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Author Topic: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice  (Read 2519 times)

Offline jlowsho

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Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« on: November 18, 2010, 02:45:14 pm »
New to the board and ridiculously green to brewing. In fact this Xmas I plan on scooping up a home brewing kit, but some concerns are quickly floating to the top.

1. Which beginner kit out the AHA adovcate? Piece together myself or is there a literal kit available that experienced brewers approve of?

2. Materials that equipment is made out of. What's a fermentor supposed to be made out of? How about a carboy? How much of this comes into play when brewing?

If I am totally missing a beginners/total ignoramous portion of the forums I encourage you to point me towards it and I'll do my own reading. I'm not looking for any short cuts, but I'm not sure where to even start looking for the answers to these concerns or any others that might surface.


Thanks in advance,

Jake
I'm fine with trial and error... as long as the errors are good enough to drink.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2010, 02:49:31 pm »
no stupid questions... gotta start somewhere. Find a local homebrew supply shop. either in the real world or online and they will ussually have a starter kit with a bucket, maybe a carboy, approriate tubing, racking stuff etc. a funnel. they don't usually come with a kettle but to start with if you are doing extract you can use a cheap canning kettle available at most hardware or kitchen stores. I like carboys but alot of other folks don't for good reason so you can start with a bucket. I might suggest getting one with a spigot but that's neither here for there. more experienced folks will fill in the holes I left behind I am sure.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2010, 02:55:48 pm »
I would recommend getting some good books like "How to Brew" by John Palmer and Ray Daniels, "Designing Great Beers".
This along with joining us here at the AHA forum for questions and answers you'll be able to be determine the right path.
I would recommend starting out with an extract APA kit.

Welcome to the AHA forum

Good Luck!
Ron Price

Offline Gary Glass

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2010, 02:56:51 pm »
Hi Jake,

Check out "Get Started" in the Let's Brew section of the AHA website: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/lets-brew/get-schooled/get-started.  You'll find info on equipment, ingredients, etc. Plus you can download a copy of Zymurgy: An Introduction To Homebrewing.

Welcome to the hobby!  If you are like most of us, it will quickly become an obsession.

Cheers!
Gary
Gary Glass
Longmont, Colorado

Offline jeffy

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2010, 03:00:59 pm »
It is a very good idea to go to the homebrew store for the first kit, as mortx said.  Almost everyone of these stores has a couple of different levels of starter kit, you know, the basic kit, plus upgrades.  They should be able to advise you.  
Brew what you want to drink.
If there's a homebrew club in your area, check out their next meeting.  These folks are mostly harmless.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
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Offline jlowsho

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2010, 05:22:37 pm »
Thanks for the warm welcome and great advice. I will be sure to check out the suggested reading material ASAP. I'll also start googling for local brewers. We do have a brewing store (or used to..) so I assume they are around here somewhere.
I'm fine with trial and error... as long as the errors are good enough to drink.

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2010, 06:20:15 pm »
Thanks for the warm welcome and great advice. I will be sure to check out the suggested reading material ASAP. I'll also start googling for local brewers. We do have a brewing store (or used to..) so I assume they are around here somewhere.

Along that vein, you might want to put your location in your profile.  Who knows who on here might be close by.
Joe

Offline jlowsho

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2010, 07:07:28 am »
Good idea, about the location.

The magazine/website was a great suggestion and a very informative read.

One thing interesting I noticed was that there was an offhanded mention of there being different recipes for different fermenters. The article hints that the recipes it has are mention for a plastic fermenter rather than a glass carboy.

Anyone have any feedback specifically on glass vs. plastic fermenters? I read a review that claims it actually does something to the taste of the final product to ferment in plastic.
I'm fine with trial and error... as long as the errors are good enough to drink.

Offline euge

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2010, 11:09:14 am »
That's potentially contentious but as long as the bucket is HDPE food grade it's perfectly fine. Use one like this:http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/fermenting-equipment/buckets/7-9-gal-fermenting-bucket.html

Good luck welcome to the AHA. Ask questions. Lots.
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 corkybstewart

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2010, 11:24:33 am »
I've got glass, plastic and stainless steel fermenters and I challenge anyone to figure out which beer was fermented in each type. As long as you use acceptable equipement brewing is all about the brewer and his/her attention to detail. 
Plastic is great for short term fermentation, up to 5 or 6 weeks, and that's longer than 90% of the batches you brew will be in the fermenter.
Buckets are easy to clean, easy to store and if you drop one it will not shatter and cut your foot off.
Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Offline euge

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2010, 11:32:00 am »
BTW who is this "Vertan"? Never seen him/her post before... ::)
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 tubercle

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2010, 11:36:17 am »
Ask the Tubercle any question you would like little grasshopper.

 Tubercle will give you the answer and the the experts will correct him with the right one :'(
Sweet Caroline where the Sun rises over the deep blue sea and sets somewhere beyond Tennessee

Offline theDarkSide

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2010, 11:37:59 am »
BTW who is this "Vertan"? Never seen him/her post before... ::)

Isn't he that robot made up of 5 other robots? Oh wait, that's Voltron :)

Good luck jlowsho with your new obsession!
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Offline bonjour

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2010, 11:58:48 am »
How to Brew is a MUST. 
If there is a club anywhere near you, join it.  They have made every mistake that you will ever think of. The best way to learn.  And don't be afraid to take your beer to them.
Fred Bonjour
Co-Chair Mashing in Michigan 2014 AHA Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan
AHA Governing Committee; AHA Conference, Club Support & Web Subcommittees



Everything under 1.100 is a 'session' beer ;)

Offline jlowsho

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Re: Beginner's Post, Seeking Vertan's Advice
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2010, 06:07:57 pm »
Checked out our local brew shop. The proprietor is going to secure a starter kit for me so I can support our local business. She walked myself and a buddy through the whole process and informed us that she grinds grains for free and said there is in fact a club here in town.

I now have my finger on the pulse of local home brewing. I'll will be sure to keep you all updated as this story developes.

Vertan is German for a whale's vagina. ( I hope Ron Burgandy's sense of humor is welcome)
I'm fine with trial and error... as long as the errors are good enough to drink.