Starter Kits

[RAMROD]

Ok I am looking at the 3100 starter kit swaping out the wine bottles for another carboy adding 60 more corks an air lock and one of the mixers for the drill I have hear everyone talk about. Any more sugestion for a beginer

 

[masta]

I would only suggest swapping out the glass wine thief and test jar for the #5432 Wine Thief/Test Jar Combo Fermtech...other then that you will be all set.The drill mounted stirrer is a must have as you had read.


Plus you get all the help you will ever need from George and this forum!

 

[MedPretzel]

Racking tube, extra sanitizer (for a large kit never bad), proper corker (at least the double-levered corker, preferably a floor corker)... That's all I can think of right now.

 

[MedPretzel]

Duh... Just found the link to wehre everything is listed. Yeah, you should be fine. Sorry about that!

 

[RAMROD]

What about for making from fresh fruit?

 

[RAMROD]

Ok just looked will swap out for the 5432 thanks masta

 

[geocorn]

Great idea on the swap out for the wine thief combo. As soon as I get low on the glass wine thief and the plastic test jar (just got a bunch in.), I will make the replacement to the starter package. The cost savings will also allow me to add the whip de-gasser. I have been trying to come up with a way to add the whip and now I have the method.


Thanks to everybody!

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I would think about swapping the glass carboy for the plastic one, the glass ones are so slippery when you are trying to wash them and the weight doesn't help either, maybe one of the pro's could comment on glass VS plastic?

 

[masta]

I have one 5 gallon Better Bottle that I have only useddo the secondary fermentation on a Red Larger beer I made and it worked fine.


Here is a link to manufacturer site:


http://www.better-bottle.com/products_master.html


Drop a glass carboy and you will realize thata carboy handle is also a must have for your glasscarboys!

Edited by: masta

 

[MedPretzel]

I have a carboy-harness. It is very helpful.

 

[RAMROD]

Will check on a harness.


I have thought about the plastic but then you have to worry about scratching it while cleaning and giving bactieria a place to hide hard to do that with glass but thanks for the suggestion.


What about anything I would need to make wine from scratch.

 

[AAASTINKIE]

masta thanks for the betterbottle link.


medpretzel, the bottle harness you have is it one of the ones made with nylon webbing about 3/4" wide? and does it stay on well, I see that type on ebay and somewhere I saw a big nylon clamp with handles that was kind of pricey.

 

[geocorn]

I have a nylon harness that will not stay up on the carboy. Everytime you set it down the harness falls down. Then, you have to readjust it to pick it up. When I am at the distributors at the end of the month, I am going to examine their harnesses to see if they work any better. If the do, I will start stocking them.

 

[AAASTINKIE]

the one sold on ebay looked like it needed a few nylon tie straps up around the neck to hold it up, the clamp I saw was real solid with two handles and bolted together around the middle of the carboy but was $25 +/-

 

[RAMROD]

I dont know what they look like but could you put a tie wrap around it to keep in place. I think this would work if the harness comes up to the neck of the carboy.

 

[AAASTINKIE]

ramrod, I can't get to ebay from work, but if you go there and look under wine, they have those strap carriers there

 

[RAMROD]

After looking at the link I am rethinking my stand on plastic has anyone else used these?


Ok Stinkie will go there and look after I get off tonight. (ebay)

 

[geocorn]

I have sold quite a number of the Better-Bottles and everybody really likes them. They are extremely light, 1 pound versus 13 and I have not heard any complaints about scratching, discoloration or excess oxidation.


The main reason they are purchased is the weight factor. When you consider that 6 gallons of wine weigh about 60 pounds without a carboy, the 12 pound weight differential is huge for people with back problems and older people.

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I picked up my full carboy 6gal. and my back was sore that night, good thing I had some wine to sooth it, I went and got some handles the next day, that is much easier.

 

[Hippie]

I am a large man, but getting kinda long in the tooth, and have no problems with the 5 gallon full carboys with the straps, but add another gallon and WHEW! It really makes a difference.


Bert, after you do some kits, then read up and think about making scratch wines. READ, READ, READ. Then you will have no doubt what you need and what to expect.