New to brewwing wanted to say hello.

[Todd]

Hi everyone, I'm just getting into home brewing and came across the site. I'm looking forward to good times ahead.

Todd

 

[Todd]

I actually have a question while I am at it. I'm just now looking for a kit. I've read some articles and I feel pretty comfortable with the process. My question is about the equipment. Should the primary fermentor have a spigot? The sources I have seen use a siphon hose from the top?

I know the bottling buckets have a spigot but should the fermentor also?

http://www.brewbuddies.com/mojocart/dispproduct.cfm?prod_id=859

This is the kit I was looking into. Any thoughts?

 

[edost]

The primary fermentors don't have spigots & I assume this is because you want to leave your yeast and the other excess "stuff" in the fermenter when you rack it to your secondary or bottling bucket.

The bottling bucket has one because at that point it should be free of "gunk" and able to go straight into the bottles.

That looks like a basic brewkit to me. I started with something just like that, but I now bought a ton of other stuff too. If you think you're going to just go out and upgrade everything again, you might want to look at the deluxe kits at morebeer.com

I now have the plastic fermentor & 2 glass carboys and I'm going to upgrade my fermentor to a 6.5 gallon glass carboy in the near future.

 

[Todd]

Does the siphon not suck all the way down from the bottom? Now that I think about it that is what the racking tube is for right?

I'm new to this and just really learning, what is the benefit to the glass carboy compared to the bucket?

As long as I can brew some good beer with a basic kit I think I will be happy with this for a long time.

Thanks for the reply.

Todd

 

[Fatabbot]

As long as I can brew some good beer with a basic kit I think I will be happy with this for a long time.

That's what we all say.....

I've only been doing it for a month and have spent more dough than I ever imagined I would :rockin:

 

[Todd]

That's what we all say.....

I've only been doing it for a month and have spent more dough than I ever imagined I would :rockin:

I guess my question is why? What are you doing that a basic kit won't do? Am I wrong to think I can use the bottle bucket as a secondary fermentor?

how about this setup? http://www.homebrewers.com/product/STARTERWFERMENTER

This has the carboy and a bottle bucket. I want to get something that will do what I want, the problem is I'm not sure what I want. haha. Well I want good tasting beer, I tend to prefer dark beers if that matters. I'd also like to try and make some strawberry beer at some point for my wife.

I also don't have a lot of spare room so in that way more basic is better.

I appreciate all your input as to what to start out with.

 

[Cheesefood]

That's the same kit I bought. I've since added another bucket, a glass carboy, some more carb locks and other fun stuff.

 

[Blender]

Todd, that brewing kit is good enough to get started. You will need a nice kettle to boil the wort in though and I would recommed at least a 5 gallon pot.

 

[Fatabbot]

It's not that it won't work as basic equipment. It's just that you find other "toys" you want to buy.

You don't want to use the bottling bucket for a secondary for a couple of reasons. One is too much airspace. You want to limit extra airspace in the secondary. Part of the purpose of using a secondary is to clarify and let some sediment fall out. If you bottle directly out of the bucket that you've been using as a secondary, that kind of defeats the purpose.

Just get a glass carboy for a secondary. They're not all that expensive and will be worth it

 

[Cheesefood]

Todd, that brewing kit is good enough to get started. You will need a nice kettle to boil the wort in though and I would recommed at least a 5 gallon pot.

Here's a great deal from Target.

 

[Fatabbot]

I'd also like to point out that many people do not see the need to even use a secondary. I didn't use one on my first batch, and it turned out great.

 

[Cheesefood]

It's not that it won't work as basic equipment. It's just that you find other "toys" you want to buy.

You don't want to use the bottling bucket for a secondary for a couple of reasons. One is too much airspace. You want to limit extra airspace in the secondary. Part of the purpose of using a secondary is to clarify and let some sediment fall out. If you bottle directly out of the bucket that you've been using as a secondary, that kind of defeats the purpose.

Just get a glass carboy for a secondary. They're not all that expensive and will be worth it

I've been using one of these buckets as a secondary with no problem. However, I've been thinking about a new strategy.

Home Depot sells 5 gallon jugs of water for about $15 (or $5 if you return the bottle). I'm thinking that I could use the water to brew a new beer, then use the bottle as the secondary. When I'm done I'll just clean it out and return it for a new bottle.

 

[Todd]

That's the same kit I bought. I've since added another bucket, a glass carboy, some more carb locks and other fun stuff.

I get the feeling you guys brew A LOT!

Can you guys explain the purpose of the carboy? I understand it is a secondary but can't my bottle bucket work the same?

I have to admit I just saw Amber waves which opened my eyes to this whole process. So my only experience is watching the show.

Cheesefood what would you recomend to get?

wow thanks for all the replies already, I think I'm understanding. I see why the bucket is not good for a secondary. I'll try to get a kit with a carboy.

I have a monster stainless pot already, that should work fine right?

I appreciate all the info, I'm trying to read up on post so I don't ask all the same questions. I'm also going thru the faq.

Todd

 

[edost]

Can you guys explain the purpose of the carboy? I understand it is a secondary but can't my bottle bucket work the same?

That's a good question. I assume it would, but you're going to get into the classical debate of plastic vs. glass. The point of the secondary is to let the beer settle and mature. You can't see the settling through the white plastic, but I suppose if you were patient enough (unlike most of us) it might work.

I have a monster stainless pot already, that should work fine right?

Yep, I use a 22 quart stainless steel pot. Works great.

 

[Todd]

That's a good question. I assume it would, but you're going to get into the classical debate of plastic vs. glass. The point of the secondary is to let the beer settle and mature. You can't see the settling through the white plastic, but I suppose if you were patient enough (unlike most of us) it might work.

Ok more newb questions, the secondary still uses an air lock bubbler right? Do I still leave it till the bubble slows or is this strictly for clearing? If I'm drinking a dark beer I don't really care if it is clear. If I just stuck it in the bottle bucket for a week would that work?

I think I'm just going to get the base kit and play with it from there, it seems to pretty much do what I want and like stated the carboy is not that expensive if I later decide to try it. The kits that include them seem to have a lot of other stuff which adds to the price quite a bit.

 

[Brewno]

Hi Todd, and welcome.

I'm new to this also, as a matter of fact so new that I just bought my equipment this past Saturday and brewed my first batch. Everything seems to have gone well and you can read about it in a couple of posts I made in this forum down the page.

My kit is the plastic bucket variety also and before brewing my first batch I read and researched and all the information lead me to believe that the kit I was looking to buy would be fine, and it is.
However, I will give you my thoughts now, after brewing my first brew and now waiting for it to ferment.

Like I said, the kit is fine and worked out ok..."but"
The first thing I noticed, as I was washing my fermenting bucket, was that there was plastic shavings in there. Not a lot but a few from the cover. I could tell because the bucket is white and the cover is blue. This will happen from replacing and removing the cover. Not a big problem but something I feel I need to be aware of now.
The next thing was putting the cover on and how I thought that plugging a bottle would be easier.

I also had a thought about how careful I need to be not to scratch the inside of the bucket. It's easy to scratch plastic and not so easy to get bacteria out of the scratches. My final thought was when it was fermenting. I stuck my ear right up against the bucket and could hear a sound reminiscent of a running stream.
Damn, how I was wishing I could see it.

As for the other stuff? The grommet pushed through while putting my airlock in.
The hydrometer flask/tube was plastic and melted when I poured hot wort into it. All in all everything worked well enough and I could probably use it for a long while, but I can see that a little more money would have got me better equipment and better equipment means easier work. Easier work should mean better beer.

While I'm probably not going to upgrade anytime soon, while I was brewing I was already thinking about it. By the time I was half way done I knew I would.
Not seeing the ferment, having to pry the cover off the bucket to have a peek to see if it was doing ok in there and then having to force it back on, finalized my decision.

Tommy

 

[Blender]

Yep, you need an airlock on a secondary. You won't see much bubbling. I think you would be better just leaving it a primary for 2 weeks or so and transfer to bottling bucket because you will need to mix some priming sugar when bottling and that would bring up some uneeded trub.

 

[Todd]

Yep, you need an airlock on a secondary. You won't see much bubbling. I think you would be better just leaving it a primary for 2 weeks or so and transfer to bottling bucket because you will need to mix some priming sugar when bottling and that would bring up some uneeded trub.

Thanks again guys, this is really a lot to consider. I'm stoping by the local brew shop Saturday and I probably won't buy anything for a few weeks yet. I'll keep reading up. Brewno I did see your thread and was hoping I don't have the same issues.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Welcome....

 

[Brewno]

Thanks again guys, this is really a lot to consider. I'm stoping by the local brew shop Saturday and I probably won't buy anything for a few weeks yet. I'll keep reading up. Brewno I did see your thread and was hoping I don't have the same issues.

Todd, I'm still very new and very green. But what I suspect is that all beginners in this hobby have "issues." I suspect that they really turn out to be "non issues."

My batch smelled like beer when I took a whiff this morning and I suspect it will be fine. if not, then I would at least have learned something.
Any issues I might have had, again were really no issues. A first time experience, no momentum, no organization due to experience etc. It can only get easier.

Tommy

 

[mayday1019]

Hey There,

Good luck with the new hobby! I just took this up and am now enjoying my second beer. Its an Imperial Pale Ale and is wonderful! I love it and I owe a lot of my success to this site also. ENJOY!

I dont know if you've bought your kit yet, but I did alot of research on mine, and i found the Delux Starter Kit to bethe best on the internet. Its on this site:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/

Austin Homebrew also has a great selection of recipe kits and offers free shipping! Enjoy!

 

[Noldar]

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdBySubCat.aspx?SubCat=11166&fd=1

Is the kit I went for and love it so far. (though I'm already scouting a Thief and another Secondary or 3) 118 when you include Shipping and Handeling. Seems like a better buy then the 139.

 

[Levers101]

I say go with the most kit you can afford. I started brewing back in April and have two beers and a cider in bottles. I wish I had sprung for the Intermediate or Advanced Kits that are offered instead of buying my equipment piece by piece. I'm sure I've spend more than I would have. Although I didn't spend money on shipping my big equipment because I have a LHBS that sells mostly equipment.

You can do a secondary in a bottling bucket, but the problem I had with them was that I was using a 50 gallon rubbermaid tub as a water bath to moderate fermentation temperatures. I was worried about crappy water from the water bath leaking in through the spigot and contaminating my beer. So I went and got a glass carboy to replace my bottling bucket. Now what I do is sanitize my secondary carboy with Star San before I rack to secondary and pour this into my bottling bucket and let it sit for a couple weeks and I have ready made sanitizer for bottling.

I personally like to do a secondary, as its something more to do. It usually takes me most of an evening to sanitize everything and make the transfer and clean up. Also if I was to do only a longer primary I'd probably be drinking my beer when it was less than optimal. One and a half weeks (usually) in primary and 2 to 2 1/2 weeks in secondary plus 2 in bottles probably gives me a better finished product, as if I had only used a primary for like 2 weeks I'd be drinking my first brews in perhaps 3 weeks. Which most will say isn't enough time to age and get the best flavor in your beer.

Watch out... this hobby takes hold of you strongly. There is no turning back once you start. I've only done 2 beers and I've now got the equipment to lager and do massive yeast starters, plus everything else I have (but I don't have a hydrometer yet. lol).

 

[Todd]

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdBySubCat.aspx?SubCat=11166&fd=1

Is the kit I went for and love it so far. (though I'm already scouting a Thief and another Secondary or 3) 118 when you include Shipping and Handeling. Seems like a better buy then the 139.

This kit looks good. I'm not sure though, do you use the fermentor bucket for primary, then the 6.5 carboy for secondary and then the 5 gal carboy again?

It seems there are two primaries, or am I mistaken that the secondary should be 5 gallon? Like I said I still have a lot to learn.

Edit: Do you all know if this intermediate kit would include everything I need to make wine as well? I've looked at some wine brew kits and they appear to be virtually the same as the beer brew kit. Depending on how exactly I use the carboys with this kit I might still need an extra one to do wine while the beer is going.

Thanks

 

[edost]

The 6.5 glass carboy replaces your bucket as the fermentor. You want the extra space for blow-off room. When you move it to the secondary, you want as little room for air as possible so you use the 5 gallon glass carboy.

I wish I had purchased the best kit midwest sells. I got most everything from my LHBS and am in the midst of upgrading everything. I went straight to kegging so I didn't have to worry about bottling, but you may prefer to bottle. I am going to be getting a glass 6.5 gallon carboy this week to replace my bucket and then I'm pretty much at that kit. I absolutely spent more than what they are selling it for.

 

[Todd]

Thank you everyone for the equipment help.

Now onto the important stuff. ha. In How to brew he suggests using just the primary for the first brew and to use a pale ale. I was hoping to do a porter or dark ale for my first batch. I think he was saying they take more finess than a pale ale. Any input or advice? How about the beer kits from midwest? Should I try to get the brew supplies from the lhbs?

 

[Fatabbot]

Thank you everyone for the equipment help.

Now onto the important stuff. ha. In How to brew he suggests using just the primary for the first brew and to use a pale ale. I was hoping to do a porter or dark ale for my first batch. I think he was saying they take more finess than a pale ale. Any input or advice? How about the beer kits from midwest? Should I try to get the brew supplies from the lhbs?

I've brewed a stout. No more challenging than the PA I made....

 

[Blender]

Thank you everyone for the equipment help.

Now onto the important stuff. ha. In How to brew he suggests using just the primary for the first brew and to use a pale ale. I was hoping to do a porter or dark ale for my first batch. I think he was saying they take more finess than a pale ale. Any input or advice? How about the beer kits from midwest? Should I try to get the brew supplies from the lhbs?

It's not that complicated. Make a brew that you like and want to drink.

 

[edost]

Just to add to what Palmer was saying. I didn't have a secondary when I first started, so I just kept it in the primary. I think I kept it in there for 2 weeks and then straight into the keg (bottles if you're doing that).

 

[Todd]

Thanks guys, so what about the mail order kits? I was thinking of getting the equipment kit from I think Midwest, they have alot of beer kits as well. Are they of good quality or would local be best?