Thread: This is a good kit for homebrew?

On 2011-03-01, lilycheese <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> this is my first time for homebrew beer.I need your help and advice. Now
> i need a kit for himebrew.Has anyone of u have experience with this
> Homebrew Beer Kit?
> 'Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'
> (http://tinyurl.com/4mfw4x7)
> How about its performance?Is it good? Any other better options? Thx in
> advance!

I would not buy a beer brewing kit from this retailer. I cannot see
what is included in that brewing kit, but can almost guarantee it's
missing something important and you will need to find a home brewing
supply store to get what's missing. You need information before you need
that kit:

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

The above link is to one of the best books ever written on home beer
brewing and amazingly it's absolutely free and online. At least read
everything up through section 1: Brewing Your First Beer With Malt
Extract.

Next, find a local home brew shop (LHBS). Beer brewing is now so
popular, there has to be one near you. We jes had one open in a town
with 5K pop! Buy from your LHBS. They will steer you right and get
you out the door for a min amt of $$$ for your first attempt, knowing
you will be back. For an example, here's my favorite online store and
a few their beginning kits:

http://tinyurl.com/4mdsz7o

.....Pay close attention to what these kits include and don't include.
You'll need every bit of it. I think you gotta go with the No 3 kit
($200) to get everthing, including a boiling pot big enough to do a
first batch (about 5 gal). Also, most of their shipping is free in
cont US for purchases over $60. A LHBS would be able to sell you a
more customized selection of components if you already have a boiling
pot and bottles, etc. You'd probably save money, too.

Brewing good beer is not a casual hobby. It takes some time and
effort to do right. Plan what you want to do ahead of time cuz
missing or flubbing a single step will screw the pooch and ruin the
entire batch and cost you both time and money. It's not like baking a
cake and flubbing it, then doctoring it to get some close-enough
cookies.

Also, you'll be better off posting as a new brewer and asking quesions
on the newsgroup alt.crafts.brewing.

good luck,
nb

lilycheese;1587033 Wrote:
> this is my first time for homebrew beer.I need your help and advice. Now
> i need a kit for himebrew.Has anyone of u have experience with this
> Homebrew Beer Kit?
> 'Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'
> (http://tinyurl.com/4mfw4x7)
> How about its performance?Is it good? Any other better options? Thx in
> advance!

You can save a lot of money if you already have a large stainless or
ceramic stock pot. Don't ever use aluminum to brew. Trust me here. The
carboy, w/handle, bottle/carboy washer, are about $20 and I can get
sealed food grade plastic buckets for free. After that, all you need is
a long plastic tube for siphoning and a fermentation lock (rubber cork
fitted for carboy and a plastic "bubbler" that fits in it.) I bet you
can make that kit for 40-50 bucks, 65 with ingredients for the first
batch.

It is convenient to just buy the kit (it will make decent beer). Make no
mistake, though, the quality of beer has much more to do with
ingredients than with the hardware you use. Don't go the corn sugar
method. Pasy the extra five bucks for good malt and decent yeast. Hops
can be found for cheap. Grow your own if you get into it.

Just saying I put my money into the ingredients rather than the hardware
end.

You can make beer that is as good any you could purchase a ta store
right in your own crib.

Remember though, lagers need refrigeration or a lauter tun. If you're an
ale lover (stouts, browns and bitters) you'll have a great time. Lagers
just need cooler love is all.

If and when you do get into it, look to Northwestern malt if you go
extract. Go local if you go whole grain, or try DeWoelf- Cosins from
Belgium. I go whole malt at times, but am happy with stouts and browns
(and some styles that no longer exist) with part extract, with some
grains added in for flavor.




--
Gorio

In article <[email protected]>, Gorio.7b2bfa8.103818
@foodbanter.com says...
>
> lilycheese;1587033 Wrote:
> > this is my first time for homebrew beer.I need your help and advice. Now
> > i need a kit for himebrew.Has anyone of u have experience with this
> > Homebrew Beer Kit?
> > 'Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'
> > (http://tinyurl.com/4mfw4x7)
> > How about its performance?Is it good? Any other better options? Thx in
> > advance!
>
> You can save a lot of money if you already have a large stainless or
> ceramic stock pot. Don't ever use aluminum to brew. Trust me here. The
> carboy, w/handle, bottle/carboy washer, are about $20 and I can get
> sealed food grade plastic buckets for free. After that, all you need is
> a long plastic tube for siphoning and a fermentation lock (rubber cork
> fitted for carboy and a plastic "bubbler" that fits in it.) I bet you
> can make that kit for 40-50 bucks, 65 with ingredients for the first
> batch.
>
> It is convenient to just buy the kit (it will make decent beer). Make no
> mistake, though, the quality of beer has much more to do with
> ingredients than with the hardware you use. Don't go the corn sugar
> method. Pasy the extra five bucks for good malt and decent yeast. Hops
> can be found for cheap. Grow your own if you get into it.
>
> Just saying I put my money into the ingredients rather than the hardware
> end.
>
> You can make beer that is as good any you could purchase a ta store
> right in your own crib.
>
> Remember though, lagers need refrigeration or a lauter tun. If you're an
> ale lover (stouts, browns and bitters) you'll have a great time. Lagers
> just need cooler love is all.
>
> If and when you do get into it, look to Northwestern malt if you go
> extract. Go local if you go whole grain, or try DeWoelf- Cosins from
> Belgium. I go whole malt at times, but am happy with stouts and browns
> (and some styles that no longer exist) with part extract, with some
> grains added in for flavor.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Gorio

I cheaped out on the gear too and lot's of my friends are brewers, in
fact I am in a club. Anyway, some of the guys have some real fancy gear
but it's not necessary. The only real issue most folks have shy of
boiling over their first batch is not being clean. Clean is the key,
everything needs to be sterilized with bleach before and during use.
Other than that if you follow directions well, you should not have too
many problems..

For brewing I bought

A 6 gallon food grade plastic bucket with top piece and I am having a
brain fart, and can't remember what it's called, but it keeps air from
getting back into the carboy while the stuff is working... $12

A second 5 gallon for racking the beer before brewing. (this is
transferring the beer after the first fermentation to separate the dead
yeast off). $12

A floating thermometer $10

A good long spoon for stirring $5

A 20 quart or bigger pot ( you do not need to cook all five gallons of
water for a five gallon batch, usually two will do. When it's cooked,
you strain and add the cold water to help get your brew down to a temp
you can add the yeast at without killing it). $0.00 (had one)

A case of long neck bottles, a bag of caps, and a ten dollar capper...
$30

And I spent the 15 bucks for the combination siphon, bottle filler tool.

A good bottle brush. $5

And a bottle of bleach for cleaning... $0 had it too.


And as to the "massive problems" that can occur, 99.9% can be avoided by
paying attention to the two top rules of making beer

1) Keep it sterile
2) Do it again...

Anyway, good luck, it's fun..

On Mar 1, 12:49*am, lilycheese <lilycheese.
7b26b48.663...@foodbanter.com> wrote:
> this is my first time for homebrew beer.I need your help and advice. Now
> i need a kit for himebrew.Has anyone of u have experience with this
> Homebrew Beer Kit?
> 'Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'
> (http://tinyurl.com/4mfw4x7)
> How about its performance?Is it good? Any other better options? Thx in
> advance!

I never heard of that place, but it looks like they use the Williams
Brewing how-to book. Williams Brewing has been around for decades, and
my friend Bob has made many batches from what he has ordered from
them. I would start with one of these:

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BASIC...EWERY-C73.aspx

Instead of buying bottles by mail, try drinking a couple of cases of
some imported beer that comes in heavy glass bottles. No twistoffs.

spamtrap1888;1587245 Wrote:
> On Mar 1, 12:49*am, lilycheese lilycheese.
> 7b26b48.663...@foodbanter.com wrote:-
> this is my first time for homebrew beer.I need your help and advice.
> Now
> i need a kit for himebrew.Has anyone of u have experience with this
> Homebrew Beer Kit?
> 'Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'
> ('Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'
> (http://tinyurl.com/4mfw4x7))
> How about its performance?Is it good? Any other better options? Thx in
> advance!-
>
> I never heard of that place, but it looks like they use the Williams
> Brewing how-to book. Williams Brewing has been around for decades, and
> my friend Bob has made many batches from what he has ordered from
> them. I would start with one of these:
>
> 'BASIC HOME BREWERY'
> (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BASIC...EWERY-C73.aspx)
>
> Instead of buying bottles by mail, try drinking a couple of cases of
> some imported beer that comes in heavy glass bottles. No twistoffs.

thanks for your suggestions,Id consider it




--
lilycheese

Also, if you don't want to mess with bottles caps and the capper, you
may reuse two liter soda bottles, if you just want to try it out.

So really, if you want to try it. You could get away with a 6 gallon
food grade plastic bucket($6-$10), fermentation lock. Boil the brew in a
large stock pot, let cool, poor into bucket, add yeast when cool. Let
sit for six weeks. Siphon brew into stock pot. Clean out the spent yeast
from the bottom of the bucket. Bleach clean bucket (never use abrasives
w/plastic) and re-add the brew to finish for two-twelve months.


Put the finished brew into the same stock pot and add carbonation
sugars. Siphon from there into two liter bottles and let sit another six
weeks, and it should be good to go.

When decanting, use a big pitcher. Once you start to pour homebrew from
the two liter, you can't stop (or you'll shake up the yeast sedimant).

Yeah, enjoy.




--
Gorio

On Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:49:25 +0000 in rec.food.cooking, lilycheese
<[email protected]> wrote,
>this is my first time for homebrew beer.I need your help and advice. Now
>i need a kit for himebrew.Has anyone of u have experience with this
>Homebrew Beer Kit?
>'Gift Ideas for Every Occasion - product personalized-gift-ideas'

Go set yourself on fire, spammer, and take your affiliate marketing
website with you.

In article <[email protected]>, Gorio.7b46589.341984
@foodbanter.com says...
>
> Also, if you don't want to mess with bottles caps and the capper, you
> may reuse two liter soda bottles, if you just want to try it out.
>
> So really, if you want to try it. You could get away with a 6 gallon
> food grade plastic bucket($6-$10), fermentation lock. Boil the brew in a
> large stock pot, let cool, poor into bucket, add yeast when cool. Let
> sit for six weeks. Siphon brew into stock pot. Clean out the spent yeast
> from the bottom of the bucket. Bleach clean bucket (never use abrasives
> w/plastic) and re-add the brew to finish for two-twelve months.
>
>
> Put the finished brew into the same stock pot and add carbonation
> sugars. Siphon from there into two liter bottles and let sit another six
> weeks, and it should be good to go.
>
> When decanting, use a big pitcher. Once you start to pour homebrew from
> the two liter, you can't stop (or you'll shake up the yeast sedimant).
>
> Yeah, enjoy.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Gorio

Thank you for putting it so clear. Like I said, I am/was (the fellow
with the brewhouse died) in a pretty good club. One of our members won
the Sam Adams home brew thing a few years ago. Some of the guys have
some pretty elaborate systems, but you just don't need it. All you
really need is to be clean...

That being said. If you really want to be walked through your first
couple brews, look for a "Mr. Beer" (TM) kit. It comes with everything
you need except the water and the bottles for the first brew and they
make ingredient kits for you to make 2 1/2 gallons at at time. That
whole kit can be had for less then 30 bucks, and is a pretty good place
to start to understand/learn the process. It sounds a lot harder than it
really is...

Enjoy, and to any of you brewers out there. Try Coopers Australian Ale,
it's my favorite premix...