Newbie Brewer

[brewercrafter]

Hi everyone, I am looking at learning how to brew. I love good beers and want to get into it more. My father used to brew alot back in the day and I new kits and equipment was expensive. How much can I look to spend on a small brewing kit and supplies today? Also, what beginner brewing book can you recommend? I figured I would learn alot here but were what can give me the basics right off the bat. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Supra-Jim]

Welcome aboard BC,

You'll find plenty of info here on the boards, especially in the articles section. You're best to start of with a kit like the the Coopers package, it contains everything you need to get started.

As for more info, read up here and also have a look at www.howtobrew.com You'll find plenty of good info in both spots.

Cheers SJ

 

[Jonez]

Welcome aboard BC,

You'll find plenty of info here on the boards, especially in the articles section. You're best to start of with a kit like the the Coopers package, it contains everything you need to get started.

As for more info, read up here and also have a look at www.howtobrew.com You'll find plenty of good info in both spots.

Cheers SJ

Welcome,
As for books, as said by supra -jim, you can always read Palmers book "How to Brew" free online. Then you will know what book you need.

Kits are a good way to start. But basically to do your firt one you only need a fermenter a can and a couple of accessories. (termometer, hydrometer-you can do without it, airlock-if you wish but not necessary) Obviously you will get better beer if you use extra malt and hops.



edit: did I forget anything that is very basic?

 

[Pennywise]

I would deffinatly get a hydrometer, very important piece of kit especially for a new brewer.

 

[roverfj1200]

About a 100 bucks will get you all you need and that would include 30 pet bottles.

Coopers cans have a small booklet in the lid that will get you going.

Only thing to mention is TEMPERATURE... coopers requirement 24 to 28 deg or something like that. Well their wrong.

Try to keep you temp under 20 deg for ales (thats what most kits are) and read the how to brew too.

Its a long road you have chosen.

Cheers

 

[perce84]

I agree with homebrewer79 I have just helped a mate start out brewing and i believe hyrdrometre is a crucial tool to understand your brewing.

I think i saw cooper starter home brew kit at big w for $90.

 

[Pennywise]

Those Coopers kit are really great, cosidering with 2 batches of beer it pays for itself plus some, and you get all you need.

 

[Jonez]

Yeah, you should buy the hydro. I only meant you could do without it for the first brew depending of how patient you are. But since you will need it later for more accurate control/ check of your brew you may as well buy it now. You won't stop there believe me. You will be buying many other things very soon. :icon_chickcheers:

 

[BDD]

Im quite new to home brewing myself. I bought the coopers micro-brew kit from big w for i think around $85 which includes a hydrometer. I found it to be a pretty good starter kit for the price.

 

[Stove]

Just re-started brewing myself (after a lay-off of about 15 years) - and started with the Coopers kit. Its a goodie, especially as you break-even or better with the first brew, and the only ingredients you need to add to the kit to start are water and your own time.
I got mine given to me on father's day (EXCELLENT gift) and have bottled 5 brews already. Looking to go further upmarket with next brews (trying an imitation of a Witbier this time)

 

[Digger11]

Hey Stove,

I am same as you - got the Coopers Kit for Fathers Day (great present) . I am on to brew 3 since then.

Surprisingly (at this stage anyway), the standard bits that came with the Coopers Kit have made the best beer.

I got more sophisticated with brew 2 and 3, both involving steeped crytal malts and extra hops - but at this stage they just don't do it for me. I am hoping that aging (and an increase in my tasting abilities) will fix this. I am also in the middle brewing a Fresh Wort Kit from Grape & Grain to see if I like that.


What else did you brew after the first Kit ? Did these brews taste better than the original ? or just different ?


Did you do anything special ? (I ferment for 2 weeks, cold condition for 1 week, age in bottle for at least 2 weeks before tasting). The original Coopers Bits tasted excellent after 2 weeks in the bottle. The other brews not that flash.

thanks
Digger

 

[boingk]

Having gone the commercial route the first time and being less than impressed with the items supplied (namely the bottle capper), I'd do something like this if I had to do it again:

$17 - 25L 'fermenter' from Bunnings
$4 - Tap from Bunnings/SuperCheap Auto
$50 - Bench Capper from local brew shop or Kmart/BigW
$15 - Hydrometer from local brew shop
$3 - Sanitising powder
$3 - Bottle caps
$20 - Coopers can & Brew Enhancer 2

So that comes to a total of $112, plus scrounging some empty bottles at the recycling depot, on recycling night, from your mates, the local pub...whatever. Seriously, that capping device will last a lifetime and save you a lot of hassle, not to mention the expense of buying plastic Coopers bottles (about $25 a brew).

Cheers mate, hope it goes well - boingk

 

[EZE-09Z]

Having gone the commercial route the first time and being less than impressed with the items supplied (namely the bottle capper), I'd do something like this if I had to do it again:

$17 - 25L 'fermenter' from Bunnings
$4 - Tap from Bunnings/SuperCheap Auto
$50 - Bench Capper from local brew shop or Kmart/BigW
$15 - Hydrometer from local brew shop
$3 - Sanitising powder
$3 - Bottle caps
$20 - Coopers can & Brew Enhancer 2

So that comes to a total of $112, plus scrounging some empty bottles at the recycling depot, on recycling night, from your mates, the local pub...whatever. Seriously, that capping device will last a lifetime and save you a lot of hassle, not to mention the expense of buying plastic Coopers bottles (about $25 a brew).

Cheers mate, hope it goes well - boingk

im with Boingk........

im still relatively new to brewing as well but i bought my kit from Country Brewer ( have shops all over sydney ) for $120 bucks which included a bench capper. the only thing you have to source is the bottle which are cheap again from ebay ( i bought 160 x 750mm bottle for 40 bucks )


hope you have fun with it........ ive been brewing now for about 6 weeks and love every minute of it !

 

[boingk]

Good point EZE-09Z, Country brewer offer a good start-up kit with pretty much everything that you need to get rolling. From memory they also do an $80 or so kit with some less expensive gear, but the deluxe one is well worth it, even if just for the bench capper.

Cheers - boingk

 

[Pennywise]

That's another must have if using glass bottles, a bench capper. Those hand cappers are so dangerous

 

[EZE-09Z]

That's another must have if using glass bottles, a bench capper. Those hand cappers are so dangerous

how true is that !

i wasnt keen to wack a bottle with a hammer so i spent the litte extra and got the benchy.

also with the kit from Country Brewer you get a start brew as well........ just have to pick a beer you like.

enjoy :icon_chickcheers:

 

[Stove]

Hey Stove,

I am same as you - got the Coopers Kit for Fathers Day (great present) . I am on to brew 3 since then.

Surprisingly (at this stage anyway), the standard bits that came with the Coopers Kit have made the best beer.

I got more sophisticated with brew 2 and 3, both involving steeped crytal malts and extra hops - but at this stage they just don't do it for me. I am hoping that aging (and an increase in my tasting abilities) will fix this. I am also in the middle brewing a Fresh Wort Kit from Grape & Grain to see if I like that.


What else did you brew after the first Kit ? Did these brews taste better than the original ? or just different ?


Did you do anything special ? (I ferment for 2 weeks, cold condition for 1 week, age in bottle for at least 2 weeks before tasting). The original Coopers Bits tasted excellent after 2 weeks in the bottle. The other brews not that flash.

thanks
Digger

So far my efforts have been:

1: Coopers Lager that came with the kit (tasted just as I remembered- nothing too special)
2: Coopers Mexican Cerveza - brewed this one twice as the father-in-law and uncle like it Its a good drop
3: Australian Pale Ale.
4: Canadian Blonde
3 & 4 suffered as they didn't get enough time to develop before they were consumed.

Basically the rules I am following so far are:
DON'T use sugar. Even as a carbonation sugar it imparts a "wine" sort of taste which I hate.
Clean the shit out of everything that may touch the beer. I use Sodium Met as a sanitiser because I always used to use it when I first brewed and it worked. I'm a pharmacist so i had easy access to the stuff in bulk way back when. Not so much now- as Pharmacy doesn't tend to sell it now.

I haven't done anything outside kit beers yet- but next one is a bit more complex in that its a Hoagaarden kit (Brewcraft) that uses a can, plus spray dried malt, plus some coriander seed and orange. I'm going to actually boil the wort this time (not a whole wort boil, just partial).
See how that goes

 

[Digger11]

thanks Stove, might try the Mexican Cervera next.

 

[brewercrafter]

wow thanks for all the responses and suggestions. That really isn't that expensive for a small beginner kit. I look forward to getting started. Hopefully soon. Since the winter season is approaching, I need a inside hobby to keep me busy.

Do most people brew in their garage or in the house? I remember my dad brewed in the house, but thats when the windows were open with circulation.

 

[boingk]

Hell, I brewed in my tiny university room for 2 years! Used to be a running joke that I'd drop out and start my own pub, haha.

Anyway, you really don't need much space. I sit both my fermenters on top of a bar fridge, so I'm sure you'll find somewhere for them. If you end up going down the all-grain route you'll most likely brew in a garage or outdoors due to the space required, but kits (even with specialty grains and hops added) are easy enough to do inside.

Cheers - boingk