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Author Topic: Beginner's question  (Read 2511 times)

Offline phatman

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Beginner's question
« on: May 13, 2013, 02:35:59 pm »
Hey everyone, I have just recently got into the idea of getting my own brew kit and trying out homebrewing. I was looking at some of the local brewing supply stores and was doing a comparison between two products but ultimately realized that my knowledge on what equipment is VERY limited at best. So the question I am bringing here is which of these would be a better buy for a starter like myself

http://www.mountainhomebrew.com/brewersbeastkit.aspx

or

http://www.soundhomebrew.com/starter-kit-with-accessory-package-and-secondary-fermenter/

I had noticed a lot of similarities between the two but there were a couple of items on each list that didn't appear on the other's list and I wasn't sure about which of the items are more vital to homebrewing.

Any comments/tips/etc would be greatly appreciated! For anyone who took the time to read this, thanks!

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Beginner's question
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2013, 03:06:26 pm »
Well, you definitely need a pot so if you go with the Sound kit then you'll have to get it separately.

Palmer's How to Brew is available online (howtobrew.com), I suggest you read through that.  I'm sure Sound is selling the updated version and it is well worth purchasing, but it is not absolutely required for your first batch.

I haven't gone through and figured out the rest of the differences, but the pot is really important.  You can also buy it somewhere else.

I haven't been down to Sound, but I know the owner left Mountain to go start that place.  Owners at both places are good guys.  What neighborhood/town do you live/work in?  There are several other places in and around Seattle.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Beginner's question
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2013, 03:09:10 pm »
If you need a boil kettle, I would go with the Mountain Homebrew kit.  You get some interesting bells and whistles with the other but for $10 I'd get the kettle and forgo the stainless turkey baster.  I actually have never seen a stainless steel turkey baster but that's beside the point.

Paul
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline quattlebaum

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Re: Beginner's question
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2013, 04:03:01 pm »
will you be brewing on your stove top or on an outdoor propane type system like a camp chef ? I would highly recommend a larger brew kettle 36 qts for 5 gallon batches however it depends on what level you want to take it to. If ya need a pot http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/1036_stainless_steel_pot.htm.  thats what i started with. It can quickly turn into a very $$$$$ hobby. It's always good to support your local guys. They can be a great resource. 

Offline euge

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Re: Beginner's question
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2013, 04:57:20 pm »
I want to welcome you to the pursuit of brewing. I think you should look at How to Brew before buying any expensive brewing kit. I'm not poopooing your equipment selection because they are both pretty solid choices.

It is possible to brew with less of a cash outlay. After a few batches you might want to commit to spending more or not. Regardless, we are all here to help you succeed.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline phatman

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Re: Beginner's question
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2013, 04:57:50 pm »
Thanks for the info guys, its appreciated. I will check out Mountain. Any other comments are still appreciated though!


will you be brewing on your stove top or on an outdoor propane type system like a camp chef ? I would highly recommend a larger brew kettle 36 qts for 5 gallon batches however it depends on what level you want to take it to. If ya need a pot http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/1036_stainless_steel_pot.htm.  thats what i started with. It can quickly turn into a very $$$$$ hobby. It's always good to support your local guys. They can be a great resource. 
Thanks for the tips, I will definitely keep those details in mind!


I haven't been down to Sound, but I know the owner left Mountain to go start that place.  Owners at both places are good guys.  What neighborhood/town do you live/work in?  There are several other places in and around Seattle.

I live in the udistrict/wallingford area. I did a little online searching but didn't really find much in return, any other places you might know would be great!

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Beginner's question
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2013, 08:16:15 pm »
I live in the udistrict/wallingford area. I did a little online searching but didn't really find much in return, any other places you might know would be great!
Bob's is just north of U Village.  He's a good guy and has a decent selection, plenty to get you started.
http://bobshomebrew.com/
Tom Schmidlin