New to brewing

[bricepow]

Hello all,
I am very new to brewing I haven't even started any of the prep or purchased any of the beginners equipment. I really want to get into home brewing but I am the type of person that needs to know why we do each step. So before I get started I was wondering if anyone knew of any great books I could buy just to get the background down before actually brewing my first batch?

 

[BlindFaith]

Start here: http://www.howtobrew.com/


No need to buy a book when there is a wealth of knowledge online.

 

[twistr25]

And any questions you may have in the book, use the search feature on here. Literally tons of information on here as well.

 

[unionrdr]

Check out the stickies at the top of the forums for a lot of info on different brewing styles from All Extract to Partial Mash & All Grain. Usually contractions like AE,PM or AG. Or E/SG for Extract with Stepping Grains. It'll also discuss equipment used. I'm still using the same 5 gallon stainless steel stock pot I got when I started with AE. I'm now up to PB/PM BIAB (Partial Boil,Partial Mash Brew In A Bag). Makes great beer with the only things different are a cake cooling rack to fit in the bottom of the kettle to keep the nylon 5 gallon paint strainer bag from burning on the bottom with the grains in it during the heating to mash temp & 1 hour mash itself.
Then of course,you'll need a 6.5 gallon fermenter to allow for krausen expansion during initial fermentation. Airlocks,blow off tube & jug,hydrometer,bottle brush,capper & caps,lid lever wrench for those tight bucket lids. And def PBW cleaner & Starsan sanitizer. A 5 gallon batch will generally need 48/12oz bottles or 2 cases to bottle the batch. You'll also need a long spoon or paddle to stir with. Floating thermometer &/or dial type thermometers come in handy for steeping or mashing.

 

[KingJim]

Have a look at a few of 'terpsichoreankid' videos on you tube. He's an eccentric character but he has got some very good material.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Agreed. Start with howtobrew then run forum searches on what doesnt make sense. If you can't find it start a thread ans we will be happy to explain. Someone did for us afterall.

 

[Stoneciphes]

well you asked for a book so a book is what i will give you "how to brew" it is online for free but a copy can also be bought at a nuber of places.

 

[bricepow]

Thank you all. I ordered the How to brew book so I will start with that and see how it goes. I will for sure be coming back with any and all of my questions.

 

[invivoSaccharomyces]

I was gonna say, since you're in Madison, at the Wine and Hop Shop their beer kits come with The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.

 

[bricepow]

I have heard about the wine and hop shop I will have to go down and check it out. I think their are a few places in Madison that have books and such. I do live in an apartment, which means I do not have a Garage do you think that will have a huge effect once I start to brew? A couple of my friends have a garage I could use I just wasn't sure if I should even attempt in my apt or just ask to use their garage.

 

[unionrdr]

You can brew on an electric stove,but the stock burners generally don't heat up very fast. I've a link in my profile for aftermarket burners that heat up faster.

 

[bricepow]

Alright I will take a look thanks a lot.

 

[unionrdr]

You're welcome. They're on amazon,& I bought the 2 large burner replacements that the link is mainly for. they have the small ones too. You can always save the stock ones,so if you move,take yours & put theirs back in.

 

[BigCypress]

You can do partial boil extract batches on the stovetop. That's how many, many folks start out.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Most stovetops will only boil around 2-2.5 gallons at a time. Test it out on your stove to determine the size of the partial boils you can do. Partial boils are where you basically make a concentrated wort and after the boil top off your fermenter with more water to get yourself up to volumes and down to the proper gravity.

 

[unionrdr]

I do partial boils all the time. That's why I mentioned the link in my profile for the better aftermarket burners. Our GE stove's stock burners held temp great,but didn't heat up very fast at all. I def needed the aftermarket ones that heat up faster to do partial boil in a decent lenght of time. That's why I metioned them.
They don't cost much at all,& can now get 3.5 gallons to a rolling boil in about 18 minutes vs a couple hours with the stock heating elements. And I do those partial boils in a 5 gallon (20qt) ss stock pot. Everything from AE to PB/PM BIAB. So it's my learned opinion to replace the two large heating elements with aftermarket ones for the BK/MT & HLT. Fancy brewspeak for the boil kettle that doubles as a Brew in a bag mash tun. The other large burner for heating water for the sparge,etc.