New to the hobby

Hey guys, I am brand new to this hobby. I’ve been doing some research for the last few weeks and I’ve also been reading The Complete Joy of Home Brewing fourth edition. What do you guys consider the best online store to purchase all of the equipment I need? And is it a smart idea to start out all grain or do you recommend starting out with extracts?
Thanks in advance.

First, welcome!  Welcome to this great community and hobby.  I know I am not the only one that will tell you that this “hobby” will quickly turn into a passion and even obsession.  8)

In regards to starting, I think there is a benefit to starting with extract just to get the process down, specifically the sanitation process.  Although, I do think if you are in it for the long haul you can jump straight into all-grain.  Know that there is a learning curve and some more equipment will be necessary unless you are doing BIAB.

If you have a local hombrew store, give them a visit.  If not, lots of the big online stores (i.e. midwest, northern, etc.) sometimes have sales which might save you some on your first set up.  Cheers and welcome!

Yes, yes what Herm said.  (though I’m hardly past the newbie stage myself)
Check out these blogs every day or two.  The info and knowledge is priceless.
Cheers

Thanks guys. I’m still working on  a lot of the abbreviations too.  What does BIAB stand for? I know I’ve seen it before. Most of the process makes sense to me because I used to work at an ethanol plant where we made about 54 million gallons a year of 200 proof alcohol. We had 6 fermenters there at about 450,000 gallons each!

Welcome to the gang and if you are looking for equipment Craigslist is the other option.  There are always people upgrading and/or looking to free up some space for new equipment.  You can find some durable things like carboys and kettles for a good price.

BIAB=Brew in a bag. Essentially you put all your ground grain in a bag, put it in your hot water for the required time and just pull the bag before boiling. If you look around, there are lots of instructions and videos on the net that people have put up to show you “how to”  There are some on this site as well as on Northern Brewer and on More Beer’s sites.

Don’t know where you are, but I recommend finding a brew club or other brewer who can let you hang out and watch a brew day. Our club has members who mentor others and I have a full 10 gal. gravity set up that I will lend to new members in our club.

Welcome to the forum and prepare for a lot of fun and satisfaction. Don’t be surprised if you pick up a bunch of new friends as well. People who brew, love people who brew.

BIAB = Brew In A Bag

I agree with what has been said.  Get to know your Local homebrew shop staff well.  They can answer things and help you out much more in person than what you can get from an online homebrew shop.
Rely on forums like this one as well as some of the popular brewing podcasts.  They have up to date information and are always striving to get knowledgeable guests.

Go join a homebrew club.  The other members will also help you work through issues with your beers and can help you by tasting them and offering solutions.  You’ll also get to taste other people’s beers and find out what’s in them and how they made them, maybe join in a brew day with an experienced brewer near you.  That is probably one of the best ways to learn the hobby.

Good Luck!

I’m in northwestern Ohio, the bad part is there are no local groups that I know of and the closest shop to me is about an hour away. That’s why I was looking for good online shops. I plan on making a trip to check it out but would rather not have to drive there every time I need supplies or equipment.

Where abouts in Northwestern Ohio? I ask because I was in Sandusky for work last week and came across a very nice Homebrew store. It’s called Homebrew Ohio and the website is www.homebrewohio.com

If you do decide to start with extracts, I recommend Northern Brewer. They have a wide variety of kits and have a flat rate shipping.

I started with extract, but if I had to go back and do it again, I’d start with all grain. But I am also one who does a lot of research and asks a lot of questions. If you have any of those qualities, have patience, and know that you’d be in the hobby for the long haul, I’d start with all grain. The people on this forum are great and would guide you in the right direction.

Check out Denny’s website to learn about a relatively cheap set up to do all grain brewing.
http://dennybrew.com

I’m in a similar situation. Like you, the closest reliable store to me is over an hour away, and if I took the time to join a homebrew club I’d lose what little time I have for brewing. (work full time, and have school on the side.)

I’ve found magazines and books to be really helpful in filling for what I’m missing. BYO and Zymurgy are must haves. I’m a prolific reader, so building up a brewing library has been really helpful.

The BJCP has a great list of suggested books, that would certainly be a great place to start.

http://www.bjcp.org/study.php#introduction

Sandusky is about 2 hours N.E. of me. I think i remember seeing that one on the map when I searched for brew shops. Yea I am a person that always wants to start with the best. If I am going to eventually go the all grain way, I might as well start out doing it. Can you buy good grains online?

Ok, so more near Lima area then? If you order grains per batch, online is worth it. If you want to buy in bulk, where you cut massive cost, it becomes very pricy when it comes to shipping.

Yea I live in Lima, the closest shop to me is in Ft.  Wayne Indiana. Thanks for the info. Is there a certain brand anybody would recommend for buying all of the equipment? When I search a million things come up and I don’t want to get stuck with sub par stuff

I was in Lima a year ago for work. I ate at a decent pizza joint that had a handful of beers on tap. As far as brands go, somebody else can chime in on that. All of my equipment from mash tun, to grain crush, to kettle is homemade to an extent. In other words, none of my “big” equipment was bought in a Homebrew store.

If I remember correctly, there’s a small nanobrewery in Findlay. If you get to the point where you’re buying bulk grain, it might be a good idea to contact them about purchasing grain from them.

But first, you need to determine what type of brewing that you’re going to do, what size batches, and what type if set up. This will help you determine what type of set up you’ll need.

I bet you are talking about “Beer Barrel”. We have a specialty beer and wine store  here called Vino Bellissamo.  I think right now they have around 40 beers on tap that they regularly rotate and get different things in, and a bunch more sold by the bottle. It’s a cool place, if you are ever in the area again definitely check it out!  That is a good idea about the micro brewery. I’ve heard about it but it never crossed my mind about contacting them.

There are plenty of places to buy stuff, but keep looking at what is out there and consider trying to make your own.  I agree with Frank, but would add that in any event consider buying for a larger batch than 5 gallons, so you can brew bigger, if you want.  Having said that, there are many guys going small.  But I don’t think they share with their friends as much as some of us…(just kidding!!!)

beginner equipment wise it brand doesn’t make a whole lot of difference. honestly I don’t really pay attention to brand now after many years. I will say the coleman extreme cooler is great for it’s drain placement and bayou classic has some really affordable and quality burners. blichman is all the rage among homebrewers but it’s pricey. I have no comment on it’s relative quality. fermentation buckets are buckets. I don’t even know who manufactured the ones I use and don’t really care. I own a lovely Italian kettle from marchisio because it was a gift and I love it but I have no idea if other manufacturers are better or worse or more quality or what. don’t get hung up. buy something and have fun.

Malt plus water plus hops plus yeast equals beer, usually. Beyond that there are many methods that work. Lots of debate over which is best. Start simple. When making big purchases try to pick things you will use for a long time. When the gods speak, listen and try but dont take everything as law. Sometimes the experts aren’t. Its pretty hard to not make beer. Its pretty hard to make world class beer. But in the middle is some fine and fun ground. Enjoy the journey

Words of wisdom. Especially nothing is law. Methods that are popular now will be considered a trend next year. I love you hobby because you are in control. You can try things that you want to try. If it works, you share it. Others will try it.

I’m still pretty new ,  1 year experience , and looking forward to All grain soon … Anyway  I really enjoyed learning from Craig Farraway  on YouTube ,  Type in  CraigTube