Beginners Kit - Equipment

[Padraic]

i've just been asked by a friend if the below is a good starting point for a newbie, as I skipped the kit brewing, I'm not sure what's good in the kit world. I'm assuming a budget of 100 Euro. Is this one good value or are there better ones out there?

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/coopers-microbrew-starter-kit-40-pint-starter-kit-p-813.html

[Garry]

That's the kit I got last Christmas. I'm obsessed with brewing since 

While it's a great kit, there is a cheaper option:

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-premium-starter-beer-kit-without-heating-belt-best-value-2744-p.asp

[CB_Phil]

Thats the kit I was after, but herself got me a youngs kit, far from complete! Had to buy the stirrer, hydrometer ect.
as Garry said, you can get one w/out the belt, but Ive just invested in one & reckon itd be better to have it from the start, should be cheaper that way too.

[Blueshed]

that looks like the kit I got last year in Tesco's for around €95. pretty good imo but to make life a lot easier they should get a bottle of starsan, a bottle tree and a bottle washer asap and cans of LME or spraymalt to use with the kits.

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-mini-bottle-rinser--sterilizer-fits-coopers-oxbars-2937-p.asp

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-bottle-rinser--sterilizer-fits-brewsmarter-complete-80-bottle-tree-2938-p.asp

[LordEoin]

reckon itd be better to have it from the start, should be cheaper that way too.

yeah, it's best to have all the kit right from the beginning, otherwise you end up confused about temperatures and gravities, stirring with a manky wooden spoon,wondering how caps go on the bottles and frustrated by lower quality or infected beer 

[Will_D]

So will somebody describe the complete must have equipment list for a newbie and then one of our HB shops can put it all together and assign a price.

Complete as in no need for owt extra.

[LordEoin]

So will somebody describe the complete must have equipment list for a newbie and then one of our HB shops can put it all together and assign a price.

Complete as in no need for owt extra.

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-premium-starter-beer-kit-best-value-844-p.asp

well... that was easy. 

[Dunkel]

+1 to LordEoin.  But I was advising a newbie recently, who was fermentinting in a room 18-20C, so I suggested http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-premium-starter-beer-kit-without-heating-belt-best-value-2744-p.asp

He's just bottled his first batch, and seems happy. Another convert!

[LordEoin]

Yeah, there's no need for the heat belt at the moment, but winter's coming and they're bloody handy then

[Will_D]

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-premium-starter-beer-kit-best-value-844-p.asp

well... that was easy. 

That looks comprehensive alright but I would add:

Alcohol in glass thermometer - so useful for taking temps of other stuff like yeast re-hydrations and the temp of where your beer will go when its in bottles. Also some LC thermometers are difficult to read.

A second fermenter with tap for easy secondary and bottle filling thus allowing you to get another brew on the go!

[LordEoin]

Thermometer for sure!

But i think that a second FV would bring the price beyond what most people would consider spending from the start (less than €100) and with Coopers kits it's not really vital if you're using carb drops.
Also, bulk priming or racking to secondart are not usually common practice for new brewers.

The only other bit of kit that I now find vital is a capper.
But that depends on bottle type. Folks using PETs don't need them.

I'll suggest it as an 'Ultimate' starter kit and see what happens

[@geterbrewed]

Hoping you don't mind me posting our beer starter kit offers on this thread,Just to give you guys another couple of options;
http://www.geterbrewed.com/coopers-diy-starter-kit-7.5kg £62.50/€73.75
http://www.geterbrewed.com/geb-ultimate-beer-starter-kit £72.62/€85.69

[LordEoin]

They're great, thanks geterbrewed.
That ultimate beer kit is awesome value with the heat belt, capper, caps, kit and free delivery

Also noticed this budget kit http://www.geterbrewed.com/get-er-brewed-beer-starter-kit - €30 for the whole lot is a bargain