newbbie kit

[Bailz]

hi guys total newbbie here with no equipment and no real idea were to start i have been doing a little reading but would like some advice on what kits i neeed to buy and the cost as i am on a small budget

cheers bailz

[Stomach]

Hi Mate and Welcome to jims and the joyous world of hombrew!!

I started off with the Woodfordes Wherry Microbrewery! You get everything you need for 60 odd quid including a Wherry beer kit, which is 22 quid to start with!

I cant recommend this starter kit enough!

Cheers

[cellone]

Hi Bailz. What beer are you after brewing? Cooper's, Woodford's and afew other brands make decent starter kits as do many homebrew stores. I would reccomend giving Young's brewbuddy a miss, only equipment for half the job and I have never brewed one of their kit's and thought I'll do that again.

[Cozzyb]

Well cheapest kit and set up would be

A cheap kit, Cooper, Geordie etc, £10-12
KG of Dextrose or Table Sugar £2
Fermenting Vessel - £10
Bottles £free if you reuse ones you have, £14 for 40 odd at most LHBS, some will give recycled ones free.
Sython hose (I suppose you could do it without, but you would regret it) £3

But really this would be the absolute basic, and when you can make beer for 30p - 50p a pint, why not get the full setup? An easier option is a basic starter kit, coopers do one for £60 with bottles and everything, most LHBS do one for £40-50

So really the absolute cheapest you could do it for is £30, but I would shell out for a start kit if I was you, go to a local homebrew shop if you have one and just get them to talk you through it.

[Bailz]

Hi everyone i have ordered the coopers starter kit (English Bitter) so will be starting my first brew on saturday all being well.
Bailz

[barry44]

enjoy it, i have just started too, my first kit went in on sunday.

Be sure and keep us all posted.

[Bailz]

will do barry how did you find the instructions / guidlines? what did you use to steralize with also i thinking of using milton

bailz

[millemg]

Thin bleach

[sbond10]

I just use 500ml of tesco value bleach (then filled with cold water )in a 25 litre tub soak for 20 minutes then empty refill with 25 litres throw a Camden tab in leave for another 20 minutes empty then rinse out that does the trick for me

[twentyfootwilf]

Hi everyone i have ordered the coopers starter kit (English Bitter) so will be starting my first brew on saturday all being well.
Bailz

Great choice of starter kit, these kits are top quality. Just follow the instructions that come with it and you'll be drinking a very nice bitter in 3 or 4 weeks. Having brewed this first kit you'll want to try adding different fermentables to your kits like a kilo of dried malt extract or a 1.5kg tin of liquid malt extract instead of the brewing sugar or brew enhancer that comes with your micro brewery. You'll find the options virtually endless and you'll be able to make a brew maltier or hoppier or whatever depending on your personal taste. Also you can try a 3kg all malt kit, dead easy to make and some great kits available too. You'll be spoilt for choice.
Enjoy your new hobby

[barry44]

hi,

the instructions were easy enough, just don't get flustered!!

I used VWP for the first one but i have now bought PBW and starsan for my cleaning as i was/am worried about the residual chlorine in VWP.

I think that milton is suitable, plenty of threads on it.

[Bailz]

if i fill up my fermenting bucket how many milton yablets should i add and can i then add all the other bits that need steralising ?
Bailz

[Geezah]

get a 19p bottle of no brand 'thin bleach' from the supermarket and add 1/2 a cup to a fv full of water.
Soak everything for 30 mins then rinse x 3.

thats all

[cellone]

If every thing is clean then I have found the milton works. Soak for 15/20 mins then use ( no rinse ) . I did this with bottles, FV and all the other bits, moved on to starsan when I ran out. I want to find out more about oxi-cleaning but that's a whole other story.

[Bailz]

what does rinse x3 mean?
Bailz