Help Starting From Scratch

[marksbrew]

Hi there beer lovers.

My birthday is coming up and I have just moved to a new house with a garage (horay! first garage)
Anyway I am keen to use my birthday as an excuse to get started in home brewing.
I have seen various brew shops around but before I ventue into one and explain to the shop keeper that I am a beginner wanting a new set up, only to watch him rub his hands and think to himself, just how much do I sell to this young chap.

I was reading through a number of these threads and finding guys with very elaborate setups burning big kegs etc. A little out of my league for now but want some advise on what sort of setup / equipment would be suitable. I have seen those Coopers ones they sell at coles but assume that they are probably thr bottom of the market and that I may be best going a little more serious than those??

Sounds like I'm best starting with kits and would love to hear some of your opinions one what I should look for...

Thanks in advance.. :icon_cheers:

 

[mitysa]

Hey Bottoms-up

The Cooper start of kits are fine to start of with, then build off that.


Welcome abord


Mike

 

[Osangar]

All grain is the way to go

If you like making beer at home, eventually you will end up buying stuff to brew all grain. It’s the way to go. So you might as well buy it now. It is your birthday

You will need:
A 50L pot (aluminium or stainless)
A drink cooler, such as a BCF or Colman type

A length of copper pipe ( roll around a pot, to make a cooler)

A gas ring that your new pot can sit upon

Fittings to attach hoses to your cooler, and drain the mash tun

Bingo – you are in the groove. All the rest of the stuff is fancy but unnecessary

Oh – and don’t forget a few perfect recipes that you can always brew to make fantastic beer. Such as a clone of American pale ale:

Batch Size 25 L
OG: 1.054

5.5 kg Ale Malt
500 g Crystal
250 g Cara Pills

Hops
45 g Perle 6.8% 60 min
15 g Cascade 4.5% 15 min
15 g Cascade 4.5% 5 min

Whirfloc 10 Min

Yeast
dry or liquid either is fine as long as it is American style

Mash at 66C – 90 min
Mash out 76C – 10 min

Sparge
25L 76 C

Pre-Boil
Size 32 L
Boil Time 90 Minutes



have fun - i am up to brew 35 and it's all good.



**edit**
and a fermentor to put the beer into - pitch yeast at 25c
and bottles to put it in after two weeks in the fermentor - + sugar drops for carbinatin

 

[Bribie G]

The basic kit you get with a brewery in a box will not be wasted whatever path you take with kits, extracts or all grain brewing. Items such as the fermenter, hydrometer, bottling cane etc etc are all held in common by all methods. As previous poster said if you decide to go beyond kits then you will just need to acquire various bits of extra gear as you progress, but the basic outfit is great. Most HB shops will sell you a basic brewery in a box such as Brewcraft, or you can go the supermarket variety, the Coopers is very sound and good quality IMHO.

All you may need to throw away is the can opener

Welcome to the craft.

 

[crundle]

You will need a fermenter as a minimum, and as BribieG pointed out, you can build off of this as you progress making your beers.

I am still using one of the fermenters my now wife bought me for my birthday over 14 years ago when we first started going out, and that saw me get into kit brewing for a number of years, which did what I wanted to do at the time. Eventually I moved on to AG beers after tasting an extract beer made by a mate, and have never looked back.

My bit of wisdom I would pass on to you is to think hard about what you are considering purchasing as you progress, and to buy stuff that will still be of use to you if/when you move to AG or extract beers. For example, a 40 litre urn may be suitable for BIAB, but it can also be used if you go to a 3 vessel system later on as a HLT, so your purchase was not wasted as you upgrade equipment.

Enjoy the journey,

Crundle

 

[thylacine]

Hi there beer lovers.

My birthday is coming up and I have just moved to a new house with a garage (horay! first garage)
Anyway I am keen to use my birthday as an excuse to get started in home brewing.
I have seen various brew shops around but before I ventue into one and explain to the shop keeper that I am a beginner wanting a new set up, only to watch him rub his hands and think to himself, just how much do I sell to this young chap.

I was reading through a number of these threads and finding guys with very elaborate setups burning big kegs etc. A little out of my league for now but want some advise on what sort of setup / equipment would be suitable. I have seen those Coopers ones they sell at coles but assume that they are probably thr bottom of the market and that I may be best going a little more serious than those??

Sounds like I'm best starting with kits and would love to hear some of your opinions one what I should look for...

Thanks in advance.. :icon_cheers:

Cooper's kits receive good reviews. I bought a second one after just my fourth brew. Big W has better prices than the supermarkets. (at least in Canberra...)

Link is for information compiled for new brewers. http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...c=9233&st=0

Have fun...

 

[Punkal]

Most HB shops will have different starter kits priced from around $60 all the way to $200 or even more.

The basic setup will have everything you need but usually the cheaper/harder to use/lower quality equipment, for example the cheaper kit will probably have a caper that you have to use a hammer with to cap your bottles that is more likely to not cap properly or break the bottles the more expensive one will have a bench caper that will cap your bottles more securely and with a lot less effort.

My suggestion is to go to a few HB shops look at what they have ask them what they will give you and for how much and make up your mind then.

Remember spending a little extra now will save you a lot more in the future.

 

[manticle]

Essential: Fermenter, hydrometer, hydrometer vessel, thermometer, bottles, capper
Useful: Stockpot (10 - 50 L), fridge, fridgemate/temperature regulator for fridge
Eventual: Mash tun (can be made from large esky, copper pipe, various plumbing bits), gas burner, probe thermometers
Fancy: refractometer, pump, kegs, stuff to make kegs carbonated.

Depending on your method you will need ingredients. This can be kit, extract or grain. Starting with kits is sensible to my mind but whichever way you start, learn as much about correct processes as you can. This will not be found in kit instructions.

 

[bum]

stuff to make kegs carbonated.

Whoa, whoa! Slow down, Poindexter!

(Before you bother, realise it is about 1:30am Sunday morning and this can probably mean only one thing.)

 

[schooey]

Essential: Fermenter, hydrometer, hydrometer vessel, thermometer, bottles, capper
Useful: Stockpot (10 - 50 L), fridge, fridgemate/temperature regulator for fridge
Eventual: Mash tun (can be made from large esky, copper pipe, various plumbing bits), gas burner, probe thermometers
Fancy: refractometer, pump, kegs, stuff to make kegs carbonated.

Depending on your method you will need ingredients. This can be kit, extract or grain. Starting with kits is sensible to my mind but whichever way you start, learn as much about correct processes as you can. This will not be found in kit instructions.

Manticle has given you good advice here... Not being a smart arse, but I beg to differ one thing. If you wish to replicate quality brews time after time, control of your fermentation temperature is essential... and without it being a major pain in the ass, to me that means a fermenting fridge and a controller... It's not going to cost you the world for the benefit you'll gain from it, trust me...

which brings me to my next point of call.... a wise fella up here in the hunter says there are 4 basic rules you should follow when you kick off;

1. Quality ingredients - it doesn't matter whwether it's kit, extract or AG, the better quality you put in (fresher, better looked after etc) the better beer you'll get out..
2. Cleaniness - Speaks for itself
3. Temperature control - As mentioned above... but also make sure you are pitching and fermenting at the right temps to achieve the flavours you desire for the yeast you are using within the style you are brewing... if that makes sense
4. Patience and consistency

Welcome to the brethren, don't be scared to ask... of course you'll get the flamers and the tossers, this is the internet after all, but the majority of the time here you'll find what you need

Cheers... :icon_cheers:

 

[felten]

Theres always more than one way to ferment a cat. But whatever route you take the basic coopers style kit will always be useful, and since they come with PET bottles you don't have to worry about getting a capper

 

[manticle]

Manticle has given you good advice here... Not being a smart arse, but I beg to differ one thing. If you wish to replicate quality brews time after time, control of your fermentation temperature is essential... and without it being a major pain in the ass, to me that means a fermenting fridge and a controller... It's not going to cost you the world for the benefit you'll gain from it, trust me...

I agree temperature control is essential and if you can afford it and have the space straight off the bat then getting a fridge and adding a fridgemate or temp mate is a great idea. However if you are unable to do this when just considering starting out, then there are other ways to maintain even temperature. While they may not be as simple I wouldn't call them a major PIA - just a minor one.

Advice on ingredients and sanitation etc is sound.

 

[olde]

^^^ This from felten.
BigW sells the Coopers kit on special regularly for about $65. Get that, a can of Pale Ale and a pack of BE2. That's BigW out of the way. Then off to the local HB shop where you can have a chat, grab some flyers and buy ONE thing, a pack of US-05 yeast, it's the red packet. Ditch the can yeast (use it for pizza dough), practice strict hygeine, and control your fermentation temps, try for around 20C. It might not be "the grail", but it's close enough, and this is just your first go. IMO this will turn out a reasonable beer first up, and you can do the same thing with the can of "lager" that comes with the kit another time.
Most important of all.. enjoy both the process, the learning, and the end result.
ed:spelink

 

[rough60]

The coopers lids seal with an o-ring, screw top lid, they seal well but are much harder to keep sterile compared to the clip top lids.
Any contaminated brews I've done came out of fermenters with screw top lids.
Maybe I'm just slack when it comes to sterilizing.
Cheers.

 

[Spartan 117]

The coopers lids seal with an o-ring, screw top lid, they seal well but are much harder to keep sterile compared to the clip top lids.
Any contaminated brews I've done came out of fermenters with screw top lids.
Maybe I'm just slack when it comes to sterilizing.
Cheers.

I have a coopers fermenter and all I do is pour boiling water straight from the kettle onto the o-ring, works fine. Mate of mine also on occasions takes the o ring out soaks it in sanatizer and gives the lid a good clean but it sounds like a pain of a job.

Aaron

 

[Effect]

how much are you looking at spending?

If you have only $100 then get the coopers kit...

If you have $1000 - that will get everything you need for AG (including fermentation fridge + temp controller) and a sack of grain (or two)...

If you have $5000 - then go to www.beerbelly.com.au and get a turn key brewery - that is some serious bling. And also check out the site sponsors for kegging gear. I know Ross from Craftbrewer is eager to help and is well experienced with kegging set ups from budget to pure bling!

Let us know which road you take...

 

[matti]

I am with Philip.
Work out your budget.

The brewshops are dearer then cooper kits on specials.

If you are Serious about brewing look into the sponsors website for ideas and equipment.
your first brew!

if you are bottling.

GET YOURSELF A BENCH-CAPPER. those crappy cappers with a hammer is not worth 5c

 

[manticle]

I have to add to my essential list - sanitiser.

This article is very good

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=18

and that grain and grape link provided above by Matti is excellent. G & G will sell you what you need and give proper information along with it. They are more interested in seeing you make good beer and return a happy customer than ripping you off selling stuff you don't need. Basically they're all beer nerdsas opposed to disillusioned retailers.

 

[arsenewenger]

You could do a bucket in bucket mash tun to see if all grain is your thing , all you need to do is drill as many holes as you can in the bottom of one bucket and put a tap on the bottom of annother and then sit the holed one inside the other and then you are away. Cna be explained in better detail if you want to go that way.
Set a mate at work up with a system like this and he loves it only cost him the price f the tap buckets were free (can be picked up from a deli or chip shop etc)

AW

 

[thylacine]

You could do a bucket in bucket mash tun to see if all grain is your thing , all you need to do is drill as many holes as you can in the bottom of one bucket and put a tap on the bottom of annother and then sit the holed one inside the other and then you are away. Cna be explained in better detail if you want to go that way.
Set a mate at work up with a system like this and he loves it only cost him the price f the tap buckets were free (can be picked up from a deli or chip shop etc)

AW

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