Newb from Michigan

[cglkaptc]

Hello all,

Just getting into homebrew, been reading up on everything there is to know, been learning a lot from this site, and I think I am ready to buy a kit. There is a place in where my parents live called The Jolly Jug, and next time I go to visit them I was going to stop and get this kit: http://shop.thejollyjug.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=15&categoryId=7

Has anyone used this kit before? If not does anybody have any other suggestions. I like this one because it is relativly cheaper than other ones I've seen (I am a budgeted college student) and I don't have to pay shipping and handling.

Any suggestions will help!

 

[RICLARK]

Welcome from another Michigan brewer, there are quite of bit of us on here, That kist is the exact same I started with, and it does the job just fine, Where in Michigan are you from?

 

[Revvy]

Hello all,

Just getting into homebrew, been reading up on everything there is to know, been learning a lot from this site, and I think I am ready to buy a kit. There is a place in where my parents live called The Jolly Jug, and next time I go to visit them I was going to stop and get this kit: http://shop.thejollyjug.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=15&categoryId=7

Has anyone used this kit before? If not does anybody have any other suggestions. I like this one because it is relativly cheaper than other ones I've seen (I am a budgeted college student) and I don't have to pay shipping and handling.

Any suggestions will help!

It looks fairly complete for a starter set...I don't know if they're giving you an auto siphon or just a racking cane.... but you do get a hydrometer which is a must.

I think I'd make sure to get an auto siphon, racking and siphoning is a pain without it...and I would personally also get a winetheif to draw the liguid out of the fermentor and I drop my hydrometer into it for gravity readings.

All in all it looks like it'sll do the job and get you started in this great hobb....er I mean obsession. You can pick up other tools and gizmos as you refine your process and get a few brews under your belt.

For example for me it became obvious that I didn't like the floating thermometer that came with my kit, my 5 gallon brew pot is wide and shallow and even with 3 gallons of wort in it, it didn't float that well, so I picked up a long clip on kitchen type with a dial.

As I get older I'm noticing that my hands are not as strong as they use to be or I'm getting arthritus...I was finding it harder to get the lid off the darn fermentor, so last week I picked up a tool specially designed for it.

I find a long, cheap wallpaper soaking tray indespensible for sanitizing anything long, like my autosiphon and brewing spoon. I got it for 4 bucks at the neighborhood hardware store.

In other words, you don't have to have all the bell's and whistles to start brewing good, beer (hell they used to brew in openbuckets in the old days)...as you refine your process and learn more...and as you have the cash, you can add stuff that you need...and get rid of stuff from your kit that you don't (For example I rarely use either a bottle brush or carboy brush...most everything i use gets clean with just a long soak in warm water and oxyclean.

Also don't hesitate to utilize the local hardware store and dollar store to pick up things too... Why pay 9 or more bucks from the LHBS or Online for a big wire strainer or a Funnel when you can find the exact same thing at the dollor store or harware store for several bucks less.

Good luck and have fun! And if you got questions this is the place to ask! Oh yeah and welcome to the board, fellow michander...er michiganian...whateverthe heck we call ourselves.

 

[cglkaptc]

I am from Kalamazoo

 

[RICLARK]

Ya, that kit has a racking cane, but as long as your careful you wont break it, and later on when you get some extra cash you can pick up an auto siphon

 

[phate727]

You go to school in Kalamazoo? I am a student at WMU =):rockin:

 

[capcrnch]

Welcome to another Michigan guy!

 

[Flyin' Lion]

Welcome to another Michibrewer.

You're lucky, you live so close to Bell's brewer, we wanted to stop in when we were home for Thanksgiving, but couldn't.

You stand to benefit a lot from these boards, best on the 'net.

 

[eriktlupus]

dude just go to the eccentric cafe and the general store will have what you need:rockin:

 

[RadicalEd]

Howdy from an Ann Arborite, also fellow poor college brewer. Us Michiganders seem to represent ourselves well here on this board .

 

[Kegerator]

Welcome, from another Michigan Brewer!

 

[Mustangj]

Welcome!! :rockin:

 

[BrianP]

Welcome from Ann Arbor. Good luck with your brewing.

 

[keiths]

Welcome from Coldwater,Mi. An all grain Brewer.

 

[Jim Karr]

We're gonna outnumber every other state pretty soon! Welcome to the madness, fellow Michibrewer! We need to get together and DRINK!

 

[Revvy]

I think we need our own Michigan Brewers sticky thread instead of the 500 we already have for our state...Our any of the Michiganders on the board moderators? Yooper?

Can we have our own thread?

Pretty pleeze?

 

[Mustangj]

I think we need our own Michigan Brewers sticky thread instead of the 500 we already have for our state...Our any of the Michiganders on the board moderators? Yooper?

Can we have our own thread?

Pretty pleeze?

X2 :rockin: