastes like canned corn. I put the lid on to help bring the temperature up to near boiling but remove it as the boil nears. That also helps avoid a boil-over.

Yeah, I know about the lid thing. I didn't have a choice. My oven wasn't having it. I had a good rolling non-boil but in order to get a boil I had to put the lid on. I'm searching for a turkey fryer so I can use it instead. In the meantime it's either the stove or the side burner on the grill but I don't think that side burner has enough **** behind it.

The hydrometer that comes with the kits now doesn't have a tube. It has a two piece rectangular storage container that is a little more than half the length of the hydrometer itself so using it isn't an option.

Ill have to look in to ir, I hadn't even thought about that.

 

[doubletapbrewing]

https://bellsbeer.com/store/products/Deluxe-Homebrewing-Gift-Set.html

found this awesome deal. way cheaper for the same kit, compared the 2 myself. It also comes with a few other things that the midwest supplies one does not. Shipping is also way cheaper! Ordering this one now!

 

[doubletapbrewing]

quick question for some more experienced brewers. Do you guys strain your wort before putting it into the primary fermenter?

 

[masterfool101]

https://bellsbeer.com/store/products/Deluxe-Homebrewing-Gift-Set.html

found this awesome deal. way cheaper for the same kit, compared the 2 myself. It also comes with a few other things that the midwest supplies one does not. Shipping is also way cheaper! Ordering this one now!

That's not the same kit . .. at least, not the one you linked to. It doesn't have the kettle. It comes with a plastic "better bottle", as opposed to a glass carboy (not a huge change, but the glass carboy is more durable and, IMO, easier to clean). No carboy brush.

It DOES have a brewhauler, which is great for moving the carboy full of beer. It comes with a book, which is good - but I'd still buy Palmer's "How to Brew."

So basically, for $25 less, you're not getting the kettle, and you're not getting a glass carboy, but you are getting a brewhauler and a book.

To me, the midwest deal is better bang for your buck . . . but I still think you can do better at a LHBS after shipping costs are added in.

 

[unionrdr]

I was concidering adding this to my FV's; http://www.midwestsupplies.com/stopper-thermowell.html
Just cut a hole in the plastic FV's lid for the stopper. Radio Shack has a cheap digital probe thermometer I've seen the BBQ Pit Boys use IN the bbq with no ill effects for cheap. Well,the probe & wire part anyway. But it can be kept handy to drop the probe down into the thermowell in each FV for a temp reading. Seems like a better idea to me anyway. What say you??

 

[masterfool101]

I was concidering adding this to my FV's; http://www.midwestsupplies.com/stopper-thermowell.html
Just cut a hole in the plastic FV's lid for the stopper. Radio Shack has a cheap digital probe thermometer I've seen the BBQ Pit Boys use IN the bbq with no ill effects for cheap. Well,the probe & wire part anyway. But it can be kept handy to drop the probe down into the thermowell in each FV for a temp reading. Seems like a better idea to me anyway. What say you??

I've thought about those. . . but I figure it won't do ME any good until I get an area in my house that I can better control the temperature anyhow. After all, what good is knowing you're beer's too hot if you can't do a damn thing about it

 

[F250]

It seems like a good kit, but I still recomend the Monster Brew one to everybody. Saying that though, I order pretty much all my supplies from Midwest. I hate those white lids from midwest!!

You know that's actually a really good pirce on that kit....

Yes. I caught a good price on the Monster Brew premium kit on Amazon. It comes with about everything you need sans brew kettle and sanitizer. 6 gallon carboy, bottling bucket, capper, hydrometer, racking cane, B-Brite, bottle filler, fermometer and 3 piece bubbler.

Rick

 

[doubletapbrewing]

That's not the same kit . .. at least, not the one you linked to. It doesn't have the kettle. It comes with a plastic "better bottle", as opposed to a glass carboy (not a huge change, but the glass carboy is more durable and, IMO, easier to clean). No carboy brush.

It DOES have a brewhauler, which is great for moving the carboy full of beer. It comes with a book, which is good - but I'd still buy Palmer's "How to Brew."

So basically, for $25 less, you're not getting the kettle, and you're not getting a glass carboy, but you are getting a brewhauler and a book.

To me, the midwest deal is better bang for your buck . . . but I still think you can do better at a LHBS after shipping costs are added in.

Ok, you are right, not the exact kit, but very similar.

You are correct that it does not have a kettle, but I calculated that I would spend $230ish for the midwest supplies kit. For the bells kit I will be paying $168 and some change plus a 5 gallon pot (lets call it $50 for a good one). The reviews I have seen for the pot from midwest supplies have said that the pot is cheap and not very durable.

You are right that it lacks a carboy brush but i dont think that will be very expensive, maybe 5 bucks.

Bells Kit cost- $215ish
Midwest Supplies- $230ish

Not a huge savings but it is saving some money. And I also get a few extras that I do not get with the Midwest Supplies. I would love to go to a homebrew store and get all the supplies, it is just a matter of going over there and I still am not so sure that I will always be getting the best deal from them.

 

[masterfool101]

You are correct in that you can get a better kettle cheaper near your house. Actually, I usually recommend going to home depot (or a similar store) and buying a turkey frier. Now that the holidays are over, they're usually on sale - you can get a good burner and 30 Qt (7.5 gallon) aluminum kettle for around $40. Just make sure to boil water in the kettle PRIOR to brewing for about an hour, to get a good oxidation layer, and NEVER use the kettle for anything other than brewing beer.

I don't disagree that everything else is pretty similar, so if it saves you $$, it's a good deal.

 

[doubletapbrewing]

You are correct in that you can get a better kettle cheaper near your house. Actually, I usually recommend going to home depot (or a similar store) and buying a turkey frier. Now that the holidays are over, they're usually on sale - you can get a good burner and 30 Qt (7.5 gallon) aluminum kettle for around $40. Just make sure to boil water in the kettle PRIOR to brewing for about an hour, to get a good oxidation layer, and NEVER use the kettle for anything other than brewing beer.

I don't disagree that everything else is pretty similar, so if it saves you $$, it's a good deal.

Do you mean just the first time, or everytime I brew a batch. I was under the impression that you have to boil the water to get it to temperature before adding the ingredients to make the wort. I am a newb so I am truly wondering.

 

[unionrdr]

Only the first time,& 30 minutes is fine. And don't clean the oxide layer off,or you'll have to boil it on again.

 

[doubletapbrewing]

Only the first time,& 30 minutes is fine. And don't clean the oxide layer off,or you'll have to boil it on again.

So I do not have to sanitize my boil pot before every brew?

 

[doubletapbrewing]

Only the first time,& 30 minutes is fine. And don't clean the oxide layer off,or you'll have to boil it on again.

So I don't sanitize my brew pot before every batch?

Also, I still have to get the water to like 168 before I add ingredients correct?

Sorry if these questions are dumb, there is just so much info that I am trying to keep it all straight.

 

[unionrdr]

Just keep the BK clean & the boil will sanitize it for you. Pasteurization happens about 162F,so even 168F for sparge water temp would do it. Steeping between 150-165F is a good,normal range. Otherwise, getting the steeped wort past the hot break on the way up to boiling before adding anything will help a lil.

 

[BrewKid]

Ball lock kegs $39.99 (limit two) for today only!!!!

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,caught that in my E-mail. Hope some of you can take advantage of it.

 

[grem135]

I was concidering adding this to my FV's; http://www.midwestsupplies.com/stopper-thermowell.html
Just cut a hole in the plastic FV's lid for the stopper. Radio Shack has a cheap digital probe thermometer I've seen the BBQ Pit Boys use IN the bbq with no ill effects for cheap. Well,the probe & wire part anyway. But it can be kept handy to drop the probe down into the thermowell in each FV for a temp reading. Seems like a better idea to me anyway. What say you??

I though of just drilling my FV lid and use a rubber grommet, sanitize my my dial thermometer and stick it through the grommet. I use a swamp cooler to keep temps down.

 

[BrewKid]

Yeah,caught that in my E-mail. Hope some of you can take advantage of it.

Yep I got 1!!!

No room for 2 quite yet. But this is a good start.

 

[unionrdr]

I though of just drilling my FV lid and use a rubber grommet, sanitize my my dial thermometer and stick it through the grommet. I use a swamp cooler to keep temps down.

The thermowell comes with the bung needed to install it. Just drill a hole the right size in the center of the lid for the bung the thermowell comes with. I'm thinking a grommet wouldn't be needed for it. But a temp probe dial type has that lil plastic tip on it that'd have to fit through the grommet. Since it's bigger in diameter than the probe wand itself,that kind would leak.

 

[logan3825]

My personal recommendation would be to start with this starter kit from Northern Brewer along with their Brewery Essentials Gravity Testing Kit. Their starter kit gives you a better capper. That combo gives you everything you need for about $120ish depending on shipping.($94+ shipping) That gives you about $80 to spend on something like a decent sized pot(or turkey fryer with pot) and possibly a wort chiller.

 

[logan3825]

and I wouldn't buy empty bottles. Just force yourself to drink a couple of cases of beer with pry off tops. Not all at once of course and not when you have to drive.

 

[Whippy]

Ball lock kegs $39.99 (limit two) for today only!!!!

Wow, thanks for this tip! I just happened to be in the market for kegs. Fate brought me to your post and I picked up two...nice deal!

 

[doubletapbrewing]

Just saw that the Bell's site also has 5% off your order through the end of the year. I think that has me sold on it. Gives me a few extra dollars to buy the brew pot and the carboy brush that it is missing. Will also probably pick up some star-san for good measure.

 

[unionrdr]

Def get the starsan,it's the best! I bought an 8oz bottle of it 2 years ago,& only used about a 1/2" out of it so far. That stuff lasts forever made with distilled water. I also use a jug,funnel,& coffee filters to filter mine after a session. Less cloudy that way.

 

[doubletapbrewing]

Def get the starsan,it's the best! I bought an 8oz bottle of it 2 years ago,& only used about a 1/2" out of it so far. That stuff lasts forever made with distilled water. I also use a jug,funnel,& coffee filters to filter mine after a session. Less cloudy that way.

How long do you keep a batch of star san?

 

[unionrdr]

I use a batch for 2 months,occasionally 3. As long as the PH is 3 or lower,it's still good. Cloudiness has nothing to do with the PH. Craigtube did a video on it. A member on here did too.

 

[Pickettj]

To me, the midwest deal is better bang for your buck . . . but I still think you can do better at a LHBS after shipping costs are added in.

That's what I thought. The sad thing is that even considering shipping cost, the Midwest kit that I got was $40 cheaper. The LHBS's comparable kit doesn't have a brew kettle, bottles, an ingredient kit...But hey, you get a free ($20 value) how to brew class that you have to drive for an hour and 20 minutes both ways to take. It also has 50% off ($15-20 value) your first ingredient kit and their kits don't come with yeast. Take a look. When I did the math, i ended up saving by paying for shipping.

http://www.greatfermentations.com/Deluxe-Brewing-Kit/productinfo/GF020/

 

[vogtenstein222]

Would this be worthwhile?
I don't have propane running in my house but if I were to go get a propane tank like for a grill....would that last me a while?
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-30-qt-Turkey-Fryer/202038907