Total beer brewing noob qns - Where to start...

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 2:22 pm

Hi guys,
Although I am way off being new to beer, I have never brewed myself nor do my friends, so I then searched for this excellent website.
My knowledge of the craft is very minimal & I have no equipment yet.

I am busting to get started and have done a bit of reading on this forum.

What I don't want to do is buy the wrong eqipment & set it up wrong, only to have to start all over again. I just wanted to learn properly the first time through your experience. ie. through hindsight and "If only I knew then what I know now.

I often pass the home breew kits like coopers, etc in the BIG W / K-Mart aisles and dream of being a master backyard brewer. But I'm figuring it's a long road ahead to get to that point.

I absolutely love boutique/foreign beers like Chimay, Leffe, Hoegarten, Becks, Kronenberg. Even stouts like Kilkenny and Guinness.

I can't stand cheap CUB beer like VB, etc as there's no character there.

Back on track now, is there a sticky around that points out the equipment req'd (ie heating/cooling and other basic hardware), should I get an old 400litre fridge & thermostat it, blah blah blah??

I live in Melbourne & plan to brew in the rather large garage, but the insulation is almost non-existent - tin & cement sheeted sides & fibro/asbestos roof. Sit's on a concrete slab.

All help is greatly appreciated.

I look forward to trolling through the forums to learn more, but just wanna get my project started after several years of procrastination.

Thanks,
Dave.

BeerFrenzy · Post by **BeerFrenzy** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 2:56 pm

Im not sure if there is a sticky, but those kits at Big W etc are a good place to start...they have most of the basic gear you need.

Welcome and good luck!

Cheeno · Post by **Cheeno** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 3:29 pm

Oscar, if you haven't already I would mosey down to my local brew shop (do a search on this site for locations) and have a chat. Without going into a full invetory of what you might need I will say that if you intend to use bottles to contain your brew I strongly recommend a bench capper and a bottle tree. They make life so much easier. While we are on that subject start saving all your bottles like mad. As far as the heating/cooling there are many different techniques and schools of thought. Once again, a search will give you many answers to choose from. I personally would hold off on any big purchase until you have I few brews under you belt and see where you want to take it from there. Apart from that all I would say is stay calm and remember it's about the journey. Soon you will brewing beer just as good as those you mentioned and at a fraction of the cost. Good Luck

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 3:38 pm

The Coopers starter kit is ok. It has all the stuff you need to start- including your first brew, and bottles.

Once you are set up, look at this link.

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... sc&start=0

ex0ja · Post by **ex0ja** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 8:54 pm

I just finished bottling my second brew so I'm no expert, but I can tell you what I think from a noob's point of view.

Here is what I've done so far:

For my first brew I used nothing other than what came in the Coopers kit. The beer turned out pretty good.

For my second beer I used a tin of Coopers Dark ale and I've decided I wanted to rack so I've gone out and bought a second fermenter, I also used 'ultra brew' instead the 'Coopers Brewing Sugar' that comes in the kit (what is that anyway? Plain dextrose?). I'm yet to taste the finished product.

Next time I want to get myself a bench capper so I can use glass bottles and maybe grab myself a bottle tree if I can afford that as well. I also plan to try a few additives like hops or malt.

As you can see, the plan is to slowly get more equipment and try more ingredients and techniques as I go. I have no regrets so far and believe the Coopers kit was a great way to start. In my opinion you should go out and get yourself a Coopers kit and have a go with what you get in that kit. If you want to keep brewing you can just buy more and more equipment as you go, like I plan to. (Jeez, I sound like a salesman for Coopers!

)

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 8:57 pm

As ex0ja said, if you need more stuff, just go buy it. A second fermenter is very useful.

And read that link I posted. It is all the stuff I wish that I'd been told when I started brewing.

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 9:17 pm

Don't be afraid to experiment (within reason...).
Don't be afraid to admit defeat, piss that batch off and start again.
Don't pinch pennies, $10 across a batch is F'Kall per stubby.

We is here to help.

Cheers,
Greg

guy poppe · Post by **guy poppe** » Friday Mar 10, 2006 9:37 pm

The best thing I got was a couple of plastic drums(foodgrade) for fermenting and racking. They're widely available.

I installed a tap near the bottom. Transfer is simply connecting a tube from the higher drum to the second one. No more heavy glass kegs and misery of siphoning. Disadvantage is that you can't see your beer. No big deal

That plastic tube with little auto switch (don't know what it's called) is also great for filing bottles.

My two cents

Regards

Guy Poppe

Shaun · Post by **Shaun** » Saturday Mar 11, 2006 5:24 pm

Forget the starter kits from K-mart and Big-w the have CRAPPY carboy style fermenters that cause lots of problems. Go to a HBS and get a starter kit from them with a pail style fermenter. If they don't have them make them get one in for you or go somewhere that does.

The HBS will also be able to help you out with all the other basic bits you need and how to use them correctly most HBS have starter kits that are reasonable priced. The other reason to buy from a HBS is they will help you out with useful advice if they are a good HBS. The only thing above the basics I would recommend getting straight away is a bench capper.

Start out simple put some beers down then start expanding your equipment.

Again stay away from carboy style fermenters pails are so much better.

ex0ja · Post by **ex0ja** » Saturday Mar 11, 2006 11:20 pm

Shaun wrote:stay away from carboy style fermenters pails are so much better.

What's the reasoning behind this?

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Saturday Mar 11, 2006 11:48 pm

ex0ja wrote:
Shaun wrote:stay away from carboy style fermenters pails are so much better.
What's the reasoning behind this?

The lid seals alot better. I think everybody has their own view regarding the all important bubbling airlock. I dont bother with a lid, I cover the fermenter with glad wrap and use the rubber seal that comes with the lid and roll that over the top sealing off the glad wrap. Using this method you can see all the stages of fermentation without having to open the lid, I find an airlock unrelyable. I also drop the hydrometer in the brew at the start so looking through the glad wrap I can keep an eye on how the readings are, I checked as a referance by drawing some wort off and meassuring the SG that way and the most differential compaired with the one in the brew was 002. Once again everybody has their own point of view, I've been brewing for four years and have tryed all ways and find this the eziest, it's up to you.
Hillbilly.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 10:14 am

Ok, so good ideas there guys.
Thanks for your help.

I assume HBS is a shop, or is it an online store.

I love in Glen Iris, Melbourne.
Is it nearby to me?

Rubber.Piggy · Post by **Rubber.Piggy** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 10:21 am

one tip, cost your equipement and shop around

for example, a carboy fermenter can be upto $40 at some HBS, bunnings has the same things but calls it a water drum and sells it for only $15!!

I started with the Coopers micro brewery, you get everything you need except a thermometer. Getting the bottles with it is good if you haven't been saving up your longnecks

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 11:22 am

The Coopers set up is the best place to start. You obviously can progress from there.

General · Post by **General** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 1:04 pm

Oscar, HBS is Home brew Shop,

Go to Yellowpages.com.au, and search for homebrew, there's about 9 listed around Melbourne, some with websites, there are also many on-line shops, IMO not as good cause you can't fell the atmosphere.

Browse for:
Hobbies
Eating/Drinking
Home brewing

Australian Home Brewing
24 Eskay Rd Oakleigh South VIC 3167
ph: (03) 9579 1644

Australian Winemakers
108- 110 Peel St North Melbourne VIC 3051
ph: (03) 9328 1881

Australian Winemakers
106 Peel St North Melbourne VIC 3051
ph: (03) 9328 1881

Brewcraft
143 Church St Richmond VIC 3121
ph: (03) 9429 2066

Cellar Plus
106- 110 Peel St North Melbourne VIC 3051
ph: (03) 9328 1881

Cellar Plus Group
106 Peel St North Melbourne VIC 3051
ph: (03) 9328 1881

Cellar Plus Pty Ltd
106- 108 Peel St North Melbourne VIC 3051
ph: (03) 9328 1881

Cellar Plus Pty Ltd
108 Peel St North Melbourne VIC 3051
ph: (03) 9328 1881

Still Spirits
143 Church St Richmond VIC 3121
ph: (03) 9429 2066

nickdablack · Post by **nickdablack** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 1:24 pm

I got my kits from my local home brew store. Came with a submersible heater which you dont get with your standard coopers kit. Worth every cent. (I have only done 4 runs, so I am no expert)

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 3:55 pm

ex0ja wrote:
Shaun wrote:stay away from carboy style fermenters pails are so much better.
What's the reasoning behind this?

The lid seals so easy and they are easier to clean, if you want the coopers carboy type I've 2 you can have for free, they're shit

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 5:57 pm

They are good to turn into bulk-priming drums.

I don't use the lid when using the coopers- just put some gladwrap over with a rubber band.

Shaun · Post by **Shaun** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 5:58 pm

Tipsy wrote:
ex0ja wrote:
Shaun wrote:stay away from carboy style fermenters pails are so much better.
What's the reasoning behind this?
The lid seals so easy and they are easier to clean, if you want the coopers carboy type I've 2 you can have for free, they're shit

Agree, seal first time every time, no lid o ring to replace, straight sides that are easy to clean, the lid does not get stuck on, an overall much better product that is not given credit by most HBS.

If you want to go down the glad warp lid path as suggested above you can not do this with a pail as the opening is to large.

ex0ja · Post by **ex0ja** » Sunday Mar 12, 2006 6:02 pm

If you use gladwrap for a lid how does the CO2 escape?