Hi from Leeds

[Herb]

Hi, I'm new here.

I'm looking to start doing some shall batches of home brew - small because our house is tiny, so not much room!

I've ordered an ingredient kit for a Porter, and now just need to pick up some of the equipment needed so I can make a start (maybe this weekend!).

I've been doing a lot of reading of this forum, particularly the AG thread as that is what really interests me.

I haven't ever brewed anything at home before, so I'll probably have lots of questions when it comes to it!

Herb

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum :

 

[Spapro]

Welcome to the forum, I'm not far from you as in Wetherby.

Worth checking out Wilkos for a decent stockpot for smaller batches of all grain on your hob top. Wilkos also do homebrew so you could pickup a fermentation vessel, hydrometer etc from there if not already got the bits from your porter ingredient supplier.

Not got one but this pot from wilkos looks good:
http://www.wilko.com/wilko-stock-pot-12l/invt/0322498

 

[monkier]

Hey up, I'm not far from you either, just over in Harrogate. Welcome to the forum

 

[Herb]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Welcome to the forum, I'm not far from you as in Wetherby.

Worth checking out Wilkos for a decent stockpot for smaller batches of all grain on your hob top. Wilkos also do homebrew so you could pickup a fermentation vessel, hydrometer etc from there if not already got the bits from your porter ingredient supplier.

Not got one but this pot from wilkos looks good:
http://www.wilko.com/wilko-stock-pot-12l/invt/0322498

Cheers - a stock pot like that is on my shopping list, would I get away with that for 10l brews, of is it a bit on the small side for that?

I feel a bit daft for ordering the ingredients pack now, looking around, think I paid over the odds for it - seems I could have bought the individual ingredients cheaper separately.

Having said that, at least I'll know I have the correct amounts of everything.

 

[Covrich]

Hello 'erb

For 10 liter batches All Grain you will need at least a 15l pot

 

[Herb]

Hello 'erb

For 10 liter batches All Grain you will need at least a 15l pot

Thought so - the pack I've bought is just a 5l one anyway, so it'll do for that job.

Here's another daft question.

Do you keep your stock pots strictly for brewing to keep them clean, or do you use them for other cooking purposes too?

 

[Spapro]

I'd use just for brewing, sure others on here will use theirs for sunday roasts and caseroles as well as brewing without any issues though.

Back when I was hob top brewing my wife once borrowed my shiny brewing stockpot for a casserole, burnt something onto the bottom then used a pair of scissors to try to hack off the burnt stuff when it wouldn't come off with a brillo pad, not long after that I invested in a Peco boiler just for brewing in the garage !!!

 

[cheapbrew]

Welcome :hat:

as has been said you need a pot big enough for the boil which holds a few litres more than your end amount, so for 5L brew you will need at least an 7.5 or 8 Litre pot and for 10L brew you need a 15 litre pot

I would keep the pot just for brewing then you don't have to worry about cleaning off food

 

[Herb]

I'd use just for brewing, sure others on here will use theirs for sunday roasts and caseroles as well as brewing without any issues though.

Back when I was hob top brewing my wife once borrowed my shiny brewing stockpot for a casserole, burnt something onto the bottom then used a pair of scissors to try to hack off the burnt stuff when it wouldn't come off with a brillo pad, not long after that I invested in a Peco boiler just for brewing in the garage !!!

Haha - As I spent a chunk of last night removing something that has burnt on to the bottom of our new wok (by me I must add), this is exactly my fear.

 

[Spapro]

Haha - As I spent a chunk of last night removing something that has burnt on to the bottom of our new wok (by me I must add), this is exactly my fear.

You could try that for brewing, wok could possibly go wrong !

 

[Herb]

You could try that for brewing, wok could possibly go wrong !

As you are local(ish) - are there any decent home brew shops in Leeds? I walk past one in Kirkstall on my way to/from work, but its not open at that time.

 

[Spapro]

As you are local(ish) - are there any decent home brew shops in Leeds? I walk past one in Kirkstall on my way to/from work, but its not open at that time.

Not used them, Morley home brew is supposed to be good, runs bottle swaps etc. Not been to it but there is a Wilko's round the corner so could grab bits from both in one visit potentially.

When I first started got all my startup kit from http://www.home-brew-online.com/ who are actually based in York. They are an online business but you can purchase all their stock at the same prices from their small shop from their unit - they were very helpful but only open Monday-Friday office hours.

Now I've progressed to all grain and know (pretty much) what I am doing I tend to order online, mostly from:
The Malt Miller - very good service and great for hops
and
http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/ don;t forget the forum 5% discount, good for most ingredients and done a couple of their maskits which have been good.

Good luck with your brewing and enjoy it !

 

[ManseMasher]

Welcome aboard, and bear this in mind - the only daft question is the one that isn't asked!

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi Herb,
Welcome from one newbie to another. I'm in Doncaster.
Morley home brew shop has a great website and I would love to pay it a visit, but it's a bit out of the way for me.
+1 for the Homebrew Online, the York based shop. I ordered a keg from them - it arrived next day. That's another shop I'd like to visit.
Colin