Hops. Yeast. malt. water.
and then some more hops.

Look around in the recipe section and you will see lots of recipes for all different types of beer you may want to brew.
http://homebrewforums.net/categories/recipes

I did a lot of AHS kits and was very happy with the results.

One of the first things I did was google how to siphon. Really. I had a piece of hose and a racking cane and apparently forgot how to think. There are several similar things that tend to get over thought. That's why I recommend spending the extra $10 on an autosiphon and whatever on a bottling bucket. Sure, the autosiphon will break on you in a year or so but by then you will be WAY more comfortable with all the other pieces of the process that siphoning won't seem like such an epic undertaking.

I started in a very confusing way doing all grain with no equipment that I didn't already have around. It didn't go so well, so don't do what Donny Don't does, but my advice:
Get some vinyl hose from home depot
Get a car boy (or a bunch of 1gal wine jugs if you can get them for free) or a food grade bucket (don't spend extra for it to say ale on the side)
Air lock(s) and bung(s) for fermentation vessel
A funnel, maybe you already have one
A brush to clean the inside of the carboy
Sanstar
And ingredients
I'd suggest you go with a split boil with the largest pans you already own for now. Brewing is the best way to see what you'll want to invest in next.

This site is incredible! I am definitely going to invest in a pot and auto siphon. Wheni start buying the materials I will ask for suggestions. What about a bucket to let the beer sit in? How big does that need to be? And does it need a bubbler or pressure relief? Also I have seen test for Gravity measurements?

bshefve said:

This site is incredible! I am definitely going to invest in a pot and auto siphon. Wheni start buying the materials I will ask for suggestions. What about a bucket to let the beer sit in? How big does that need to be? And does it need a bubbler or pressure relief? Also I have seen test for Gravity measurements?

The fermentation bucket should be like an oversized 5 gal bucket, they are actually 6.5 gal i think. It's shaped like a 5gal bucket with and eaxtra few inches at the top. The lid should have a hole in it, a bung hole. You can start by getting a bung that is sized for the hole and has a little hole for an airlock. Getting a beer fermentation kit would get you started in this regard, sincr it comes with the bucket, the airlock and properly sized bung. If you have a food supply shop around you could piece it together for a bit less, but you'll be drilling and sizing your own bung among othere things.

For gravity measurements, get a drop in hydrometer. Its easiest to use. Eventually you may want a refractometer, because its quicker and doesnt require a large sample, but most people have trouble reading them accurately and even a small misread with throw everything off.

For supplies, my recommendation is to skip the web for the first buy. Find a local supply shop if you can, being able to ask questions real-time while looking at products is really valuable. If you dont have a shop local or youd like to potentially save a few bucks, try

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/
http://www.morebeer.com/
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/


If you have time you could shop around. Go to a local shop, figure out exactly what you want/need make a list. Then check the sites for pricing.

Let us know what you end up with, id like to hear what you decide.

Btw here is the type of kit i recommend. Its 75 bucks and has everything you need from sanitizer to bottle capper.

http://www.morebeer.com/products/personal-home-brewery-kit-1-standard.html

Hydrometer, I can't believe I didn't add hydrometer to my first list.

Lakewood said:

C_B said:

Hydrometer, I can't believe I didn't add hydrometer to my first list.

aint nobody got time for that.

but seriously, it's not necessary to make a good batch of beer, especially if you're starting from a kit. It's important if you want to keep good records and have a good understanding of the ABV of the finished product. Otherwise it's just 15 bucks more toward that first batch of beer.

Agreed. It's also a good idea for a new brewer to use it to make sure the final gravity has been reached and is stable before bottling. Most people around here leave their beer in primary way longer than this takes however....

C_B said:

Lakewood said:

C_B said:

Hydrometer, I can't believe I didn't add hydrometer to my first list.

aint nobody got time for that.

but seriously, it's not necessary to make a good batch of beer, especially if you're starting from a kit. It's important if you want to keep good records and have a good understanding of the ABV of the finished product. Otherwise it's just 15 bucks more toward that first batch of beer.

Agreed. It's also a good idea for a new brewer to use it to make sure the final gravity has been reached and is stable before bottling. Most people around here leave their beer in primary way longer than this takes however....

Shut up, I'm just aging it so it's better. It's just been 27 months and has some slime growing on it.

Equipment is very much a matter of personal preference. You can go as simple, and low tech as I do... or you can spend a ton of money on fancy pants, high tech brewing systems. Sure, the fancy stuff is cool as shucks, but won't produce any better beer because of it. My advice is to start simple, learn the basics, gain some experience, and take it from there.

Also, remember; if you can buy a brewing thing that isn't sold as a brewing thing it will be about half the price

Dr_Jerryrigger said:

Also, remember; if you can buy a brewing thing that isn't sold as a brewing thing it will be about half the price

People always mention confectionary buckets, whether they held flour, sugar, syrup, or icing.

jeepinjeepin said:

Dr_Jerryrigger said:

Also, remember; if you can buy a brewing thing that isn't sold as a brewing thing it will be about half the price

People always mention confectionary buckets, whether they held flour, sugar, syrup, or icing.

this is how i started. you can get them free from the old ladies at the bakery department of most grocery stores, anywhere from 2-5 gallons.

as for other stuff i've had good dealings with these sites:

farmhousebrewingsupply.com
rebelbrewer.com
midwestsupplies.com