Basic Brewing Kit

[DrunkArchaeologist]

Hi all, brand new to brewing so I'm wanting to start out simple with the ready made kits etc, the eventually work my way up to more advance brews in the future. My partner wants to buy me the equipment as a Christmas present so wants me to gather some links and suggestions off you all as where best for her to buy it. Like would it be cheaper for her to buy the equipment individually or would it be better to buy a starter set?

Thanks in advance
DrunkArchaeologist

 

[AnimatedGIF]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.
I began with a basic starter set from Balliihoo and it worked well.
The good thing is that the equipment is still of use if you decide to get in to All Grain brewing at a later date. There are some great beer kits out there right now. There are also plenty of retailers that do the starter bundles too.

 

[The Baron]

Welcome to the forum
A good website search will show you starter kits.
We have some forum supporting retailers on this forum such as The Homebrew Company who do basic starter kits.

Just buy the basic to start with i.e a fermenting bucket, spoon, hydrometer, hydrometer trial jar etc.
good luck and just ask away or and follow our advice as the kit instructions from kit manufacturers is usually twaddle

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I forgot to say, some starter kits come with a method of packaging (bottles or pressure barrel), and some don't.
I would personally recommend bottling, though you'll also need a crown capper and crown caps(the caps themselves may come with the bottles), and a bottle wand would be useful. There are some good videos on YouTube for using these starter kits.

 

[Cwrw666]

Yes, pressure barrels sound such a good idea but no end of people have so much trouble with them. Leaky taps, leaky caps, leaky pressure relief valves, even cracks in the barrel itself. I gave up on them years ago and bottle everything now. It's much more work but I rather enjoy it.

 

[Stevieboy]

And on the flip side I only use PBs!!

 

[Clint]

Hello DrunkA.
What do you like to drink? Have you thought about any brewing methods yet?

 

[DrunkArchaeologist]

Thanks for the replies all, I was thinking of actually bottling it anyway, as if it turns out good (fingers crossed) I would like to give my friend a few bottles. I must admit I'm a bit of a hipster when it comes to drinking, so normally NEIPA's, DIPA's, Impy Stouts, but I pretty much enjoy anything other than mainstream produced lager. Been looking at maybe having the Murtons Flagship Hazy IPA as my first brew, but won't be until next year as I'm in Canada for Christmas.

 

[Andrew Booth]

So if your starting on kits all you need is a fermentation bucket a hydrometer and a plastic spoon and a thermometer.

If you do kits and intend to bottle a bottling bucket with a tap is a good idea.

If you then move on to all grain like Brew in a Bag you could start with a Peco boiler or go with a all in one like Brewster Beacon, Brew Monk, Grainfather, Brewdevil the list is pretty endless.

 

[Flat Foot]

After getting the bug last year my dad mentioned offhand giving it a try sometime, so for Christmas last year I got him a fermenting bucket, an extract kit, some sanitiser, a hydrometer and a syphon. That was enough to get him started (although you'd need something to dispense it all into, I lent him stuff for that!)

I think as a starter that's enough, there is always more to buy, but at least if it doesn't work out for you you haven't bought much and what you do have you can sell on. You'll probably end up buying more though ;-)

 

[Alastair70]

If you going to bottle invest a few pounds in a bench capper and start drinking Erdinger. It’s really tasty, the labels come off easily and you’ll end up with a decent collection of bottles all the same size.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

+1 for bench capper. Not much more expensive and, compared to my crown capper, much more durable. And there's no worrying about the neck type(short neck, long neck, or the annoying hobgoblin necks)

 

[Tanglefoot]

Keep an eye open for a second hand pan on Gumtree or the like.
Then you just need a gas ring or induction hob ( or stovetop ) if you want to try your hand at partial mash or all grain brewing.

 

[DrunkArchaeologist]

So what I'm thinking is......

1x Brewferm Fermenting Bin, 30ltr with Airlock and Tap

1x Youngs 25 Litre Fermentation Vessel with Bottling System

1x 10ltr Fermenting Bin & Lid (for using as a sanitizing bucket)

1x Stainless Steel Spoon, Large Head

Then obviously all the bits like starsan, caps, crown capper, thermometer etc etc

 

[Stevieboy]

Why 2 x large FVs ?

 

[DrunkArchaeologist]

Why 2 x large FVs ?

I thought that I needed one to dispense from the main fermentation barrel so that I can then use the other one to use as a bottling bucket

 

[UKSkydiver]

+1 for bench capper. Not much more expensive and, compared to my crown capper, much more durable. And there's no worrying about the neck type(short neck, long neck, or the annoying hobgoblin necks)

If you going to bottle invest a few pounds in a bench capper

☝ This. So much better / easier than the lever and only £3 more expensive. No brainer.

And +1 on the bottlling wand

 

[UKSkydiver]

You can bottle straight from the primary fermenting vessel (FV) / bucket if you prime each bottle separately.

You only need a bottling bucket if you want to batch prime, but this extra transfer risks infection and / or oxidation.

I did a batch prime once, it was fine, but it's no great shakes to prime each bottle straight from the FV.

 

[DrunkArchaeologist]

☝ This. So much better / easier than the lever and only £3 more expensive. No brainer.

And +1 on the bottlling wand

The Bottling Bucket I'm looking at has this attached to it, this any good?.....

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/25-litre-fermentation-vessel-with-bottling-system.html

 

[DrunkArchaeologist]

You can bottle straight from the primary fermenting vessel (FV) / bucket if you prime each bottle separately.

You only need a bottling bucket if you want to batch prime, but this extra transfer risks infection and / or oxidation.

I did a batch prime once, it was fine, but it's no great shakes to prime each bottle straight from the FV.

Ah ok, yeah I was worried about Oxidation and infection, just the few YouTube videos I've watched they always seemed to batch prime before bottling, so I thought that was the norm, I'll look into maybe just priming each bottle