New to brewing: Best Kits

[PhillyPhaithful48]

Hello all, I've been doing some research but I really want to get into home brewing and was wondering what starter kits are the best. Near me, we have keystone brewing company and there's even a groups deal for like 30 bucks for their starter kit.

Just wondering if you guys think sits worth it? They also offer classes which I may take eventually.

Beer Equipment Kit



Appreciate any advice. Thanks!

 

[Cobrabit]

You can get starter kits that even come with the ingredients to make your first batch for a little more from places like northern brewer or Midwest supplies. However, you'd have to include shipping. Check out some other supply stores whether online or local. That starter kit is okay and similar to what you'll find as a basic kit, but you might want to look into some kits that are a step up or so (include carboys, bottles, and recipe ingredients) for not that much more. Maybe even talk to your local store and see if you can get discounts from them if you can find better deals online.

If you can get that kit for 30 bucks, then go for it. Full price, I'd price shop with a few other places if possible.

 

[757Hokie83]

agree with Cobra

this is basically the kit that I started off with about 6 years ago:
Deluxe Brewing Starter Kit : Northern Brewer

and that $149.99 tag comes with an ingredient kit (or 169.99 for glass carboys, which I like, granted ive never used plastic fermenters) and you get an instruction DVD to go with it.

I would also pick up The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian, great reference....I go back to it nearly every brew day

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

Thanks fellas. I will certainly take your advice.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

Sorry, dumb newbie questions here. If I were to get this kit, what else is necessary and what would you highly recommend purchasing?

Just doing initial research, this doesn't look like its going to be cheap by any means.

 

[thecrow124]

I asked basically this same question when I was getting started. I was told to get the best kit that I could afford, or something to that effect. But I would say this, get what you think you need. Certain things are imperative to have, fermenter, bottle capper, bottle caps. Others are nice to have, the kits have some of both. The smaller kits tend to have everything you need and as you look to bigger kits they have more of the stuff that is nice to have.

In reality, the nice to have stuff you can usually find in other places for less money, but you do have to go out and find it. Soin essence the kit you asked about will be fine, but if you want more of the nice to have stuff then you will have to get a bigger kit or find it elsewhere.

 

[Cobrabit]

Sorry, dumb newbie questions here. If I were to get this kit, what else is necessary and what would you highly recommend purchasing?

Just doing initial research, this doesn't look like its going to be cheap by any means.

You'll also need:

A brew kettle - I just use a 3 gallon crab steam pot I bought from my local grocery store

Ingredients - probably want to start off with a forgiving kit like a red or brown ale for a beginner until you get used to it

Bottles - you'll need about 48 bottles for a 5 gallon batch


Home brewing has an initial investment to consider but you'll be able to make as good if not better beer than the craft brews you'll find in the store for cheaper. Currently, Sam Adams is about $9 for a six pack. Multiply that by 8 and you'll spend $72+ for what I could make for half that. Plus I like the idea of making my own and experimenting. My taste range has greatly increased as I try a new brew each time ( haven't brewed the same thing yet even though they were all good).

 

[thecrow124]

You'll also need:

A brew kettle - I just use a 3 gallon crab steam pot I bought from my local grocery store

Ingredients - probably want to start off with a forgiving kit like a red or brown ale for a beginner until you get used to it

Bottles - you'll need about 48 bottles for a 5 gallon batch


Home brewing has an initial investment to consider but you'll be able to make as good if not better beer than the craft brews you'll find in the store for cheaper. Currently, Sam Adams is about $9 for a six pack. Multiply that by 8 and you'll spend $72+ for what I could make for half that. Plus I like the idea of making my own and experimenting. My taste range has greatly increased as I try a new brew each time ( haven't brewed the same thing yet even though they were all good).

I use a turkey fryer that I got from Lowes for $50 last year, it is aluminum, but works just fine. It came with a burner so all in all it was a good deal, doesn't stay as hot as stainless, for as long as stainless, but it works.

As for the bottles, if you currently buy craft beers to drink, just save the bottles, ask friends if you can have their empties, this is a small way to save money, but a money saver none the less.

 

[thecrow124]

Sorry, dumb newbie questions here. If I were to get this kit, what else is necessary and what would you highly recommend purchasing?

Just doing initial research, this doesn't look like its going to be cheap by any means.

I didn't see any sanitizer in the description and that is an absolute necessity, I use Starsan, but there are others out there that are equally as effective. There is also a bleach/vinegar/water mixture you can use, I don't remember it exactly off the top of my head, but you can find it doing a quick internet search.

I would also purchase a couple plastic spray bottles, one for sanitizer and one for water.

 

[757Hokie83]

I didn't see any sanitizer in the description and that is an absolute necessity, I use Starsan, but there are others out there that are equally as effective. There is also a bleach/vinegar/water mixture you can use, I don't remember it exactly off the top of my head, but you can find it doing a quick internet search.

I would also purchase a couple plastic spray bottles, one for sanitizer and one for water.

I typically just use bleach and water to sanitize...I think its something like 2 tablespoons of bleach for 5 gallons maybe?

I do use starsan sometimes as well, and it seems to work

 

[Cobrabit]

I didn't see any sanitizer in the description and that is an absolute necessity, I use Starsan, but there are others out there that are equally as effective. There is also a bleach/vinegar/water mixture you can use, I don't remember it exactly off the top of my head, but you can find it doing a quick internet search.

I would also purchase a couple plastic spray bottles, one for sanitizer and one for water.

I meant to ask about that as well. I wasn't sure what the cleaner was that was listed in the starter kit description and if it was a sanitizer as well.

I personally use StarSan and have had good results. Did freak me out a little with how much it foamed and the fact that you can't get rid of it all, but I got over all that and rack and bottle directly on top of the foam without a worry.

 

[757Hokie83]

I meant to ask about that as well. I wasn't sure what the cleaner was that was listed in the starter kit description and if it was a sanitizer as well.

I personally use StarSan and have had good results. Did freak me out a little with how much it foamed and the fact that you can't get rid of it all, but I got over all that and rack and bottle directly on top of the foam without a worry.

that still bugs me with the starsan, I know they say not to rinse it out, but sometimes I cant help it

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

More Beer has beer ingredient kits that are versions of really great beers. You can make Pliny the Elder for instance ( Russian River's Pliny the Elder - Extract Beer Kit | MoreBeer ). And if you are unfamiliar, PtE is considered the best DIPA in the country. And I don't mean a replication of it. The guy that developed PtE (Vinnie Cilurzo, owner and brewer at Russian River Brewing Company) worked up this extract recipe. Closest you can get making it at home from a kit. And they have many others as well.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

Thanks once again everyone. I did buck up and purchase the living social kit from keystone. Going to pick it up next week. Also signed up for a course they give at this place for beginners.

I'm sure I will have more questions in the near future. Hopefully I'll be a tad more competent about this stuff real soon.

 

[757Hokie83]

congrats, you are about to embark on a very fun, creative, rewarding journey! happy brewing

when you get that first brew going, you're going to be anxious about doing everything perfectly...just remember the words of the wise Charlie Papazian:

"Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew"

 

[wartyOne]

I didn't see any sanitizer in the description and that is an absolute necessity, I use Starsan, but there are others out there that are equally as effective. There is also a bleach/vinegar/water mixture you can use, I don't remember it exactly off the top of my head, but you can find it doing a quick internet search.

I would also purchase a couple plastic spray bottles, one for sanitizer and one for water.

From experience in the brewery, Iodophor is vastly superior to Starsan, and considerably cheaper.

Also, bleach and stainless steel do not mix. Bleach will literally eat your metal.

 

[wartyOne]

OP, the best pieces of advice I can give you are to control your fermentation temperatures (when they say an ale yeast has a range of 64-72, what they mean is about 4 degrees lower than that to accomodate for the endothermic reaction that yeast is giving off), and always create a yeast starter.

Are either of these absolute? No. You can still make a drinkable product if you ignore both pieces of advice. However, if you follow those two rules, you'll be brewing beers that legitimately compete in homebrew competitions.

If you're interested in a bit more, shoot me a private message. I don't want to deluge the board with an encyclopedia.

 

[757Hokie83]

From experience in the brewery, Iodophor is vastly superior to Starsan, and considerably cheaper.

Also, bleach and stainless steel do not mix. Bleach will literally eat your metal.

yrah, I only ever use bleach on any glass and plastic that I will be using

 

[wartyOne]

yrah, I only ever use bleach on any glass and plastic that I will be using

Iodophor is more pricey than bleach, but much easier to deal with. I highly recommend this chemical.

Also, for cleaning, use PBW. It's a powder, and it's amazing. Use gloves (it's a bit harsh on the skin), and be sure you don't get any in your eyes, but this stuff will eat away caked on krausen rings at room temperature.

Those are the two most readily used chemicals in the brewery. NaOH and PN acid are the other two common ones, but the average consumer doesn't have access to them. They're a bit dangerous.

 

[wartyOne]

yrah, I only ever use bleach on any glass and plastic that I will be using

It occurs to me that people use glass and plastic. A bit late. Everything in my setup is stainless now.

Sorry about that. Still, I would avoid bleach personally. Iodophor is less reactive but more effective as a sterilant.