You can all thank me (and my dad) for this when the final product is finished. In his email he say's that before you even buy any equipment, which in his opinion isn't a touch on the gear available 10-15 years ago, you should extensively read up on the what type of ale/cider you're attempting. The information you're going to need can be found in "The Camra Guide To Home Brewing". For a paper back this is quite expensive at ?40 but according to my old man it's worth it's weight in gold and would make a great gift to an interested/enthusiastic son. It's got everything you need to know. He's stopped brewing his own because, and you should beware of this, my mum has now forbidden it due to the stench it can give off. He also says that from speaking to friends who make their own Cider then it's best to stick to the medieval recipe's. Take this advice as you will, but I've never done it before so it's second-hand info.