i dont know if this as been posted, i am new to all this so i will be asking question because i dont know anything, ive been watching some ddouble tap on youtube. can some1 recommend a kit from wilko, or other places. i want to have a gonat brewing ipa ale.
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smcc
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thats a hard question without really knowing what kind of budget you have. The thing about beer brewing is it can be done brew in a bag in a large pot on the stove with a plastic bucket fermenter or you can be looking at Grainfather and stainless steel FVs with all the bells and whistles the only difference is one is about 1500 quid the other a couple of hundred
I started out doing All grain with a converted picnic cooler which had false bottom and tap, plus a 30l plastic fermenter. Made beer that was perfectly drinkable. I just piece by piece upgraded to where I am now with all in one rems brewing device with stainless fermenters, pumps, hop rocket kegs and a keg fridge.
I wouldnt be chucking a lot at this to start until you decide whether you really want to become a homebrewer
I started out doing All grain with a converted picnic cooler which had false bottom and tap, plus a 30l plastic fermenter. Made beer that was perfectly drinkable. I just piece by piece upgraded to where I am now with all in one rems brewing device with stainless fermenters, pumps, hop rocket kegs and a keg fridge.
I wouldnt be chucking a lot at this to start until you decide whether you really want to become a homebrewer
i think you have an idea what i want to brew pale ale ive just looked at a kit some1 sent a link, but there was no keg without tap so does that mean i would have to buy 1. i dont want to spend hundreds, i just want a simple kit, and then bottles.
smcc
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you dont need a keg if you are planning to bottle, basically you would need
this is something like what would work, you would want one with bottling accessories than plastic keg
https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Deluxe-All-Grain-Mashing-Setup.html
its a bit expensive but if you look around you will find cheaper options
- a mash device thats either heated or can hold temp for 60min. It needs to have some means of separating the wort like false bottom or you can brew in a large mesh bag
- something to boil this a large pot on a gas burner or your stove if its big enough
- a Fermenter, a plastic bucket is fine with bung and water filled air lock for CO2 to escape
- a means to transfer from fermenter to bottling bucket syphon or if it has tap you need some hose
- a Bottling bucket with a tap and line connected to bottling wand to fill bottles
- you can use flip top bottles or if you prefer caps you need a capper you can get cheap ones
- a hydrometer to measure gravity and sanitatisers etc for cleaning and to sanitise all equipment
- a thermometer than can measure upto 100c to check mash temp
this is something like what would work, you would want one with bottling accessories than plastic keg
https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Deluxe-All-Grain-Mashing-Setup.html
its a bit expensive but if you look around you will find cheaper options
For a first tine brew using a kit you need very few bits of equipment :
Happy brewing !!
- Food grade plastic bucket with lid
- bottles (either plastic or glass*)
- Crown capping tool/crown caps (* if using glass bottles)
- Steriliser (Chempro/Sodium Metabisulphite/Milton)
- Syphon tube
- Beer Kit
Happy brewing !!
Pavalijo
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Am I right in thinking that you want to start with a simple extract kit to start with rather than jumping straight in to brewing from grain Seagate (like most of us do)?
Im still at that stage and hope to jump to all grain in the next year or so.
If that is the case then start with cheap, simple equipment.
I looked at a couple of our sponsoring suppliers but didn’t find anything to illustrate the basic equipment package as well as THIS from my local brew shop.
I would advise getting a premium kit (later you might get a basic kit and pimp it but these include all that you need) such as Festival and the American Ales series. I would recommend Festival Razorback, which has almost universal praise - search for the very lengthy thread about it on here.
Then note the following (some will become clearer when you read the instructions):
1) clean and sterilise everything very carefully;
1a) (edit) Good drinkable tap water is generally fine, but if it is high in chlorine you should add a Camden tablet the night before. I use bottled water - Tesco Ashbeck is the go to water, but have also used their cheapest, Stockwell. Also when mixing the water and dissolved extract, before pitching the yeast, vigorously stir to oxygenate as the yeast needs oxygen in the early stages (even though you will try to avoid oxygenation in the later stages). Using bottled water I pour part of the bottle in, put the cap back on and vigorously shake before emptying the rest in.
2) Be careful with temperature - the kit says pitch the yeast when the wort falls below 25c. The vigorous fermentation in the first few days can raise temperatures by a few degrees, so I pitch at 22-23c. I threw away my first batch as I pitched at 25c in a heatwave and couldn’t cool it down!
3) Try and keep the temperatures as consistent as you can - above 19c or it will take forever. I aim for around 21c plus or minus 1c. You can use heat belt and swamp cooler (wrap with damp towels) or freezer blocks on top of the fermentation bin if needed, but finding a room with a consistent temperature is helpful. Oh - and put the bin on something that won’t be spoiled if foam spills over (not on your best carpet).
4) Don’t follow the timings in the instructions, fermentation usually takes longer than the instructions suggest. Go by activity in the airlock and your hydrometer. The Razorback will not complete in 10 days or so as suggested in the instructions unless you dice with high temperature. Mine took nearly 4 weeks the first time and I have a second one on the go at the moment which is some way off after 2 weeks. And don’t be tempted to keep taking hydrometer readings - the more you open up the greater the (slight) chance of introducing an infection. It won’t spoil leaving it a few more days.
5) When adding hops part way through again don’t follow the instructions. Adding dry hops should be done 3 or 4 days before bottling and is better done when fermentation is finished rather than too early. The Razorback instruction says add after 5 days. I did that first time around but the hops were then in for 3 weeks, during which time the escaping CO2 will have driven out some of the volatile aromas and the hops can develop grassy flavours when in there too long.
6) Patience is one of the most important virtues of the home brewer. It will take longer than you think and than the instructions say if you want a good brew without off flavours.
7) When fermentation is finished it is helpful to put the bin in a cool or cold place before bottling. This helps to clear the beer before bottling. As does tapping the fermenter around the surface level of the liquid after adding the hops - helps them to gradually fall to the bottom.
8)You could batch prime (add the priming sugar to the beer and stir before bottling) but unless you rack off into a second bottling bucket This will mean you stir the settled trub into the beer. I get a small funnel and add about 2/3 of a teaspoon to each bottle. If you run out use ordinary sugar, if lots left go round again.
9) The Festival kit comes with a hop filter that you put over the siphon tube to exclude hop debris, and the siphon should have an upturned trap at the bottom. When bottling put the tube right to the bottom of the bottle and keep it there as you want to keep out oxygen at this stage. You will refine your bottling technique over time - there are threads on here with differing views, but for me I have introduced a tap in my fermenting bin and have a second bin as a bottling bucket that has a “little bottler” (Google it). I transfer from fermenter to the second bin by gravity through a tube (so not to introduce air), put that in a cold place for a couple of days and then bottle through the little bottler - it’s a really easy way, but others will have their preferences.
10) Put bottles somewhere warm for 2 weeks (instructions will say 1). Ideally somewhere that won’t mind if you have a bottle exploding!
11) Put the bottles somewhere cool to condition. Most beers will be better 2 months than they are after 2 weeks so try and stay patient. At the very least keep a couple of bottles to drink after 2 and 4 months.
Regarding bottles - I like glass with swing tops or crown caps, but you can use plastic (PET) bottles which will allow you to check how they are carbonating. Or you can save old tonic bottles etc..
Well I hope I read your request correctly. Buy the Razorback and the necessary equipment and make a start - but do lots of Googling on here and ask questions - there’s no such thing as a stupid question and I’ve found the natives on here friendly and helpful.
I hope it’s not all grain you were asking about after all that!
Im still at that stage and hope to jump to all grain in the next year or so.
If that is the case then start with cheap, simple equipment.
I looked at a couple of our sponsoring suppliers but didn’t find anything to illustrate the basic equipment package as well as THIS from my local brew shop.
I would advise getting a premium kit (later you might get a basic kit and pimp it but these include all that you need) such as Festival and the American Ales series. I would recommend Festival Razorback, which has almost universal praise - search for the very lengthy thread about it on here.
Then note the following (some will become clearer when you read the instructions):
1) clean and sterilise everything very carefully;
1a) (edit) Good drinkable tap water is generally fine, but if it is high in chlorine you should add a Camden tablet the night before. I use bottled water - Tesco Ashbeck is the go to water, but have also used their cheapest, Stockwell. Also when mixing the water and dissolved extract, before pitching the yeast, vigorously stir to oxygenate as the yeast needs oxygen in the early stages (even though you will try to avoid oxygenation in the later stages). Using bottled water I pour part of the bottle in, put the cap back on and vigorously shake before emptying the rest in.
2) Be careful with temperature - the kit says pitch the yeast when the wort falls below 25c. The vigorous fermentation in the first few days can raise temperatures by a few degrees, so I pitch at 22-23c. I threw away my first batch as I pitched at 25c in a heatwave and couldn’t cool it down!
3) Try and keep the temperatures as consistent as you can - above 19c or it will take forever. I aim for around 21c plus or minus 1c. You can use heat belt and swamp cooler (wrap with damp towels) or freezer blocks on top of the fermentation bin if needed, but finding a room with a consistent temperature is helpful. Oh - and put the bin on something that won’t be spoiled if foam spills over (not on your best carpet).
4) Don’t follow the timings in the instructions, fermentation usually takes longer than the instructions suggest. Go by activity in the airlock and your hydrometer. The Razorback will not complete in 10 days or so as suggested in the instructions unless you dice with high temperature. Mine took nearly 4 weeks the first time and I have a second one on the go at the moment which is some way off after 2 weeks. And don’t be tempted to keep taking hydrometer readings - the more you open up the greater the (slight) chance of introducing an infection. It won’t spoil leaving it a few more days.
5) When adding hops part way through again don’t follow the instructions. Adding dry hops should be done 3 or 4 days before bottling and is better done when fermentation is finished rather than too early. The Razorback instruction says add after 5 days. I did that first time around but the hops were then in for 3 weeks, during which time the escaping CO2 will have driven out some of the volatile aromas and the hops can develop grassy flavours when in there too long.
6) Patience is one of the most important virtues of the home brewer. It will take longer than you think and than the instructions say if you want a good brew without off flavours.
7) When fermentation is finished it is helpful to put the bin in a cool or cold place before bottling. This helps to clear the beer before bottling. As does tapping the fermenter around the surface level of the liquid after adding the hops - helps them to gradually fall to the bottom.
8)You could batch prime (add the priming sugar to the beer and stir before bottling) but unless you rack off into a second bottling bucket This will mean you stir the settled trub into the beer. I get a small funnel and add about 2/3 of a teaspoon to each bottle. If you run out use ordinary sugar, if lots left go round again.
9) The Festival kit comes with a hop filter that you put over the siphon tube to exclude hop debris, and the siphon should have an upturned trap at the bottom. When bottling put the tube right to the bottom of the bottle and keep it there as you want to keep out oxygen at this stage. You will refine your bottling technique over time - there are threads on here with differing views, but for me I have introduced a tap in my fermenting bin and have a second bin as a bottling bucket that has a “little bottler” (Google it). I transfer from fermenter to the second bin by gravity through a tube (so not to introduce air), put that in a cold place for a couple of days and then bottle through the little bottler - it’s a really easy way, but others will have their preferences.
10) Put bottles somewhere warm for 2 weeks (instructions will say 1). Ideally somewhere that won’t mind if you have a bottle exploding!
11) Put the bottles somewhere cool to condition. Most beers will be better 2 months than they are after 2 weeks so try and stay patient. At the very least keep a couple of bottles to drink after 2 and 4 months.
Regarding bottles - I like glass with swing tops or crown caps, but you can use plastic (PET) bottles which will allow you to check how they are carbonating. Or you can save old tonic bottles etc..
Well I hope I read your request correctly. Buy the Razorback and the necessary equipment and make a start - but do lots of Googling on here and ask questions - there’s no such thing as a stupid question and I’ve found the natives on here friendly and helpful.
I hope it’s not all grain you were asking about after all that!
Last edited:
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ive just came across this i thought that be best for a first timer. so im looking for around £100 with bottles.
https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Beer_Starter_Kits.html
https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Beer_Starter_Kits.html
Pavalijo
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I forgot to mention water (will edit the post to include the following).
Good drinkable tap water is generally fine, but if it is high in chlorine you should add a Camden tablet the night before. I use bottled water - Tesco Ashbeck is the go to water, but have also used their cheapest, Stockwell. Also when mixing the water and dissolved extract, before pitching the yeast, vigorously stir to oxygenate as the yeast needs oxygen in the early stages (even though you will try to avoid oxygenation in the later stages). Using bottled water I pour part of the bottle in, put the cap back on and vigorously shake before emptying the rest in.
Good drinkable tap water is generally fine, but if it is high in chlorine you should add a Camden tablet the night before. I use bottled water - Tesco Ashbeck is the go to water, but have also used their cheapest, Stockwell. Also when mixing the water and dissolved extract, before pitching the yeast, vigorously stir to oxygenate as the yeast needs oxygen in the early stages (even though you will try to avoid oxygenation in the later stages). Using bottled water I pour part of the bottle in, put the cap back on and vigorously shake before emptying the rest in.
Looks like a decent starter pack to get you going, you can always add some nice-to-haves at a later date. Festival Razorback was my goto kit before I started brewing with grain, in my opinion you can't go wrong with the Festival kits, the Youngs kits also have a good reputation
