Newbi Question

[adz2332]

Hey all,

Im new to the brewing. Have been reading many things about it (some i get some i dont) tho and am wanting to give it a crack...
Ive seen this kit from coopers
http://www.coopers.com.au/store/browse.php...amp;subcatid=92

Is this a good starter kit?
Is it a good kit for reusablitly?
Is it a good tasting beer?
Is it easy to use?
Do i need anything else or can i use it over and over making the same beer etc?
Good value? Or are better avaliable??

Any help would reali be great

Thanks
Adam

 

[adz2332]

Oh and how much does it roughly cost to buy the ingrediants again needed to make another 23 lrts?

 

[Swinging Beef]

Coopers kit is an excellent start.

Kits cost between $20 and $50 depending on wether you buy something simple from coles or something complicated from your local Home Brew Shop

 

[phonos]

Hi Adam,

I bought that kit in 2006 and its still going strong. Everthing in it still works and I still use all the bits even though I don't use tins anymore. Its the kit I'd recommend to anyone starting out because it has everything you need for your first beer, and its very straight forward to use. It is also the best value kit I know of.

The only downside of it is the sanitiser you get with it - Sodium Metabisulphate. Its not really the best one around, but it does work ok - particularly on new equipment. After you use it, make sure you rinse the kit with boiling water (don't add boiling water to the PET bottles though - they melt)! I'd suggest the first step to make if you want to continue making beer is invest in a better sanitiser (search for it on this site and you'll find heaps of information).

The ingredients you get with it are simple, so you don't get the best beer you can make out of a can. For that level of simplicity, you're going to struggle to do a lot better.

If you wanted to make a second batch identical to the one included in the kit, it would cost approximately $16 for another 23L ($11 per tin, $5 per brew enhancer). You can go cheaper and just add 1kg white sugar instead of the brew enhancer though. This would end up costing $12 per brew, but I think you're probably better off using Brew Enhancer 2 for all your beers, particularly ales.

I hope that helps

 

[adz2332]

Thanks guys much appreciated!
Excellent info!

Well i will definalty head down to Kmart tonight and pick one up and give it a go!!

Makes for a decent value even at 20 - 50 for the next batch!

I work in a recycling yard (in the office) Is it worth me flogging a few old style glass beer bottles that can be recapped over the plastic bottles?

 

[adz2332]

also dont need anything extra to check the temps etc?

 

[phonos]

At this stage I'd stick with PET bottles, unless you have access to a bench capper. The cheap $5 hand cappers seem like a great way to destroy bottles, rather than bottle them...

The Coopers kit comes with a stick on thermometer (10-40C with 2C increments) for keeping track of the temperature of the fermenting beer. One thing its worth mentioning is that the Coopers tins will tell you to keep the beer between 21 and 27C. If you can, you're better of trying to find a place in your house that has a resonably stable temperature, preferably at about 20C. This should help your yeast produce a better tasting beer.

 

[petesbrew]

also dont need anything extra to check the temps etc?

It comes with a stickon thermometer... not totally accurate, but I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep the temperature down in the low 20's if you can.

edit: sounds like your work will keep you supplied with bottles! Grab the brown ones only.

 

[adz2332]

Cheers guys!
Wish me luck will get a kit tonight and give it a go!

 

[adz2332]

sorry another silly question.... how do you know how alchloic the beer is? is there a way to make it more or less potant?

 

[Flash_DG]

I got one of these kits on Fathers day this year.
I don't think they come with the sterilizer anymore, there is no mention of one on the box.
The lager that came with it I followed the kit instructions and it turned out not too bad, hadn't tasted an AG beer at that stage either.

Just read everything you can and don't stress it'll turn out ok and make notes as you go.

 

[Flash_DG]

sorry another silly question.... how do you know how alchloic the beer is? is there a way to make it more or less potant?

In the kit you will get a Hydrometer, you use that to measure the Specific Gravity and when it has finished fermenting you take another reading and a little maths and you got a ABV %

more specific instructions can be found in search and in the kit instructions

 

[adz2332]

Awsome thanks!
So fairly straight forward.. just follow the directions best you can? No need to worry about things ive heard or read, just go with the instructions?
How long does it say to stand them for when done before drinking? I know the longer the better. But whats minimum?

 

[Flash_DG]

Awsome thanks!
So fairly straight forward.. just follow the directions best you can? No need to worry about things ive heard or read, just go with the instructions?
How long does it say to stand them for when done before drinking? I know the longer the better. But whats minimum?

IMO for the first one I'd read the kit instructions and follow that then you can read about doing it better later and see where you can improve.

It is hectic the first few brews, but you will figure out a routine that suits.

After bottling you need to leave them for 2 weeks for carbonation then you can taste a few see how you like it but the longer you leave them the better they taste.

Though mine tasted as good at 1 month as they did at 3 months.

If you are anything like me you are going to have a brew in your fermenter as soon as it is empty

 

[svyturys]

sorry another silly question.... how do you know how alchloic the beer is? is there a way to make it more or less potant?

If you use the tin and the sugar that you get in the box you will end up with something about 4.6ABV.
My advice is to do the first brew with what you got in the box and concentrate on keeping that temp between 18 and 22C. You will end up with beer, and it will most likely taste heaps better than what most people drink.

Your next question should be ....How do I go further?

Moneywise you will always be ahead with homebrew when compared to buying off the shelf.

Cheers

 

[dpadden]

Moneywise you will always be ahead with homebrew when compared to buying off the shelf.

Cheers

I'm sure my accountant would disagree :lol: Like most hobbies the deeper you go the more it tends to cost you.....but worth every cent

 

[Rod]

At this stage I'd stick with PET bottles, unless you have access to a bench capper. The cheap $5 hand cappers seem like a great way to destroy bottles, rather than bottle them...

Using the cheap $5 hand cappers is a good way to loose the use of a hand
hit the capper with a mallet or hammer and the bottle can break and down goes your hand onto the bottle
I know of a young fella that did this , his Dad told me , no myth

if you must use a strong glove

If you are going to use glass bottles , the first purchase is a bench capper

 

[svyturys]

I'm sure my accountant would disagree :lol: Like most hobbies the deeper you go the more it tends to cost you.....but worth every cent

He he...point taken, Paddo. But I did a cost evaluation after one year of kits and bits and found that despite buying anything and everything remotely concerned with brewing I was still $1,600.00 ahead. There is no limit, as you say, but I know many brewers who stay with the basics and are very happy with their product and barely spend anything more. This is a real horses for courses "hobby".

Cheers

 

[adz2332]

lol $1600! and thats ahead!!?? lol

Ill try out my $100 + dollar brew first and go from there i think lol!

 

[svyturys]

lol $1600! and thats ahead!!?? lol

Ill try out my $100 + dollar brew first and go from there i think lol!

You get 2 and half slabs per brew. After your original purchase you could repeat the experiment for about $14.00. That's two and a half slabs for $14.00. But if you get better yeast, the price goes up about $5.00. If you start using more malt then it's a couple of more dollars. (Highly recommended), then if you start throwing in more hops then it's a few dollars more. If you buy a capper for about $60.00, bottle tree for about $40.00 etc then it creeps up, yet, unless you start kegging, AGing etc...you will stay well below commercial costs even if you spend $30.00 to $40.00 for your ingredients to make two and a half slabs.

Cheers