Getting started with Homebrewing

BeerAdvocate · 05-29-2009, 12:28 PM

I am finally going to take the plunge and start homebrewing.
I dont want to use one of the cheapo Mr Beer kits so I have been looking at the kits on midwestsupplies but I am not sure what to go with yet.
What did all you homebrewers get started with? Any tips and advice would be great. thanks!

05-29-2009, 12:54 PM

I started with buckets, and a 5 gallon glass carboy for secondary.
Picked up the bench capper right away.
Bought a 5 gallon brew pot but quickly went to a 7 for full boils.
Haven't picked up a chiller yet, still use the bathtub.
A wine thief is a necessity, less intrusion and will allow for the minimum required sampling to get a SG reading.
Autosiphons are a godsend
I'm now up to 2 6-gallon glass carboy for fermentation and 6 5-gallon secondary glass carboys. At any given time, at least 3 are filled (except now, since I'm moving soon and don't want to move full carboys to storage)

Edit for more stuff:
I'm picking up as many of the square plastic milk carton holders as I can. They make moving carboys around so much easier.
Make sure you have a fermentation area that has little/no temperature fluctuation and stays below 75 degrees, preferably below 70. If that's not possible, you might want to look around for a cheap old fridge or chest cooler and a temp override thing. Or you can go ghetto and search for "son of the fermentation chiller" blueprints online. Temp control is the biggest problem most homebrewers face.

Oh yeah, get a nice notebook to keep detailed brewing notes. They are the most helpful thing ever when you want to recreate a phenomenal brew...

kaisersozei · 05-29-2009, 01:01 PM

Welcome to the ranks, you will definitely enjoy it!

If you're looking at midwestsupplies, I would start with this kit:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=6874

Gives you everything you need to brew a batch at a time. As you progress and get more adept, you may want to add additional carboys or a wort chiller as Drat suggests. But the kit above is basically what I started with 15 years ago--I've added to it substantially, but it still represents the core of my equipment.

Good luck, and feel free to hit us up if you have any questions--homebrewers love to push people down the sudsy slope!

BeerAdvocate · 05-29-2009, 01:43 PM

I was thinking about jumping in with this kit!

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=7587

Do you think it is worth the money for all the extras, or should I just start with the kit you recommended?

kaisersozei · 05-29-2009, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerAdvocate

I was thinking about jumping in with this kit!

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=7587

Do you think it is worth the money for all the extras, or should I just start with the kit you recommended?

Hmm. You're paying $80 for a 5 gallon brewkettle, 2 cases of bottles and a beer kit. The beer kit alone probably runs about $30. As LordOfWu recommends, you can do better getting a pot locally: I have 5 gallon and 7 gallon enameled pots, I think I bought one of them at a garage sale. And you might have luck picking up empties from a bar for just the price of the bottle deposit/refund. Or, start saving the non-twist cap bottles you're drinking from right now--it will take a couple weeks after your first brewing day until you bottle anyway, so you got time.

ade06 · 05-29-2009, 01:54 PM

I would also pick up a bottle washer found here http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...at.aspx?Cat=60.

It makes cleaning bottles a breeze.

05-29-2009, 02:00 PM

It's been a while, you guys are making me want to brew again!

You can certainly find a stainless cooking pot, and keep your empty beer bottles...at least that's what I did...I have a hard time buying empty beer bottles as I'm throwing away perfectly good one's (after they've been cleaned, of course). Just my

HawkEye19 · 05-29-2009, 08:48 PM

Get yourself a turkey fryer with a 7 or 8 gallon pot. You'll have the prefect place to do your boils and a full size pot to do them in.

If you're going to use glass carboys, get yourself one of these:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=6028

Every homebrewer has heard a horror story about a dropped glass carboy.

05-30-2009, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkEye19

Get yourself a turkey fryer with a 7 or 8 gallon pot. You'll have the prefect place to do your boils and a full size pot to do them in.

If you're going to use glass carboys, get yourself one of these:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=6028

Every homebrewer has heard a horror story about a dropped glass carboy.

That's why I'm picking up square plastic milk carton holders. No dragging the bottles around to get a grip either

BeerAdvocate · 06-02-2009, 04:14 PM

I ordered the kit with Two glass carboys. Now I just need to decide what kit I am going to get to make my 1st brew. I want something easy that will be ready in a month or so, that most everyone would enjoy. Im thinking some type of wheat, Red Ale or Amber Ale.

lightning9191 · 06-02-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerAdvocate

I ordered the kit with Two glass carboys. Now I just need to decide what kit I am going to get to make my 1st brew. I want something easy that will be ready in a month or so, that most everyone would enjoy. Im thinking some type of wheat, Red Ale or Amber Ale.

I'd go with a pale ale. Good summertime beer that is hard to screw up.

06-02-2009, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightning9191

I'd go with a pale ale. Good summertime beer that is hard to screw up.

Or an IPA, nobody minds if it's hazy/unfiltered and you can pick up some extra DME to boost up the abv without really affecting the balance...

06-23-2009, 01:08 PM

I got started brewing with a kit from Coopers. It had much of the simplicity of a mr beer, but makes better beer, and makes transitioning into "real" brewing easier.

kenstogie · 07-13-2009, 07:48 PM

I would try a Hefenweizen or at least consider it. THey brew really quick, taste great and can be cloudy. There pretty easy too. Do an all extract kit for your first time it's tooo easy!!! Remember one thing "Cleanliness is next to Godliness!"

Azpostal · 07-14-2009, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenstogie

I would try a Hefenweizen or at least consider it. THey brew really quick, taste great and can be cloudy. There pretty easy too. Do an all extract kit for your first time it's tooo easy!!! Remember one thing "Cleanliness is next to Godliness!"

I agee 100% Ken. This was my fist and I still make it at least twice a year.

BeerAdvocate · 07-14-2009, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenstogie

I would try a Hefenweizen or at least consider it. THey brew really quick, taste great and can be cloudy. There pretty easy too. Do an all extract kit for your first time it's tooo easy!!! Remember one thing "Cleanliness is next to Godliness!"

I have this in Primary right now as my 2nd brew.

05-29-2009, 12:28 PM	#1
BeerAdvocate BeerHunter Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: Travis Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 1,912 Trading: (45)	Getting started with Homebrewing I am finally going to take the plunge and start homebrewing. I dont want to use one of the cheapo Mr Beer kits so I have been looking at the kits on midwestsupplies but I am not sure what to go with yet. What did all you homebrewers get started with? Any tips and advice would be great. thanks! __________________ *I Brew the Beer I Drink*

05-29-2009, 12:54 PM	#2
Drat Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing I started with buckets, and a 5 gallon glass carboy for secondary. Picked up the bench capper right away. Bought a 5 gallon brew pot but quickly went to a 7 for full boils. Haven't picked up a chiller yet, still use the bathtub. A wine thief is a necessity, less intrusion and will allow for the minimum required sampling to get a SG reading. Autosiphons are a godsend I'm now up to 2 6-gallon glass carboy for fermentation and 6 5-gallon secondary glass carboys. At any given time, at least 3 are filled (except now, since I'm moving soon and don't want to move full carboys to storage) Edit for more stuff: I'm picking up as many of the square plastic milk carton holders as I can. They make moving carboys around so much easier. Make sure you have a fermentation area that has little/no temperature fluctuation and stays below 75 degrees, preferably below 70. If that's not possible, you might want to look around for a cheap old fridge or chest cooler and a temp override thing. Or you can go ghetto and search for "son of the fermentation chiller" blueprints online. Temp control is the biggest problem most homebrewers face. Oh yeah, get a nice notebook to keep detailed brewing notes. They are the most helpful thing ever when you want to recreate a phenomenal brew... Last edited by Drat; 05-29-2009 at 01:00 PM.

05-29-2009, 01:01 PM	#3
kaisersozei The Homebrew Hammer Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Gerard Location: Midlothian, VA Posts: 3,183 Trading: (40)	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing Welcome to the ranks, you will definitely enjoy it! If you're looking at midwestsupplies, I would start with this kit: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=6874 Gives you everything you need to brew a batch at a time. As you progress and get more adept, you may want to add additional carboys or a wort chiller as Drat suggests. But the kit above is basically what I started with 15 years ago--I've added to it substantially, but it still represents the core of my equipment. Good luck, and feel free to hit us up if you have any questions--homebrewers love to push people down the sudsy slope! __________________

05-29-2009, 01:43 PM	#4
BeerAdvocate BeerHunter Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: Travis Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 1,912 Trading: (45)	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing I was thinking about jumping in with this kit! http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=7587 Do you think it is worth the money for all the extras, or should I just start with the kit you recommended? __________________ *I Brew the Beer I Drink*

05-29-2009, 01:54 PM	#6
ade06 Have My Own Room Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Ade Location: Philadelphia Posts: 1,190 Trading: (24)	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing I would also pick up a bottle washer found here http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...at.aspx?Cat=60. It makes cleaning bottles a breeze.

05-29-2009, 02:00 PM	#7
LordOfWu Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing It's been a while, you guys are making me want to brew again! You can certainly find a stainless cooking pot, and keep your empty beer bottles...at least that's what I did...I have a hard time buying empty beer bottles as I'm throwing away perfectly good one's (after they've been cleaned, of course). Just my

05-29-2009, 08:48 PM	#8
HawkEye19 Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jason Location: Woodbury, MN Posts: 81 Trading: (6)	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing Get yourself a turkey fryer with a 7 or 8 gallon pot. You'll have the prefect place to do your boils and a full size pot to do them in. If you're going to use glass carboys, get yourself one of these: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/produ...px?ProdID=6028 Every homebrewer has heard a horror story about a dropped glass carboy.

06-02-2009, 04:14 PM	#10
BeerAdvocate BeerHunter Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: Travis Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 1,912 Trading: (45)	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing I ordered the kit with Two glass carboys. Now I just need to decide what kit I am going to get to make my 1st brew. I want something easy that will be ready in a month or so, that most everyone would enjoy. Im thinking some type of wheat, Red Ale or Amber Ale. __________________ *I Brew the Beer I Drink*

06-23-2009, 01:08 PM	#13
BrotherOfTheLeaf Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing I got started brewing with a kit from Coopers. It had much of the simplicity of a mr beer, but makes better beer, and makes transitioning into "real" brewing easier.

07-13-2009, 07:48 PM	#14
kenstogie following the whiterabbit Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 1,325 Trading: (3)	Re: Getting started with Homebrewing I would try a Hefenweizen or at least consider it. THey brew really quick, taste great and can be cloudy. There pretty easy too. Do an all extract kit for your first time it's tooo easy!!! Remember one thing "Cleanliness is next to Godliness!"