Purchasing HB Setup & Losing My Mind

[hrigsby]

Hello HBT:

So as I'm sure you've garnered at this point, I'm fresh out of the box when it comes to homebrewing. I've purchased "The Brewmaster's Bible" and "Brewing Better Beer," for starters and now I'm looking into purchasing the equipment necessary to brew my first batch.

Thus far in the purchasing process, I've cycled about 100 items into and out of my shopping cart on various websites as I read new articles about what is best to purchase. What I'm aiming to achieve is stocking up on quality equipment that I will be able to use for quite some time, but also not purchasing superfluous things that will push the cost through the roof.

So far my list of things that I will need and the questions I have about each includes:

Brew Pot:
- 8 Gallon? 10 Gallon? 15 Gallon? Built in Spigot (1 or 2)? Built in Thermometer?

Predicted Cost: $90 - $120

Fermenting Bucket:
-Pretty Simple, but what size? Do I still need one if I'm getting a Carboy?

Predicted Cost: $10 - $15

Carboy:
- 6.5 Gallon I assume would be ideal? After reading a sticky here, do I need a carboy if I'm planning on kegging from the start (or should I ferment in kegs)?

Predicted Cost: $40

Measuring Cup: No Questions!

Siphon: Simple Auto-siphon should do the trick.

Predicted Cost: $10

Racking Cane: Do I still need the siphon or is this all I need?

Stirring Paddle/Spoon: Just a SS one that is long enough to reach the bottom of my pot I assume?

Thermometer: Any specific recommendations here? Do I still need a thermometer if I have one built into my pot?

Hydrometer: Any specific one? Should I get a test jar?

Straining: What do I need for this?

Funnel: Anything special here?


And then for kegging, which is my primary plan from day one:

5-Gallon Ball Lock Cornelius Keg with PRV
- How many should I look into?

Predicted Cost: $75

I have all of the items for my Keezer already purchased so that end of it is good to go.


And for bottling (if I ever do that):

Bottles and Caps

Bottling Bucket: False Bottom Needed? Do I need a Bottle Filler if I have the bucket?

Bottle Brush: Simple.

Bottle Tree: Not necessary, but nice to have.

Bottle Capper: Anything I need to look for?


So, as you can see I'm a bit overwhelmed and I just keep switching things in and out and I don't really know precisely what would be best (which is the majority of the problem). If ya'll could help me out with these questions or provide me with a link to any articles that will help that would be superb. I think the main concern is the Brewing Pot/Kettle at this point, but also what else I do and don't need. I want to do everything right from the start and be able to use this equipment into the future, but I also don't want to spend way more money for things that I don't need.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

One thing I see is to save forty on the carboy and buy three more buckets to ferment in. Got to build that pipeline.

 

[eadavis80]

Brew Pot:
- 8 Gallon? 10 Gallon? 15 Gallon? Built in Spigot (1 or 2)? Built in Thermometer?
I have an 8-gallon pot and can do full boils with 5-galllon batches. Just have to be a little careful with hop and extract additions for boil overs, but I honestly don't regret not buying a bigger one.

Predicted Cost: $90 - $120

Fermenting Bucket:
-Pretty Simple, but what size? Do I still need one if I'm getting a Carboy?
- Buckets are fine. I have 2. They're light and easy to clean.
Predicted Cost: $10 - $15

Carboy:
- 6.5 Gallon I assume would be ideal? After reading a sticky here, do I need a carboy if I'm planning on kegging from the start (or should I ferment in kegs)?
You don't need a 6.5 glass carboy. In fact, I'd discourage it. I do have a 6.5 Better Bottle I just got as glass carboys are very heavy and breakable. Sure, they last forever, but lifting a full glass carboy is heavy. I won't buy another glass carboy. I have a 5-gallon glass one I use for secondary, but only when my 5-gallon plastic Better Bottle is full. The good news is they don't scratch (harbor bacteria) like buckets can.
Predicted Cost: $40

Measuring Cup: No Questions!

Siphon: Simple Auto-siphon should do the trick.
Buy one - no question.

Predicted Cost: $10

Racking Cane: Do I still need the siphon or is this all I need? The racking cane works with the auto siphon. You put the racking cane into your ferementer with your beer and the siphon's tube empties the beer into its next place (secondary, keg or bottling bucket).

Stirring Paddle/Spoon: Just a SS one that is long enough to reach the bottom of my pot I assume? yeah - that's fine. My beginner kit came with a plastic one I still use, but SS would be better, I suppose.

Thermometer: Any specific recommendations here? Do I still need a thermometer if I have one built into my pot? You will want a thermometer to take temperatures besides your kettle. You'll need to take temps of yeast starters, rehydrated yeast, other things too. A digital one is nice, but I've brewed for a year on a regular one.

Hydrometer: Any specific one? Should I get a test jar? Have a hydrometer - it's the only sure way to tell what your gravity is. Airlocks help, but are not sure things. Hydrometers are, if read and used properly.

Straining: What do I need for this? I have a stainless steel strainer which I love. It fits on top of the fermenting bucket so I pour my cooled wort's contents through it on its way to the bucket. It 1) keeps hop sludge out of the primary - not essential, but nice and 2) helps aerate the wort, which make the yeast happy.

Funnel: Anything special here? I use one, but it's normally used for yeast harvesting and yeast starters.


And then for kegging, which is my primary plan from day one:

5-Gallon Ball Lock Cornelius Keg with PRV
- How many should I look into?
- I don't keg ... can't help you - sorry.
Predicted Cost: $75

I have all of the items for my Keezer already purchased so that end of it is good to go.


And for bottling (if I ever do that):

Bottles and Caps- start saving brown non-twist off bottles.

Bottling Bucket: False Bottom Needed? Do I need a Bottle Filler if I have the bucket? False bottoms are for all-grain. You'll want a bottle filler that has a little valve on it that stops the beer flow when the tip is not displaced. Attach it to a bit of tubing on the spigot of your bottling bucket and you can just set up a chair and bottle really easily instead of sitting on the floor with 3' of tubing.

Bottle Brush: Simple. Use the first time you clean bottles. To clean, soak in OxyClean / water solution for an hour or so. Most labels will come right off. Stubborn ones might need a little tending to.

Bottle Tree: Not necessary, but nice to have. Yes - exactly. I have one and find it helpful along with the Vinator bottling accessory that shoots sanitizer into your bottles - cuts down on bottling day time.

Bottle Capper: Anything I need to look for? Not that I can think of. Mine's worked fine for 20+ batches so far.

 

[misterkidd]

Lots of questions! I'm going on the assumption that you are starting with extract brewing, judging by you are only buying one pot, and haven't mentioned a ba...? I'm a brew-in-a-bag man, never done extract, but I can help with some questions...

Firstly, the reason its difficult buying equipment off the bat is because there are lots of variables. You should consider :

1) how often you are likely to brew
2) how much you want to make each time
3) whether you think you are likely to want to upgrade in the future

Anyhow, regarding size, let's work backwards. How many kegs of beer do you want to make in one go? I guess this depends on how much you drink and how often you want to brew.

If you want one 5g keg per batch, then you need one 6.5g carboy and probably a 10g brew pot.

If you want 2 kegs per batch, go for 2 x carboys and a 15g brew pot.

I think your brew pot would only need one spigot... a built in thermometer might be an unneccesary expense, unless you believe that you will be upgrading to partial mash or all-grain in the future.

You don't need a fermenting bucket - this is just another alternative to a carboy. But you will need a bottling bucket (even if you never bottle, it's useful to have lying around). No need for a false bottom on that one, just a simple food grade bucket.

I think a robust electronic thermometer is worth the expense.

Definitely get a hydrometer.

Most autosiphons come with racking canes.

Hope that helps a bit. Don't sweat it is my advice - just dive in ^_^

 

[LLBeanJ]

I'm sure you'll get plenty of opinions here, so I might as well give you mine.

Hello HBT:

Brew Pot:
- 8 Gallon? 10 Gallon? 15 Gallon? Built in Spigot (1 or 2)? Built in Thermometer? Go 10 gal to start. I assume you're going to be doing extract batches on your stove based on the fact that you don't have a propane burner or any all-grain items listed. 10 gals should still fit on the stove top and allow you to transition into full volume boils later. I'd skip the built-in thermometer, but spring for the ball valve. Of course, you could always add the valve later.

Predicted Cost: $90 - $120

Fermenting Bucket:
-Pretty Simple, but what size? Do I still need one if I'm getting a Carboy? Go with the large 7.8 or 7.9 gal buckets. They will give you more headspace, potentially eliminating the possibility of blowoffs.
Predicted Cost: $10 - $15

Carboy:
- 6.5 Gallon I assume would be ideal? After reading a sticky here, do I need a carboy if I'm planning on kegging from the start (or should I ferment in kegs)? Skip it. If you ferment in buckets (I do and see no reason why not to do that), you won't need a carboy. Kegs can act as secondary (bright tank) vessels.

Predicted Cost: $40

Measuring Cup: No Questions! Yep.

Siphon: Simple Auto-siphon should do the trick. Yep. Don't forget transfer tubing. Consider going with silicone. It's more expensive, but can be boiled and should last longer.

Predicted Cost: $10

Racking Cane: Do I still need the siphon or is this all I need? The auto siphon has a racking cane built into it, so no need to buy a separate one.

Stirring Paddle/Spoon: Just a SS one that is long enough to reach the bottom of my pot I assume? Yep.

Thermometer: Any specific recommendations here? Do I still need a thermometer if I have one built into my pot? You don't need one on your pot. They don't work all that well. Instead, look at the hand held digitals from Thermoworks. I wouldn't expect you to spring for a $90 Thermapen at this stage, but they make some good ones for about $20. Of course, if you do spring for the Thermapen, you won't be disappointed and will be set for all-grain if you ever decide to go there.

Hydrometer: Any specific one? Should I get a test jar? Any of the std ones should be fine. Definitely get a test jar. The plastic one with the grey, screw-on base works well. Don't get a glass one, as they are very large and require too big of a sample (ask me how I know).

Straining: What do I need for this? Not really necessary, but if you really must, then the 8 or 10" dual screen models that the brew supply places sell is fine.

Funnel: Anything special here? A small-ish one for starters would be handy, but not needed to transfer beer if you ferment in buckets.


And then for kegging, which is my primary plan from day one:

5-Gallon Ball Lock Cornelius Keg with PRV
- How many should I look into? At least 3 for every tap is my recommendation, but your mileage may vary. Get at least 2 to start with.

Predicted Cost: $75

I have all of the items for my Keezer already purchased so that end of it is good to go.


And for bottling (if I ever do that):

Bottles and Caps - Yep.

Bottling Bucket: False Bottom Needed? Do I need a Bottle Filler if I have the bucket? False bottom??? No. Just a regular bottling bucket with a spigot will do.

Bottle Brush: Simple. Yep

Bottle Tree: Not necessary, but nice to have. Agree. Handy, but not necessary.

Bottle Capper: Anything I need to look for? Maybe spring for a bench capper over the wing capper.


So, as you can see I'm a bit overwhelmed and I just keep switching things in and out and I don't really know precisely what would be best (which is the majority of the problem). If ya'll could help me out with these questions or provide me with a link to any articles that will help that would be superb. I think the main concern is the Brewing Pot/Kettle at this point, but also what else I do and don't need. I want to do everything right from the start and be able to use this equipment into the future, but I also don't want to spend way more money for things that I don't need.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

 

[LandoLincoln]

"The Brewmaster's Bible" is a great book, but it's really outdated. I hope they come up with an updated version soon, but as it stands right now I wouldn't depend on this book for a lot.

Anyway...onto the equipment:

Brew Pot:
- 8 Gallon? 10 Gallon? 15 Gallon? Built in Spigot (1 or 2)? Built in Thermometer?

It depends on how many gallons you'd like to brew at a time.
Are you brewing only for yourself and maybe giving a few sixers away to friends? Five gallon batches (8 gallon pot minimum).
Are you brewing with a brew buddy and you'll be splitting the batches? Ten gallon batches (15 gallon pot minimum).
Are you brewing with a buddy and you guys are planning on giving out lots of beer to friends? Fifteen gallon batches (20 gallon pot minimum).

I'd go with a weldless spigot assembly with a diptube and valve.

A built-in thermometer is nice but not really necessary on a boil kettle.

What IS a lot more useful on a boil kettle is a sight glass. Sight glass/thermometer combos are available for sale at brewhardware.com and they're lovely.

Fermenting Bucket:
-Pretty Simple, but what size? Do I still need one if I'm getting a Carboy?

No, if you're getting a carboy, then you don't really need a fermenting bucket.

Carboy:
- 6.5 Gallon I assume would be ideal? After reading a sticky here, do I need a carboy if I'm planning on kegging from the start (or should I ferment in kegs)?

Yes, 6.5 gallon is a good primary fermentation vessel. I'd avoid fermenting in kegs, at least in the beginning.

Racking Cane: Do I still need the siphon or is this all I need?

Not really needed. If you need one later then pick one up.

Stirring Paddle/Spoon: Just a SS one that is long enough to reach the bottom of my pot I assume?

Yeah, pretty much.

Thermometer: Any specific recommendations here? Do I still need a thermometer if I have one built into my pot?

CDN sells a stick thermometer for cheap. $15 or so. Can also buy at brewhardware.com. Yes, it will come in handy for a variety of things.

Hydrometer: Any specific one? Should I get a test jar?

Nope. Just pick up a $5 one. Yes, you should get a hydrometer tube.

Straining: What do I need for this?

A nice SS strainer from a place where you buy kitchen stuff comes in handy

Funnel: Anything special here?

Nope.

And then for kegging, which is my primary plan from day one:

5-Gallon Ball Lock Cornelius Keg with PRV
- How many should I look into?

I'd start out with 2, but just get 1 and work up from there.

Bottling Bucket: False Bottom Needed? Do I need a Bottle Filler if I have the bucket?

No, no false bottom needed. Yes, you'll need a filling wand and tubing.

Bottle Capper: Anything I need to look for?

If you like to be terrified and potentially spill a lot of beer, then get a wing capper. It makes bottling exciting!

But if you don't and just want to reliably cap bottles, then just get a bench capper.

 

[F_R_O_G]

I've purchased "The Brewmaster's Bible" and "Brewing Better Beer,"

they may call themselves "the brewmaster's bible" but that's more like "The Book of Mormon" it's not really the bible. If you really want to know what the truth is get "How to Brew" that is the bible and there is no other like it. (would that make John Palmer God?) *end sarcasm* I would get the book to not just read off the website because the book is updated.

here's a start for what to get. http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter1-1.html

 

[RuggerMatt]

Welcome to homebrewing! Unfortunately, all this indecision never goes away...and after you run enough batches through your setup, you'll figure out ways to upgrade/update things. Below are my opinions...I went through the same thing when I built my Brutus 10. If you want specifics on anything, feel free to message me. - Matt

Brew Pot:
- 8 Gallon? 10 Gallon? 15 Gallon? Built in Spigot (1 or 2)? Built in Thermometer? Honestly look at how involved you want to get with brewing. If this is a long-term hobby for you (I hope it is), you want to get a pot you will grow into. Even though the initial startup is more expensive, it's better to buy a bigger pot (15 gallon), than buying an 8 and having to upgrade later. Definitely go with the spigot, it will make your life easier. Thermometer can wait. You can always add one on later if needed.

Predicted Cost: $90 - $120

Fermenting Bucket:
-Pretty Simple, but what size? Do I still need one if I'm getting a Carboy? Minimum 2, 5 gallon buckets (primary ferment and bottling). You don't need a carboy right off the bat

Predicted Cost: $10 - $15

Carboy:
- 6.5 Gallon I assume would be ideal? After reading a sticky here, do I need a carboy if I'm planning on kegging from the start (or should I ferment in kegs)? Again, you don't need a carboy. Extra bucket will be just fine.

Predicted Cost: $40

Measuring Cup: No Questions!

Siphon: Simple Auto-siphon should do the trick.

Predicted Cost: $10

Racking Cane: Do I still need the siphon or is this all I need? Racking cane should be part of your siphon kit. Don't forget tubing!

Stirring Paddle/Spoon: Just a SS one that is long enough to reach the bottom of my pot I assume? I still use the same SS spoon that I purchased 8 years ago, and I have 15 gal pots. No problems.

Thermometer: Any specific recommendations here? Do I still need a thermometer if I have one built into my pot? You can get a solid digital thermometer pretty much anywhere. Don't need to spend a lot of money. Get one even if you get a built-in one (i.e. you will need it for more than just boiling/mashing).

Hydrometer: Any specific one? Should I get a test jar? This is a must. Don't need any specific manufacturers. Just make sure you are aware of what temp is was calibrated at, and make sure it is calibrating before using it. I recommend getting a graduated cylinder for testing (pretty cheap ones on amazon).

Straining: What do I need for this? To start, paint strainer bags are cheap and work very well. There are other fabrics out there that work great if you want to make your own. Also, muslin bags help keep hop gunk at bay.

Funnel: Anything special here? Unless you are going to dry hop in a carboy, no need for one. Siphon will take care of everything.


And then for kegging, which is my primary plan from day one:

5-Gallon Ball Lock Cornelius Keg with PRV
- How many should I look into? That's up to you and how much you are brewing. I would recommend at least 2 so you are chugging beers to make room for your next batch. I would recommend getting it from a reputable source that pressure tests them.

Predicted Cost: $75

I have all of the items for my Keezer already purchased so that end of it is good to go.


And for bottling (if I ever do that):

Bottles and Caps

Bottling Bucket: False Bottom Needed? Do I need a Bottle Filler if I have the bucket? No false bottom needed for bucket. I would invest in a cheap bottle filler..it will make bottling less of a headache.

Bottle Brush: Simple.

Bottle Tree: Not necessary, but nice to have.

Bottle Capper: Anything I need to look for? I have a two-handed one....it works fine.


So, as you can see I'm a bit overwhelmed and I just keep switching things in and out and I don't really know precisely what would be best (which is the majority of the problem). If ya'll could help me out with these questions or provide me with a link to any articles that will help that would be superb. I think the main concern is the Brewing Pot/Kettle at this point, but also what else I do and don't need. I want to do everything right from the start and be able to use this equipment into the future, but I also don't want to spend way more money for things that I don't need.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

 

[NHTruBruDude]

Midwest Supplies sells a complete brewmasters kit including kegs. I would suggest that along with a brew pot.

 

[hrigsby]

Thanks for the responses and please keep them coming (I'm reading all of them and updating my list accordingly).

When it comes to pot size, I think I might go with a 15 for the sole purpose of being able to brew 2 kegs at a time. I just graduated from college and this hobby is something my dad has wanted to get into as well. I think it would be a good move to be able to brew together and have a keg each at the end of the process. Sound ideal?

Please keep the responses coming. Even if they're just opinions or links, it's really nice to have everything in a concise format rather than Google-ing incessantly and reading article after article, not knowing if I may have already read it before!

EDIT: I'm planning on starting with extract batches, but if there are things that I can do now to make the conversion over to All Grain easier in the future, I would like to do/purchase those things. I believe I'll wait to add on things needed exclusively for AG brewing until I decide to make that transition, however.

Also, I'm not opposed to getting a burner setup now or in the near future. I just haven't researched it at all.

 

[MattyIce]

By the time you get (what you think will be) an ideal setup designed, you could already be a batch or two into the brewing world. I would recommend NOT ovethinking it at this point. NTHBD gave sage advice IMO

I started with a simple home brew kit from the local shop. ~$100 and it included the first extract kit ingredients.

Aside from the goodies in a typical kit, I recommend a big pot, which you mentioned, and a hydrometer.

To boil a big pot, you will probably benefit from a burner that can bring a double batch to a boil. I know I would not be able to bring 10+ gallons to a boil on my kitchen stove. I use an outdoor propane burner for this, the Bayou classic sp-10.

 

[NLT220]

If you like to be terrified and potentially spill a lot of beer, then get a wing capper. It makes bottling exciting!

HA HA love it sounds like my first 10+batches

 

[mfgann]

I'll suggest getting into it on the cheap, as I think it's good to know this doesn't have to be that expensive.

First, get the "How to Brew" book. It really is that good.

Second, get a decent kit. The mid-tier brewing kit by Midwest is what I got.

Find an inexpensive pot for extract brewing. A 20 Qt aluminum pot may already be in your cupboard.

Buy star San... The cleaner in the kit is NOT sanitizer. I learned this the hard way, pouring out 50 bottles of my first brew.

Last, drink beer that doesn't have twist off caps. That'll give you all the bottles you need, and make you want to kick yourself for throwing bottles out before you brewed.

Buy yourself a kit and yeast from Midwest (or more beer or northern brewing) and give it a go.

Pick up the shiny new stuff as you go. That way you get an idea of what is really important to upgrade, and what is a minor inconvenience.

Most of all, have fun!

 

[BigDog007]

Honestly, I have an 8 gallon pot and it's been ok so far but I'm purchasing a 15 gallon pot this weekend. My LHBS said I would be fine with the 8 gallon pot based on what I'd be brewing but I've been brewing some bigger beers so I really want the flexibility to be able to turn my back on the boil so I can do other things besides stare at the wort worrying if I'm going to boil over.

So I guess what I'm saying is get the bigger kettle, don't make my mistake.

 

[hrigsby]

Thanks again everyone.

One recurring question for ya'll is this: How common is it for different online companies to have the same equipment at markedly better prices? For example, I've seen Cornelius kegs for $75 on one site and $129 on another (both brand new). Is there going to be a discrepancy in the quality or should I just choose the cheaper of the two?

On this note, I realize that a different material will cost more (SS vs. Aluminum Pot, etc.) but if the material is the same I'm just wondering what the huge differences may be attributed to in certain situations.

 

[eadavis80]

I'd steer clear of aluminum. Some readings indicate it can cause problems. Others who use it endorse it and say it's fine and cheaper. That being said, I've never heard anyone say they regretted buying a stainless steel pot.

As for online vendors, I give a huge endorsement to Northern Brewer. I've sent them - literally - hundreds of e-mails/chat discussions in my first year as a home brewer and they have ALWAYS responded with prompt, informative, courteous responses. Plus, I think their prices are as good as anyone's online. One thing that really impresses me about NB is their satisfaction guarantee - no questions asked - on recipe kits. Twice I had kits of theirs not work out. Those bad batches were most likely things I did wrong, but they sent a new kit w/ yeast - the next day - for free - no shipping or anything. I hope people don't abuse that policy. I don't. They also offer a lot of great deals. They regularly run promos like spend X amount, get Y free. Almost all of my stuff is from there. I have also bought a few things from AdventuresinHomebrewing and they've been great to work with too. They have a purchasing program where you earn points for your purchases and after X amount, you get a gift card.

 

[masaba]

I second LLBeanJ's advice. Get a 10 gallon kettle with a valve. I have been brewing for about 5 months now with a 7.5 gallon kettle, and now that I am doing full-volume all grain on a propane stove, I need an upgrade.

Skip the carboy and get several plastic buckets. I use the 6.5 gallon buckets and they work fine. The 7.8 gallon ones that LL suggest would work fine as well.

 

[madscientist451]

My 2 cents in one paragraph:
Skip the extract, just do BIAB, or modify that and mash in a cooler with a bag. Batch sparging works fine, don't worry about doing fussy trickle sparges. Don't do large batches at first, its better to brew more often and get more experience, you can do 2 keg batches later when you get your process dialed in. If you live in a cold climate (like I do) scale your setup so you can brew inside. You can add the propane outside setup later if you want. Brewing outside when its 10 degrees and windy really sucks. Read John Palmer's "how to brew". Save your craft beer bottles and learn how to bottle. A kegging set up is nice but you also need a dedicated keg refrigerator and you should worry about other things first like temperature control of your fermentation. Using dry yeast is fine and a good place to start. Use buckets for fermentation, transfer to carboys if you want to age the beer like an abbey ale or something similar. Clean with PBW , but sanitize with starsan. Only use food grade buckets. See if there is a homebrew club in your area and look for used brewing stuff on craigslist. If your water doesn't taste good or if its heavily chlorinated, buy the 5 gallon bottles of spring water at big box stores and mix 50/50 with distilled until you get around to managing your water. If your local home brew shop offers good prices and selection, buy from them when you can.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

About 1.5 years ago I went from never brewed to AG with kegging. My buddy from out of town was visiting (long time brewer) and he got me setup at a local shop. I love the control I have over the beer that AG brings, and it's really not that much harder than extract brewing, you just need a cooler and an extra hour or so on brew day for the mash.

I started with a 10 gallon pot (with ball valve), but this summer upgraded to 15 gallon keggle and getting 2 kegs from one brew day is glorious, and opens up so many options for split batch variation.

Outside of that you need a cooler mash tun, stir plate, chiller (the bigger the better) 3L erlenmeyer flask, 6.5 gallon carboys (i dont use buckets, big mouth bubblers (plastic) are amazing in my opinion), and big spoon to stir your mash (I also made dremel marks on my spoon so I can read the volume on my keggle). Also an oxygenation kit.

I started with the 50 qt coleman extreme cooler, but for 12 gallon batches this is REALLY full. I just built a tun from the 70qt cooler and it's better for these bigger batches, I will keep my 50qt around for 5Gal batches, less empty space means less temp loss.

I found for a while when I upgraded to 12 gallon batches chilling the wort was the WORST part of the day, I would spend an hour with my dinky (meant for 5 gallon) immersion chiller try to get my wort down to 65F (tap water was ~55F at the time). Make sure you get a properly sized chiller, if you dont want to build a CFC and get a pump right off the bat, i've heard the chillers from jaded brewing are just awesome.

Also I would add: just batch sparge, it's so easy and your not messing with fussy, fickle sparge equipment, once your mash is drained just dump in your heated sparge water, stir, then drain again. Couldn't be easier.

 

[jperry]

I think the main concern is the Brewing Pot/Kettle at this point, but also what else I do and don't need. I want to do everything right from the start and be able to use this equipment into the future, but I also don't want to spend way more money for things that I don't need.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

I noticed that you've covered most of you're bases for equipment, except for controlling fermentation temperature. Which is an important factor, in the final product. Temperature control can make, or break, a beer. Using a tub of water(swamp cooler), or a spare fridge, to cool fermentation, will dramatically make better beer.

I wish I had known this from the start...

 

[hrigsby]

I noticed that you've covered most of you're bases for equipment, except for controlling fermentation temperature. Which is an important factor, in the final product. Temperature control can make, or break, a beer. Using a tub of water(swamp cooler), or a spare fridge, to cool fermentation, will dramatically make better beer.

I wish I had known this from the start...

Like I said, I already have a keezer. I know I'll get pissed off doing this in a very short period of time, but for my first few batches I can just ferment in there by bringing the temperature up on it right?

Then, once I know it's something I want to stick with, I'll buy another chest freezer/fridge for fermenting I suppose so I don't have to keep waiting on beer.

 

[F_R_O_G]

really would would start off small, ie: don't worry about getting the biggest pot and all the fancy temp controls.

70$ to 120$ for a corny !?!?!?!?!? that's a complete ripoff. I never paid more than 40$ for one and paid on average 35$. this was 6 months ago. get them off of Craigslist or give me 60$ and i'll ship some to you, lol. and speaking of crigslist you can usually get a complete startup kit for 50-100$ depending on how much extras you want.

another reason to get the book "how to brew" is john palmer was a metallurgist before going into brewing so he has a section in the back of the book explaining what is safe to use when brewing.

 

[Yourrealdad]

I would actually disagree with FROG if I may do so. I would get the biggest pot you can afford right now up to 20G. I would get one with a valve or if you have the tools do it yourself. Why buy a 10G pot which means you can't ever make 10G batches in it? Trust me, a 15-20G pot is more versitle. You can brew 5 or 10G in them, where you are stuck at 5G with the 8-10. And once you want to make more beer you will need that bigger pot you should have just bought in the first place.

Oh and make sure it has a lid

Here is a decent one for instance
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Polishe...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item20db1df439

$112 for 20G why not?

As far as your Keezer use for fermentation purposes. If your kegs are sitting in the mid to high 30's you won't be able to heat up the beer enough in your carboy to control the temps enough.

Here is what I would buy Now if I were you:

Cheap Big Pot at least 10G but 15-20 would be nice. Put a valve on it or have it installed. You can get a complete kit from that same ebay group for $180 for a 20G with everything.

Plastic Carboy x2= $50 carboy caps, blowoff tubing, air locks

Auto Siphon and tubing (get the bigger auto siphon, I think it is 1/2")

Immmersion Chiller

Big SS spoon

Big brewing funnel

Milk crates to carry and store full carboys

Hydrometer and measuring glass/plastic tube

Burner

What to buy in the future:

Freezer from craigslist. 5 Cubic feet will usually hold one carboy, 7 will hold 2-3ish depending on compressor

What to make now or later:

Stir plate ($30-40)

Dual temp controller for freezer and fermwrap ($30-40)

Fermwrap to heat carboys (make a few at a time and it is cheap like $10)

I am not good with my hands and I made all of the above and they work great. I can give you some links if you are interested.

I am sure I forgot some things.

Hope this helps