I've been seeing equipment kits out there to buy, but I wasn't sure what the best one would be. If anyone could help me out with this problem, I would love to start homebrewing soon.
Plent of people will point you to sources of equipment. But I'd suggest reading this first... www.howtobrew.com Then you'll know have a better idea about what equipment you'll need/want. And your first beer will be a whole better than it would have likely been otherwise.
Keep your eye out for specials/deals. Groupon sometimes has a great deal on a beginner kit. Check out homebrewfinds.com (and listen to VikeMan!)
Agree with Vikeman, definitely read How To Brew. That being said, if you're going to start with extract, a kit is a simple way to get what you need to start. After you start to brew a few batches and understand the process, you can figure out what you want to buy to upgrade equipment based on your wants and needs.
You should also find a home brewing shop near you. They often have starter kits that go from basic to very comprehensive. There are many online options like Northern Brewer or Midwest supplies but though the retail price may seem cheaper the shipping can hit you with an extra $20-$100 as brewing equipment in usually bulky and heavy. Local shops may also offer free beginner lessons or offer a discount on a kit with the price of a lesson. Videos and books are good, but sometimes it is nice to see it done in person and be able to ask questions.
+1 to what Bang34 posted. Find a good local homebrew store and buy your brewing kit from them. Establish a relationship with your Local Homebrew Store (LHBS); they will be of great help to you. Remember, they have a strong financial interest to get your first batch to be a success. They want you to come back and buy more ingredients. Cheers!
Here is some more reading material. There's plenty to read and learn, but in the end it's about putting grain in water, collecting the sweet water, adding yeast, then carbonating and drinking. How you go about doing those things and sanitation make all the difference. The grain wants to become wort and the yeast want to make beer. The brewer is there to provide everything in between. I would also recommend helping out another brewer first before you invest too much. Like most hobbies/obsessions, there is a time and money factor that you should be comfortable with/enjoy to stick with this hobby. Good luck. http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/recomended-materials-for-beginners.72840/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/homebrew-novice.79446/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/just-another-noob-recipe-recommendations.78667/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/want-to-get-into-homebrewing-what-to-get-and-tips.76666/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/homebrewing-where-to-start.70838/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/absolute-noob-here.56172/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/how-do-i-start-homebrewing.62630/#post-853379 http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/absolute-beginner.22189/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/t...ewing-where-to-shop-online.49108/#post-632027 http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/start-up-cost-for-home-brewing.43242/#post-544831 http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/best-beer-to-brew-for-a-first-timer.82162/#post-1228253
I have been reading Charlie Papazian's 'The Joy of Home Brewing: 3rd edition', but I'll definitely check that out, thanks.
From what I have read glass carboys let in less oxygen and will last forever if not broken. Those are the two main advantages. But you have to be a lot more careful with the glass. There are plenty of stories of broken carboys leading to serious injuries. When it comes down to it glass vs plastic is not going to make or break your beer. Other factors make a much bigger difference on how your beer is going to turn out. Good cleaning and sanitation, fresh ingredients, full boils, yeast health, pitching the right amount of yeast, and fermentation temp control are some of factors that make a great beer. Also if you are brewing 5 gallon batches you will want to get a 6 - 6.5 gallon carboy or bucket.
If this question has been asked once...it's been asked...well you know. May I suggest you try BA's really spiffy 'search' feature? It's awesome. Thank you.
To be a bit more informative than telling you to "RTFM", let me say this =) A plastic bucket is fine, in that it will work. However, plastic is a permeable substance. This means oxygen will get through the walls (although not a ton). Glass is not permeable. If you have the means, it is worth starting out with glass carboys. I think the biggest advantage to carboys (as far as avoiding the dreaded "home brew" taste) isn't so much that it is glass, but is to have a secondary. Keep in mind, when you move your beer from one carboy to another, it is called "racking". When you buy a carboy, you'll want to get a 6 gallon "primary". This is the carboy you will transfer your wort (un-fermented beer) to after cooking it. It should be at least 6 gallons because the yeast will be very active when you pitch it (dump it in your wort). It makes sense if you think about it - there is a whole lot of sugar ready for the yeast to eat right at the beginning. There is a chance it will get so active it might actually overflow the top of the carboy and make a mess. Depending on the recipe, it could be less active or more active (a general rule of thumb is the bigger the beer, the more likely you will overflow the carboy). It'll take 5-7 days or so until your wort is fully fermented, at which time it is now beer. Many people take a gravity reading to determine if it is fully fermented (meaning, everything that is actually fermentable has been converted). I don't take gravity readings anymore, but I've been brewing for many years, and I have a (relatively) innate ability to determine if it is done fermenting. Starting out, you should probably take a gravity reading. The recipe you are making should indicate the OG (Original Gravity) and FG (Final Gravity) readings you should expect. At this point, I recommend you transfer your beer to a secondary, which simply means racking it again into a sterilized, second glass carboy (usually 5 gallons). The reason you want to do this is all of the "trub", or dead yeast that settles down to the bottom of your primary. This can add an off taste to your beer. In my experience, this is the biggest contributor to that "home brew" taste, when compared to a commercial offering. If you sanitize everything thoroughly, and you rack your beer off of your trub, you will likely end up with a very flavorful offering that will be as good (or better) than any commercial offerings. Add a bit of all grain to the start of your brew, and you'll impress yourself on what you can do! Good luck in your brewing adventures!
Leaving the beer in the primary for the (total) amount of time that it would have spent in primary plus secondary, and carefully racking to a bottling bucket or keg, will also leave the trub behind. It's gravity and time. The value of a secondary is for extended bulk aging (not something a beginner is likely to need to do) or for adding other ingredients (like fruit) post-primary fermentation. OP: I recommend you think twice before using a secondary. Most experienced homebrewers will tell you that it's usually neither needed nor beneficial. If I were getting off flavors that disappear with the use of a secondary (as opposed to a few extra days/weeks in primary), I'd be looking at my yeast health and post fermentation temps, or I'd stop dumping the kettle trub into the fermenter. Most breweres can't sterilize their equipment. Nor is it necessary. Sanitizing (with a product like Starsan or Iodophor) is all you need to do. What?
I disagree. I always rack my beer into a secondary carboy. When I first started out, I did use a bucket. And my beer always tasted like home brew. It has never tasted like homebrew since I started racking. In 20 years of home brewing, I have never heard that statement before. Leaving your beer in the primary for more than is necessary to complete fermentation is exactly what you do not want to do. That is the whole purpose of racking to secondary. I misspoke. I meant sanitize. Brewing all extract isn't going to give you a very complex malt profile. By steeping 1-2 lbs of grain as you heat up your water, you can easily add a lot of nice flavor to what would otherwise be a pretty average brew. It is a very simple process. Put 2 lbs. of grain in a muslin mesh bag, tie off the end, and then add it to your cold water. Let the temperature rise to 170 degrees and remove it. Don't be tempted to squeeze out all of the water, as this can add some off flavors. I usually set a half gallon of water aside and pour it over the bag while holding it up over the kettle. Once it stops dripping, you can toss it. Vikeman, I truly have no idea where you got the idea that racking to a secondary carboy is a bad thing. Make wine and you'll be doing it over and over to prevent off tastes.
Who have you been talking to in the last 5? You may be surprised to learn that the consensus in the homebrew community has changed. If you don't believe that, post a poll. Leaving it in the primary for as long as necessary to clean up byproducts (diacetyl, acetaldehyde, etc.) is what I want to do. I know what steeping is. So that's what you meant when you said "Add a bit of all grain to the start of your brew, and you'll impress yourself on what you can do!" Okay. Not bad. Just unecessary. Well, some will say that it's (potentially) bad, due to the extra racking providing an extra risk of oxygen pickup, causing oxidation. I do rack wine multiple times. Different process and different product. By the way, the multiple rackings in wine making is not really about off flavors. It's about getting ultimate clarity. And O2 pickup is less of an issue due to the addition of K-meta (or equivalent product).
If you have a local homebrew supply house ask them if there is a local homebrewers club and join in with the group before you get started on your first batch. See if you can join in a brewing session with a member, or ask if someone would agree to be your mentor. If you have an experienced person with you during that first session (or available via phone) then you'll feel a lot more confident about starting. Usually nothing major will go wrong during a brewing session, but in your mind, anything minor will seem major to you.
Here are 2 searches on BA with the key word "secondary" in titles only. If you read those threads you will find what Vikeman is pointing out. There are those that probably secondary almost every beer they brew. It is not bad, it's just less than or not necessary in most normal cases, and can be detrimental in some. Adding fruit, oaking, or aging for an extended period, think barley wine/Doppelbock would be the exceptions. http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/secondary.82294/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/t...der-racking-to-secondary-early-or-late.81833/
