Starting Soon - What Do I Need?

[cwbys4evr]

I am going to be starting my own brew soon. I am going to go to a class at a brewer supply store and they have a list of equipment I get to take with me. I would like to know what else I need besides the following:
2 Gal Fermenting Bucket with grommeted lid (primary fermenter)
1 Gal Glass Jug
5 ft piece siphon hose with shut-off clamp (used for racking and bottling)
Econo-lock (fits into grommeted lid to allow gases to escape)
Easy Clean Cleanser (No rinse sanitizer)
I-O Star (iodine based sanitizer)
Lab Thermometer
Liquid Crystal Themometer
Test Jar
Bottle Brush
Mini Auto-Siphon
Beer Bottle Brush
Beer hydrometer (determine abv)
Malt, grains, and hops of recipe choice
Active freeze dried ale yeast


I guess one thing that would be obvious would be the actual bottles and caps. What do you folks recommend for that? Grolsch bottles? I have a couple of glass jugs that I got from a micro brew/restaurant that I get refilled once a year - maybe use those?

 

[woozy]

Is that the list of material the class provides? *Very* thorough.

That's it for brew day. But I don't see anything for bottling day. You will need:

A second bucket for bottle priming-- transfer the beer from the fermentor and add priming sugar; then transfer from here to the bottles. (Same size as the fermenting bucket. Should have a spigot [doesn't require one but makes life easier].
Racking cane-- If your fermentor (or your bottling bucket) doesn't have a spigot you will need to siphon to transfer your beer. A racking cane ... well you'll understand when you see one... serves as a firm pipe structure for the siphon intake. It's obvious once you see it. If your fermentor has a spigot (most don't; it's considered and sanitation hazard for fermentation purposes) you won't need this.
Actually, maybe the auto siphon suplants your need for a racking cane.

Bottling wand-- a firm tube with a release valve. These are really great. You don't *need* them but they are really great. They allow you to fill up the bottle and the instant it is full you simply lift it so the nuzzle isn't pressing against the bottle. This shuts it off. No mess no fuss. The *really* neat thing though is it displaces *exactly* the ammount of airspace you need. Thus you fill it to the rim and remove and you will have *exactly* the right of head space.
Bottle capper.
Bottle caps.
Bottles.
Priming sugar--- Corn sugar sometimes called dextrose. Or you can use regular table sugar.

Bottles. Grolsch bottles are great but you don't need to kill yourself collecting them. Just use regular beer bottles (not twist off). Collect your empties. You can buy bottles for about 50 cents each and thats a good way to get a core supply and get your initial batch together. but it's cheaper to just collect empties.

Glass jugs? What size? You mean a growler? My understanding (but I lack any actual experience) is these will not stand to the pressure.

Will the class cover bottling. Maybe they will provide the bottles and caps.

About the list:
1 glass jug-- It isn't clear what this is used for. Maybe as a bottling bucket(?????) Or as a secondary "fermentor"? ("fermentor" in quotes because secondary "fermentation" is a misnomer. Secondary is also unnescessary.)
Easy Clean & I-O Star. redundant. Well, you can't have too many sanitizers but one or the other or Star-San will do.
Lab Thermometer and Liquid Crystal Thermometer. Can't have too many thermometers. But it isn't clear to me why the specifications "lab" and "liquid crystal" are nesc.
Bottle Brush vs. Beer Bottle brush. I assume the bottle brush is for cleaning the glass jug?

 

[cwbys4evr]

Yes, that is the list exactly as they put it out, I copied and pasted. I am also not sure about the glass jug, unless they mean a growler, which is what i was referring to earlier. I have 2 of the (I think) 1/2 gal growlers. I thought the standard batch that people make is 5 gals though, which would require about a 6.5 gal bucket. I believe in the class they walk you through all the steps and send you home to finish the fermentation. That's probably the reason they only give you a 2 gallon fermenter.

 

[woozy]

Lots of take home equipment. May I ask if it was an expensive class?

The standard size is 5 gallons but one can do what you like. The equipment, other than the fermenter and bottling bucket, are transferable to any size so to upgrade to 5 gallons you can just buy and 6.5 gallon bucket and a 5 gallon bucket for bottling.

It's kind of odd that they provide a 2 gallon fermentor bucket and those are unusual. Still can't hurt to have one lying about.

I'd assume the class will provide bottles and don't list them as take home equipment because you will be taking them home as filled bottles of beer.

I'd hold off till after the class before buying any more equipment. The class will give you a clearer idea what you need and/or want and you really seem well on your way for starting.

 

[cwbys4evr]

After thinking about it, I think they mean the glass jug as a "secondary fermenter." Again, I am a noob so I don't know what the purpose is of a secondary fermenter, other than I can have 2 batches fermenting at the same time in different stages. Given that it takes about 3 week (I think?) for a batch maybe I should get another one of those jugs so I can make a batch every week?

 

[cwbys4evr]

The class is 80 bucks btw

 

[woozy]

After thinking about it, I think they mean the glass jug as a "secondary fermenter." Again, I am a noob so I don't know what the purpose is of a secondary fermenter, other than I can have 2 batches fermenting at the same time in different stages. Given that it takes about 3 week (I think?) for a batch maybe I should get another one of those jugs so I can make a batch every week?

Well, first thing is you'll need to decide what size batches you are doing. No point getting a bunch of 1-gallon jugs if you decide you are a 5-gallon batcher. I *refuse* to tell you one size is better than the other but as you pointed out, most people do 5-gallons and the only reason you are doing 1 gallon is because it is for the class.

You can of course do both. Or three gallon batches or two gallons. Or...

The logic of a secondary allows 2 batches is faulty as simply having two primaries also allows 2 batches.

The purpose of a secondary is... well, at these point and with all the debate about it, I know longer know. Something about allowing a beer to clear and "clean up" away from the nasty trub and yeast after the fermentation is over. But it is now the general consensus the the cleaning up and clearing up can occur in the primary vessel so there's no need to transfer. The choice is yours and there is a ***LOT*** of discussion about it.

 

[cwbys4evr]

Ah, I see! Thanks! I think I will stick with the single gallon and decide from there. If I decide on a 5 gallon I will certainly not need more than one

 

[cwbys4evr]

One more important question -

The class I am going to is out of town. I am going to it as part of a Labor Day weekend getaway with the wife, and we are staying in a hotel that weekend. What kind of precautions do I need to take for transporting the fermenting beer from the class to the hotel and back home again? It will probably sit in the hotel room for at least 48 hrs before I transport it back home again. The place is about 45 minutes away from where I live

 

[lee501]

Just buckle it in, call the jostling a "poor man aeration/rousing" method

 

[andy6026]

You'll need a kettle to brew in. If you're doing 1-2 gallon batch sizes then something you already have in your kitchen will likely suffice.

 

[hikemor]

+1 on raking cane and bottling gear. You are getting a pretty decent amount of equipment from the class that is useful going forward. Upgrading to a 6.5 gall. fermenter and/or bottling bucket is pretty cheap: approx. $15 each + $5 for a lid.

Where are you going to class?

FYI, when you get home, Homebrew USA in Norfolk/Hampton has a wide selection of equipment and ingredients including in-house extract kits.

 

[cwbys4evr]

Sometimes I do go back to Norfolk even though I don't live there anymore. is Homebrew USA still at Janaf? I actually haven't been in there before but always "meant to" go.

The place I am going to is Mountain Man Wine and Brew Supply in Berkeley Springs WV. I talked to the guy on the phone, who sounds very helpful. Turns out the class is in two stages. You make the wort there and you can either leave it there fermenting for two weeks and come back for a bottling class or else you can take it with you. I haven't decided which to do yet. He sells a $130 premium kit which I am leaning on buying, and he sells bottles for $7/case. I can't wait til the 30th!

Hey, what do you guys do for labels? I found the label generator here in another thread, but, and this is gonna be a dumb question - how do you stick in on the bottle? Is there some sort of special label paper I have to buy? Sounds expensive if so. Do you guys just stick it on there with laminating paper? Boy, do I feel dumb lol

 

[cwbys4evr]

Also I'm pretty sure my wife has a 5 gal kettle at home. If not, she will soon lol

 

[woozy]

Hey, what do you guys do for labels? I found the label generator here in another thread, but, and this is gonna be a dumb question - how do you stick in on the bottle? Is there some sort of special label paper I have to buy? Sounds expensive if so. Do you guys just stick it on there with laminating paper? Boy, do I feel dumb lol

Well, I always assumed everyone was using peel-off mail label paper from the local office supply store. That's what I'm using.

 

[andy6026]

I use regular white paper, print them off at Staples (or a friend's workplace) and glue them on with a glue stick. I've heard of people using milk to stick them on but haven't tried that myself.

 

[cwbys4evr]

Well, I always assumed everyone was using peel-off mail label paper from the local office supply store. That's what I'm using.

Well I wasn't in the habit of buying those, but now that I actually looked, I gues they aren't expensive like I thought. What size do you use? I was thinking 3x4

 

[RIC0]

patiance will be needed although I've yet to find it at wally world or even on ebay....

 

[woozy]

Well I wasn't in the habit of buying those, but now that I actually looked, I gues they aren't expensive like I thought. What size do you use? I was thinking 3x4

Well, Currently *I* am using 1 1/2 x 4 inch labels and just printing the Type of beer it is and the brew, bottling, and do not open until dates. Very primitive. But I'm a cheapskate. You can get name tag badge size and my LHBS sells paper that is specifically beer label size but I can't imagine that it isn't unnescessarily expensive. I'm sure office depot has labels exactly the same size for 1/4 the price. 3 x 4 labels sound great to me.

There's always this.

My issue is more that i've never had a printer, now matter how expensive, that works even remotely acceptably, nor have I ever printed *anything* (*ever* in my *entire* life) that hasn't been a complete pain in the ass and labels and envelopes have always been the worst. I'm a computer programmer but for some reason the universe has conspired to make me and printers mortal enemies. So I don't even try.

 

[RIC0]

Or just label a shelf or all shelves like i did. My fridge in the basement is for home brews only.

 

[woozy]

^^^^
There's no way *I*'d be able to keep that straight for more than 20 minutes.

But seriously, advise on how to label your food is not advice any cook can give you. You just ... do it. You can attach masking tape and scribble in magic marker or you can design your own custom graphic layout.