Beer Forum

I’ve been reading through the How to Brew book and have been able to identify some of the equipment I bought last night. I have two beer kegs that have had the top cut out of them. There is also a threaded coupler been welded toward the bottom of the beer kegs. I’m not sure what is supposed to thread in the couplers. Is this to connect the two? I also have an ice chest that is missing the spigot, but has a ball valve and a stainless steel water line inside. I have an idea what this is for, based on the book. I figured out what the copper coil is for. It’s to cool off the beer after you’re done cooking it. It has hose attachments right on it, which I never noticed at the yard sale. I also received two five gallon buckets with lids. One has a spout in it. There is also a big glass water jug, a propane cooker and two big boxes full of stuff. Plastic tubes, books and bottles of liquids and I’m not sure what all. I figured out the airlocks, some stoppers, brushes and lots of little pieces, two extra ball valves and a couple thermometers. I’m still going through it, but it looks like I have what I need to get started, at least. I think I will do extract for awhile, because that sounds easier. I really want to make my beer from scratch. I almost forgot to tell you that one of the big boxes has a shipping label from a place in Caliornia to get supplies. They have a web sight and everything. I don’t think we have anything around here close by because I never heard of making your own beer legal. I think I would have noticed a store.

I hope you like my picture. My daughter put it on for me. She thinks it's funny and looks like me when I'm on a bender. Thank you, Molly! She made me change my profile, too. She is smart as a whip on this computer stuff. I'd still be playing solitare if it weren't for her.

Mort

Not to use street vernacular but dude you got the hook up!
Ummm in old people speak that means you got a sweet deal... here is what you have
the 2 kegs with threded fasteners... well the spare ball valves go on these threads... this provides you with... well ball valves
the bucket with no spout is a fermenter... the one with the spout is for bottling.
the glass jug that is a carboy... also used for fermenting.
The cooler with braid is for mashing - All grain brewing... so put that away for now.
one of those 2 kegs might have a thermometer in it or a tube on the outside like one of those big caffeteria coffee pots... that one would be the HLT or Hot Liquour Tank... again only used for all grain... store it.
The other keg is a big boiling pot... you can use that for your extract... use that sweet propane burner to heat that sucker up and you are on a roll. You have already figgured out the copper chiller (that's 70 bucks right there probably)
Try to get your supplies at Beer Beer and More Beer http://www.morebeer.com , or Williams Brewing http://www.williamsbrewing.com, or Northern Brewer http://www.northernbrewer.com
Any of those stores have plenty of variety and expertese (if I could only spell) and are usually very willing to help you out.
Keep reading that book, don't be afraid to ask questions, and BE SURE TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE all that new equipment before using it.
Good Luck and welcome to the insanity.
BUB

Shoot! I never associated those ball valves with the threaded couplers. I guess when you get something stuck in your head, it can be hard to shake. I figured out the carboy after my last post and I found a stopper that fits and adapts one of the airlock things. I thought I had two thermometers, but I guess oneone is a hydrometer. I was reading what that's for. I guess the propane cooker is good to have. I already have a two burner one like that we use for cleaning chickens and when we cook up a lot of corn on the cob. It does a good job of heating up water fast. That Beer and More Beer place is where all this stuff came from, I think. I haven't gone to their web sight yet, but I should. I think I am almost ready to order some stuff. Where do you get bottles? I have a bunch to recycle, can those be cleaned out and reused? I have a wing capper and some caps already, I just need bottles. Shouldn't there have been some with this stuff? Maybe I need to go by and ask the woman I bought all this from if this is all. There should be some, I would think.

Thank you for your help Bub.

Mort

You can easily recycle bottles, but they should NOT be twist offs (won't cap right), and you need to be sure to clean and sanitize them before you fill them.

OH MY FUCKING GOD, I LOVE MORT.

Push Eject

You are not going to kick me in the groin, are you?

Mort

NumbSkull wrote:You are not going to kick me in the groin, are you?

Mort

Don't worry, he won't. Just don't bend over in the shower when PE is around.


Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

Wow! You scored quite the batch of equipment there. I think we're all quite envious. I've dropped way more than what you've spent and I wish I had some of that gear...

Anyway. Welcome to the world (obsession) of homebrew. We're all going to want to know how your first few batches of beer turn out, so keep us posted.

Be sure to tune into the Sunday show. They've helped me with my brewing more than they'll ever know...

mike