Which kit?

sozbox

Looking to get into home brewing but a bit confused on where to begin.

I've seen these two kits described as good beginner kits

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/biab-starter-kit-peco-boiler-chiller-mashing-bag-mash-kit-p-2805.html

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

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

FlipperThePriest

This was just asked on here in the last week or so here

Read around, see what method of brewing suits you or how much time/effort/money you are willing to invest.

Try and differentiate between the different types of brewing (i.e. no-boil kits, extract, partial mash, all-grain) and what each involves. For example you can do a no-boil brew with a pre-hopped can of liquid extract in a bucket in half an hour with minimal equipment and good results depending on how you approach it or you can spend 4 hours mashing grains, boiling hops, etc with an all-grain setup. Each method has different equipment requirements, with all-grain you need something to mash grain and hot water in, you need something to boil large volumes of liquid in, you need something to rapidly cool the wort... with extract and no-boil kits you need none of that.

Realistically you can brew with the following equipment:
- Fermenting bucket (with tap)
- Can of prehopped liquid malt extract & extra sugar/malt extract
- Bottles
- Bottling stick (optional but important)
- Airlock (for fermenter)
- Hydrometer & testing jar (not so important if doing the beer kit cans but cheap anyways)
- Thermometer (no need with beer kit cans)
- Stir stick
- Bleach & vinegar to sterilise

Think that's about it?!

sozbox

Thank you for that. I definitely need to try and understand the different types of brewing.

Going off the bare minimum list above, would any of those kits be suitable?

FlipperThePriest

Yeah that one looks good to me but I wouldn't have been bothered with a brew belt. I started out brewing from the canned kits and it's perfect for that. If you are brewing from canned kits they suggest you supplement with a kilo of sugar. I would recommend instead using a kilo of spraymalt (dry malt extract). Brewing with sugar has a tendency to create drier, weaker tasting beer. You can easily make a step up to extract brewing with that setup... which involves steeping specialty grains and boiling along with hops in a pot.

There are some very simplified videos on youtube if you search 'brewing beer from a kit'. This for example.

RTT

This is the kit I bought to start off brewing. I've made three batches so far and I've been very impressed. I've also tried a kit from a can but much preferred all grain even though it takes a bit longer.
http://www.adverts.ie/crazy-random-stuff/fathers-day-homebrew-kit/8164606

zippy84 wrote: »

Yeah that one looks good to me but I wouldn't have been bothered with a brew belt. I started out brewing from the canned kits and it's perfect for that. If you are brewing from canned kits they suggest you supplement with a kilo of sugar. I would recommend instead using a kilo of spraymalt (dry malt extract). Brewing with sugar has a tendency to create drier, weaker tasting beer. You can easily make a step up to extract brewing with that setup... which involves steeping specialty grains and boiling along with hops in a pot.

There are some very simplified videos on youtube if you search 'brewing beer from a kit'. This for example.

sozbox

thanks for the advice. Is that an all grain kit?

RTT

sozbox wrote: »

thanks for the advice. Is that an all grain kit?

It is all grain, yes. I actually went into the guy's shop and he gave me some great advice. The kit came with a step by step instruction book which was handy. Worth popping in for a look and I don't have any affiliation with Ian or his shop. Just a happy customer.

sozbox

I think I'll order this one and some dry malt extract to use instead of the brewing sugar if I go down the kit route. What's the syphon used for if it comes with a bottling stick?

On the all grain one RTT, did you need to buy extra equipment for it? bottle stick, hydrometer, thermometer?

cython

sozbox wrote: »

I think I'll order this one and some dry malt extract to use instead of the brewing sugar if I go down the kit route. What's the syphon used for if it comes with a bottling stick?

On the all grain one RTT, did you need to buy extra equipment for it? bottle stick, hydrometer, thermometer?

It looks like that kit does not come with a tap in the bucket, so the bottling stick would likely be connected to the syphon to bottle, and just serves to control flow from the syphon.

RTT

It came with a thermometer and I just filled the bottles straight from the tap. A hydrometer is only about €4.

sozbox wrote: »

I think I'll order this one and some dry malt extract to use instead of the brewing sugar if I go down the kit route. What's the syphon used for if it comes with a bottling stick?

On the all grain one RTT, did you need to buy extra equipment for it? bottle stick, hydrometer, thermometer?

sozbox

Thanks for that RTT. Is there a steep learning curve going all grain from the beginning?

RTT

sozbox wrote: »

Thanks for that RTT. Is there a steep learning curve going all grain from the beginning?

Not really. It's straightforward enough. I just followed the instructions that Ian gave with the kit. Once you get started and taste an all grain brew you'll see the benefits.

sozbox

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the all grain kit now. What household items did you use with it? I'm guessing just a saucepan for the boiling and mashing?

RTT

sozbox wrote: »

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the all grain kit now. What household items did you use with it? I'm guessing just a saucepan for the boiling and mashing?

Yes just two big saucepans. I just used Muslin bags for the grain and hops which also came with the kit.

sozbox

Thanks, very helpful. I'm putting an order together now on the all grain kit, did you get carbonation drops with the kit?

RTT

sozbox wrote: »

Thanks, very helpful. I'm putting an order together now on the all grain kit, did you get carbonation drops with the kit?

No. The guy in the shop said a tea spoon of normal sugar in each bottle would work fine, when you're bottling the beer. Works a treat. Use a funnel though when you're doing it to avoid a mess!

sozbox

Thanks for all the advice!

FlipperThePriest

RTT wrote: »

No. The guy in the shop said a tea spoon of normal sugar in each bottle would work fine, when you're bottling the beer. Works a treat. Use a funnel though when you're doing it to avoid a mess!

I used to do this.. I was advised against it for a few reasons.. mainly because of consistency and risk of infection from sugar that hasn't been sterilised. Never had a problem with infection but I did with consistency... some bottles being over-carbonated. Now I just use an online calculator and batch prime for whatever style of carbonation I'm working with. It's actually much easier and much more acurate than loading each bottle too, just boil the required sugar in 2 cups of water for a few mins, let it cool, add to your fermenter, gently stir (not too disturb sediment too much) and give it an hour or so before bottling for sediment to settle and sugar solution to diffuse. This has worked great for me in last 6 or 7 batches.

sozbox

In an all grain set up is it still wise to add spray malt to the brew?

FlipperThePriest

I don't believe it can be called all-grain if one adds adjuncts like dme/spraymalt. This is where partial mashing is based... a mixture of both worlds. I'm doing a partial mash this evening.. mashing 2.5 kilos of grain, 2kg of lme.. topping off with water after the boil. I haven't got the resources to do full all-grain (i.e. bigger pots, more power for the boil) at the moment so partial mash really suits me. Like I said, read into the different types of brewing... it's confusing at the start not knowing what the different methods entail, when you do dissect the different methods, then you've to realise there are also many different ways of doing each type of brew. Which is why I suggest watching a video of each.. to get a sense of what each involves.

sozbox

Thanks for that. I've watched loads of videos over the weekend alright and am starting to understand the different methods now which is good, cheers for the advice, helped clear it up

sozbox

Brewed today with this kit

http://themottlybrew.ie/product/nature-bru/

Hope it turns out okay, thanks for all the advice to date!