Set up a bench that flows from mash to glass without fuss. Australian Homebrewing stocks cappers and caps, glass bottles, fermenter drums, airlocks, taps, hydrometers, jugs, funnels, cleaners and sanitisers. Start with a solid fermenter, a reliable thermometer, and proper cleaning gear. Add a bottling wand for calm transfers and a bench capper for quick, even seals.

What is the core list for a first setup?
Grab a fermenter with lid and tap, an airlock, a stick-on thermometer, a hydrometer with trial jar, sanitiser, a bottling wand, and crown caps with a capper. Add a jug and funnel for clean fills. That set covers pitch, monitor, and package without clutter.

Cleaning vs sanitising: what is the difference?
Cleaning removes soil. Sanitising knocks back microbes on already clean surfaces. Rinse debris first, soak with oxygen cleaner, then apply no-rinse sanitiser just before contact with wort or beer. Too much soil defeats sanitiser, so treat the two steps as separate jobs.

Hydrometer or refractometer?
Use a hydrometer for straightforward readings before and after fermentation. A refractometer suits hot side checks and small samples, but it needs a correction once alcohol appears. Many brewers keep both and use the hydrometer for final gravity to confirm finish.