Hi All Newbie here

lamby · May 29, 2019

I am from Wigan and never done any brewing before but thought i would give it a go..... So like they say i have not got a clue what I am doing just full of enthusiasm. I have reviewed what i think i need but would like loads advice on what I need (from the experts).

I love IPA mainly Badger Champion and Brewdogs.
My wish list and ready to buy

Bulldog Micro Brewery - IPA

Contains All The Basic Equipment, Including The Beer Kit For Brewing 23 Litres Of Your Own IPA.
Just Add Sugar And Water - Full Instructions Included
You Will Require A Barrel Or Bottles To Store Your Beer, Once Fermentation Has Finished
Kit Includes: 23l IPA Beer Kit - Brewers Yeast - 32l Fermenter With Lid, Airlock And Bung - Steriliser - Hydrometer - Extendable Syphon - LCD Thermometer.
Equipment Can Be Used To Brew All Other 40 Pint Beer Kits

Coopers 24 x 500ml Amber PET bottles with caps

Coopers DIY Home Brewing Carbonation Drops

Coopers Brew Enhancer 1

Do i need a Better Brew 25ltr flexible home brew heat mat pad (was told my the my better half, its going in the garage !!!!)

whats your thoughts ...?

Is there an idiot's guide to brewing on the site (still finding my way round)

Thanks for all your advice in advance. Sorry if posted in the wrong place .

Chippy_Tea · May 29, 2019

Welcome to the forum :thumba:

There are a lot of guides in this forum but if you cannot find an answer just ask - https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/forums/beer-brewing-how-to-guides.26/

.

lamby · May 29, 2019

Thanks will start the ready .. any thoughts on the kit listed ?

GerritT · May 29, 2019

lamby said:
I am from Wigan and never done any brewing before but thought i would give it a go..... So like they say i have not got a clue what I am doing just full of enthusiasm. I have reviewed what i think i need but would like loads advice on what I need (from the experts).

I love IPA mainly Badger Champion and Brewdogs.
My wish list and ready to buy

Bulldog Micro Brewery - IPA
Coopers 24 x 500ml Amber PET bottles with caps
Coopers DIY Home Brewing Carbonation Drops
Coopers Brew Enhancer 1
Do i need a Better Brew 25ltr flexible home brew heat mat pad (was told my the my better half, its going in the garage !!!!)

whats your thoughts ...?

Is there an idiot's guide to brewing on the site (still finding my way round)

Thanks for all your advice in advance. Sorry if posted in the wrong place .

Oh boy, it's going to be so much fun for you! Looks like you got a proper beginner set, nice! With an lcd thermometer, darn, wish I had one of those at the start ._.

IPA's are nice, may I advise to stick to kits for the first couple of brews? Bit more expensive, but it save the trouble of doing a lot yourself (and potentially screwing up!).

Have you considered buying an entry level book? For after you brewed the first few kits? There are excellent books out there, by good brewers, it will give you something to do while waiting the first 4 weeks before you can crack your own open! :beer1:

Books here - https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/forums/brewing-books-publications.79/

.

lamby · May 29, 2019

Hi GerritT, thanks for the advice never thought about a book, sounds like a good idea.

Banbeer · May 29, 2019

Hi, and welcome to the forum and homebrewing, it looks like you will need more than 24 x 500ml bottles for a 23l brew.
I use at least 42 bottles for each brew

lamby · May 29, 2019

Hi Banbeer, ooooh school boy error thanks for the advice. This is the type of info as a beginner must be easy to over look. Would you suggest bigger bottle? seem it mentioned in the forum.

terrym · May 29, 2019

Welcome to the forum.
Try this
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...de-to-brewing-your-own-beer-from-a-kit.57526/
Don't waste you money on 'carbonation drops'. Table sugar is fine: it's cheap and priming doses can be easily adjusted to suit your beer.
And if you are short of bottles any used PET bottle in good condition will do provided it's held a fizzy drink.

Arcs · May 29, 2019

Coopers kit is the dogs for a beginner - especially a new one with that Krausen neck which does away with a need for a airlock. Consider getting a keg. Cornelius kegs seem to be the way to go from what I read on here. Although the king kegs don't seem to be bad either. Wish mine had come with some instructions as I just lost 5 pints due to putting too much sugar in my last brew. Get a bottle capper for any brews you do that may involve doing more than one brew. Trust me, as a beginner myself, brewing gets addictive and come christmas time you will thank yourself for having spare bottles. Also, recycle any old bottles that you bought normal beer from, wash em, sterilise em and cap em. Will save you a few bob and you get to drink the beer from them too

Wilko seems a good option to buy beer kits from as does ebay. Good luck

Arcs · May 29, 2019

One final thought. Second fermentation bin/vat. Yup, like myself we all fall the beginners pitfalls and the temptation to eat into that first brew long before it is ready will overcome you. Brew two at once. Build stock. Let it sit until it is ready and then enjoy while brewing the next batch

lamby · May 30, 2019

Hi Terrym, Arcs Sounds like very good advice will have to some more home work. Looking forward to starting but suspect will need to do a bit more digging on what is best kit to buy starting off.

GerritT · May 30, 2019

lamby said:
Hi GerritT, thanks for the advice never thought about a book, sounds like a good idea.

Review of a solid book:
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/greg-hughes.80273/

Complete bookcorner here:
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/forums/brewing-books-publications.79/

And check your local Tesco's or Sainsbury or other supermarket for sugar cubes: sometimes they come in convenient weight, like 3 or 4 grams. Easier to use than measuring 3 or 4 grams with a spoon and hoping you spill nothing! Carbonation drops are a sad waste of money. Oh and while you do your groceries, check the water section: if they sell still water in plastic 0.5L bottles, those bottles can stand pressure. Plus the water might be better suited than your tap water. The bottles are clear, so store in the dark, in a box, to avoid UV light deterioration.

An Ankoù · May 30, 2019

Welcome..
If it's your first brew, I would recommend getting a stout kit. Nothing fancy but not the cheapest either. Stout is much more forgiving than lager and less disappointing than a bitter which really isn't. That's my experience anyway.
Of course, if you don't like stout.....

Arcs · May 30, 2019

The stouts and porters I've brewed so far have been nothing short of excellent. I am looking forward to brewing some bitters and perhaps a lager for xmas. But yea, stout for a beginner, pretty much can't go wrong. Especially given the price of Guinness these days - lol just no

lamby · May 30, 2019

Hi All, Been looking around for the books. Good idea about the sugar cubes and water must say. Stout well dont normally like dark beers to be honest and the kit I am looking at as a IPA (which is my favorate athumb..

) but if i mess up promise stout next, mates love it.

@terrym the guide is very good, Maybe update with the info from other experienced member.

Once again thanks

Banbeer · May 30, 2019

lamby said:
Hi Banbeer, ooooh school boy error thanks for the advice. This is the type of info as a beginner must be easy to over look. Would you suggest bigger bottle? seem it mentioned in the forum.

Depends how you drink really, if you have people around who drink then bigger bottles make sense but if you are drinking on your own then 500ml PET bottles are ideal, problem with the bigger bottles is that if you pour yourself a pint then you will disturb the sediment at the bottom of the bottle, now some will say it doesn't matter but if disturbed the yeast can be a mild laxative and I don't risk that action no, no.

lamby · May 30, 2019

great response. Just me drinking the beer so like you said best 500 ml, thats my normal bottle size when i buy from Tesco.

Would be regular though athumb..

Spudhead94 · May 30, 2019

The best thing I did was upgrade the bottles, I used PET bottles once and didn't like them. For £26 you can get 50 x 500ml bottles here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-X-500...053634?hash=item3f26181b02:g:zN8AAOSwwbdWMjaL

If you do beer kits try and pimp them out to make them that little bit better, I often use stout kits and add coffee, chocolate, fruit etc. The best platform too is to watch videos on youtube, I learnt around 85% of what i do now just by watching others.

lamby · May 30, 2019

Trying to build up my glass bottles one sip at a time. Yes watching loads of you tubes.

Quick questions why do people move the beer from the FV to an new FV just before bottling?. Am looking at a FV with a bottle filler on but looks a bit weldy (how do you keep clean) but cant find a wand that fits to the tap.

GerritT · May 30, 2019

Never mind the sediment, if you're careful enough you can pour twice from 1 bottle without much disturbance (pending floculation of the yeast), better is to have a 0.5L glass ready of course!
Talking about bottles, PET works for a while but once you go for glass bottles, choices are: fliptop or caps? Both have their pluses and minuses. Or kegging? Needs more equipment and room but brewers that have them, like them.

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