Beginner Kit Setup.

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DeckchairBlue

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Jun 17, 2015
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Hi guys, I'm completely new to this so was just looking for a bit of advice.

Would anyone be able to advise the equipment I would need to start brewing using a kit. I've read a few different guys and different places say different things.

I am planning on buying one of the Youngs American IPA or APA kits as I am a big fan of that style of beer.

Also where abouts would be best to get my kit from, I have a wilkos here and understand they sell some stuff, I also have a LHBS but have never been in. Or would online be best?

All help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Matt
 
If you have wilko's near you then I think there your best bet for the majority of your kit. They're dirt cheap and suprisingly good quality. plus you wont have to pay any post and packaging

Fermenting vessel
long handled plastic/wooden spoon to mix your kit ingredients
Hydrometer
Thermometer
Syphon

All of which you can get from Wilko

Then there's the packaging of your beer. Do you want to bottle it or put it in a barrel. Dont know anything about barrels and packaging that particular way but I'm sure someone will be along to advise.

Bottling -

You need bottles of course. You can buy them, scrounge them from various place or keep your empties
caps and a capper. All of which you can get from Wilko. You'll also need a bottling wand/little bottler withc you'll need to get online/LHBS cuz wilko don't sell em.

The other thing you need to thing about is sanitizing equipment which is exceptionally important. A lot of people start off using milton fluid (myself included), which needs rinsing off thoroughly. But you could dive straight in and buy star san (about £12 a bottle but you need so little of it, 1.5ml per litre and it's reusable, I've still got half a bottle left two years later) which is a no rinse sanitiser and takes the hassle out of rinsing - most people, if they stick with brewing eventually 'upgrade' to star san

Can't think of anything else. If I've forgotten anything others will add to the basic list I've put there

oh, and welcome to the forum!
 
If you are into American Ales and like them well carbonated probably best to look at bottling rather than kegging.

This kit will get you everything you need to get started with brewing a batch and bottling, includes 40 PET bottles which you can clean and re-use for future brews:
http://www.home-brew-online.com/sta...arter-equipment-pack-with-brown-bottles-p1112

Plus one of the youngs american kits:
http://www.home-brew-online.com/search/american-craft-brewing-beer-kits-m55/youngs

The above will get you setup and started, you can add starsan sanitiser and glass bottles/capper and more kit if you enjoy the process - which you probably will !
 
Thanks for the advice guys, that kit from GEB looks like a great deal, you get loads with it. Even better as their American beer kits are 10% off right now.

Am i right in thinking, as it comes with 2 fermenters i'll be able to do a secondary fermentation and get clearer beer ? or just be able to transfer it over for bottling, again removing any sediment ?
 
Yes, a second fermentation vessel (FV) allows you to 'rack to secondary' typically after 7-14 days, leaving in the seond FV for a further week and does aid with a clearer beer.

Or you could leave in primary for the duration of fermentation then rack to secondary to bulk prime with 130g of tate and lyle sugar, quick stir and bottle. Bulk priming 20l in a bottling bucket is easier than priming each bottle individually with sugar.

Not sure the kit from GEB comes with any bottles though so you would need to buy some PET or glass bottles - or collect some empties from a pub etc. With glass bottles you would need a capper tool and caps also. PET bottles come with screw top lids.

Hope this helps.
 
I think with all the stuff that kit includes, and due to the discount of the other items i may go for it and try and acquire bottles on top.

I think i should be able to get enough bottles together, is it normally easy to get bottles from pubs ?
 
I have done a few brews now, both in bottles and in pressure barrels, bottles are a lot of work but are best for lager (you get more carbonation) pressure barrels are less work and fairly easy, however i would recommend if getting a pressure barrel get on with a gas inlet and some way of putting Co2 in as once the beer is exposed to air you have to drink it really quickly.
 
DeckchairBlue said:
I think with all the stuff that kit includes, and due to the discount of the other items i may go for it and try and acquire bottles on top.

I think i should be able to get enough bottles together, is it normally easy to get bottles from pubs ?
Click to expand...

Depends how friendly you are with them and how friendly they are but generally yes, they will dig some bottles out the bin if you ask when you are there or may even put empties to one side over a few days if you pop-in regularly to pick them up so they are not building up and cluttering their stockroom up.

It may cost you a couple of pints as it would be polite to buy a beer when you ask, and again when you pop-in to collect the empties they have put to one side :drink:
 
re. bottles. 2L Fizzy Drinks bottles will suffice if you can't get the hold of proper bottles. Personally I use 500ml Pepsi bottles for my brews. They are see through and easy to clean and the yeast sticks to the bottom butterfly when I bottle condition.
 
Go into your LHBS and just ask for advice, dont commit yourself to buying anything just ask. Any LHBS, worth its salt, will talk you through the whole process of homebrewing, before hitting you with the sales pitch, but again dont buy anything. Try to find a experienced HB`er in your area to also give you advice. Ive never met a HB`er who will tell you any lies.
 
GlentoranMark said:
re. bottles. 2L Fizzy Drinks bottles will suffice if you can't get the hold of proper bottles. Personally I use 500ml Pepsi bottles for my brews. They are see through and easy to clean and the yeast sticks to the bottom butterfly when I bottle condition.
Click to expand...

Similarly you could go to somewhere like aldi/lidl and buy those 500ml water bottle that come several to a pack . Use the water to brew with then bottle your brew in the them. Make sure you condition them in a cardboard box or coverthem with towels/blankets or you'll skunk your brew
 
That's a good idea, makes stuff cheaper and avoids bottle bombs.

Is there no potential problem with the plastic changing the taste of the beer ie leaching into it ? Or is that a myth ?
 
DeckchairBlue said:
That's a good idea, makes stuff cheaper and avoids bottle bombs.

Is there no potential problem with the plastic changing the taste of the beer ie leaching into it ? Or is that a myth ?
Click to expand...
Not if you use drinks bottles, as they are designed to hold beverages anyway.
 
After putting it out on freecycle I've kindly been offered quite a bit of equipment buy a couple of guys local to me meaning I may only need to buy sterilising stuff, which is amazing.

Concern I have now is that on a lot of things I've read people say about dropping the temperature of the beer once it is bottled, ie putting it in the fridge. Does this mean I have to put the whole brew in the fridge, as I only have an under counter fridge.
 
Hi im new too im on my second brew my first was the geordie yorkshire bitter which i left in fermenting bin for 14 days
then picked up lots and lots of bottles from friends and pubs washed in dish washer on a 65 degree wash for 2 hours then delabelled with cheap oxi clean from aldi and then another wash in dish washer followed by stererlized before use

Primed with half teaspoon of normal sugar and was adviced from people on here 2 weeks fermenting bin 2 weeks bottled warm place and in dark and 2 weeks cool in dark and that should be ok but longer the better apparently

Ive just started today coopers stout with 1kg tesco beer enhancer and 1 tin of 454g dark treacle
 

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