Starting Out Questions

[Omnidons-Brewing]

Ok everyone, so I am just starting out. I found an amazing deal from a local home brew group, for 75$ I got a 8-gallon Mash Tun (igloo), a 8-gallon aluminum boil pot (with spigot), a 5.5 gallon glass carboy, a banjo burner (modified for natural gas instead of propane), a wort chiller, a mash paddle, and a small clear plastic hose for transfer from boil kettle to carboy.


So, my first question --- what are all the essentials I need to go from here? I know this wasn't going to be enough to brew instantly (my first decision was to go with that Premium Fermonster deal from MoreBeer for ....230$ or so I think it was?, but this offer was too good to pass up), so I'm looking to see what all I need left.

I know I need a thermometer, a plug with an airlock for the carboy, and the stuff to convert the burner back to propane, as well as stuff to do bottling. (No fridge setup or keggerator to do kegs... yet, so bottling is the starting plan).

What else do I need?


Also.... that brings me to my next set of questions......


How do I go about converting the banjo burner back from all-natural-gas to propane?



Thanks so much everyone!

 

[billl]

The burner part is easy. It's just the orifice, the little screw in part on the front that controls gas flow.

Looks like you have a mash tun and boil kettle, so you are pretty much set for starting AG or extract through the boil process. You'll need something to ferment in though. The 5.5 gallon carboy would work for about 4 gallons, but you'll need something larger to ferment a standard 5 gallon batch.

If you plan on bottling, a bottle bucket would be a good/cheap investment. You'll want an autosyphon to transfer and a bottling wand to make filling bottle easy. And of course, bottles, caps, and a capper.

 

[Omnidons-Brewing]

What exactly is a bottle bucket? Sorry, I haven't come across that term before I don't think.

 

[AkTom]

A bottling bucket is 5 or 6 gallons (usually) and has a spigot at the bottom.
You also need a hydrometer and a tube to take your specific gravity reading in. Get 2 hydrometers. You'll need a spare sooner or later.

 

[mongoose33]

Very nice deal! if I were you, I'd sell the carboy and buy a plastic fermenter.

Look at the Premium Fermonster package; it has everything except the burner, which you have.

Do you have a money limit?

Whatever you do, buy quality; you'll not regret it.

 

[Omnidons-Brewing]

Why is the plastic fermenter so much better than the carboy?

 

[mongoose33]

Why is the plastic fermenter so much better than the carboy?

https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...69i57j69i58.6088j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

All I needed was to hear the horror stories about people injured by carboys breaking. My favorite--or least, actually--story involves someone carrying a carboy in their arms, squeezing it hard because it was heavy. They hit a corner on a counter, the carboy broke in their arms and because they were squeezing it so hard....you can imagine the lacerations.

They're harder to clean due to the narrow neck, heavier than plastic, dangerous if they break. Some have had them break as they added wort to them, just cracked and broke.

There are two main plastic fermenters people use. I have the BigMouth Bubbler from Northern Brewer. I love it, though it's more expensive than the Fermonster from MoreBeer.

I continue to use the BMB because I have carry straps for it, it works well, etc. etc. A sort of inertia, if you will.

But if i were starting over, I'd get the Fermonster.

Both have wide mouths which means you can reach inside to clean or to remove the spigot. You can get them without the spigot, but I've done it both ways and I like the spigot.

About the only value IMO to a glass carboy is if you're doing very long term aging; they're oxygen-impermeable.

 

[bajaedition]

I gave up on carboys years ago and got a speidel plastic fermenter. so easy to clean and such, I like the fermonsters also.

I suggest going down and getting a starter kit, it has so much stuff you will need, such as spoons, thermometers, hydrometers etc. it also has bottling bucket and bottling wand and such, and you can get it with caps, cappers and bottles also. They are kits put together and the parts are discounted so you can get set up.

A lot of the stuff you have gotten are items not in those kits, such as the brew pot and chiller.

besides a beginners kit, a conversion mash tun and a HLT and you are off and running

 

[Omnidons-Brewing]

The burner part is easy. It's just the orifice, the little screw in part on the front that controls gas flow.

Do I just remove this little screw/orifice and then it'll be fine to link it up to propane?

(Unfortunately my knowledge on propane/gas is very limited, and I'm not the handiest of guys, and don't really feel like causing an explosion [ha], and thats why I'm asking.)

Thanks!

 

[kh54s10]

Do I just remove this little screw/orifice and then it'll be fine to link it up to propane?

(Unfortunately my knowledge on propane/gas is very limited, and I'm not the handiest of guys, and don't really feel like causing an explosion [ha], and thats why I'm asking.)

Thanks!

You need to remove the natural gas orifice and replace it with one that is for propane. See your other thread. I assume it is yours anyway. It has been answered there.