Hey everyone I'm new at home brewing but am looking to jump right in! I am a novice when it comes to this so I am not gonna try and BS yall when it comes to this especially when many of you have been doing this for years. The questions I have are what advice would you give a new guy, what are the best kits to start out with, ingredients, and the average costs? I know the cost isn't cheap and I am not worried about that but would prefer not to spend an arm and leg for products! Haha. Thank you all for the input you will give!!
New as well, but it looks like this might be a popular question on this site. Here's a link to someone asking the same question. http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/what-home-brewing-kit-should-i-get.305803/ Currently working on my second batch now. Used Brooklyn Brewshop 1 Gallon all grain set up for my first one. It came with a book with lots of recipes designed for 1 gallon batches which is nice, but It gives you very little info on the actually useful calculations you'll need to create your own recipes later down the road. It didn't even make a mention of gravities or effeciency, etc. Even if you decide to not go with their kit, I would still check out the book for the recipes and inspiration. Some of them are pretty funky. Heres the book http://www.amazon.com/Brooklyn-Brew-Shops-Beer-Making/dp/0307889203 Best of luck!
First off, welcome to the best hobby on the planet! Homebrewing is the best, and if you do things right on your first batch, you'll be hooked enough to want to do a second (and third and fourth and hundredth). My first recommendation is to find a local homebrew shop in your area. No matter what your level of expertise is, you can benefit from access to both the ingredients and the expertise at a local shop. They might not always be able to beat the prices of online shops, but between building relationships and being able to take supplies home the same day, you'll be glad you shopped in person. It's a good idea to set an initial budget as well as have an idea of how much space in your house/apartment you're willing to devote to brewing and storage of brewing equipment. Depending on your answers to these questions, you might get different advice regarding what type of starter kit to buy. Worth thinking about. Other than that, good luck and have fun!
1. Read howtobrew.com or the hard print book by John Palmer cover to cover. 2. No fancy equipment required for all grain brewing if you research how to brew in a bag (BIAB). I am not aware of one single website that covers this technique but suffice it to say that it is very simple and straightforward, all you really need is a big bag, big kettle, and big spoon, and there is tons of info all over the web about how to BIAB. 3. Initial cost of equipment should be <$100 especially if you already have 55 non twist off bottles and delay kegging for later if ever. Cost for you typical 5 gallons of beer is around $35-40 but can be cheaper if you buy base ingredients in bulk. 4. Keep it simple. This is not rocket science (contrary to what other homebrewers will make it out to be!). You are just making malt sugar soup. The yeast makes the beer. Treat the yeast right and you will have fantastic beer on your very first try!
I can't add anything to what was said above, but I'll emphasize that reading howtobrew.com online or purchase the updated print edition is a standard recommendation. Naked_Batman mentioned that your question is one that is frequently asked in this forum, so I'll suggest doing a search by using 'equipment' or 'kit' as key words, or just page back 8 or so pages and read the responses to the other similar threads. P.S. - Welcome to the BA site, and to the Homebrewing forum. Make yourself (and your beer) at home, and stay as long as you'd like.
Well first off welcome! I'm going to link in a post that is not that old. Full of a lot of good advice. I have a post on there as well about beginning. I'll give you the cliff notes though! 1. Find someone that brews that you think has good beer. If you don't know anyone, you'll probably be able to find someone on here. 2. There is no one right way to start. Many people start many different ways. Do your homework! Have fun with it... I love doing research. 3. You won't know what you need until you start to brew, but thermometers are something people really tend to forget. You can start with a beer kit or look at a beer kit and buy the things you want and upgrade the things you want. Some times brew kits have cap tools that are just junk. 4. Keep a journal. Always keep a journal, even record your mistakes. Record the time of day, the temperature, the humidity, it all helps. Start a list of things that work, and things that don't. 5. Read the books suggested! And Drink a BEER!! http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...brewing-kit-should-i-get.305803/#post-3791840
As others have said, just go do it. Your first try won't be perfect but it will probably be drinkable. My first batch I had a fermentation bucket and carboy courtesy of a buddy who had long since upgraded to stainless steel. I did Wil Wheaton's Devil Eyes PA kit and it was pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty good. Next time out I had purchased a floating thermometer and hydrometer (though I still dont use it enough.) For my last batch I had a wort chiller and heating strap so I could keep the wort at the temperature I wanted. As you go on you'll keep adding things to your kit that will give you finer control over the finished product. Get started, make a few mistakes, and have fun!
I can't add to anything the others have said. I found this site and it has a lot of recipe books and equipment at reasonable prices: http://theartofbrew.weebly.com
