New guy here. kit help

[TravNasty]

Ive been stalking this site for a while and have decided to start home brewing. Ive been surfing the online stores looking for a starter brewing kit but on these forums i saw alot of people recommending buying equipment from other home brewers. I live in Yuma, az. Small city that doesnt have any home brewers as far as i know. So i went on craigslist for phoenix and found an vague ad selling this:

"I have the tower for a single and triple dispensing system. I also have ball locks for corny kegs which is integrated into system, standard keg, and imports. I have nitrogen and co2 tanks. Guinness tap handles and others. I will even included my home brewing system. Need to sell."

I would like to go straight to kegging...i assume this guy would have all the correct kegging equipment but does anyone have a recommended checklist of everything i would need.

thanks guys/gals

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

To start all you really need is a big A pot, a big A spoon, and something to ferment in. All the rest of the stuff is only essential when you decide it is.
In theory you could even ferment in the big A pot.

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Then you will want a thermometer and a hydrometer. Next you will want another hydrometer because you brooke the first one and another thermometer because the first one isn't even close to being accurate. You will want an auto- siphon, you don't need it, but you will want it. You will want some sanitizer, so you don't have to rinse out clorox for 45 minutes...

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

...If you want to do full boils you will need a turkey fryer or a commercial stove, the old kenmore four burner will get six gallons boiling in like, twelve hours...

...better get a bigger pot...

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

...fermenter is full? Crap! You can't brew for a couple weeks. Need to buy more fermentors...

...so you decide to make a big barleywine but you don't want to tie up a keg for a year? Now you need bottles, caps, and a capper...

...btw, the car is never going in the garage again...

 

[airdog_47]

If you want to go straight into kegging is what you asking...

Regulator for the Co2 tank

Co2 Tank ( you usally get these from welding shops but it's cheaper if you already have one.

Keg connectors for out side or dispensing side should be all black

Keg connectors for gas side usually gray connectors.

A shank for hooking beer line before faucet. Unless using party tap which is just a dispensing connector hooked to line with a party faucet on other end.

A beer faucet.

Lines you will probally end up buying new for what ever reason, you could always salvage the red gas line but I would recommend installing new beer lines who knows the last time he cleaned them or they have been sitting.

Kegs with (lids, posts and dip tubes)

This is it for kegging pretty simple really....

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Oh. Did I misunderstand the question? Yes you need that stuff too. I just thought you needed beer first.

 

[CBXBob]

I would like to go straight to kegging...i assume this guy would have all the correct kegging equipment but does anyone have a recommended checklist of everything i would need.

thanks guys/gals

Keg
CO2 tank
Regulator
tap
cooler for keg
That is the basic list, and it looks like he has it all, now it just comes down to price

 

[chessking]

Oh. Did I misunderstand the question? Yes you need that stuff too. I just thought you needed beer first.

+1 You need the beer first before you worry about tower dispensers and nitrogen systems. Why not bottle for a while to get up to speed.

 

[TravNasty]

+1 You need the beer first before you worry about tower dispensers and nitrogen systems. Why not bottle for a while to get up to speed.

Probably what i should do, but looking at how great of a deal this could potentially be i might splurge. A 3 spout kegerator with nitro and co2 tanks. guinness, domestic, european, and cornie couplers. 3 kegs, and what he claims "all the basic to advance all grain brewing equipment."

 

[amandabab]

I wouldn't drop a lot of money on used equipment to start. You havn't brewed beer or used the equipment so evaluating its condition is going to be hard.

you'll never have all the equipment you need, ever. I doesn't happen.

Buy a new sub-$100 starter kit from the vendor with the best deal.
all the basic stuff you need to brew.

bottle 1-2 if you have too

then Buy a new/reconditioned sub-$200 keg starter kit from the vendor with the best deal
all the basic stuff to just get kegging done, but you can add later.