Hi folks-
I put on my wish list this year a 'brewing kit' and my lovely wife picked me up a Mr. Beer. With my first batch fermenting, I'm already looking wider and deeper. I'm a bit of a luddite - bamboo fly rods, old British motorcycles - and I think I'd like to get to AG brewing at some point. The beer options here in Jerusalem are limited at best, and while there are a few decent microbrews they do not do the seasonal ales that I like so much. So I think I'm in this for the long haul...
Therein lies my question. If I enjoy this as much as I think I will, should I get a kit, or should I purchase items individually? My options are limited - I'm posted overseas - so things need to either be sent DPO/APO by USPS or pay extremely high prices (and questionable quality) at my LHBS over an hour away in Tel Aviv (it seems they speak Hebrew and Russian). Ultimately, I don't see needing to brew more than 5 gal of finished beer at any given time, and I'll be bottling everything (as opposed to kegging).
I've looked at the Deluxe #4 kit from MoreBeer (Personal Home Brewery #4 - Bottling Super Deluxe | MoreBeer), but from poking around the forums it seems like I might need a 10 gal pot if I'm going to (eventually) do AG. And is it necessary to have the 'notch' taken out of the pot for the wort cooler? The Deluxe equipment kit from Rebel Brewer (Deluxe Equipment Kit - Rebel Brewer) also looks good, and maybe is more flexible? Thoughts?
I appreciate any advice you all have, and I look forward to experimenting!
Ken
I put on my wish list this year a 'brewing kit' and my lovely wife picked me up a Mr. Beer. With my first batch fermenting, I'm already looking wider and deeper. I'm a bit of a luddite - bamboo fly rods, old British motorcycles - and I think I'd like to get to AG brewing at some point. The beer options here in Jerusalem are limited at best, and while there are a few decent microbrews they do not do the seasonal ales that I like so much. So I think I'm in this for the long haul...
Therein lies my question. If I enjoy this as much as I think I will, should I get a kit, or should I purchase items individually? My options are limited - I'm posted overseas - so things need to either be sent DPO/APO by USPS or pay extremely high prices (and questionable quality) at my LHBS over an hour away in Tel Aviv (it seems they speak Hebrew and Russian). Ultimately, I don't see needing to brew more than 5 gal of finished beer at any given time, and I'll be bottling everything (as opposed to kegging).
I've looked at the Deluxe #4 kit from MoreBeer (Personal Home Brewery #4 - Bottling Super Deluxe | MoreBeer), but from poking around the forums it seems like I might need a 10 gal pot if I'm going to (eventually) do AG. And is it necessary to have the 'notch' taken out of the pot for the wort cooler? The Deluxe equipment kit from Rebel Brewer (Deluxe Equipment Kit - Rebel Brewer) also looks good, and maybe is more flexible? Thoughts?
I appreciate any advice you all have, and I look forward to experimenting!
Ken
