Learn to Brew - Part 1

Learn to Brew!

This is the first in a series of posts detailing how simple it really is to start brewing beer.  Tune in next week to get the schedule and procedure for your first brew day!

Part I:  The Tools

When I tell people that I brew my own beer, often I’m met with a look of disbelief.  Maybe some folks are impressed, but I usually get the impression that their first thought is “Really?  But you’re just a normal guy...” Truer words were never spoken (or thought).  I am just a normal guy, and there really is nothing special about me, or any other homebrewer, that gives us the unique talent to create our own delicious brews.  All it takes is a love of beer, a willingness to learn, and a few extra hours here and there.

My hope here is to convince anyone that if I can brew great beer, so can you!  This post will talk about the equipment you need to start out.  And really, it's not that much.  When I first started brewing I spent about $100 to get my equipment and my first set of ingredients.  Kits like these run about the same cost and come with everything you need except a pot, bottles, and caps.  Here, we’ll start by laying out the bare bones basics and throw in a few “extras” along the way.  (Note:  This post will talk about the requirements for extract brewing.  We’ll hit the upgrade to all-grain in a later post.)

Just in case you happen to be on a budget, I’ll split the list up into “Brew Day” and “Bottling Day”.  This way, you can potentially split the total purchase over the course of a week or two.  If you already know what everything is and just want to see the list, feel free to skip to the bottom for the all up shopping list. 

Brew Day

For your first brew day, here is the gear you need:

Brew Pot:  Simply a big pot.  I recommend a 24 qt stock pot, which gives you enough volume to boil 3 gallons at a time.  Enamel pots are usually the cheapest.  Stainless steel is nice because it retains heat a little better, but it is a little pricier.  Either way, volume is what really counts here.

Spoon:  Really any type of spoon that’s plastic or stainless steel (no wood!) and reaches the bottom of your brew pot when it’s almost full will do just fine.

Thermometer:  A floating mercury thermometer is probably the cheapest option here (and works just fine), but a digital thermometer with a probe is a little easier to read, and usually comes with a timer, which is always handy.

Sanitizer Solution:  There are a number of different solutions with different pros and cons.  When I started, I was on a tight budget, so I went with a diluted bleach solution.  One tablespoon per gallon gives you a nice, cheap sanitizer.  The only con with this as opposed to some of the other brands marketed directly at the homebrew market is that it takes about 30 minutes to sanitize. 

Hydrometer:  A pretty simple piece of equipment, this little guy will allow you to take gravity readings before and after fermentation, which will ultimately give you the ABV of your finished brew.

Primary Fermentor:  The cheapest and easiest primary fermentor is a 6.5 gallon food-grade plastic bucket.  I’ve had mine for years and it still works like a champ.  Make sure you get a lid with a hole and a rubber gasket (usually sold with or next to the bucket).  A glass or plastic carboy works fine too, but is usually significantly more expensive.

Airlock:  This is what is put in the rubber gasket in the lid of the bucket.  It allows the CO2 to escape while the yeast does its thing, but doesn’t let any oxygen or bacteria in to potentially spoil the beer.

Ingredients:  Of course, now that you have all of this cool new stuff, you need to have the grain, hops, and yeast to make beer with it!  Some of the pre-constructed kits can be pretty good, or you can grab a recipe from the interwebs (or one of our posts!) to get your shopping list.

And there you have it.  Once you get home with your new brew day kit, grab something to write/type with (to write your recipe, record any notes during the brew, and record your original gravity) and see if your new pot fits in your sink.  If not, it might be worth finding an old plastic tub to use as an ice bath during your first brew day. 

Bottling Day

Once your beer is finished fermenting, you will need a few additional things:

Bottling Bucket:  Basically the same as the fermentor bucket, but this one has a spigot in the bottom (or a hole, and you can put the spigot in). EDITOR'S NOTE: That word is pronounced as it is written with a "g" not as commonly referred to as "spicket." Just keeping it real.  Bottling can be accomplished without this, but honestly, it’s worth the investment.

Racking Cane/Auto-Siphon:  A tall plastic pipe that curves over at the end.  An auto-siphon is a little more expensive, but it makes it super easy to start the siphon and get the beer flowing.

Plastic Tubing:  A few feet of plastic tube that will fit over the racking cane allows you to transfer the beer without aerating or making a mess.

Bottling Wand:  A tube with a valve at the bottom that allows you fill bottles from the bottom up without having to turn a spigot every time.  Definitely cuts down on mess potential and makes things faster.

Bottle Brush:  A brush you can use to clean any gunk out of the bottles before rinsing and sanitizing.

Bottles:  Seems pretty obvious, but you definitely need bottles…A lot of bottles. Ask friends and you shall receive.

Capper:  The two arm ones are pretty cheap and easy to use.  Nicer ones run a little pricier, but to each his own.

Caps:  Again, pretty obvious, but these guys are cheap.

Priming Sugar:  This can be as simple as table sugar, or you can go for the fancy tablets they sell. Corn sugar is the primer of choice, but don’t stress over this decision.

Shopping List (bottling items indicated by *)

Brew Pot

Spoon

Thermometer

Sanitizer

Hydrometer

Primary Fermentor Bucket with Lid

Airlock
Beer Ingredients

Bottling Bucket with Spigot*

Racking Cane/Auto-Siphon*

Plastic Tubing*

Bottling Wand*

Bottle Brush*

Capper*

Caps*

Bottles* (don’t need to buy if you collect enough empties)

Priming Sugar*

And there you have it.  Now that you’ve gotten everything you need (or you’ve put together a rocking
gift for someone special), stay tuned for the next post on how to conduct your first brew day!