Sanitation Supplies

• Don't skimp on sanitation. Cleaning tools include brewing gloves, brushes for various equipment, and blast bottle washers, and the best are built for home brewers. Carboy and bottle brushes are specially designed for those odd shapes. A "blast" bottle washer sprays the insides of a bottle and makes it easy to remove hard deposits. Special cleansers remove fermentation residue and other organic deposits that can affect a new batch of beer's fermentation. The best cleaning agents are odorless and tasteless, and do not contain chlorine, bisulfites, organic compounds or phosphates.
  
  

Brewing Equipment

• Any pot that can accommodate at least 3.5 gallons can serve as a brew kettle to boil wort for a standard 5-gallon batch, but it is best to use those made of stainless steel for its durability, as enamel pots wear out over time. Fermenters come in the form of glass carboys, conical fermenters and plastic buckets. The safest and most durable are plastic buckets; however, glass carboys offer significant advantages over plastic -- glass is easier to clean and sterilize, is more airtight, and easier to see into. Tiny scratches in plastic carboys from brushing can also harbor unwanted microbes.
  
  

Chillers

• Although wort chillers are not necessary in home brewing, they do help cool down the wort much faster to improve clarity and deter contamination. Wort chillers come in various styles and sizes. Copper or stainless steel are recommended materials rather than plastic for coiled immersion chillers because the metals are good heat conductors. The best, and most expensive, wort chillers are compact plate chillers -- the wort and cold water flow through the chiller at the same time to rapidly cool the wort to fermentation temperature.
  
  

Measuring Equipment

• Tools such as hydrometers and dial thermometers measure all of the vital statistics of the wort, beer, and the brewing liquor during the brewing process. Measuring cups, measuring spoons, and scales also allow for consistency of hops or grain weights. The best equipment is made from stainless steel, as it is more durable and easier to sanitize than plastic or wood.
  
  

Racking Equipment

• The best racking equipment prevents oxidation and infection when transferring the beer from one vessel to another. A racking cane made of stainless steel or hard plastic allows you to siphon off the liquid with a minimum of sediment. Another handy device is the "auto siphon," which combines a racking cane with another tube that allows the user to "pump" once or twice to start siphoning with minimal effort and maximum cleanliness.
  
  

Bottling ang Kegging Gear

• A good bottling bucket, where the priming sugar is added prior to bottling, is one that is made of food-grade plastic and is equipped with a spigot at the bottom. A bottle-filling wand at the end of siphon tubing allows you to fill bottles with minimal waste. The best bottle cappers are heavy-duty models that stand freely or can be bolted down. However, if you find bottling a hassle and a messy chore, kegging is an easier, faster, and simpler alternative. Recycled soda kegs are very practical and convenient, and can be filled much faster than bottles. It is also possible to bottle from the keg using a counter-pressure filler.
  
  

Ingredients

• Water used for home brewing must be free from chlorine or other chemicals, and should have some basic minerals. Tap water is sufficient after the chlorine has been boiled away. For easy brewing, barley malt extract comes in syrup or powder form; the syrup is available in different strengths, from light "pilsner" style to dark syrup for heavy ales. The best hops should be fresh and green in color; brown or yellow hops indicate oxidized or stale hops, and if the hops smell like cheese, it must not be used. Invest in high-quality yeast. Dry yeast is cheaper, easier to use, and can be stored longer than liquid yeast, but liquid yeast provides a fresher pitch of healthy cells and is often available in more styles.
  
  

Kitchen items

• Everyday kitchen items can become a home brewer's necessary tools, such as whisks to aerate wort, tongs to remove hot straining bags, and funnels used to transfer liquids into carboys and bottles. Spoons, paddles, screens, and straining bags are small items that also help to stir wort, steep grains and boiling hops. Stainless steel or food-grade plastic are best for tools, and grain/hop bags should be made of muslin or nylon that can be sanitized between uses.