Starter Kit advice

scrapsmac

Hi all!

Total newbie to the world of homebrew and looking at getting my first kit. Read about this one from a few pages back.

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-premium-starter-beer-kit-best-value-844-p.asp

I realise there are cheaper kits out there but is this the best to start off with? Also does the whole process stink up the house a bit? (need to know to keep others in the house happy lol)

cheers!

BeerNut

scrapsmac wrote: »

is this the best to start off with?

There isn't a proper thermometer with that. The stick-on ones are pointless.

scrapsmac wrote: »

does the whole process stink up the house a bit?

Not at all.

Cork Boy

BeerNut wrote: »

There isn't a proper thermometer with that. The stick-on ones are pointless.

Ermm, i've been testing the glass thermometer against the stick on for 2 weeks now and found both to give off equal readings. I will however bow to superior experience and if you call me for BS on this I'll have to be more rigorous in my testing!

That said, I got the homebrewcompany's 33 ltr starter kit. just purchase two taps with it and ask them to fit the taps in the comment box and they'll do it no probs whatsoever.

Great set of hardware and great guys to deal with. I'm happily waiting on bottling my first batch this weekend

scrapsmac

BeerNut wrote: »

There isn't a proper thermometer with that. The stick-on ones are pointless.

would a stick-on make a huge difference? I mean, are they reliable?

bibibobo

BeerNut wrote: »

There isn't a proper thermometer with that. The stick-on ones are pointless.

Not at all.

Is the main benefit of a stick on thermometer down to the fact that its non-invasive and therefore avoids potential risk of contamination?

I don't know anything about their accuracy.

Also, would it be ok to just to use the readings of a normal thermometer just in air positioned beside the fermenter?

BeerNut

Cork Boy wrote: »

Ermm, i've been testing the glass thermometer against the stick on for 2 weeks now and found both to give off equal readings.

Even for measuring the pitching temperature? How about the temperature in the sample jar for hydrometer calibration?

bibibobo wrote: »

would it be ok to just to use the readings of a normal thermometer just in air positioned beside the fermenter?

Well that's what the stick-on is doing If you want to rehydrate yeast, or steep grains, or do anything beyond the basics of kit brewing, you'll need to be able to take the temperature of small amounts of liquid.

scrapsmac

What do we think of this kit?

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-starter-beer-kit-with-caps-and-capper-531-p.asp

Just need to add bottles!

BeerNut

Thing about not having a second bucket or a siphon is that you're kinda limited in how you brew. You can't do secondaries, and you can't batch prime. Neither of them are strictly necessary, but it's nice to have the option. I don't see the advantage of 33L buckets if you're going to be doing kits.

Personally I'd add a second bucket and a siphon to the order, as well as a spirit thermometer, obviously. Or buy a set that includes them.

Cork Boy

BeerNut wrote: »

Even for measuring the pitching temperature? How about the temperature in the sample jar for hydrometer calibration?

For my pitching temp i used the glass one but had the sticker stuck on and was comparing them both so I assumed the stick on is accurate? It's been a pale green at 20 (the glass one reads the ambient room temp at the same...ahhhhhhh now I see. d'oh!) while fermenting for the last 3 weeks, I didn't dip the glass thermometer for fear of contamination... good idea to do it in the trial jar, will do so tonight and compare it to the stick on.

Kitwise, this is what i recommend http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=968 and I ordered extra bits and pieces like taps, stick on thermometers, spare hydrometer, etc