New From Central PA

[AlanS]

Hello all. My girlfriend's parents bought me a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas this year, since brewing has been something I've been talking about for quite a while. Needless to say, December 26th I brewed my first batch, the West Coast Pale Ale that my kit came with (carbonating in bottles as we speak). I promised myself that I'd brew at least 2-3 more Mr. Beer kits before I graduated into the 'big boy' world of homebrewing, but that lasted all of a week... It turns out, somebody I work with used to homebrew, and has a full setup that he hasn't used for 15 years. He's selling me everything he has at a steal, so I couldn't say no. For the past few years I've been reading about, and most importantly, drinking beers, to see what I like, and what I'd want to create. I plan on jumping in with both feet in the coming months, and seeing what trouble I can get myself into. From what I've read, and now experienced, I have a feeling that I'm going to be quite addicted...

 

[WCrane]

welcome from the east side of the state. sounds like your on that slippery slope already.. enjoy it!

 

[brewslut]

Welcome to HBT! Enter your Mr.Beer beer in the Final Gravity Podcast 1st annual Mr Beer Challenge. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f20/1st-annual-mr-beer-challenge-207439/

 

[AlanS]

Thanks for the welcome. I'd think about the Mr. Beer contest, but it's just the West Coast Pale Ale kit that came with the kit itself, nothing special.

On a different note...

Two carboys, bucket, spout, bottling wand, hydrometer, thermometer, two cases of 20oz. bottles, various tubing, airlocks etc.

The only thing I need to brew the BB Kolsch I picked up from the LHBS is a brewpot. Any recommendations? :runs off to search on the site:

 

[smf]

Hey Alan...welcome from Mount Joy. I assume you are extract brewing. Check out Boscovs, they run sales quite regularly on their stainless stock pots. A friend of mine just picked up a 16 or 20 Qt pot for under $30. They aren't heavy duty, but they work just fine and they are cheap.

I bought mine at Wal-Mart years ago. Also not heavy duty, but dozens of batches later it's still working just fine.

Who's your LHBS? If you get down towards York, check out Mr. Steve's. He even has a free Tips Class going tomorrow morning if you are interested. His supplies were picked clean right after the holidays but he's stocked back up.

http://www.mrsteves.com/BrewClasses.aspx


Scott

 

[AlanS]

You're correct, the next kit I'm trying is an extract kit. As far as my LHBS, I went to Scotzin Bros. in Lemoyne. It was a pretty cool place. I saw Mr. Steve's on some Google searches, but it seems like Scotzin's will have pretty much everything I'll need, without the 45 min. drive to York.

I'll be on the lookout for a pot, I pass by a Boscov's almost every other day. Don't know why I didn't think about that place, they have a huge kitchen section...

 

[K5MOW]

WOW and welcome to the forum.

Roger

 

[AlanS]

^ The real 'WOW' is that my co-worker sold me all you see there for $100.

 

[mhenry41h]

Greetings from Harrisburg!

 

[smf]

I need to meet your friends. Just the two carboys are worth close to $80

 

[AlanS]

Check out Boscovs, they run sales quite regularly on their stainless stock pots. A friend of mine just picked up a 16 or 20 Qt pot for under $30. They aren't heavy duty, but they work just fine and they are cheap.

A+ advice right here. Look what I picked up last night...

http://www.boscovs.com/StoreFrontWe...pe=Product&assortmentDepartmentNumber=7052245

That's right, a 20qt. stockpot for $9.99...

 

[WCrane]

Got to love Boscov's pick the same one up when I started. Unfortunately didn't work with my ceramic top, so I made it a mash tun for mashing in the oven, now its my HLT.

 

[mhenry41h]

I bought a 40 qt aluminum from amazon for around 50 bucks. I like to think boil overs will be minimized for 5 gallon batches in that big boy.

 

[Fbooth]

Greeting fellow Central Pa. I'm from Altoona. Just started brewing as well. I think I'm addicted.

 

[Mobius570]

Welcome from your neighbor to the north (well Bloomsburg anyways). Awesome deal on the equipment and pot!

 

[gestyr]

You're correct, the next kit I'm trying is an extract kit. As far as my LHBS, I went to Scotzin Bros. in Lemoyne. It was a pretty cool place. I saw Mr. Steve's on some Google searches, but it seems like Scotzin's will have pretty much everything I'll need, without the 45 min. drive to York.

I'll be on the lookout for a pot, I pass by a Boscov's almost every other day. Don't know why I didn't think about that place, they have a huge kitchen section...

Scotzin's is a good store but their hours are very limited. Also, watch out where you park. If you park in the wrong spot they will yell at you.

 

[AlanS]

That's the truth. I circled the place twice because I swore I missed the parking lot. Because their hours are so odd, everybody else was there at the same time, and the parking situation was nuts. My sister lives in York, maybe I could incorporate a visit to Mr. Steve's sometime...

 

[AlanS]

I require a wort chiller...

45 minutes to cool the other night left me quite unamused...

 

[smf]

This is the place to find everything you ever wanted to know about making your own....but 45 min to chill a partial boil...not too bad. I screwed up my first by dumping 2-3 gallons of 200F wort into 55F water and ended up with 5 gallons of really hot wort that took forever to cool. Lesson learned.
I normally use the cooling time to get my fermenter, funnel and other stuff sanitized and ready. Then I clean up what I can from the boil. By the time I'm done that, it's cooled and ready to go in the fermenter. You eventually get in a rhythm that works for you and makes the best use of your time.