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Main
Date: 13 Nov 2006 12:18:33
From: keith
Subject: Noob looking at starter kits
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Hi all,
My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
:)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long
background in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former
bartender at a small local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right
the first time. Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including
www.howtobrew.com by John Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing),
and I feel very comfortable with the concepts involved so far.
OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
out of the equation for now.
Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
said items would be greatly appreciated.
I am especially keen on purchasing used, but usable equipment on the
cheap - if it exists...
Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
Anyway, thanks in advance for your direction, and I look forward to
obtaining the knowledge and experience in brewing necessary to be come a
contributing member soon!
KeithS
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 10:25:46
From: PlanetMan
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
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Shop around. I have no LHBS around me so, I bought a 2 stage all glass
starter kit from grapeandgranary.com The kit seems to be a solid and
they are a reliable dealer. If I was to do it over again I would
probably have gone with the 2 stage deluxe from northernbrewer.com, it
is similar in price and equipment but I believe it includes some nice
extras (that I ended up purchasing later anyway) like an auto-siphon,
wine thief, test jar, carboy drying stand and a funnel. With your wire
top bottles you won't miss the bench capper in the kit from
grapeandgranary.com. You might also need a big pot ($$$). I ordered
my pot from williamsbewing.com it is the 36 quart stainless tank with
valve. It is not perfect, (no handles, the lid has a seriously sharp
edge, and it can only be used with a gas burner) but it is stainless,
will do a 5 gal. boil and has a spigot that is very handy. You will
probably also want an immersion chiller, you can buy one or make one.
Search around to find plans. I can recommend the 3 dealers above and
listermann.com. Kegging; I have not gone down that road yet but, I am
sort of drooling over that regulator at Williams that uses paint ball
co2 tanks. Easy for me to get refills.
Good luck, watch out for boil overs!
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 12:47:50
From: Bob McKellar
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
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"keith" <kms@nothome.com > wrote in message
news:urudnbYabZlyNcXYnZ2dnUVZ_tGdnZ2d@giganews.com...
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
> :)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long background
> in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former bartender at a small
> local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right the first time.
> Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including www.howtobrew.com by John
> Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing), and I feel very comfortable
> with the concepts involved so far.
>
> OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> out of the equation for now.
>
> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of said
> items would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I am especially keen on purchasing used, but usable equipment on the
> cheap - if it exists...
>
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that 5ga
> logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may sky-rocket
> soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
>
> Anyway, thanks in advance for your direction, and I look forward to
> obtaining the knowledge and experience in brewing necessary to be come a
> contributing member soon!
>
> KeithS
If you get everything you need to start with, you miss the fun of picking up
the additional bits as you discover you need/want them.
Bob McKellar
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 22:21:30
From: Dan Logcher
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
> :)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long
> background in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former
> bartender at a small local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right
> the first time. Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including
> www.howtobrew.com by John Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing),
> and I feel very comfortable with the concepts involved so far.
I had a friend help me thru my first batch, and its been pretty easy
so far to make a good extract beer.
> OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> out of the equation for now.
A good starter kit will have a primary bucket, a glass carboy, fermentation locks,
a stopper, auto syphon or racking cane and tubing, hydrometer, thermometer,
bottle and carboy-brush, sanitizer, capper, caps, carboy handle, straining bag,
etc.
Check out this for items.
http://www.beer-wine.com/category_page.asp?categoryID=1§ionID=1
> I am especially keen on purchasing used, but usable equipment on the
> cheap - if it exists...
Check Craigslist.org in you area for beer and brew, I've seen a lot of kits
on there for cheap.
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
So they say since most place here are going BiB. I'm still getting used kegs
pretty cheap though. Check Craigslist, eBay, and online for good deals.. watch
out for shipping charges. Local soda distributors may be getting rid of their
kegs for cheap.
> Anyway, thanks in advance for your direction, and I look forward to
> obtaining the knowledge and experience in brewing necessary to be come a
> contributing member soon!
Read here! I've learn quite a bit from this newsgroup. Have fun.
--
Dan
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 13:56:57
From:
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
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keith,
it looks as though you already have a good understanding of the
homebrewing process and required supplies. as a noob to the brewing
process myself, i will add a couple of comments:
1. get a 6.5 carboy for primary - i have enjoyed watching the
fermentation and krausen.
2. get an autosyphon. it makes racking so much easier and sanitary. not
too expensive.
3. be careful when purchasing a large kettle. i paid $90 for an 8
gallon SS pot. i love it, but i think a less expensive aluminum pot
would have been just fine. with that said, i have learned the
importance of a full volume boil when using extracts.
4. make sure you get a hydrometer and use it. without specific gravity
readings, you never really know what is going on with your brew.
5. try getting two kits of the same recipe and tweaking the second one.
i have made several recipes from kits, and have learned very little
because i keep trying different styles. when you don't isolate
individual variables (e.g. using different hops or yeasts), you don't
REALLY know what you are tasting.
6. carboy handles. hard as hell to move those things around full
without them. although, never carry them by the handle alone!
7. make sure you get the right sanitizer. many people (inlcuding
myself) have mistaken b-brite et. al. for sanitizers, when they are
merely cleansers. i use b-brite for removing the scum from my carboys
and star san sanitizing solution. i think it is better than iodophor.
8. if you are using liquid yeast "smack packs," get a yeast starter kit
or assemble one yourself. there are plenty of discussions in this forum
on the use of starters.
--greg
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 13:14:05
From:
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith wrote:
> Hi all,
>
Hi Keith.
Here is the minimum taking into account you have bottles and lids
already.
Glass Carboy (5 Gallon) Not Free Shipping $18.50 (Secondary
fermenter)
Plastic Bucket With Spigot (6 Gallon) $11.45 (bottling bucket)
Plastic Bucket (6 Gallon) $7.95 (Primary fermenter)
Lid With Hole $2.10 (For primary)
2 Airlock - 3 Piece $2.00 (one for each fermenter)
Racking cane and 6 feet of tubing (3/8'') $6.75
Bottle Filler with Removable Spring (3/8 in.) $3.75
2 drilled stoppers for bucket lid and carboy $2.00
Pick up a propane turkey frier at Wal-Mart after Thanksgiving for $40.
That's about $90 and gives you a primary and secondary fermenters,
bottleing bucket, racking cane and filler tip for the transfer between
fermenters and filling the bottles. $20 for shipping, at most and that
leaves you enough for 3-4 kits.
After that go for a wort chiller, kegging setup, and a fridge.
Bryan
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 19:46:37
From: John Bleichert
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
> :)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long
> background in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former
> bartender at a small local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right
> the first time. Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including
> www.howtobrew.com by John Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing),
> and I feel very comfortable with the concepts involved so far.
>
> OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> out of the equation for now.
>
> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
> said items would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I am especially keen on purchasing used, but usable equipment on the
> cheap - if it exists...
>
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
>
> Anyway, thanks in advance for your direction, and I look forward to
> obtaining the knowledge and experience in brewing necessary to be come a
> contributing member soon!
>
> KeithS
I would go with the starter kit plus one 5 gallon carboy (for
secondaries) and put the remaining cash in a fund for future equipment
purchase and ingredients.
I made it for quite a while on my starter kit plus 1 6.5 gal carboy
and a 5 gal carboy while extract brewing in a 4 gal kettle on the
stove in my kitchen. Once I made the move to all grain (full-wort
boil) I had to acquire an 8-gal kettle, a chiller, a mash tun and a
burner for outside....
If you're starting out with extract (wise) just start with the starter
kit and a couple carboys to get the mechanics of
brewing/siphoning/pitching/etc. down and get your sea legs. I think my
starter kit plus the 2 carboys (6.5 (primary) and 5.5 (secondary) came
to less than $100 at my LHBS. Extract is expensive, so your
ingredients will be a bit expensive at first. I also bought a flat
7-gal Rubbermaid bus tub for setting up my siphon. Very much
suggested.
Good luck!
JB
-----------------------------------------------
John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 19:35:28
From:
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
: OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
: beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
: solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
: that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
: cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
: out of the equation for now.
: Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
: beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
: sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
: said items would be greatly appreciated.
I would say that given you've got the (largish) Grolsch bottles, it's probably
OK to start with them. Kegging definately has a number of advantages over bottling,
and really only one disadvantage (cost). For $200 in startup, you're probably going
to be pushing things a little bit. If you suspect that you will likely enjoy the
hobby (sounds like you and the SWMBO will), make sure that you buy things that will be
useful even as you progress through the hobby. In particular, I'd recommend at
*least* a 6-7 gallon pot, preferrably more. Having only a 4-5 gallon pot works OK
with partial-boil extracts, but pretty much fails miserably should you choose to go
all-grain. Bare minimums I'd recommend:
- 7-gallon brewpot ($100-ish for stainless)
- 2 x 6.5 gallon carboys ($25 ea)
- Wort chiller (build one from $30 worth of copper tubing from a hardware store)
- A few misc parts/pieces (racking cane, stoppers, airlocks, tubing, sanitizing
solution, bottle brush, carboy brush)
That pretty much takes care of your startup budget, but will be enough to have
a couple of batches in the queue. As far as recipes go, I'm sure that plenty of
people here can recommend an easy "first batch" recipe so you don't have to get a
starter kit with overpriced stuff you won't need.
-Cory
--
*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
*************************************************************************
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 13:56:36
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
papenfussDIESPAM@juneauDOTmeDOTvt.edu wrote:
> : OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> : beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> : solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> : that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> : cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> : out of the equation for now.
>
> : Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> : beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> : sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
> : said items would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I would say that given you've got the (largish) Grolsch bottles, it's probably
> OK to start with them. Kegging definately has a number of advantages over bottling,
> and really only one disadvantage (cost). For $200 in startup, you're probably going
> to be pushing things a little bit. If you suspect that you will likely enjoy the
> hobby (sounds like you and the SWMBO will), make sure that you buy things that will be
> useful even as you progress through the hobby. In particular, I'd recommend at
> *least* a 6-7 gallon pot, preferrably more. Having only a 4-5 gallon pot works OK
> with partial-boil extracts, but pretty much fails miserably should you choose to go
> all-grain. Bare minimums I'd recommend:
>
> - 7-gallon brewpot ($100-ish for stainless)
> - 2 x 6.5 gallon carboys ($25 ea)
> - Wort chiller (build one from $30 worth of copper tubing from a hardware store)
> - A few misc parts/pieces (racking cane, stoppers, airlocks, tubing, sanitizing
> solution, bottle brush, carboy brush)
>
> That pretty much takes care of your startup budget, but will be enough to have
> a couple of batches in the queue. As far as recipes go, I'm sure that plenty of
> people here can recommend an easy "first batch" recipe so you don't have to get a
> starter kit with overpriced stuff you won't need.
As far as the pot goes, it's probably worth checking around to see if
those 8.25 gallon enameled steel canning kettles are still around.
They won't last forever, but they're cheap and make great first boilers.
Here's a link:
http://www.canningpantry.com/jumbo-water-bath-canner.html
Looks like $50. WalMart used to carry these for $35, so you might be
able to find a cheaper one.
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 13:39:43
From: Jim
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith wrote on 11/13/2006 12:18 PM:
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
> :)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long
> background in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former
> bartender at a small local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right
> the first time. Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including
> www.howtobrew.com by John Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing),
> and I feel very comfortable with the concepts involved so far.
>
> OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> out of the equation for now.
>
> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
> said items would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I am especially keen on purchasing used, but usable equipment on the
> cheap - if it exists...
>
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
>
> Anyway, thanks in advance for your direction, and I look forward to
> obtaining the knowledge and experience in brewing necessary to be come a
> contributing member soon!
>
> KeithS
Here is a good start for 5gal batches.
- Brew Pot to boil at least 3-4gallons. I bought a cheap 7gal pot at Walmart
- Fermenting Bucket w/air lock
- Bottling bucket with spout
- 6.5gal carboy (air lock optional since you can use one from bucket)
- Siphon hose
- 2.5 cases of bottles with caps
- Bottle Capper
- Thermometer
- Hydrometer
- Siphon Cane
- Bottling wand
This is all you need to start. You can even remove the siphon cane and
hydrometer is you want to, but they are nice to have.
You can get a good single keg kit online for $150 and additional
refurbed kegs for $15. Check ebay, which is where I bought my keg kit.
Jim
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 12:32:33
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith wrote:
>
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
>
I was under the impression that they were already out of production. In
any case, there are a LOT of these out there relative to the number of
homebrewers, so I suspect the prices may take a while to really go up
significantly... but that's only a guess. I *am* a little concerned
about the cost and availability of replacement parts, however.
Either way, kegging is a lot simpler than bottling. When I started I
pretty much bottled my first batch then switched to kegging for the
next. After the next batch, I switched to all-grain. You may never go
all grain, but bear in mind the possibility (so you don't spend a
fortune on, say, a four-gallon pot).
Temperature control is a big factor in getting a good end product.
People in warmer climes often get a second fridge or chest freezer for
fermenting and serving (or one or more for each if you're really into
it). NH is nice and cool, so you can probably get away without a
fermenting fridge (certainly in winter and fall, anyway).
Hope that helps -- m
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
|
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Date: 13 Nov 2006 22:40:43
From: Dan Logcher
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
> keith wrote:
>
>>
>> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
>> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
>> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
>>
>
> I was under the impression that they were already out of production. In
> any case, there are a LOT of these out there relative to the number of
> homebrewers, so I suspect the prices may take a while to really go up
> significantly... but that's only a guess. I *am* a little concerned
> about the cost and availability of replacement parts, however.
I'm temped to buy some cheap one handled corny's from a local place, they
are selling 4 for $50. Posts, relief valve, lid, tubes for $12.50 a set
seems like a good deal. I might use them for lagering..
> Either way, kegging is a lot simpler than bottling. When I started I
> pretty much bottled my first batch then switched to kegging for the
> next. After the next batch, I switched to all-grain. You may never go
> all grain, but bear in mind the possibility (so you don't spend a
> fortune on, say, a four-gallon pot).
I dove straight in, and glad I did.. though I do want to bottle some
for friends. I've been doing extracts for almost a year, but helped
a friend do a couple of all-grain batches.. I'm not ready to make the
jump myself, but I will at some point. A 5 gallon pot is a good idea,
I wou;dn't jump to a 7 gallon just yet.
> Temperature control is a big factor in getting a good end product.
> People in warmer climes often get a second fridge or chest freezer for
> fermenting and serving (or one or more for each if you're really into
> it). NH is nice and cool, so you can probably get away without a
> fermenting fridge (certainly in winter and fall, anyway).
MA is also nice and cool. My basement remains relatively stable on
temperature, 64F-68F. Ales will be a little more forgiving with temp
changes.. lagers will require a fridge.
--
Dan
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Date: 14 Nov 2006 23:25:24
From: keith
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
Wow, great info everyone! Thanks... Lots of stuff in there I hadn't
considered.
I'm sensing that the use of aluminum wort boilers is a point of
controversy... It *sure* would be nice to be able to get away with
buying a $40 turkey fryer and be done with it - but I'm also sure I
couldn't handle metallic tasting beer. Is that a pure inevitability
when using Al, or are there ways to avoid that outcome?
Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? I should have PLENTY
of those to work with soon (assuming we don't have another winter up
here like last one)...
The Fridge situation is good. We just got a new one for the Kitchen
(ooooh... stainless), and the old one is sitting in the basement,
looking lonely. It'll surely hold a lot of bottles, and sooner or
later, I think it'll work just fine for 3-4 kegs. I also happen to have
a dead chest freezer that I've been using for paint & flammable storage
that I could convert to a fermenting box with a small space heater (I
think my basement gets down to the mid to high 40's in the winter)
While browsing Craigslist, I found this:
http://nh.craigslist.org/for/214847976.html
Unless he's willing to do some trade, it's outside of my initial budget
(I don't need all of those bottles anyway), and doesn't have a wort
boiler included, but I thought someone here might be interested...
Anyway, thanks again, and I'll let you know if I run across any really
good deals. Jeesh, I can't wait to get my first batch going!!
KeithS
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Date: 15 Nov 2006 17:46:22
From: Derric
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
> ... It *sure* would be nice to be able to get away with
> buying a $40 turkey fryer and be done with it - but I'm also sure I
> couldn't handle metallic tasting beer.
As others have said, buy the kit, use AL. No problem. After use, clean
it, but let the discoloration stay in it (ie., don't scrub it shiny).
You'll be fine with absolutely NO off tastes.
> Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? ...
Make/buy a chiller. If you want to use the snow, get a small pump (like
a pond/sump pump, and recircualte water from a large tub/cooler thru the
chiller. Use clean snow to cool the cooler water! I use smashed gallon
jugs of ice this way and it is great! If you have snow, then your tap
water may be cold enuf ... in a lot of the country tap water's not cold
enuf sometime, even in winter.
> ... and the old one is sitting in the basement,
> looking lonely. It'll surely hold a lot of bottles, ...
> think my basement gets down to the mid to high 40's in the winter)
Sounds like you have cold weather so high fermenting temps won't be a
problem. For most folks, keeping beer under 65F is tough. That's what
many of use would use the fridge for. If you decide to do lagers (ie.,
REAL lager yeast), a fermenting temp of around 50F is fine (mid 40s even
works well). (Pilsners, Oktoberfests, Helles, Swartzbier, Bocks, etc).
> ... Jeesh, I can't wait to get my first batch going!!
Jump in and get one going! Heck, get ready to start a second prety soon
after so you can get your pipeline filled!
Derric
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Date: 15 Nov 2006 13:40:10
From: John Bleichert
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Wow, great info everyone! Thanks... Lots of stuff in there I hadn't
> considered.
>
> I'm sensing that the use of aluminum wort boilers is a point of
> controversy... It *sure* would be nice to be able to get away with
> buying a $40 turkey fryer and be done with it - but I'm also sure I
> couldn't handle metallic tasting beer. Is that a pure inevitability
> when using Al, or are there ways to avoid that outcome?
Oh, no. Please don't start this thread again. If you want to use
aluminum, use aluminum. I did for quite a while, it's fine. Please
don't start this thread again.
>
> Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? I should have PLENTY
> of those to work with soon (assuming we don't have another winter up
> here like last one)...
<snip >
Snowbanks don't work at all, though the snow is good if you're using a
recirculating system of some sort.
JB
-----------------------------------------------
John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
|
| | | |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 11:17:25
From: keith
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
John Bleichert wrote:
> keith <kms@nothome.com> wrote:
>> Wow, great info everyone! Thanks... Lots of stuff in there I hadn't
>> considered.
>>
>> I'm sensing that the use of aluminum wort boilers is a point of
>> controversy... It *sure* would be nice to be able to get away with
>> buying a $40 turkey fryer and be done with it - but I'm also sure I
>> couldn't handle metallic tasting beer. Is that a pure inevitability
>> when using Al, or are there ways to avoid that outcome?
>
> Oh, no. Please don't start this thread again. If you want to use
> aluminum, use aluminum. I did for quite a while, it's fine. Please
> don't start this thread again.
>
Enuf said... I'll want a burner anyway, so I'll start there, and invest
in something else later if I have problems...
>> Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? I should have PLENTY
>> of those to work with soon (assuming we don't have another winter up
>> here like last one)...
> <snip>
>
> Snowbanks don't work at all, though the snow is good if you're using a
> recirculating system of some sort.
>
OK, looks like I'll be building a wort chiller..
Thanks again!
KeithS
> JB
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
> The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
|
| | | |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 13:50:17
From:
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
: > I'm sensing that the use of aluminum wort boilers is a point of
: > controversy... It *sure* would be nice to be able to get away with
: > buying a $40 turkey fryer and be done with it - but I'm also sure I
: > couldn't handle metallic tasting beer. Is that a pure inevitability
: > when using Al, or are there ways to avoid that outcome?
: Oh, no. Please don't start this thread again. If you want to use
: aluminum, use aluminum. I did for quite a while, it's fine. Please
: don't start this thread again.
Good to hear. I initially bought a Wally-world stainless 5.5 gallon pot for
the boil because of the (apparently dis-)information Re aluminum. I'm seriously
thinking of trying to get a turkey frier after t-day so I can hold all of my all-grain
7 gallons without resorting to two pots.
: >
: > Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? I should have PLENTY
: > of those to work with soon (assuming we don't have another winter up
: > here like last one)...
: <snip >
: Snowbanks don't work at all, though the snow is good if you're using a
: recirculating system of some sort.
The trouble is that there's *a lot* of heat in 5-6 gallons of boiling water.
Putting it in a snowbank will work until the snow recedes away from the pot (which is
practially instantaneous). The kitchen sink/water/ice bath works from what I've
heard, but I think it takes 1-2 hours to get it down to yeast-pitching temps.
My buddy and I went right to a homemade copper wort chiller and kegging
when we started and I'm really glad we did. The copper was something like $30 and
will cool the full 5.5 gallons in about 15-20 minutes.
-Cory
--
*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
*************************************************************************
|
| | |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 21:20:21
From: keith
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
$38.00 30 Qt Turkey Fryer
$22.95 6.5 gal Glass Carboy (Primary)
$21.50 5 gal Glass Carboy (secondary)
$3.50 spoon
$12.25 Auto siphon
$1.50 siphon tube
$12.25 Beer Thief
$6.45 Hydrometer
$3.50 blow-off tube for fermenters
$1.25 air lock
$5.00 funnel
$1.25 2x fermenter caps
$1.00 hop bags
$4.00 fancy grain bag
$8.75 bottling bucket
free bottles
$3.25 B-T-F sanitizer
$5.00 B-Brite
$3.95 big bag o corn sugar
$1.45 Irish Moss
$1.40 Yeast Energizer
Sierra Nevada Clone recipe:
$2.00 Malto Dextrin
$29.00 Malt extracts (7lbs Spraymalt extract)
$5.65 white labs british ale yeast
$3.75 Hops - Cascade & Perle
I'll be building a wort cooler within the next couple of weeks, so I'm
expecting another $30 or so there...
Total of $197.25 for start-up kit and 1st batch (2.75 to spare). Lookin'
good! Brew day is Sunday!
Thanks again for the help everyone,
KeithS
|
| | | |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 02:53:53
From:
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
: Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
: If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
: $38.00 30 Qt Turkey Fryer
: $22.95 6.5 gal Glass Carboy (Primary)
: $21.50 5 gal Glass Carboy (secondary)
: $3.50 spoon
: $12.25 Auto siphon
: $1.50 siphon tube
: $12.25 Beer Thief
: $6.45 Hydrometer
: $3.50 blow-off tube for fermenters
: $1.25 air lock
: $5.00 funnel
: $1.25 2x fermenter caps
: $1.00 hop bags
: $4.00 fancy grain bag
: $8.75 bottling bucket
: free bottles
: $3.25 B-T-F sanitizer
: $5.00 B-Brite
: $3.95 big bag o corn sugar
: $1.45 Irish Moss
: $1.40 Yeast Energizer
: Sierra Nevada Clone recipe:
: $2.00 Malto Dextrin
: $29.00 Malt extracts (7lbs Spraymalt extract)
: $5.65 white labs british ale yeast
: $3.75 Hops - Cascade & Perle
: I'll be building a wort cooler within the next couple of weeks, so I'm
: expecting another $30 or so there...
: Total of $197.25 for start-up kit and 1st batch (2.75 to spare). Lookin'
: good! Brew day is Sunday!
: Thanks again for the help everyone,
: KeithS
I think you did a fine job. I probably would have gotten two 6.5 gallon carboys (for flexibility), but you seem to have
obtained the essentials handily. You've got enough for 2-3 batches in the pipeline.
The only other question is.... At $30 for 7 lbs of extract, when do you move to allgrain? ;-)
-Cory
--
*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
*************************************************************************
|
| | | | |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 08:23:40
From: keith
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
> I think you did a fine job. I probably would have gotten two 6.5 gallon carboys (for flexibility), but you seem to have
> obtained the essentials handily. You've got enough for 2-3 batches in the pipeline.
>
> The only other question is.... At $30 for 7 lbs of extract, when do you move to allgrain? ;-)
>
> -Cory
>
>
Yea, they only had one 6.5 gal in stock, and I wanted to brew this
weekend... so I settled on that one.
all grain? soon... I just want to get a few batches under my belt, and
get the process down right now.
Thanks for the input!
KeithS
|
| | | |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 14:21:35
From: Wayne
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith wrote:
> Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
> If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
>
> $38.00 30 Qt Turkey Fryer
> $22.95 6.5 gal Glass Carboy (Primary)
> $21.50 5 gal Glass Carboy (secondary)
> $3.50 spoon
> $12.25 Auto siphon
> $1.50 siphon tube
> $12.25 Beer Thief
> $6.45 Hydrometer
> $3.50 blow-off tube for fermenters
> $1.25 air lock
> $5.00 funnel
> $1.25 2x fermenter caps
> $1.00 hop bags
> $4.00 fancy grain bag
> $8.75 bottling bucket
> free bottles
>
> $3.25 B-T-F sanitizer
> $5.00 B-Brite
>
> $3.95 big bag o corn sugar
> $1.45 Irish Moss
> $1.40 Yeast Energizer
>
> Sierra Nevada Clone recipe:
> $2.00 Malto Dextrin
> $29.00 Malt extracts (7lbs Spraymalt extract)
> $5.65 white labs british ale yeast
> $3.75 Hops - Cascade & Perle
>
> I'll be building a wort cooler within the next couple of weeks, so I'm
> expecting another $30 or so there...
>
> Total of $197.25 for start-up kit and 1st batch (2.75 to spare). Lookin'
> good! Brew day is Sunday!
>
> Thanks again for the help everyone,
>
> KeithS
Looks like you did pretty good. You didn't really need to spend 12.25
for a beer thief. A good turkey baster works just as good and is a lot
cheaper. On the other hand $5.65 is a great price on yeast. I have to
pay $8.00 here. You will still want to get a capper. Bench cappers are
nice to have, but I still prefer a wing capper. Just make sure you get
the red one, not the black one. The red ones have fewer problems.
Good luck on your brew!
Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company
|
| | | |
Date: 21 Nov 2006 19:04:16
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 21:20:21 -0500, <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
> If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
Sounds like you did pretty good in general.
> $1.00 hop bags
Personally, I don't usually use hop bags.
> $4.00 fancy grain bag
I don't really use grain bags either. I steep the grains loose and then
run the wort through a funnel with a strainer.
> $1.45 Irish Moss
> $1.40 Yeast Energizer
I don't really use either of these.
> Sierra Nevada Clone recipe:
> $2.00 Malto Dextrin
> $29.00 Malt extracts (7lbs Spraymalt extract)
> $5.65 white labs british ale yeast
> $3.75 Hops - Cascade & Perle
IMO, I strongly suggest that beginners stick to dry yeast. Liquid yeast is
more complicated to use (are you planning on making a starter?) and has some
disadvantages that beginners are especially prone to.
John.
|
| | |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 21:12:23
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:25:24 -0500, <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? I should have PLENTY
> of those to work with soon (assuming we don't have another winter up
> here like last one)...
If you're going to be doing extract batches with a partial boil (only
boiling 3 gallons or so instead of 5+), then you don't need a wort chiller.
I've tried a snow bank before, and it doesn't really work well. The snow
right around the pot quickly melts and you get a blanket of air that pretty
much insulates it. You need to constantly be moving the pot around in the
snow to get any significant cooling... big pain. IMO, an ice water bath
works much better. You fill up your sink with cold water and add in a
bunch of ice cubes. Then you set the pot down into the water. The water
should not be high enough that it actually goes into the pot, just enough
so that the water on the outside comes up to around the same level as the
wort on the inside. Every once in awhile you can stir the water and wort
to help with the cooling, but it doesn't require the constant attention
that it would out in a snow bank.
If you're going to be doing full boils, then you pretty much need a wort
chiller of some type. The other methods just aren't effective enough to
chill down 5+ gallons in a reasonable amount of time.
John.
|
| | | |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 20:18:56
From: Chris Szajna
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
"John 'Shaggy' Kolesar" <spam@shagg.net > wrote in message
news:slrneln0uv.89b.spam@weizen.shagg.net...
> On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:25:24 -0500, <kms@nothome.com> wrote:
>> Now, on a wort chiller, would a good snowbank do? I should have PLENTY
>> of those to work with soon (assuming we don't have another winter up
>> here like last one)...
>
> If you're going to be doing extract batches with a partial boil (only
> boiling 3 gallons or so instead of 5+), then you don't need a wort
> chiller.
> I've tried a snow bank before, and it doesn't really work well. The snow
> right around the pot quickly melts and you get a blanket of air that
> pretty
> much insulates it. You need to constantly be moving the pot around in the
> snow to get any significant cooling... big pain. IMO, an ice water bath
> works much better. You fill up your sink with cold water and add in a
> bunch of ice cubes. Then you set the pot down into the water. The water
> should not be high enough that it actually goes into the pot, just enough
> so that the water on the outside comes up to around the same level as the
> wort on the inside. Every once in awhile you can stir the water and wort
> to help with the cooling, but it doesn't require the constant attention
> that it would out in a snow bank.
>
> If you're going to be doing full boils, then you pretty much need a wort
> chiller of some type. The other methods just aren't effective enough to
> chill down 5+ gallons in a reasonable amount of time.
>
>
> John.
I have not seen anyone mention it but when I was doing partial boils (before
I had a big pot and a chiller) I would use gallons of bottled water that I
stored in a COLD refrigerator (and the freezer for a short time right
before) and use the cold water for topping off. It helped drop the
temperature even further from the ice bath that John mentioned.
Cheers,
Chris
----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
|
| | |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 21:04:49
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:25:24 -0500, <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Wow, great info everyone! Thanks... Lots of stuff in there I hadn't
> considered.
>
> I'm sensing that the use of aluminum wort boilers is a point of
> controversy...
There's nothing wrong with boiling beer in aluminum. IMO, that's a good way
to go for a beginner since it'll save you a lot of money. The only
"controversy" comes from people who don't really know what they're talking
about.
John.
|
| |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 09:26:49
From: Jim
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
keith wrote on 11/13/2006 12:18 PM:
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
> :)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long
> background in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former
> bartender at a small local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right
> the first time. Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including
> www.howtobrew.com by John Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing),
> and I feel very comfortable with the concepts involved so far.
>
> OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> out of the equation for now.
>
> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
> said items would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I am especially keen on purchasing used, but usable equipment on the
> cheap - if it exists...
>
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
>
> Anyway, thanks in advance for your direction, and I look forward to
> obtaining the knowledge and experience in brewing necessary to be come a
> contributing member soon!
>
> KeithS
Here is a good start for 5gal batches.
- Brew Pot to boil at least 3-4gallons. I bought a cheap 7gal pot at Walmart
- Fermenting Bucket w/air lock
- 6.5gal carboy (air lock optional since you can use one from bucket)
- Siphon hose
- 2.5 cases of bottles with caps
- Bottle Capper
- Thermometer
- Hydrometer
- Siphon Cane
You can get a good single keg kit online for $150 and refurbed kegs for
$15. Check ebay, which is where I bought mine.
|
| |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 20:15:49
From: Washu
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
> Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
> If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
Looks good! Only thing I see missing is the capper and caps. Do
yourself a favor and get a bench capper, the wing cappers are cheaper
but after one batch you'll go buy a bench capper anyway.
|
| | |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 13:57:07
From: John Bleichert
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
Washu <rgrantha@yahoo.com > wrote:
>> Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
>> If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
>
> Looks good! Only thing I see missing is the capper and caps. Do
> yourself a favor and get a bench capper, the wing cappers are cheaper
> but after one batch you'll go buy a bench capper anyway.
>
I have to disagree with that. Having used both, I prefer the wing
capper. Guess it's a matter of personal taste though :-)
-----------------------------------------------
John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
|
| | |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 08:21:06
From: keith
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
Washu wrote:
>> Alrighty then... went and got the stuff today, and I think it went well.
>> If you feel like it, let me know if I missed anything.
>
> Looks good! Only thing I see missing is the capper and caps. Do
> yourself a favor and get a bench capper, the wing cappers are cheaper
> but after one batch you'll go buy a bench capper anyway.
>
Sorry, I mentioned this in the OP, but not above - I've been given 15
cases of 1 L Grolsch style bottles... Do you think I'll want to go to
caps at some point? is there an advantage?
Thanks for the input,
Keith
|
| | | |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 14:16:46
From:
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
: > Looks good! Only thing I see missing is the capper and caps. Do
: > yourself a favor and get a bench capper, the wing cappers are cheaper
: > but after one batch you'll go buy a bench capper anyway.
: >
: Sorry, I mentioned this in the OP, but not above - I've been given 15
: cases of 1 L Grolsch style bottles... Do you think I'll want to go to
: caps at some point? is there an advantage?
The main advantage is not having to worry about getting the bottles back or
keeping them in "inventory." If you use free bottles scrounged from friends, bars,
or recycle bins, you don't have to worry about getting the bottles back if you give a
few to friends to try at home.
Even though I keg, I still like to bottle up batches that are either about
gone (to free up the keg), or are "unusual" and don't need to take up a keg. I've got
a barleywine I brewed about a year ago and bottled the remaining 3/4 of the keg about
6 months ago. That way it carbonated/conditioned in the keg, I was able to drink some
soon (bad plan with a barleywine BTW), but now it's not taking up equipment. I've got
a hard apple cider from last year that's in the same boat... kegged for a few months,
then bottled the rest to save some a free up the gear.
Also, I'm sure you'll find the 5-gallon carboy will work in your rotation.
It'll work as a secondary for beers that don't end up at 5.5 gallons (a corny keg
seems to hold a bit more than 5), or lagering long-term if you get into that.
-Cory
--
*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
*************************************************************************
|
| |
Date: 15 Nov 2006 20:51:36
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 12:18:33 -0500, <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas. It's a win-win
>:)... I have a firm grasp of chemistry and physics, and a long
> background in wine and beer (I'm a wine distributer, and former
> bartender at a small local brew-pub). I *really* want to do things right
> the first time. Currently, I'm doing lots of reading (including
> www.howtobrew.com by John Palmer, and The Complete Joy of Homebrewing),
> and I feel very comfortable with the concepts involved so far.
Sounds like you're on the right track.
> OK... Now, where to spend my $200 start-up cash? I'm thinking that a
> beginner's kit, plus a couple of glass carboys, cleaning and sanitizing
> solutions and equipment, and a couple of ingredient kits will get me to
> that # pretty quick depending on where I spend it. I have access to 15+
> cases of new 1L Grolsch style bottles for free, so we can leave bottles
> out of the equation for now.
I went with carboys when I started, but in reality plastic buckets work
just as well, and are a lot cheaper. You may be able to save some money
there and "upgrade" later if you want to. You'll also need some sort of
pot, most homebrew equipment kits don't come with them.
> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
> said items would be greatly appreciated.
I'm in Maryland, so don't know anything about local stores in New Hampshire.
However, there are lots of really good online retailers out there.
http://www.morebeer.com is one of my favorites. They have a really large
inventory, and the prices seem decent.
> Ultimately, I'd like to have a keg system ASAP, but I understand that
> 5ga logs are going out of production, suggesting that price may
> sky-rocket soon... Is there any truth to this rumor?
This rumor has been going around for a long time. Honestly, I can't say I've
seen all that of a dramatic change in the prices of kegs, other than just
normal inflation. New kegs might have gone up a lot, but homebrewers
hardly ever buy new kegs (they're around 4X as expensive as used ones). The
used keg market seems to be around what it has been for years.
http://www.rcbequip.com usually has really good prices on them.
John.
|
| |
Date: 16 Nov 2006 23:16:52
From: TARogue
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
On 2006-11-13, keith <kms@nothome.com > wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas.
>
<snip >
>
> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
> said items would be greatly appreciated.
>
Where in NH are you? I now do most of my beer shopping at Kettle to Keg
in Pembroke. Portsmouth has Stout Billy's, Merrill's Agway in Littleton
hides the Mt. Washington Brewing Supply, and Meredith has the
Fermentation station.
Stout Billy's will almost certainly have anything/everything you need,
but only the guy working there (Dan? Don?) knows where it is. You
probably want to start by going to the local shop, then getting the rest
from the internet.
Good luck!
Tom
--
TARogue (t o m (at) t a r o g u e . n e t)
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of
thought. -John F. Kennedy, 35th US president (1917-1963)
|
| | |
Date: 18 Nov 2006 18:03:54
From: keith
Subject: Re: Noob looking at starter kits
|
TARogue wrote:
> On 2006-11-13, keith <kms@nothome.com> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> My wife has decided to get me into brewing for Christmas.
>>
> <snip>
>> Can anyone point me to a really good checklist of must-haves for the
>> beginning (but ambitious) brewer? Also, any suggestions of favorite web
>> sites or on-premise locations (in New Hampshire) for the purchase of
>> said items would be greatly appreciated.
>>
> Where in NH are you? I now do most of my beer shopping at Kettle to Keg
> in Pembroke. Portsmouth has Stout Billy's, Merrill's Agway in Littleton
> hides the Mt. Washington Brewing Supply, and Meredith has the
> Fermentation station.
>
> Stout Billy's will almost certainly have anything/everything you need,
> but only the guy working there (Dan? Don?) knows where it is. You
> probably want to start by going to the local shop, then getting the rest
> from the internet.
>
> Good luck!
> Tom
>
Hi Tom,
Actually, I'm in VT in S. Strafford (near Hanover / Norwich). I did my
initial shopping at the Lebanon Health Food Store (surprisingly good
selection). However, I'm a wine distributor rep, and my territory is
from Bedford/Manchester north to the Canadian border (not that I
actually get that far north often), so all of those are "on my route" so
to speak. I was unaware of Kettle to Keg though, and I'll be checking
them out next time I'm down there - Thanks for the heads up,
Keith
|
|
