Brewing kits
- Thread starter Robin
- Start date
Wobbegong
Well-Known Member
Im not sure about local stores for you, but these two online shops have a good reputation
http://www.austinhomebrew.com
http://www.midwestsupplies.com
This looks like a real nice set to start with.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_52&products_id=12736
I like that is has the option for a glass carboy, and an autosiphon included.
The only other thing needed is a boiling pot, at least 5 galllons to do partial boils for a 5 gallon batch.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com
http://www.midwestsupplies.com
This looks like a real nice set to start with.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_52&products_id=12736
I like that is has the option for a glass carboy, and an autosiphon included.
The only other thing needed is a boiling pot, at least 5 galllons to do partial boils for a 5 gallon batch.
Last edited:
cem
Member
My GF got this KIT for my birthday it had every thing i needed to brew my first batch. Once you brew a few batches you start to figure out what you need or can do without. Though, the autosiphon is the one thing i would of added right from the beginning
Clifton, NJ they have everything you need but its not always in stock
http://www.corradosmarket.com/home/store-wine.html
Check out home goods for giant cheap pots. Don't be hellbent 5+ gal pots. 5 gallons of wort takes forever to cool. Partial boil method works just as well.
Clifton, NJ they have everything you need but its not always in stock
http://www.corradosmarket.com/home/store-wine.html
Check out home goods for giant cheap pots. Don't be hellbent 5+ gal pots. 5 gallons of wort takes forever to cool. Partial boil method works just as well.
Glenlivet12
Well-Known Member
I picked up the kit that 'The Brewers Apprentice' sells in freehold. Pretty good starter bit there are a bunch if options online too.
kingbobyjr
Active Member
Check out Princeton Homebrew in Trenton, NJ.
Me and a co-worker just bought some starter equipment from the owner there, Joe. He is very knowledgeable. We will be starting to brew soon.
Princeton Homebrew
208 Sanhican Dr
Trenton, NJ 08618
(609) 252-1800
Me and a co-worker just bought some starter equipment from the owner there, Joe. He is very knowledgeable. We will be starting to brew soon.
Princeton Homebrew
208 Sanhican Dr
Trenton, NJ 08618
(609) 252-1800
FishFood
New Member
Homebrewing
Two thumbs up for Princeton Homebrew(located on rt29, just past light at Sullivan way), excellent shop/resource. I've been homebrewing for over ten years, I'm an all grain brewer now, great skill to learn and the rewards are received one glass at a time! And like CEM said, once you start brewing and feel you want to get into it deeper, there are crazy levels of involvement, from lean to extreme.
Your first brew day will take a little over 2 hours to complete, plus cleanup. Basic brew kits with a plastic bucket fermenter and bottling bucket will cover you, auto siphon is a must in my opinion...and you definitely need a 5gal boil pot....7.5gal even better and it should be stainless steel. The more you can boil the better. If you have a hurricane burner/turkey fryer burner, that will get your boils rolling faster and hotter so you'll get a good "hot break". Home stoves just don't put out enough BTU's imho, but will work if it's all ya got.
Cooling is a PITA without a wort chiller, but can be done in a big sink or tub filled with ice, just dont stir it or cover it while it cools.
You can pour your brew kettle right into the fermenter bucket once the wort has cooled, use a sanitized collander with some sanitized cheese cloth over it to catch a lot of the "particles", or you can siphon after do a whirlpool and it settles (read up on all this prior to brewing if your thinking about some of the different techniques for clearer beer). Siphoning lets you control how much particulates make it into the fermenter. For your first batch, just pour it in, help with oxygenating the wort too, so when you pitch your yeast, they have something to breath.
Use smack packs or pitchable tubes for your yeast, you can work on yeast starters after you're commited to brewing...not worth it when brewing avg. gravity ales.
Glass carboy is great for your secondary fermentation but you don't need one except for extended secondary fermentation. Your ale will be a bit clearer using a secondary but quality won't suffer without it. Let it sit for two weeks during the fermentation or go one week in the primary and one week (or longer) in the secondary....it should completely stop fermenting as witnessed by the airlock not bubbling. Two weeks will/should be fine for routine brewing.
Transfer to your bottling bucket with your priming sugar (corn sugar) and bottle and cap. Have atleast 2 1/2 cases of empty, sanitized 12oz beer bottles ready to go. Store in a dark, temperature consistant area...60-65 degrees would do nicely. Wait 2 weeks throw a bottle in the fridge for 2 days so it will condition/clear a bit more and sample one. If the carbonation is good, start drinking. If not, wait a week or two more. I usually let a fresh batch sit for one month before I even think about cracking one.
I know I didn't cover everything but this is a basic routine that most new brewers will go through on their first batch. Enjoy!
Two thumbs up for Princeton Homebrew(located on rt29, just past light at Sullivan way), excellent shop/resource. I've been homebrewing for over ten years, I'm an all grain brewer now, great skill to learn and the rewards are received one glass at a time! And like CEM said, once you start brewing and feel you want to get into it deeper, there are crazy levels of involvement, from lean to extreme.
Your first brew day will take a little over 2 hours to complete, plus cleanup. Basic brew kits with a plastic bucket fermenter and bottling bucket will cover you, auto siphon is a must in my opinion...and you definitely need a 5gal boil pot....7.5gal even better and it should be stainless steel. The more you can boil the better. If you have a hurricane burner/turkey fryer burner, that will get your boils rolling faster and hotter so you'll get a good "hot break". Home stoves just don't put out enough BTU's imho, but will work if it's all ya got.
Cooling is a PITA without a wort chiller, but can be done in a big sink or tub filled with ice, just dont stir it or cover it while it cools.
You can pour your brew kettle right into the fermenter bucket once the wort has cooled, use a sanitized collander with some sanitized cheese cloth over it to catch a lot of the "particles", or you can siphon after do a whirlpool and it settles (read up on all this prior to brewing if your thinking about some of the different techniques for clearer beer). Siphoning lets you control how much particulates make it into the fermenter. For your first batch, just pour it in, help with oxygenating the wort too, so when you pitch your yeast, they have something to breath.
Use smack packs or pitchable tubes for your yeast, you can work on yeast starters after you're commited to brewing...not worth it when brewing avg. gravity ales.
Glass carboy is great for your secondary fermentation but you don't need one except for extended secondary fermentation. Your ale will be a bit clearer using a secondary but quality won't suffer without it. Let it sit for two weeks during the fermentation or go one week in the primary and one week (or longer) in the secondary....it should completely stop fermenting as witnessed by the airlock not bubbling. Two weeks will/should be fine for routine brewing.
Transfer to your bottling bucket with your priming sugar (corn sugar) and bottle and cap. Have atleast 2 1/2 cases of empty, sanitized 12oz beer bottles ready to go. Store in a dark, temperature consistant area...60-65 degrees would do nicely. Wait 2 weeks throw a bottle in the fridge for 2 days so it will condition/clear a bit more and sample one. If the carbonation is good, start drinking. If not, wait a week or two more. I usually let a fresh batch sit for one month before I even think about cracking one.
I know I didn't cover everything but this is a basic routine that most new brewers will go through on their first batch. Enjoy!