Newbie advice needed :)

[jamesdt]

hi im completely new to this recently got a pressure barrel of ebay for next to nothing just need a fermenter and a few odds and ends to get started, but what i would like to know is which starter kit i should get are the brew buddy ones ok or should i get something better for my first brew im probably going to try a lager or cider first and dont want to put off by a crappy one? also are the cider and lager kits fizzy like normal tinned and bottled stuff?

Cheers :drink:

 

[Davybarman]

Its all down to your own personnal taste.
If you dont feel that confident, get a cpl of cheapies to get your teeth into and practice you technique.
However there are some excellent how to guides here on the forum if you want to go that bit better.
I have found the coopers kits quite gd and relativly dimple to start on.

Good luck :

 

[joe1002]

Welcome to the forum :

I'm afraid I don't know much about the starter kits, hopefully someone who has brought one recently will see this.

I seem to recall reading on here in the last week or two that Tesco were selling starter kits for around £7. I'll have a look for the thread.

 

[joe1002]

I can't find the post for the time being but have a search on the forum, there is some info on starter kits.

 

[Andy.H]

Tesco I think are running out the stock of their Youngs BrewBuddy starter kits in selected stores; I picked up the lager one for £7.96 on Saturday, that includes your fermenting bin with lid, hydrometer, syphon, small pot of sanitiser/cleaner, and your first lager kit. The only thing you don't get is somewhere to put it when it's done it's first ferment... but you've got your pressure barrel for that :)

Like I say, it's not all stores tho... you'll need to check your local one to see if they have them. And you'll probably have to be quick at that price as well!

Welcome and good luck :)

 

[joe1002]

Thanks Andy, I was beginning to think I am imagining things.

 

[abeyptfc]

coopers kits are always decent to start with, it's how I started 2 years ago, it wasn't the best beer in the world but it was drinkable and after all my hard work making it, it felt great drinking it!(maybe not the next morning after 7 or 8 bottles :lol: ) use the forum sponsor above for the homebrew company, get a kit, don't expect the lager to be lager cos it uses ale yeast, go for the draught or real ale or something, if you like stout go for the coopers brewmaster irish stout with 1KG dark spraymalt(now thats the best kit out there I've brewed along with the Milestone Raspberry Wheat Beer), if using spraymalt you don't need to use any additional sugar.if buying the real ale etc get yourself a kilo of light or extra light spraymalt instead of sugar, brew it shorter than instructed, these kits are meant to be 23 litres but try brew it to a max of 20 litres. if you can afford it get a sachet Safale US04 yeast and use that instead of the kit stuff, and get some yeast nutrient online, a teaspoon of that in with your yeast and mix it in will do you good. i brewed kits from July 10 to June 12 when I started AG so I'm trying to give you as much best info as possible after my 2 years of kit brewing!

 

[jamesdt]

thanks for your replies luckily im in a tesco store somewhere in the country most mornings for work so will keep a look out funny i was eying up the home brew stuff in newport on friday but no proper offers on, just found out the guy next door to the better halfs parents has been home brewing for ages wonder why he walked soo much he was gathering stuff for his home brew!

 

[jamesdt]

got my 7 quid starter kit no sample jar or air lock guess these arent vital then will a tall 1/2 glass be ok and ive heard the lids arent air tight so it wont explode will it?

gonna pop my homebrew cherry tonight

 

[PD]

what kit did you get ?
I've found lagers to be a big disappointment until you have a bit of experience under your belt. Better with an ale or stout.

If your following a kit's instruction then a hydrometer and jar are not needed, but get one for your future brewing.

 

[jamesdt]

what kit did you get ?
I've found lagers to be a big disappointment until you have a bit of experience under your belt. Better with an ale or stout.

If your following a kit's instruction then a hydrometer and jar are not needed, but get one for your future brewing.

beer buddy lager kit it had a hydrometer but no jar to put it in although but its theyre in the instructions? tbh i really want to do ciders but the kit came with fermenter and everything but air lock and jar and was cheaper then a stand alone fermenter, im not expecting much either but at that price ill take it as a learning curve

 

[EskiBrew]

Welcome to the forum :thumb: