Beer Kit Making

[Steve]

What stuff do Ineed, in addition to my winemaking supplies, to start making beer kits?


Also, what kit would you recommend for a first kit?Edited by: Steve

 

[Big Port]

If your making wine you basically have everything you need. I would get a new primary fermentor because the smell from the beer will linger and you may not want to use it for wine again. You could always use a 6 gallon carboy for a primary, I'd use a blow off tube if I did that, then transfer it to a 5 gallon for the secondary. Also you will need about 50 or so bottles that you can recap. I started buying Grolsch beer because the bottles are great for reuse.


As for a "fittest kit"... I am assuming you meant first? Any of the Brewers Best Kits will be easy, pick a style you like and go for it. One reccomendation I would have would be to upgrade to a liquid yeast (White Labs or Wyeast). My first kit was a Brewers Best and it had a really funky taste, everyone I had talked to said it was from using the dry yeast that came with the kit. I have made numerous other brews and never got that funk from the White Labs yeast.


Hope this helps....

 

[masta]

I agree with Big Port and I would suggest buying a 7.9 gal primary with spigot. The larger size gives you more room for a active fermentation with foaming and also plenty of room to stir the wort well. Adding plenty of oxygen is important to a quick and active fermentation since the wort boil drives off all the oxygen from the water.


You also need a S/S pot to boil your wort in and would suggest 16 quart as a minimum so you can boil 3 gals and have room for foam. Any larger you should think about a wort chiller to cool after the boil is complete.


If you want to go for broke and get a pot big enough for a full boil like I did here is a great place to get the setup minus a wort chiller.


[url]http://www.turkey-fryers-online.com/turkey_kit/bc1195_stainl ess_turkey.htm[/url]


The liquid yeast is also key to certain styles and plays a large role in the flavor profile of the beer. Just match up the yeast with the beer style. I normally make a starter with the 50 ml Wyeast slap packs but the new XL 125 ml have plenty of yeast to pitch without making a starter.


Beer Tutorial:


http://www.finevinewines.com/Home-Brewing-Tutorial.htm

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the info... I am going to have my wife to get me the stuff I need for my B-Day in Feb...

 

[Steve]

So word got out at work that I am making wine and one of the guys is getting ready to leave the area and wanted to sell some beer making stuff he had. I am getting 1-6.5 gal carboy, 2-5 gal carboys, 1 primary (not sure the size), a bottle tree, 50-60 flip cap bottles w/ extra rubber seals, and some other miscl stuff for $50...


I am in business now, all I need is a beer kit...Edited by: Steve

 

[masta]

Sweet Deal....

 

[PolishWineP]

Way to go!

 

[PolishWineP]

I'm doing the HAPPY DANCE! Although it's not yet my birthday, Bert gave me a huge box today as an early birthday gift.(George, I swear, I'm bringing all those packing peanuts back to you this spring!

)What a great guy!

I got a beer kit!


I got a new primary with a spigot. (I starting singing, "There's a Hole In The Bucket! for him.), 2 cases of beer bottles, bag of caps, bottle filler, carboy harness, corn sugar, bottle brush and a Baron's Mexican Cerveza. If only I could start it right now! Oh well, I'll enjoy looking at the pretty box for a while.

 

[masta]

Woo Hoo......somebody loves ya!


I just started one of these kits yesterday and based on reviews it is a great beer....pass the limes please!

 

[PolishWineP]

I'm sharpening my knives as we type!

 

[Gelu Liber]

I am thinking of getting into beer makingmyself. I notice there are "no boil kits". Would the exact same equipment used for wine be used for making these kits? And- besides a new primary for beer are there any other pieces of equipment I need?

 

[NorthernWinos]

We started with beer kits....We were kicking around the idea of making wine and while we were in the store looking at all the supplies a guy was stocking up on beer making stuff....we spoke with him and it seemed we had all the stuff to make some so we bought some kits, corn sugar and caps and went home and started a batch.
.They were just the ones that come in a can, you add corn sugar and water....seems the yeast and instructions were under the plastic cap and the contents of the can was like molasass....really smelled good....the can is about one quart or slightly bigger.
You use all the same equipment, hydrometer, siphon hoses, etc.....Our carboys that we got at the store were 6 1/2 gallon ones....[now I make 6 1/2 gallon batches of wine in those carboys]
The ones my hubby liked best were Mexican, Brown Ale, Pilsner and a Irish Stout....think most of they were Munton's brand.....the longer they sit the better they get.
You will need lots of beer bottles, not the twist off tops...ones like Sam Adam's, or the old returnable ones.....We lucked out and found a distributor that had some old returnable ones in the back, he sold us 10 cases....as well we had friends save us ones they had, plus the Sam Adam's bottles.
Those kits we got were very easy and gave us the courage to make wines....Also very inexpensive...good for the first try....but am sure the real beer people would use something better...these were good for us to get started.
Have fun....

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[grapeman]

I've made a couple no-boil kits and they are really easy. They come just about like a wine kit. You need a capper of some sort. I would suggest
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4000


You also probably need a bag of caps and a supply of some type of bottles. Other than that, you can pretty much use the same stuff and like winemaking- add to your arsenal as you go. The Red Baron kits are very good for the money. Good Luck

 

[Gelu Liber]

Thank you very much! I really look forward to making some beers!