Is this a good deal on full kit?

TheChevron

Hi,

I just need some advice from you experienced homebrew heads.

Is this kit a good deal?

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/superior-beer-cider-starter-kit-includes-33lt-fermenters-p-2801.html

An, is it everything I need to start a brew?

Thanks in advance.

murphyebass

TheChevron wrote: »

Hi,

I just need some advice from you experienced homebrew heads.

Is this kit a good deal?

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/superior-beer-cider-starter-kit-includes-33lt-fermenters-p-2801.html

An, is it everything I need to start a brew?

Thanks in advance.

Myself and a mate of mine got this one...

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/extract-brewers-starter-kit-includes-free-full-extract-kit-p-2769.html

One of the vessels has an element for he boil part of the process which is very handy and then it also has a wort chiller which again is very useful.

Not sure on the other differences as I didn't look closely enough but those two are pretty big differences imo.

We're very happy with the kit. Only had to buy two or three small things otherwise. Perfect to start extract brewing with.

BeerNut

TheChevron wrote: »

is it everything I need to start a brew?

A kit brew, yes. You'll need bottles too. Start collecting now if you haven't already.

murphyebass wrote: »

Not sure on the other differences as I didn't look closely enough but those two are pretty big differences imo.

It's the same gear, but with the add-ons for extract brewing rather than just kit.

murphyebass

BeerNut wrote: »

A kit brew, yes. You'll need bottles too. Start collecting now if you haven't already.

It's the same gear, but with the add-ons for extract brewing rather than just kit.

Sorry never did kits.

Having started at extract though op I would recommend it.

There's very little to it really and once everything is clean etc there should be no hiccups.

Just my 2 cent. The others here will have waaaaaaaaay more knowledge on all of this. We're only at our 5 or 6th brew at this point. Loving it though!

TheChevron

BeerNut wrote: »

A kit brew, yes. You'll need bottles too. Start collecting now if you haven't already.

It's the same gear, but with the add-ons for extract brewing rather than just kit.

I will defo be using a kit, so will I need those other things?

BeerNut

You don't need a boiler or chiller for a kit so the link you posted is fine. If you choose to move on to extract (and it is worth doing) you can buy them then.

TheChevron

Sweet. Thanks for the help.

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced, decent tasting starter kit for a first timer?

BeerNut

Looks like it, yeah. The method is the same for all kits, just that with the 3kg kits you get everything you need to mix in while with the 1.8kg kits you need to add more fermentables -- a kilo of spraymalt is best.

poitinstill

for ease of use start with a 3kg kit . St peters stout/red/ipa are great so is youngs APA if you like hoppy beer ( its claimed to be like sierra nevada and it is close for akit as you'd get)

Padraig Mor

This is what I have recommended to others based on my experience (mostly kits):

2 x 33L fermenters, both with tap and airlock.
Bottle filling stick.
PVC tubing (3/8”).
Counter top capper.
Hydrometer.
Thermometer.
Stirring paddle.
Starsan (sanitiser).
Crown caps 26mm.
Bottle tree.
Bottle rinser (fits on bottle tree).

I would not skimp on the capper - the counter top is vastly better than a two handled job! StarSan may also be comparatively expensive - but is very convenient and lasts absolutely ages (I only use 4ml (made to 2L with water) per brew). A drill is also very handy - the paddle fits into it and makes short work of mixing (I now use a paint stirrer!).

The Homebrew Company allow you to 'customise' a starter kit at this link:
https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/all-your-own-build-bruphoria-starter-kit-p-2459.html

However, their bottle tree and rinsers are more expensive than Homebrew West. Depending on what kits you order, you can also pick up equipment quite cheap in bundles with HBW (e.g. you can get fermenters, bottle trees and rinsers for great prices with their Craft Range kits, and some others too I think - note the FVs in these bundles will require the lid to be drilled and bung inserted if you wish to add an airlock). Downside is that HBW have a habit of making mistakes with orders, and customer service is not as good as HBC.

Both sites offer a 5% discount to National Homebrew Club and Beoir members - membership of NHC is a tenner (Beoir the same I think) which you will more than make back in discounts if you do more than a very few brews.

Kits - depends on what you like. The Young's 'American' series is a little bit pricey but includes everything (except muslin bag for dry hopping IIRC) and is widely praised. I did their American IPA which turned out great. The Craft Range Wheat is very similar to Franziskaner if fermented comparatively warm. If you're ordering from HBC, they're doing Milestone Black Pearl stout for €20 at the moment - I haven't had it, but it gets good reviews.

Carawaystick

I've slowly switched to swingtop bottles. They're generally on more expensive beers, but capping is a pain.

BeerNut

Carawaystick wrote: »

I've slowly switched to swingtop bottles. They're generally on more expensive beers

If you know a pub that sells them they'll probably have empties they'll be glad to get rid of.

TheChevron

Padraig Mor wrote: »

This is what I have recommended to others based on my experience (mostly kits):

2 x 33L fermenters, both with tap and airlock.
Bottle filling stick.
PVC tubing (3/8”).
Counter top capper.
Hydrometer.
Thermometer.
Stirring paddle.
Starsan (sanitiser).
Crown caps 26mm.
Bottle tree.
Bottle rinser (fits on bottle tree).

I would not skimp on the capper - the counter top is vastly better than a two handled job! StarSan may also be comparatively expensive - but is very convenient and lasts absolutely ages (I only use 4ml (made to 2L with water) per brew). A drill is also very handy - the paddle fits into it and makes short work of mixing (I now use a paint stirrer!).

The Homebrew Company allow you to 'customise' a starter kit at this link:
https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/all-your-own-build-bruphoria-starter-kit-p-2459.html

However, their bottle tree and rinsers are more expensive than Homebrew West. Depending on what kits you order, you can also pick up equipment quite cheap in bundles with HBW (e.g. you can get fermenters, bottle trees and rinsers for great prices with their Craft Range kits, and some others too I think - note the FVs in these bundles will require the lid to be drilled and bung inserted if you wish to add an airlock). Downside is that HBW have a habit of making mistakes with orders, and customer service is not as good as HBC.

Both sites offer a 5% discount to National Homebrew Club and Beoir members - membership of NHC is a tenner (Beoir the same I think) which you will more than make back in discounts if you do more than a very few brews.

Kits - depends on what you like. The Young's 'American' series is a little bit pricey but includes everything (except muslin bag for dry hopping IIRC) and is widely praised. I did their American IPA which turned out great. The Craft Range Wheat is very similar to Franziskaner if fermented comparatively warm. If you're ordering from HBC, they're doing Milestone Black Pearl stout for €20 at the moment - I haven't had it, but it gets good reviews.

Hi,

Your set-up is nearly twice the price of the standard starter kit. I also notice there is no syphon tube in your list. I'm pretty green so I was wondering why you left it out. Also why would I need 2 fermenter's with taps?

Also, how more superior is the counter capper to the standard one.

Finally, the bottle tree and rinser add significant cost to the set-up. How necessary are these and what would you use if you didn't have these?

Carawaystick

TheChevron wrote: »

Hi,

Your set-up is nearly twice the price of the standard starter kit. I also notice there is no syphon tube in your list. I'm pretty green so I was wondering why you left it out. Also why would I need 2 fermenter's with taps?

Also, how more superior is the counter capper to the standard one.

Finally, the bottle tree and rinser add significant cost to the set-up. How necessary are these and what would you use if you didn't have these?

I've no tap on the fermenter, I autosiphon into a bottling bucket,which has a tap.

Counter capper is way way way better than the 2handed capper

I've no tree, but I've a rinser, it's way way better than filling and draining bottles individually with sanitiser.
Although you could use a bottling bucket of sanitizer to fill and drain a bit quicker.

TheChevron

Carawaystick wrote: »

I've no tap on the fermenter, I autosiphon into a bottling bucket,which has a tap.

Counter capper is way way way better than the 2handed capper

I've no tree, but I've a rinser, it's way way better than filling and draining bottles individually with sanitiser.
Although you could use a bottling bucket of sanitizer to fill and drain a bit quicker.

So with the rinser I sanitise and rinse the bottle in one motion?

Carawaystick

Yep, if you use a no-rinse sanitizer
It sprays the sanitizer inside.

I then just drain the dribble left before filling the bottle with beer.


The more pedantic will say you need to rinse your bottles immediately after pouring the beer out, to have it ready for the next brew...

BeerNut

Carawaystick wrote: »

The more pedantic will say you need to rinse your bottles immediately after pouring the beer out, to have it ready for the next brew...

Nothing pedantic about it. Dried gunk is a lot harder to clean off than wet gunk.

TheChevron

I suppose if you're having them at home its easy enough to give the bottle a quick rinse.

Padraig Mor

TheChevron wrote: »

Hi,

Your set-up is nearly twice the price of the standard starter kit. I also notice there is no syphon tube in your list. I'm pretty green so I was wondering why you left it out. Also why would I need 2 fermenter's with taps?

Sticking a tube onto the tap and pouring from one FV to the other (generally for bottling) is quicker and easier. A syphon will allow more careful control over the amount of yeast/trub you transfer between the two containers but, with the levels involved, I don't think that's particularly important for beer. I do use a syphon for wine (at final racking) though. Buying FVs equipped with taps is generally cheaper than buying 'bare' FVs, and a separate, decent, syphon. I actually use three FVs BTW and find it very handy - on a brew night, if FV1 is full of beer ready to be bottled, I'll start by setting up a new batch in FV2, then rack from FV1 to FV3 and bulk prime. FV1 will then (after rinsing) be filled with Lidl Oxi cleaner, and sit cleaning itself, while I bottle from FV3.

Also, how more superior is the counter capper to the standard one.

Vastly. I got a two handled capper at the start. I bought a counter top after two or three batches - so much quicker and easier. There's probably decent two handled jobs out there - but will be as expensive as a budget counter top (€25).

Finally, the bottle tree and rinser add significant cost to the set-up. How necessary are these and what would you use if you didn't have these?

I've had these since the start and wouldn't consider being without them. Tree is in near daily use as any bottles I drink are rinsed well with water and then drained on it, before going to storage. They then just need a squirt of Starsan from the rinser immediately before bottling (and back onto the tree again to drain) and they're ready to fill again.

Regarding overall cost, it depends on what beer kits you're after. Best value is likely to be splitting your order between HBW and HBC - as I said, you can get the FVs, rinser and tree very cheap with HBW if you order Craft Range (and Bulldog I think) kits.

As background, I'm brewing just under a year and am currently on my 19th full size batch (20th going on tonight hopefully) - I've learnt a lot in that time!

TheChevron

Thanks for all the info.

I see I can get an upgrade rto a Brouwest bottling bucket on HBW with the beer Craft beer I chose.

Would this replace one of my FV's? I.E If I bought 2 beer kits would I be able to get 2 of these and use them as my FV's?

Padraig Mor

TheChevron wrote: »

Thanks for all the info.

I see I can get an upgrade rto a Brouwest bottling bucket on HBW with the beer Craft beer I chose.

Would this replace one of my FV's? I.E If I bought 2 beer kits would I be able to get 2 of these and use them as my FV's?

Exactly! Only thing is you will need to drill a hole if you want to use airlock (13mm IIRC) (although you don't really need one, I prefer to use them). You'll also want the "spare bung for 33L fermenter" to stick an airlock in - and an airlock! Easiest might be to just drill/airlock one lid, and swap it around as necessary.

Carawaystick

you don't really need an airlock
See how some Commercial boys do it
http://www.jamesclay.co.uk/core/brewery/schneider-weisse

Carawaystick

you don't really need an airlock
See how some Commercial boys do it
http://www.jamesclay.co.uk/core/brewery/schneider-weisse

Carawaystick

you don't really need an airlock
See how some Commercial boys and girls do it
http://www.jamesclay.co.uk/core/brewery/schneider-weisse

Padraig Mor

Just FYI for anyone interested in starting out, the OP got a full set of kit (with two fermenters, all the basic kit plus bottle tree and rinser), plus two premium beer kits (blonde ale and cider) for under a hundred euro. Great value!

TheChevron

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Just FYI for anyone interested in starting out, the OP got a full set of kit (with two fermenters, all the basic kit plus bottle tree and rinser), plus two premium beer kits (blonde ale and cider) for under a hundred euro. Great value!

With your help. Thanks very much.

RoflHarris

TheChevron wrote: »

With your help. Thanks very much.

Any chance you could list what you got with links so I can shamelessly piggy back on all your research?

TheChevron

Ill send you on the shopping carts that Padraig Mor sent me.

RoflHarris

Padraig, if you're going to siphon into the secondary using the tap, would you not just forego the secondary and bottle using the tap?

chickey

any chance of also seeing the shopping carts please? tempted to buy the original starter kit in post but maybe can do better?

Padraig Mor

chickey wrote: »

any chance of also seeing the shopping carts please? tempted to buy the original starter kit in post but maybe can do better?

Mostly on mobile the last few days; I'll try to upload later or tomorrow.