Ready to start brewing

[Chuckee]

OK, I’m finally ready to start home brewing. I’m getting a 30-quart brew kettle and leaning towards the following kit: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=6874 substituting a Better Bottle container for the glass Carboy.

I’m also thinking about getting a wort chiller http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=5791
(I have toyed with the idea of just making this thing myself.)

Suggestions and/or comments from experienced brewers would be appreciated.

[corkybstewart]

That all looks good to me. These days you really can't build a chiller cheaper due to the high price of copper.
What are you going to brew first?

[Chuckee]

I haven’t figured out yet what to brew first. Originally, I was gonna just go straight to all grain. Now, I think I’ll do a malt extract brew. Probably a porter or Scottish ale.

Oh, I also ordered a few hop rhizomes. Kent, Centennial and Sterling. Honestly, I didn’t have a clue about what types to get. It was like going to a French restaurant where the menu has no English... and you just point to something. I hope I didn’t order the hop equivalent of braised pig brains.

[corkybstewart]

I don't know about braised pig brains, but my MIL makes a fantastic pig hearts and lungs in red wine sauce. She's offered me sliced fried brain for breakfast but I usually just go with the cup of coffee.

Back on track here, I recommend doing a few extract batches first to get used to the sanitiation procedures, get to know your equipment etc. Unless you have a mentor that can help you start all grain. My computer tech started all grain but with me teaching hime every step of the way.
Check out morebeer.com before you buy. They have free shipping on orders over $60-buy the equipment and a couple of ingredient kits and save big bucks on shipping.

[MichaelM]

centennial is fast becoming one of my favorite hops to use and you can hardly ever go wrong with east kent in a english ale!

myself if I had the room I would try to grow simcoe centennial and prolly east kent LOL those happen to be my 3 favorites over all so far

Originally posted by Chuckee
I haven’t figured out yet what to brew first. Originally, I was gonna just go straight to all grain. Now, I think I’ll do a malt extract brew. Probably a porter or Scottish ale.

Oh, I also ordered a few hop rhizomes. Kent, Centennial and Sterling. Honestly, I didn’t have a clue about what types to get. It was like going to a French restaurant where the menu has no English... and you just point to something. I hope I didn’t order the hop equivalent of braised pig brains.

[Chuckee]

Got it all ordered. Ended up ordering from two companies, Midwestern and MoreBeer. Since free time is in short supply, I bought the wort chiller, though it irks me to buy something I can make. The hop rhizomes came in yesterday and are in the ground.

Thanks for the help.

[Beerbilly]

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

[larin1477]

yes...welcome to the addiction...I mean hobby!

[Carl762]

Always glad to see another brewer jump into the hob-addiction.

You'll be happy with what you purchased.

Get yourself a subscription to Zymurgy or Brew Your Own Beer. Always nice to get new recipes, tips, build your own stuff articles to read.

Then, of course, you'll learn a lot here.