Now that we’ve discussed what types of brewing you can do, what are you going to need in order to do it? I’ve tried to highlight what you will need. This picture has some glass fermenters, airlocks below, racking canes and wort chillers (both upper left)

A Kit: Brew supply stores almost always have ready-made kits that you can buy. This is obviously the most simple thing to do when you get stuff to brew with. Some stores will allow you to substitute glass fermenters for plastic for a fee. This and other up-grades are optional. I know that Nate has a great deal of success using a plastic bucket, but I prefer to use glass. Brew kits are usually minimalistic in approach and don’t include a spoon and other things that you will actually need. Below I have given a list of what you need (and some optional things) for brewing beer. Each item will be mentioned and explained. At the end, I will give a simple, itemized list that will be easy to write down (or copy) rather than having to skim back through the whole article. I’m warning the reader that this will be a lengthy post just because of all the stuff that has to be covered.

Brew Pot: Pots come in various sizes and types. First of all, you are going to want to use a stainless steel pot. Some people use ceramic-coated pots or maybe other metals. But stainless steel is your best bet. Don’t go crazy with this part. Don’t buy the thinnest gauge that you can find, but don’t buy the heaviest either. You want something that will be efficient with heat transfer, but if your pot is too thin it might have a tendency to scorch. A 5-gallon stainless pot will probably run from $20-40. What you are looking for is a stock pot. I use a 5-gallon pot that I keep at about 2 1/2 to 3 gallons full. Wort boils pretty violently, so if you want to do all 5 gallons of beer in one pot, you’re going to need a 7- or 8-gallon pot. This is a personal decision, but I’ve had great success with a 5-gallon pot. What I do is boil the three gallons of wort and “top it off.” More about this when we start brewing.

Utensils: Get a long-handled metal spoon. When I say long, I mean one that is 18-21 inches or so. Believe me when I tell you will get tired of using a short spoon really quickly–unless you are trying to cook your hand, but that’s another matter.

You’ll also need a thermometer that can reach at least 212 degrees (the boiling temp of water at sea level). There are a few types of thermometer that can be used. DO NOT USE A THERMOMETER WITH MERCURY in it. I have a hand-held thermometer because that is what I used when I started. A really good thermometer for brewing (because of sanitary concerns) is a floating thermometer, which works on (you guessed it) buoyancy. Make sure that your thermometer is able to read temps that are close to freezing, too.

A Kitchen Scale is a useful but not mandatory purchase. It’s nice for weighing grains and other beer ingredients. However, your homebrew store will weigh and have much of the stuff you buy pre-weighted for purchase.

You can also pick up a Hydrometer if you want to. This instrument measures the gravity of a beer before and after fermentation. It is used to measure the alcohol potential and final alcohol amount in your beer. I have one, but it’s not necessary if you are just brewing once to try it. Here is a test tube and Hydrometer picture to see what I’m talking about.

Some people mention getting an egg timer to keep track of how long your boil has been. I’ve always used the microwave timer to keep track.

You probably already have some measuring cups, which can be used as a sanitized holder for your spoon.

Fermenter Stuff: First thing’s first, you have to have a way to transfer your beer from the pot to the fermenter. The device used to do this is called a racking cane (in fermenter on the picture). This is basically a hooked cane with a rubber hose attached. These items are used to transfer wort (pronounced wert) into the fermenter where it will become beer. Racking canes also aid in the gentle transfer of beer (you must be gentle because new oxygen after fermentation can be detrimental to the beer). Racking canes also filter out some sediment.

Now to the fermenters. There are many types of fermenters. Stainless steel, copper, plastic or glass are the main options. Copper is extremely expensive, so that was never an option for me. Stainless steel is also expensive as a fermenter. Glass and plastic are the best when it comes to economy. I prefer to use glass because plastic is somewhat porous. It is the cheapest way to go, but I worry too much. Many, many people have had great success with plastic, so use it if you want. The only advantage that plastic has over glass is that it is more light resistant. That problem is easily solved with a towel or other thick cloth around the glass fermenter. This is one downside of glass that is easily remedied, and it beats the negatives of using plastic. One such negative effect of plastic is that it scratches easily, which can be a good way to harbor unwanted bacteria.

So, you are looking for a 5- to 6-gallon plastic bucket or a glass carboy. I want to stress this next part. When beer ferments, it generates a foamy head. If you are getting a 5-gallon sized vessel, you also need a blow-off hose. I use a 6 1/2-gallon fermenter for my primary fermentation cycle and transfer is to a 5-gallon fermenter (this is a means to reduce head space so that less oxygen gets into the beer), so I don’t worry about the beer foaming to the outside of the vessel (except on an exceptionally active beer). Either way you do it, you need sufficient space for your beer to grow without overflowing. I have two carboys. One is for primary fermenting and the other is for getting the beer off the waste product in order to condition it fast (and improve taste). Two fermenters is not necessary, but it is nice.

To close and create a one-way directional flow in your beer, you will need an airlock. As the name indicates, the airlock locks out air. It also lets you see whether or not the beer is still fermenting (the CO2 gas goes through the liquid filled airlock, so you see it bubble). More than anything, it keeps out unwanted stuff. The airlock has a rubber stopper (rubber stopper in picture of airlock) that fits into the hole of a carboy or plastic bucket. These are only a couple bucks, and you must have one to ensure your success. While you’re getting stuff to make your first beer, you need to pick up some sanitizing solution. This probably the most important thing you can buy for making your beer. Good sanitation is paramount for brewing good beer. I use an iodine and chlorine solution. You can also use 1 to 2 ounces of household bleach mixed with 5 gallons of cold water. This might be the cheapest way to go, and it is very effective.

Bottling your beer: Once you’ve made a batch of beer and are ready to do something with it, you’ll need some equipment. For 5 gallons you’ll need 50 or so bottles that can be capped. Twist caps will not work. If you already drink beer, you can save those recappable bottles (just give them a good rinse after the beer is gone). You can buy new, unlabeled bottles in cases of 24. USE BROWN BOTTLES unless you are trying to skunk your beer (if you’re making Mexican style beer).

You will need a way to gently transfer your beer to your bottles. I have a bottling bucket, which is a plastic bucket with a spigot. You can also get a bottle filler attachment for your racking cane. The racking cane route is cheaper, but I prefer the use of my bottling bucket. Once your beer is bottled, you are going to need some caps and a bottle capper to close the beer up. I use slightly more expensive (couple dollars total for 144 caps) oxygen barrier caps, but you can go with the slightly cheaper option, too.

Cleaning after and before fermentation: You can also purchase a long handle and hooked scrubbing brush, which will really help with cleaning.

Now, you need ingredients for brewing.

One more miscellaneous piece of equipment: When you brew beer, you are going to need to cool it as quickly as possible. How? I used an ice bath in a sink to cool my beer for a few years. Eventually, I bought a wort chiller, which is essentially a copper coil that hooks to a garden hose and transfers heat though the flow of cold water. I love using a wort chiller, but it is about $40-50 to buy. I recommend it but only once you’re sure that you are going to keep brewing. Some of this stuff can be gotten over time. This is an awesome piece of equipment to own.

Compiled list of stuff:

Brew Kettle Airlock

Long-handled spoon

Hydrometer (optional but recommended)

Thermometer

Measuring cups

Sanitizing solution

Timer (optional, microwave or stove timer works well)

Fermenter (a.k.a. carboy, if glass)

Bottling bucket or connection to racking cane

Racking Cane

Siphon hose (should come with racking cane)

Bottles Bottle Caps

Bottle Capper Blow-off hose (optional)

Kitchen Scale (optional) Wort Chiller (optional)

Love and desire to brew good beer.

Here in Indianapolis, l pick up my supplies at Great Fermentations.  I know Nate heads over to Titgemeiers in Toledo.

Brewing is also supposed to be a fun mix between science and art. You are going to have to learn not to stress out too much and learn to have fun brewing.

If you really begin to enjoy brewing, a couple of books are worth picking up. Charlie Papazian’s The Complete Joy of Home Brewing. I also really like Stephen Snyder’s The Brew-Master’s Bible, which has a ton of brewing recipes. There are some others, but I’m already getting carried away.