Best products from r/brewing

We found 28 comments on r/brewing discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 35 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

Top comments mentioning products on r/brewing:

u/jratmain · 5 pointsr/brewing

Many people start with extract brewing and that's a great way to get your foot in the door and figure out if you want to continue.

I'm gonna recycle a reply I left on a similar post recently, I think it was a good, quick summary/overview of what you'll want to learn about and consider.

  • Volume: How much beer do you want to make? You can make even just 1-gallon batches of beer, but that's only 6-8 bottles. If it takes 10-14 days to ferment your beer (pretty standard) and 2-3 weeks to bottle carbonate (also pretty standard) that's a long wait for a 6 pack. If you want to make more, you'll need a bigger pot (we call them kettles) than most people have in their kitchens (8 gallon minimum, though I recommend 10 because that gives you flexibility to do all-grain brewing if you want to).
  • Equipment: You have options here but either route you take you're going to need some specialized equipment. You'll need a food-grade, airtight bucket to ferment your beer in. How are you going to get your beer into the bottles? You're going to need a bottling bucket (a food grade plastic bucket with a spigot at the bottom). Post-fermentation, there's a thick layer of sludge (fermentation by-product, called "trub") at the bottom of your beer and you won't want to bottle this. So you transfer the beer from the fermentation bucket to the bottling bucket. You'll want to do this using tubing to avoid exposing the beer to too much oxygen, which can negatively impact the flavor, and to avoid collecting the trub. You can use that same tubing attached to a bottling wand to bottle your beer. Additionally, you'll need an airlock and rubber stopper to plug the lid in your fermenting bucket to prevent bugs from getting into the beer. An airlock allows CO2 (which the yeast generates) to escape the fermentation bucket but doesn't allow any oxygen or other bugs to enter.
  • Fermentation: in addition to needing a fermentation bucket (don't just use any bucket, you need something food-grade that has a lid with an airtight seal, and a hole in the lid for your airlock), you'll need someplace dark, cool and temperature stable to ferment. Unless you've got access to a cool basement, you'll likely need a fermentation chamber, such as a mini-fridge or something, to keep temps stable, esp during the summer. Temp control is very important in making beer as if it's too cold, the yeast will fall asleep and if it's too hot, the yeast will express off flavors (depending on the yeast, but mostly true).
  • Packaging: You'll be bottling, as kegging is expensive and requires a lot of equipment. Bottling is cheaper but is also kind of a pain in the ass, especially when you're making 5-gallon batches (50+ bottles of beer). You'll need empty beer bottles, caps, a beer wand (that allows you to fill each bottle with ease and in a controlled manner) and a capper (a device that enables you to seal the caps to the bottle).
  • Sanitization: This step is important at EVERY stage post-boil. You'll need something like StarSan to sanitize your buckets, tubing, caps, ANYTHING that touches the beer after the boil stage will need to be sanitized to avoid contamination.

    You have a couple of options to gear up. One option would be to pick up a brewing kit. I made a pic to explain what each item is in the beer kit. This is not an endorsement of that specific kit or brand, solely for educational purposes. With a kit, you get everything you need to start brewing and it's all brand new. The linked kit doesn't include bottles. You could find that kit or other kits at a local homebrew store and talk to people there who can help you on your brewing journey. The linked kit is by no means your only option - there are lots of kits out there. Whatever brand you consider, make sure it has the same components as the one I linked. You will need all that stuff.

    You can also check Craigslist. People leave the hobby on occasion and put all their gear up on Craigslist for a fraction of the price new. I got everything in that brewing kit above, plus bottles, for $25 on Craigslist from a guy in my area who had been brewing with his buddy, and when his buddy moved away he just didn't feel like going solo.

    Just a warning, if you're really into beer, this hobby is super addictive. I started Sept 2018 with the stuff I got off Craigslist brewing extracts in an aluminum pot on my stove and bottling -- and there is nothing wrong with doing this! You can make great beer from extracts. But I wanted to explore other styles and have more control over recipes. Dec 2018 I switched to all-grain (not using extracts). I now brew outside with a fancy brew kettle on a propane burner using all-grain recipes and then use kegs instead of bottling (yeah, we built a keezer). I love this hobby and there is really nothing as satisfying as drinking beer I made, sharing it with friends and family.

    If you do decide to give brewing a shot, I have one final piece of advice. Beer is a lot more flexible than people give it credit for. Even mistakes made during the process can be overcome. Giving the yeast more time to work or aging a beer can reverse or lessen the impact of a mistake. When something seems to be off, this is the advice we always give: Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Home Brew (RDWHAHB). It's practically scripture 'round here.

    Good luck and cheers!
u/Pr4370r1u5 · 1 pointr/brewing

Do you have a hydrometer? If not, get one and learn how to use it. It is the most important tool for troubleshooting fermenting beer. There is no other accurate way to tell if a beer is finished.

Most yeast strains have a documented alcohol level that they can handle. Google is your friend. With a precursory search, I'm finding 9% for English ale, but I've gotten higher. 9/10 times the beer finishes, unless you're pushing your sugar to some crazy heights.

I highly recommend picking up some books if you haven't yet. I cut my teeth on The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. It contains a huge amount of information for the beginner up to all grain. Simply laid out techniques, recipes to try, and the origin of RDWHAHB. Designing Great Beers is a great book to get guidelines on a lot of the major styles, it is the one I am using most often these days. Online forums like r/homebrewing and HomeBrewTalk are also great sources of information.

u/Fantomfart · 2 pointsr/brewing

Kits are the best way to learn the basics, cleaning/sterilise importance and fermenting process. Find other beer kits like the IPA linked below at $44 - 5 gallon.

Equipment wise (kit below comes with a block party amber?) the USA doesn't do a pressure barrel like the uk though I did find that norcal do a solution(see links below)

The total cost below is sub-$200 for your first 5 gallon/40pints and will provide you all the tools you need to produce multiple batches in future. This equipment can also be use to make wine and cider. You can also rack your beer to plastic 2ltr or 3ltr pop/soda bottle to age and to easily chill in the fridge.

https://www.amazon.com/Share-Enjoy-Homebrew-Brewing-Starter/dp/B0179ZH89Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503185459&sr=8-1&keywords=homebrew+kit

http://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Fermenter-Spiedel-30-Liter-7.9-Gallon-Plastic.html

http://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Speidel-Ball-Lock-Gas-In-with-Pressure-Relief-Valve.html

https://www.amazon.com/HomeBrewing-Brewing-Recipe-Citra-Session/dp/B00WIGZJQO/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1503185696&sr=8-1&keywords=ipa+brewing+kit+5+gallon

Once you are confident then you can progress on to the more advanced brewing. Not something to jump straight into. The disheartening experience of your first bad/spoilt batch shouldn't put you off, some can even be saved!

Good luck in your brewing. (Personally I found wine a much more forgiving experience when learning to home brew)

u/Massedeffect1 · 2 pointsr/brewing

Oh gotcha. There are a bunch of use videos and articles about yeast propagating and yeast ranching that you can watch to learn more. After I grow up the population of yeast, I divide it and refrigerate them in either 50 ml sterile centerfugale tubes or in 1 pint Mason jars depending on size. I buy the centerfugale tubes on Amazon. All in all, It's easier than it looks and is fun to experiment with. As long as you pay extra close attention to sanitation and sterilization you should be fine.
Here is a link to the tubes I buy. SPL 50ml Conical Centrifuge Tube PP/HDPE, Sterile,Non - pyrogenic, Non - cytotoxic, DNase / RNase - free, Human DNA - free (Pack of 25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KXX7NQM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l0osDbCZ2N2KS

u/Mushbeeguy · 1 pointr/brewing

I have a grainfather and although it costs more, I am quite happy.

Once you trust what you are doing , with the bluetooth, you don't have to babysit it. I see the Clawhammer for 120 is $200, the Grainfather Connect alone is $150. You will need one ac cords that I used to call an IBM , https://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-Edison-Female-Adapter/dp/B0015V1GXS With this you can run your own recipes. WITH the timer functions. :)

If you are going for larger than 5gal. The Grainfather controller is not a viable option. UNLESS you use the heat outlet to power a relay to hadle a isolated 240v line to your element. YMMV and my advice is worth exactly what you paid for it. I just like gadgets. :)

u/wbruce098 · 1 pointr/brewing

I understand the struggle; moved from the mid Atlantic (cool basement country) to north Florida and had to do this too.

I ended up with a real cheap deal on a fridge so that’s what I use, but they’re ill suited to holding heavy objects. A 5gal will break most fridge shelves, though you could probably rig something up with a little wood or something.
I agree a chest freezer or kegerator is a better option. My fridge works fine for 2-3 gal batches tho.

As for if it fits: most full size fridges fit my 5gal bucket fermenter just fine. I recommend taking measurements and bringing measuring tape with you when you look for a fridge or chest.

You’re also gonna need a temp controller unless the fridge/freezer can be adjusted up to the 60’s; most beers won’t ferment at 40F :). I use this one and it’s worked so far:

https://www.amazon.com/WILLHI-WH1436A-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B00V4TJR00/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?keywords=fridge+temperature+controller&qid=1563644314&s=gateway&sprefix=fridge+tem&sr=8-9

u/zworkaccount · 1 pointr/brewing

What do you mean? As in how should you construct one? You understand that you won't be able to buy one, so no one can recommend stills for you to buy, right? I would recommend The Alaskan Bootleggers Bible for great information about a variety of different still designs.

u/bfoz · 1 pointr/brewing

Ok, BIAB looks like the easiest way to do this. I don't want to buy too much equipment for this just yet. NB has a starter kit, but it looks like I'm only missing the mesh bag and a "mash paddle". What's the paddle for? I guess I have some research to do. Thanks.

Is this the sort of kettle you're thinking of?

u/lolbatrocity · 2 pointsr/brewing

There’s an easy-read Cider making book that might help! Check it out:

Cider: Making, Using & Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider, 3rd Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1580175201/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2CVDDbMZHRJFW

u/gepat · 2 pointsr/brewing

I just bought this one. I'll read it and report back.
http://www.amazon.com/Brewing-Michael-J-Lewis/dp/0306472740?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
I have a pretty big library, and I really don't think any are perfect for what I want. My shelf needs more books, so why not.

u/jeelste · 1 pointr/brewing

You can buy a braided steel freezer lock on amazon that binds with a strong adhesive cement that locks with a padlock. I bought this one and use it on the freezer door in my lab, it's bonds very securely.

u/Doggfite · 1 pointr/brewing

I just got an airlock in the mail, I would recommend it, super cheap but it's well made.
Twin Bubble Airlock and Carboy Bung (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_d2JwcdyQM9mwC

u/Shibboleeth · 3 pointsr/brewing

I'd check out Starting Your Own Brewery by Dick Cantwell on the hurdles you'll have to consider in starting a brew pub.

It's a pretty expensive endeavor, I wish you luck if you decide to do it.

u/deadme4t · 3 pointsr/brewing

I put a pump in the sink, filled just high enough to submerge the pump. Them dump 16lb of ice on top.

Similar pump can be had for $20. Make sure it has a connection that matches your chiller hose!

Works amazing.