Noob questions on first kit

[stinka]

Ok, so I’ve been reading up on home brew and whilst I’d love to have a go at BIAB or the AG methods they all seem pretty advanced, so I think starting with the beer kits is a good bet.

which kit would you recommend ?

I like this as it comes with a pressure barrel so I wouldn’t have to mess about with lots of bottles ?

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collectio...rew2bottle-home-brew-beer-cider-starter-kit-1

but in the other hand this look like quality stuff, and tbh I do drink a fair amount monthly so amassing a couple of dozen empty bottles wouldn’t take long, so perhaps this kit is a decent option (also comes with a beer kit)

https://www.geterbrewed.com/beer-starter-kit-including-craft-series-beer-kit/

or perhaps I should go with this better still as it has the heat belt ...

https://www.geterbrewed.com/geb-ultimate-beer-starter-kit/

I want to start with decent stuff that won’t crack and leak, and also that is easy to add to when and if I fancy trying AG

I notice other kits all over the internet as well, like the BREWFERM stuff.

Any advice greatly appreciated

thanks

 

[stinka]

Budget £60-£120 all in cheers

 

[stinka]

This looks great also, but is the equipment any good ?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/390841716746

 

[stinka]

I think this looks very good quality

https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/balliih...h-king-injection-system-heater-belt-p-22.html

 

[stinka]

Right after a week of research on basic kit brewing I’ve just started looking at all grain. After watching this video it looks very straight forward. This is probably the most straightforward explanation of the process I’ve seen



the whole sparging thing and other terminology had me scared, but it would seem sparging is just waging out the mash with more hot water to get all the work out the mash. But the important part being your sparse water should mean you end up with the correct total of wort left, am I correct ?

I think I’m going straight in at the deep end :lol:

he who dares Rodders ...

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

I only started in 2017 & have done kits & partial extract. AG next year. I would recommend doing a kit & seeing what you think , then perhaps tweaking kits & learning basic sanitation , processes , hop profiles , yeast strains etc.... you can build up an inventory of kit etc...

 

[stinka]

yeah that makes sense.

I guess start with a basic kit and then I can get other bits to add like you say.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

I have learnt so much this way & this forum has been a fantastic resource. People here are fantastic with years of experience.

 

[Sinktipper]

Kits are a doddle with even the most basic equipment. I can recommend the Woodfordes Wherry kit - if you've got a Wilko near you, they sell them for £20. Wilko also sell homebrew essentials like sanitiser. I've just 'graduated' to AG on a second-hand Bulldog Brewer. AG takes me about 7 hours but I can knock off a kit in about a couple of hours so the 'effort/reward' ratio works out a bit better for me (as a shift worker and dad of an 8 year old).

 

[DavidDetroit]

I would say get a kit and bottle it. A kit recommendation I don't have because of my location. Enter "kit recommendation" in the Search and you may find a few to your liking.
From reading a lot on here, PBs may work fine but then again, they may not. It seems that those familiar with them can find any issues and keep things working well.
Bottling is more predictable. With your budget, you could get PET bottles, larger ones perhaps. There are all sorts of ways to get glass empties as well but you then need a capper plus the usual equipment which doesn't amount to too much.

 

[ChrisD123]

Only been brewing a few months, started with kits and PET bottles and have been more than happy with the results so far and still using them, have now moved on to my first extract brew which is due to be bottled in the next day or so. Have also got PB's now...I am starting at the bottom and working my way up to AG and collecting kit and of course info as I go. Its a great lerning experience, so much to research such as hops and yeasts etc.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

The range sell high quality swing top brown bottles cheap. I also have a lot of bottles as I keep large stocks for conditioning (Belgian style) the big hopped stuff gets drunk quickly though. I can do a basic kit in 45 mins max but I prefer to tweak & use 1 can kits as bases for my recipes. Coopers pale ale is a great base for tweaking & can be done in a couple of hours.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Welll said Chris my sentiments exactly . That’s how I’m learning.

 

[ChrisD123]

The range sell high quality swing top brown bottles cheap. I also have a lot of bottles as I keep large stocks for conditioning (Belgian style) the big hopped stuff gets drunk quickly though. I can do a basic kit in 45 mins max but I prefer to tweak & use 1 can kits as bases for my recipes. Coopers pale ale is a great base for tweaking & can be done in a couple of hours.

I started of with the range MYO kits, done a few but have since started tweaking kits when it comes to dry hopping, I love hops. Just experiment its great

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Yes I agree 100% Chris. I have made some amazing beers tweaking kits , however , I have made the odd shabby one. Always have carapils on hand , chocolate malt, wheat , Oats , various yeasts and a freezer full of hops. Verdant , Wylam & cloudwater being my inspiration for massive hopped ales. Pilot from Edinburgh make an amazing stout which will be my 1st AG replication. Home brewing is a gate way to an infinite universe of beers, conversely it’s also a gate way to frustration & hell , but this hobby is more than worth the pain.

 

[Sinktipper]

The good thing (in my view) about bottles is that they can be stored in any convenient corner. PBs take up a lot of room, they're a bit of a pain to clean and weigh a ton when full - and you have to move them from your 'conditioning room' when unexpected guests turn up and your 'conditioning room' has to be turned back into the spare bedroom. Bottles also make good gifts (or Christmas tips - our milkman is always very appreciative).

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Yep sure are sinks , my clients love the odd new sample. I’m lucky where I have a large annexe as a brew house with its own kitchen & conservatory which will become the bar area.

 

[stinka]

Nice one lads. Also, I’m thinking what kind of heater do I need ? Will probably be outside in shed, so can I Just chuck it in an old fridge, will the exothermic yeast reaction be enough to keep the heat up or better to get a fish tank type immersion heater ?

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

My fridge has an ink bird controlling the cooling in conjunction with a small 300mm tube heater mounted in the bottom of the fridge.

 

[stinka]

My fridge has an ink bird controlling the cooling in conjunction with a small 300mm tube heater mounted in the bottom of the fridge.

What model inkbird mate ? I’ve got a 2 probe one I use to keep an eye on my Weber bbq ...

You got any pictures of this set up ?