Looking for the original Bar Towel blog? You can find it at www.thebartowel.com.
We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
How much to start up?
- Ale's What Cures Ya
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1198
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:56 pm
- Location: The Thirsty Dog
How much to start up?
How much roughly would it cost to start up a small hombrew operation?
Including a good how-to book, ingredients, bottles, and a decent equipment setup?
Including a good how-to book, ingredients, bottles, and a decent equipment setup?
- grub
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1403
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:16 pm
- Location: Biergötter Homebrew Club, Brantford
- Contact:
depends on how elaborate you'd like to start off. a good startup kit usually runs around $100, but generally won't include bottles or a large pot. bottles are easy to get, just save up your non-twist bottles. most folks have a 4 or 5gal pot that is suitable for doing extract brewing. so you can get up and running for around that price. there's always add-ons: upgrading from plastic bucket fermenters to glass carboys, more carboys, etc. that can increase the price, but that's a good guideline.
if you want to get into all grain, you need more equipment and are going to lay out more cash to start, but most beginners start with extract and later (or not ever) move on to all grain. the good news is that most of the stuff you'll get for extract brewing can still be used for all grain.
the other option is a shop where you brew there using all their gear. it's not a bad way to start, giving you a rough idea of the process and the work involved before you lay out cash to get a kit.
when starting out it's always easiest to have an experienced brewer there to show you the ropes. we often have people drop by on our brew days, but the full all-grain mayhem is a little much for most beginners.
if you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a pm/email.
if you want to get into all grain, you need more equipment and are going to lay out more cash to start, but most beginners start with extract and later (or not ever) move on to all grain. the good news is that most of the stuff you'll get for extract brewing can still be used for all grain.
the other option is a shop where you brew there using all their gear. it's not a bad way to start, giving you a rough idea of the process and the work involved before you lay out cash to get a kit.
when starting out it's always easiest to have an experienced brewer there to show you the ropes. we often have people drop by on our brew days, but the full all-grain mayhem is a little much for most beginners.
if you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a pm/email.
Loblaw's stores (including the Real Canadian Super Store) have a decent starter kit for around $50. They also have a two handed 'wing' capper for around $15.
As Grub said, start saving all those non-twist off bottles that you can't return anyway!
You'll also need a large pot (preferably stainless steel), at least 3 Gal size.
I've never used an extract kit, I read a couple dozen books & started straight from the grains. It probably would be better to start with a kit though. The Australian Brewery Coopers makes some good extract kits, and Magnotta use to offer fresh wort kits as well (not sure if the still do).
I haven't read Palmer's book, but from what I hear, it's probably the best:
http://www.howtobrew.com/
As Grub said, start saving all those non-twist off bottles that you can't return anyway!
You'll also need a large pot (preferably stainless steel), at least 3 Gal size.
I've never used an extract kit, I read a couple dozen books & started straight from the grains. It probably would be better to start with a kit though. The Australian Brewery Coopers makes some good extract kits, and Magnotta use to offer fresh wort kits as well (not sure if the still do).
I haven't read Palmer's book, but from what I hear, it's probably the best:
http://www.howtobrew.com/
The magnotta stuff is called Festabrew. I don't know anyone that's personally used it, but I've been to a couple of homebrew shops that carry it & get positive feedback.
http://www.betterbrew.com/beer/festabrew.html
http://www.betterbrew.com/beer/festabrew.html
- Ale's What Cures Ya
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1198
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:56 pm
- Location: The Thirsty Dog
- grub
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1403
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:16 pm
- Location: Biergötter Homebrew Club, Brantford
- Contact:
here's a bunch of kits at morebeer. they all list the contents, so that'll give you some good ideas as to what to get, from basic to deluxe: http://morebeer.com/browse.html?categor ... d=&x=1&y=1
as you can see, you can go from $69US to $479US depending on how much you'd like to invest. i'd suggest starting with one of the cheapest kits and building on it with time. you can even order from morebeer if you like. shipping will probably suck on a kit, but there aren't a ton of local options. the only local i use is http://wineandbeerfactory.com/ in brampton. no starter kits on the website, but i think he has one in-store.
as you can see, you can go from $69US to $479US depending on how much you'd like to invest. i'd suggest starting with one of the cheapest kits and building on it with time. you can even order from morebeer if you like. shipping will probably suck on a kit, but there aren't a ton of local options. the only local i use is http://wineandbeerfactory.com/ in brampton. no starter kits on the website, but i think he has one in-store.
www.paddockwood.com is a good source for stuff as well.
Here is the list of GTA resources that I've put together:
http://heinous.org/wiki/GTA_resources
My starter kit was:
-5 Gal Bucket
-3 Gal stainless pot from discount store
-Long Spoon
-Hydrometer
-Thermometer
-Bottle capper
-bottling hose and spigot on bucket
-bottle filling wand (plastic pipe with a valve)
-Coopers extract kit
-beer brite sanitizer
-Air lock for bucket lid
http://heinous.org/wiki/GTA_resources
My starter kit was:
-5 Gal Bucket
-3 Gal stainless pot from discount store
-Long Spoon
-Hydrometer
-Thermometer
-Bottle capper
-bottling hose and spigot on bucket
-bottle filling wand (plastic pipe with a valve)
-Coopers extract kit
-beer brite sanitizer
-Air lock for bucket lid