I am interested in starting to brew at home but I am not really prepared to jump in whole hog and spend a crap ton of money on it and then hate it. I've never seen anyone do it (outside of YouTube) but I think I'd like to give it a shot. That said, what is the best/least expensive way to get started?

I live in a small town 45 minutes from CC, and I couldn't tell you where the closest home brew shop is.

Lots of homebrewers on the boards, and some have even started breweries. Here's the main thread:

https://texags.com/forums/67/topics/2461025

https://www.northernbrewer.com/

and

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/

Both have online ordering, and here's are some Starter Kits. Keep it simple to start, and keep everything sanitized. And when it looks a little nuts, "Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew."

least expensive is to buy a 1 gallon kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop. that said, it'll take you almost as long to brew that 1 gallon as it does to brew 5 gallons.

actually, least expensive is find someone who already has the gear and will let you come over and give it a shot on their equipment.

Easiest is stove top partial boil extract. This is where most people start and it's the cheapest option. But there are limitations on what you can brew and the quality you'll make.

So...why do you want to enter the world of homebrewing? Are you a hobbyist by nature looking for something new?

Or are you doing this to save money? Because it won't.

Are there specific beers you want to brew?

How much time and space do you have?

Most starter kits are $100 or so. Then you need a decent sized pot for stove top brewing (2-3 gallons).
Online ordering is easy. Most have free shipping over a certain amount, but honestly amazon has most equipment and if you are prime just so it that way.

Look on CL as well, lots of people upgrade or get out of it.

It's fun. You need a decent amount of space for equipment and the beer itself. A 5 gal batch is ~53 bottles.

AlaskanAg99 said:

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Easiest is stove top partial boil extract. This is where most people start and it's the cheapest option. But there are limitations on what you can brew and the quality you'll make.

So...why do you want to enter the world of homebrewing? Are you a hobbyist by nature looking for something new?

Or are you doing this to save money? Because it won't.

Are there specific beers you want to brew?

How much time and space do you have?

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I am looking for something to do. I like to stay home on the weekends but I can only mow my yard so much and I need something to do while I smoke meat (just bought an Akorn) and I figure brewing would go along with that nicely. Not really trying to save money on beer because I honestly don't spend much on it now.

Not sure on specifics beers, I'd just like to be able to drink something I created myself.

Time is weird. I have a 2 year old but some Saturdays, I have all kinds of time, other days not so much. He oes to bed early so I'll still have time in the evenings to do things like bottle and clean up. As far as space, I have a large garage that is basically a shop/storage area.

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But there are limitations on what you can brew and the quality you'll make.

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I don't agree. Partial extract beers are still delicious if you ferment them right.

This is really the hardest part about brewing: being able to ferment your beer at the optimum temperature range for your yeast.

OP: See if there's a local home brew club in your area and attend a meeting. I'll warn you, homebrewers are pretty weird, but you are bound to find someone who is brewing soon that will let you stop by and learn about it.

As someone with almost a decade of experience doing it, even "advanced" brewing isn't hard. You will quickly be amazed that following a few simple guidelines that are completely logical will always net you good beer. It's a lot like smoking meat where you know if you put it on the smoker at XXX temperature for Y hours and hit your internal temp, it WILL be delicious.

diehard03 said:

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But there are limitations on what you can brew and the quality you'll make.

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I don't agree. Partial extract beers are still delicious if you ferment them right.

This is really the hardest part about brewing: being able to ferment your beer at the optimum temperature range for your yeast.

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Solid point most homebrewers neglect early on bc they want to shift into all grain or cool equipment. Always my first suggestion after few batches are done is to invest in fermentation temp control next.

I was guilty of putting off brewing by assuming Id go full bore into AG and costs associated with it. I bet I read books for 3-4 years before I started. Something I regret since my brewing window shortened with kids.

Finally starting to get some time again and will be brewing with extract while leaving AG equipment on the shelf. And it'll be great beer.

JFrench said:

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diehard03 said:

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But there are limitations on what you can brew and the quality you'll make.

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I don't agree. Partial extract beers are still delicious if you ferment them right.

This is really the hardest part about brewing: being able to ferment your beer at the optimum temperature range for your yeast.

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Solid point most homebrewers neglect early on bc they want to shift into all grain or cool equipment. Always my first suggestion after few batches are done is to invest in fermentation temp control next.

I was guilty of putting off brewing by assuming Id go full bore into AG and costs associated with it. I bet I read books for 3-4 years before I started. Something I regret since my brewing window shortened with kids.

Finally starting to get some time again and will be brewing with extract while leaving AG equipment on the shelf. And it'll be great beer.

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yep, fermenting temp control is probably the most biggest factor of how your beer turns out. It's really what separates most home brewers from a commercial set up.

Most start in the closet with wet tshirt over carboy, or place in bath tub with frozen milk containers of water. If northern, a basement works great.

But with a used small 5 cf chest freezer and johnson controller, it can be had for under $100. It's what I did early on, and made it so much easier.

I took a break from it after moving to CO, and then shortly after, two kids happened. But I'm anxious to get back in when I acquire some pretty nice equipment from my aunt/uncle who are retired and downsizing.

OP.. I'll warn you, I got an old coworker in to homebrewing back in 08 or so, and it quickly took over his life. He had (and still has) no spouse or kids, which probably fueled it, but within a few years, his kitchen was full of boxes of bottles stacked high, carboys and kegs all over the place aging, can't park his car in garage cause he has like 4 chest freezers and brew stand, etc., multiple fridges full of bottles, on and on.

But hey, he loves it!

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He goes to bed early so I'll still have time in the evenings to do things like bottle and clean up

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Bottling sucks ass. Never again.

There are tips and tricks to use extract to its full potential, but it's not what the starter kits will teach.

I agree temp control for fermentation is by far the #1 item that is overlooked by newbies. Most people evolve from a simple starter kit and if they get the bug they slowly start adding hardware to make things a little easier or faster. You still need to set aside 5 or so hours for a brewday for extract, and basically figure it out as you go. When I started 13 years ago I knew no one doing it. Did extract for 4 years before going all grain.

Read howtobrew.com it's the 1st edition book for free. I think version 4 will be coming out soon.

If you make the beer what are you going to put it in to store?

You can get a couple of plastic jugs with lids and ferment the beer. No big issue except for that sanatized thing. But when done, what will you finish the beer in?

In other words this is not a small time hobby. If you have a friend who brews and you spend time with him brewing and you get the bug to do it, then ok. But trying to go cheap early is not a great idea. What you spend on cheap plastic now will not work for long. And you will have to get your next serious equipment. And it is expensive.

My suggestion is to buy some glass jugs and make wine. It is like mixing kool-aid. Not much complication to it. And no great expense in the long run.

Another fantastic resource that's free are the podcasts at the brewing network.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/category/shows/brewstrong/

Brew Strong is they science and 'why' behind the things you have to do. This covers the mechanics of brewing, start with cleaning, then sanitizing, then boiling, chilling, fermenting. Every brewer, regardless of size, does the same things. Once you understand they why then you can really enjoy making beer you know will turn out drinkable. And then you can start working on the art of making fantastic beer. Everyone starts out small and grows with the hobby. You'll buy equipment just to make your day easier or faster. And a lot of it will scale as you buy better equipment.

But like any hobby you will have failures, each one just teaches you a new aspect of brewing. Trust me, I've failed in so many ways, so just clean everything again, sanitize it and start over.

GSPag` said:

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But trying to go cheap early is not a great idea. What you spend on cheap plastic now will not work for long. And you will have to get your next serious equipment. And it is expensive.

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I disagree with this. I used my 'intro' kit buckets and plastic carboys for years, roughly 25 batches. Some brewers never upgrade to SS conicals and such. The one bigger expense that most homebrewers do fairly quickly is kegging, but even that isn't THAT much money (1 keg and 5lb tank with regulator is under $200). Also maybe a bigger pot if they decide to go all grain. But mashing and fermenting can be done forever on the cheap, in plastic coolers and carboys/buckets. Even if a plastic carboy/bucket only lasts a year.. buy another one for $30. I don't know why you think you have to buy 'serious equipment'. My coleman cooler mashtun was $50 all in ($20 of it being the SS valve), and that thing will last forever.

My suggestion is to do the BIAB (brew in a bag) method. Not much more required equipment compared to extract brewing, the recipe kits are cheaper and you have more control of the flavors. You'll want at least an 8 gallon pot, but 10 would be ideal. The larger pot would probably be the most expensive upgrade over the extract brewing setup. Also, get a good digital thermometer for the steeping of grains (extract) or mashing (BIAB) steps. Dial thermometers are not near accurate enough to give you accurate readings.

BIAB is what i've been doing for years.

Cheapest way to get started is to put the entry level kit on your Christmas list . I've done 5 batches in just over a year, and I now have some ideas for better equipment I want to upgrade with.

What are you looking to expand to? New gadgets are always fun.

Got a wort chiller to use, now want all glass - no more plastic buckets. Want to try a brew bag for all grain. Grail item is a conical fermenter....

Starting to look at getting into this again. Almost jumped in around this time last year, but life took a turn and I set it on the back burner.

Big mouth bubblers are nice. Much easier to clean than carboys. I prefer my plastic over glass but the other than that theyre the same.

Conical look cool but they dont make much sense in traditional fermentation chambers.

Wish i could find where i got my brew bag. Guy sewed it up and the handles can lift some hefty grain bills.

JFrench said:

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Wish i could find where i got my brew bag. Guy sewed it up and the handles can lift some hefty grain bills.

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If you're like me, you got it from this guy.

It's just a progression as you have more time and money. Start at stovetop, then move to full boil in a big pot. Even if doing extract it'll help the quality of your beer. But that jump requires a burner, big pot and you might as well add weldless ball valve and thermometer. But then you also need a wort chiller. For fermenting properly you need a way to maintain temps, so a swam cooler to start and then troll craigslist for a used fridge that'll suit your needs. Be it a small fridge for a carboy or a bucket or an upright for a conical. Plus conical prices are half of what they were 5 years ago. Just deeds on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go and how hard you're bitten by the brewing bug. But there are always to slowly grow. Big steps are re full boil setup, temp control and kegging. I don't drink a ton of craft beer because I brew a lot. 5 to 10 gallon batches have to go somewhere.

JFrench said:

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Conical look cool but they dont make much sense in traditional fermentation chambers.

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if you're gonna spend coin on a conical and a fridge to put it in, just get a thermoelectrically cooled one. I wouldn't bother with one otherwise.

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62strat said:

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JFrench said:

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Conical look cool but they dont make much sense in traditional fermentation chambers.

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if you're gonna spend coin on a conical and a fridge to put it in, just get a thermoelectrically cooled one. I wouldn't bother with one otherwise.

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I disagree, the only ones I know with this built in are the morebeer conicals, but they can only handle a 25 degree delta from ambient temps to target Ferm temp. If you plan to ferment inside probably not an issue (other than moving a full conical which is top heavy). And they are expensive as hell, a used freezer off CL for a fraction of the added cost and you can ferment in your garage in the Texas summer.

khkman22 said:

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JFrench said:

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Wish i could find where i got my brew bag. Guy sewed it up and the handles can lift some hefty grain bills.

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If you're like me, you got it from this guy.

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Its not. That one looks good though. The one i have looks similar to one offered at adventures in homebrewing. The handles atleast. It doesnt have the reinforcement around the sides and bottom like the AIH bag.

AlaskanAg99 said:

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62strat said:

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JFrench said:

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Conical look cool but they dont make much sense in traditional fermentation chambers.

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if you're gonna spend coin on a conical and a fridge to put it in, just get a thermoelectrically cooled one. I wouldn't bother with one otherwise.

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I disagree, the only ones I know with this built in are the morebeer conicals, but they can only handle a 25 degree delta from ambient temps to target Ferm temp. If you plan to ferment inside probably not an issue (other than moving a full conical which is top heavy). And they are expensive as hell, a used freezer off CL for a fraction of the added cost and you can ferment in your garage in the Texas summer.

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25 deg. delta.. where did you get that?

https://www.morebeer.com/products/ultimate-conical-fermenter-14-gallon.html
"It can get to and hold your ale fermentation temperatures of 65-72 Fahrenheit at ambient temperatures of up to 120 Fahrenheit. In addition, this fermentor can get to and hold lager fermentation temperatures of 45-50 Fahrenheit all the way up to ambient temperatures of 100 Fahrenheit."


yeh they are pricey.. but if you're looking into getting into a conical (SS ones anyway), you obviously have upped your budget quite a bit from the starter homebrew kit stage. Conicals are no where near the 'intro' side of homebrewing, and usually means a pretty serious homebrewer.. entering competitions, etc.

Damn, I thought I read that off the morebeer website. Maybe they increased their efficiency, I didn't realize they could handle that high of ambient temps. I have 2 14 gallons, and for what they charge for the bells and whistles you can buy 2 base models and get 2 CL refigerator specials.

They aren't not cheap, but they make certain tasks a lot easier. And the new SS Brewtech conicals are even cheaper. And I agree, they fall in advanced homebrewing end of the spectrum. I was super lucky in that I bought both of mine used over a period of years.

Ah I read the 7.5 gallon description:

"It can get to and hold your ale fermentation temperatures of 65-72 Fahrenheit all the way up to ambient temps of 100 Fahrenheit. In addition, it can get to and hold lager fermentation temperatures of 48-52 Fahrenheit all the way up to ambient temperatures of 80 Fahrenheit."

25 degrees was a bit shy, but it can't handle the same temp highs as the 14 gallon.

AlaskanAg99 said:

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Damn, I thought I read that off the morebeer website. Maybe they increased their efficiency, I didn't realize they could handle that high of ambient temps. I have 2 14 gallons, and for what they charge for the bells and whistles you can buy 2 base models and get 2 CL refigerator specials.

They aren't not cheap, but they make certain tasks a lot easier. And the new SS Brewtech conicals are even cheaper. And I agree, they fall in advanced homebrewing end of the spectrum. I was super lucky in that I bought both of mine used over a period of years.

Ah I read the 7.5 gallon description:

"It can get to and hold your ale fermentation temperatures of 65-72 Fahrenheit all the way up to ambient temps of 100 Fahrenheit. In addition, it can get to and hold lager fermentation temperatures of 48-52 Fahrenheit all the way up to ambient temperatures of 80 Fahrenheit."

25 degrees was a bit shy, but it can't handle the same temp highs as the 14 gallon.

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They've definitely increased efficiency, at least since late 90s.. my uncles conical is from that time period and it only does about 25-30 under ambient. Also, it's cooled only, not heated. But he spec'd it out (not many people buying conicals in the 90s) and it's for a Denver basement, so maybe they had an option for a smaller delta that was cheaper.

they're also selling 2 different 14 gallon versions with different cooling technologies...one with the 30 deg differential and one with the 50 deg differential.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/14-gallon-conical-fermenter-heated-cooled.html

https://www.morebeer.com/products/ultimate-conical-fermenter-14-gallon.html (linked above)

If you're going to spend that much money on fermentation, why not go with an SS Brewtech Conical and a used True GDM-12, would be a lot cheaper? I held out long enough and found a GDM for $230 out in Grand Saline, works like a champ and looks great with the conical inside.

$2,500, jesus! You'd have to habe a huge hardon for that tech and a limited amount of space to not choose a much more economical option and save yourself $1500.

sanitariex said:

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If you're going to spend that much money on fermentation, why not go with an SS Brewtech Conical and a used True GDM-12, would be a lot cheaper? I held out long enough and found a GDM for $230 out in Grand Saline, works like a champ and looks great with the conical inside.

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Well why wouldn't you just get a used morebeer if that's the case?

Can't compare new to used; that true fridge new is $1700, add in a $500 Brewtech, and you're about even with the 50 degree delta morebeer (the 30 deg. delta is only $1800.) And you have a much larger foot print/space requirement.

You can probably find one of the morebeer 30 degree thermos for well under $1000 used, but it may take a while, just as you said it did with that tru fridge.

It's all relative.

It seems having the conical in a fridge would cramp your working space.