Home Beer Brewing Supplies to Get You Started

It doesn’t matter if you have no idea about beer brewing. You’ll soon learn that you can’t really ruin a batch of beer. I’m sure you’ve had some pretty bad beer in your life and you might possibly make something of that quality in your first try. But, you can’t ruin beer.

Getting in and getting your hands dirty will only help you understand what it takes to make a good beer. Then, you’ll be addicted. But, you need the right gear. You might as well put together a starter kit with the equipment you need for your first batch. You can always add to it later as you learn to master the art of home brewing.

Buckets

The first things you’ll need are two 6.5 gallon buckets. But, they are for different purposes so you’ll need each bucket to be a little different. The first will be your primary fermenter. It’s a basic industrial sized bucket with a grommeted lid. Drill through the lid and install an airlock.

The second bucket is the secondary fermenter. Because you will be pouring beer into bottles through it, you’ll need to install a spigot. Drill a hole two inches up from the bottom of the bucket and install the spigot with two tightly sealed washer for proper adhesion and no leaks.

Accessories

To make it all come together, you’ll need just a few more items. Track down a fermentation lock, siphon tubing, autosiphon, hydrometer, a bottle filler and a bottle capper. A fermentation lock is also known as an airlock. The siphon tubing is just a clear hose. And the autosiphon isn’t necessary. But once you siphon beer and get one going the usual way, you will definitely want to track down an autosiphon and see how much easier it makes the job.

Cleaning

After the fact, it is very important to make sure everything is cleaned or your beer could turn out to taste like anbesol when you brew your next batch. So, you’ll need a good no-rinse cleanser for your buckets and your lines. You’ll need a bottle rush too, especially if you are going to save your bottles and keep filling them with each new batch. It’s a common practice and it’s strongly recommended. Only if you plan on selling your beer would you think of ordering new bottles every time you brew.

You can build on your home brewing kit as you become the master of brewing. You’ll need instructions and ingredients. But, they’re not hard to find. I’ve written brewing instructions myself.