Best Kit For Newbie

[tubejay]

I'm sure this has probably been asked time and again, and I tried finding the answer using the search function...but was amazed when I couldn't. Maybe I didn't look hard enough?

I've been wanting to brew beer for a long time, and now I finally have the time to do it. I would love to buy a kit that has everything I need, and I mean everything to do my first brew. I also want the kit to be something that's not a total piece of crap, so that when I get more into I can keep much of the kit and use it for a long time. So, Mr. Beer and that ilk are out of the question.

Can someone point me in the right direction here? I do better just jumping head first into something, getting the kit, the instructions, and just doing it. I don't do well when I have to ponder something for ages (when I know almost nothing to begin with) and read endlessly on the details. The details will come later, after I get a basic feel for brewing. :rockin:

Is a kit like the one linked below a good start, if not, where does it go wrong? Where can I go right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/DeLUXE-Home-Bre...443345992QQcategoryZ38172QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'd like to spend between $70 and $150 on my kit...if that seems reasonable.

Thanks, and I apologize for posting something that has surely been discussed before.

 

[tubejay]

Or how about this kit?

http://www.homebrewery.com/beer/beer-gs-deluxe-kit.shtml

I take it the "all glass" upgrade is a good thing to do too? What about the siphon upgrade?

 

[Ivan Lendl]

i would go with the second one...you can get ingredients as well...midwestsupply.com has an identical set up for like 72 bucks...i would get all glass, and auto siphon too, but remember you still need a 5 gallon kettle which will cost another 40 bucks or so...

 

[Blender]

That 2nd kit is the better of the 2 IMO. The auto siphon and glass carboy are nice additions. There is a bench capper and a wort chiller included which are good.

 

[Wolf]

I ordered the intermediate kit here...
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdBySubCat.aspx?SubCat=11166&fd=1
which comes with the plastic 'Better Bottle' Carboys (not as heavy, don't break), and I upgraded them to ported bottles with taps. So far I'm very happy with the set, I have enough stuff that I can have a couple brews going at once.

I also recommend adding a bigger package of One Step sanitizer with it, the bag that came with only lasted through 1 1/2 brew sessions.

 

[tubejay]

Thank you for the replies.


Twolf10,

Why not go with the glass carboys? It sounds like using glass might make the beer have better flavor? It seems like the two intermediate kits they offer are the same price, only one is glass and one isn't. I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't go with glass...aside from it being a lot less durable (which is a fair enough reason I guess).

Thanks again for the help, I'm hoping to purchase my first kit today. Can anyone recommend a good kettle, or a good place to get one cheap? Wal-Mart maybe? Or is that not something they would carry. Is that a specialty item?

 

[Walker]

Can anyone recommend a good kettle, or a good place to get one cheap? Wal-Mart maybe? Or is that not something they would carry. Is that a specialty item?

You can get stainless steel pots at Target, Walmart or similar stores. Try to find one with a nice thick bottom on it so that you don't get hot-spots on the floor of it while boiling (it can scortch the malt extract, and burnt sugar tastes like @$$.)

As for the size of the kettle... that depends on whether you want to boil all 5 gallons of beer, or just a portion of the 5 gallons and top it off in the fermenter with cool water.

If you want to boil all 5 gallons (and you have a stove that can handle this) then you want something much larger than 20 quarts. I think a lot of the all brewers here that do full volume boils have something in the 28 to 40 quart range.

I personally only boil about 3.5 gallons, and my 20 quart kettle works fine for that.

-walker

 

[Ivan Lendl]

walmart has a nice 5.5. gallon stainless steel kettle for 40 bucks. it has a sandwiched bottom that contains copper, and it heats up quick and evenly...

 

[Wolf]

Thank you for the replies.


Twolf10,

Why not go with the glass carboys? It sounds like using glass might make the beer have better flavor? It seems like the two intermediate kits they offer are the same price, only one is glass and one isn't. I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't go with glass...aside from it being a lot less durable (which is a fair enough reason I guess).

Thanks again for the help, I'm hoping to purchase my first kit today. Can anyone recommend a good kettle, or a good place to get one cheap? Wal-Mart maybe? Or is that not something they would carry. Is that a specialty item?

AFAIK Better Bottles and Glass Bottles should be identical in quality as far as your beer quality...Better Bottles are not the same as your regular plastic water bottles; BB do not let Oxygen in. Therefore (in theory) Better Bottles=Glass Carboys, but are lighter and won't break when I drop them.

Also, my 9 month old daughter thinks it's funny when I hit myself in the head with a Better Bottle, and giggles when I hit her with it too. Using a glass bottle would require medical attention and a lawyer.

 

[SteveM]

I used to use a two gallon pot from my wife's set (boil-overs a constant challenge), but one day I found a stainless steel four gallon one with a real think bottom and a glass lid at Kohl's, regular price about forty bucks, on sale for $16.

Your set up, whichever one you buy, should be completely fine. Best of luck with it and remember the two rules:

1. Sanitize carefully.

2. Relax and have a beer!

 

[Genghis77]

Try Miracle Brewzer. No sanitizing, no heating. Just add cold water to the magic powder and wait.