newbie

[steveb]

im good at wine making mainly supermarket juice,so i have tubing hydrometer 2 large fermentors looking at starting my own beer.
question is what basics do i need to start ?
dont want to shell out a load of cash if i find that this game is not for me.
been saving old pet brown cider bottles
cheers steve

 

[Wez]

Welcome to the forum Steve :thumb:

If you want to brew from kits & bottle I think you'll find that you already have most of the kit already!

Equipment & Sundries needed:

Fermenting Vessel (FV) - Plastic Bucket, useful if you have one with a rubber bung to fit an airlock
Sterilising Powder
Plastic long handled Brewers Paddle
The beer kit (obviously)
Any additions the kit calls for (such as sugar or spray malt (dme))
Syphon Tube
Bottles
Crown Caps
Crown Capper

Thats about all you need!

 

[Moley]

Hi Steve, and fancy meeting you here

This is a much better place for any brewing questions you might have than 'that other place', but as Wez says, it sounds like you've already got everything you need, the only question is what you fancy brewing first.

Tell us what style you have in mind, you will get plenty of recommendations, and probably a few suggestions on how to improve a kit brew.

:

 

[steveb]

hi wes
thanks for the swift reply
im of to local brew shop on wednesday to pick up some wine tannin,better grab some spraymalt and other bits.
read on a different forum that the coopers is a good mid range priced brew ,any opinions?
of too boot sale in the morning hope to find some bits there,as im not going to pay 27 squid for a barell..............yet

 

[steveb]

mr moley
are you stalking me??

 

[steveb]

I want a bitter bitter not to fruity not too hoppy and ready to drink in a day ............any suggestions?

 

[Wez]

There was a kit called "Linthwaite Light" that I used to enjoy making

 

[Moley]

mr moley, are you stalking me??

Well perhaps you shouldn't have sent me a PM announcing your arrival

As to which Bitter, I haven't made the Cooper's myself but have been impressed with their Dark Ale. Cooper's are £9.50 in my LHBS but I would add some spraymalt instead of (as well as?) sugar.

The EDME Bitter (£9.99 in Wilkinson's) is a decent pint, ditto on the spraymalt.

A firm favourite seems to be the Woodforde's Wherry (£14.99 Wilko's) but that's a premium kit, 2 cans, you don't need sugar. Again, haven't brewed it myself, I understand it can be a bit slow or occasionally temperamental?

Why do you need a barrel? I thought you were using PETs to start with.

Personally, I don't get on with PETs and prefer to use glass bottles. Magner's are the best, hold a full pint and the labels come off dead easily. Have a beer in your local and ask them if you may have a rummage through their bottle bin, no-one's refused me yet. I only resumed brewing this March and have already collected around 200.

At the end of the day - glass bottles, PETs, pressure barrels or Cornies - it's all just down to personal preference.