I just joined and am looking forward to learning a lot. Before I start asking questions I’m gonna read a book or two to help me understand this process. I have been looking at a midgrade kit ( under 200) to start with. Any advice on good deals is appreciated. I live in Enterprise Alabama . Anyone close would be a bonus. Thanks
Welcome. Northern brewer often has email deals on beginner kits. Also check out ‘How to Brew’ by John Palmer. You can buy a paper copy and it’s online for free.
My .02…avoid the kits if they include glass carboys. You’ll eventually want to get rid of them for something safer. If I look at what I use now to brew extract it’s a pretty short list.
-Burner (use and love the Blichmann, there are cheaper ones out there)
-10 gallon pot (I’d consider getting a pot with a valve on it going forward)
-Speidel plastic fermenter (30L)
-Big funnel
-Thermapen!
-Starsan/ spray bottle
That’s it…that will get you through the brewing process! After this I would get bottles (22 oz. mean less filling), caps, a bottle capper, and some silicon tubing with a bottle filler.
Of course, I could be missing some stuff…it’s been a hot summer and I’m not thinking straight.
How to brew online is rev. 1 while I think rev. 3 is what is available in paperback. I would recommend getting the paper back version so you can highlight and take notes. I used to reference the online version when I didn’t feel like getting my paperback copy out.
The 3rd ed. has updated info and a style that is much easier to read than the online edition.
I am a bit north of you in Huntsville AL. Welcome aboard.
Besides books there are some good online references. Denny Conn’s website really helped me as did A Formulation Procedure for No-Sparge and Batch-Sparge Recipes by Ken Schwartz. Don Osborn’s also helped. (I’m a batch sparge guy). Of course the tutorials and videos on AHA are also very good resources.
Have fun!
Check into local homebrew clubs and read this forum as well as others (Northern Brewer, Homebrew Talk, to name a couple) and listen to podcasts at The Brewing Network, if you would like. This forum has been my best source for specific brewing issues and their solutions, though. Most importantly, have fun! Welcome to the best “Hobby” I have found.
I’m in Dothan. I used to brew a lot back in the mid 90s. Juste getting back into it over the last 3 months. There is tons of info available on the above mentioned forums. Great resources. I still have a lot to learn myself but would be happy to be a local resource. Also there is supposed to be a local club starting up soon. The brewmaster at folklore brewing is kind of organizing it.
That gonna be a matter of opinion. (Although I realize a complete beginner is not going to have an opinion yet at all.) All I use is glass carboys. Otherwise, FLbrewer pretty much describes my setup.
I have all glass carboys, but I must say - there are so many new fermenter options these days that I think about trading them in. I’m not worried about the glass at all, but the new fermenters have great design, nice open tops for easy cleaning and plastic is easier to store. I think they’re just build with homebrewing in mind.
Sometimes you can score really good deals on northern brewer or midwest starter kits on some of the daily deal sites. Those prices probably run on other places like homebrew deals. I also would avoid the glass carboys unless you have decided you want to rack all your beers to secondary or it’s just the best deal you can buy (you can probably unload the glass carboy on craigslist).