Alright. I've been wanting to get into homebrewing for a while now, so a lurk in this area of the forums. I'm just looking to do some basic beers starting out until I get the hang of it, then I'll see where to go. My biggest concern is that when I read here, lots of information and conversations just go way over my head. Basically, 2 questions arise: 1. What advice would you give to me? 2. What are the opinions on starting with the kits from Midwest Supplies/Northern Brewer/similar? Thanks!
start by reading www.howtobrew.com , check out your local library, they may have the complete joy of homebrewing as well. Both books helped me out a lot when I first got started. Find a local homebrew shop that has a good reputation, a lot of them have hands on brew days where you can see what it takes to get the job done. Once you've got an idea of what to do, I picked up a kit from the local shop that was similar to this one http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...-starter-kits/deluxe-brewing-starter-kit.html and picked up a basic extract kit to brew. I followed it word for word and made a drinkable concoction.
Welcome to brewing. I have only about 10 batches under my belt but was hooked as soon as I tasted a bottle of Altbier that I brewed as my first trial. Alts are my favorite style. IPAs and Pales a close second. You can get plenty of recipe kits. I'd recommend all Extract or Extract + Specialty Grains for starters. I usually use Austin Homebrew Supplies because I used to live there and like how those guys operate. I have had drinkable brews on 100% of the kits I have gotten from them, but I am sure midwestern and northern have about the same reputation. I found that the easiest beer with the shortest time to serving and enjoying was a hefeweizen. A lot of beers require aging a bit, but as long as the hefe is in the bottle for 3-4 weeks, it has turned out really good each time I made it. Had tons of Hefeweizens in Germany and got hooked on them a few years ago, but have drifted back to hoppier and maltier beers. I have a 6.5 gal glass carboy for primary fermentation and a 5 gal carboy for secondary. I have never needed a blow-off tube and instead just use the airlock and haven't had any problems. Now that i have said that, I will probably have my current brew explode in the pantry! The Palmer book and the Papazian book are both good references. Austin Homebrew sends pretty good instructions with the ingredient kits they ship. Just remember what you'll here from plenty of folks here - sanitization is king. Good luck!
Just do it. I have read howtobrew.com many times. For my first several brews I had the browser open to Palmer's step-by-step guidance . . . this really helps. If you have someone local you can watch brew, do so. But you still want to read Palmer first, and second, and ... A basic starter kit and ingredients kits from the Big Boys like Northern Brewer is how many of us started. They are not perfect, but a decent way to get started with minimal hassle. If you buy from a local store you have the right to pick their brain incessantly. Oh yeah, you can also get advice here. Don't worry about knowing everything. I'm convinced the brass ring of complete knowledge is not to be snared. What can be created is some pretty decent beer. With a little extra work you can make world-class beer. Your lurk mode is officially off . . . time to do it.
Welcome to the addiction. Grain basically wants to become wort and yeast want to make beer. You just need to do everything in between. This is some starting points. Read: How to Brew, by John Palmer. I've heard heard both he and Jamil opine how they have evolved and done more research since the book was written, but it is still the best first stop shopping for the written wort. http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html If you are still interested, then buy the book. Usually it is the other way around, but the book is more up to date than the site. Also check out The Joy of Homebrewing. Also check out: http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/what-would-be-in-your-essential-homebrewers-library.55709/ There is lots of good texts, links, and information. Also: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/ Equipment: do a litte research then decide on what you will need. It will depend on what you already have that you can repurpose and also how deep you want to get into it. You can also do a beer advocate forum search for: Absolute noob Absolute beginner Best kit or best homebrew kit Beer advocate also has a decent search feature for whatever else you are looking for Or you can just post a question on the forum. Then when you are ready for recipe info: Listen for free to The Brewing Network's Jamil Show podcasts on iTunes. They are broken down by style, but they all have good information in them. Some of the shows are much more than just style guidelines and recipe information. You can buy the book "brewing Classic Styles" by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer Then if you need more in depth information there is also: Brew Strong podcasts for free on iTunes A subscription to Zymurgy and/or Brew Your Own magazine There are other homebrew forums, but bad advice is shot down pretty quickly on this forum AND backed up with solid information and/or experience. I have never found the need to go outside BA. And tons of good information online, just understand that not all of it is good, and some of it is really really bad.I Do you have a hydrometer? That is the most reliable method of determining when the yeast have consumed all the sugar they can. BUT, that by no means is an indication of where the yeast stop working. The hardest thing to learn is to fight the urge to do something just for the sake of doing something. I like 2 weeks in primary for pale ales, but that is not an answer that is dependable. When 2 hygrometer readings a few days apart are identical, then wait longer. The yeast still have work to do. The best advice I can give is brew often, brew with a consistent process, take good notes, get to know what you can expect, and forgive yourself for mistakes as long as you learn from them. The airlock is not a quantative indicator of fermentation completion or speed of fermentation. Use your hydrometer (or go to the LHBS and purchase one). Take 2 readings a couple days apart. If the readings are the same, fermentation is done. I tend to leave the beer on yeast a few more days to allow them to reabsorb less than desired byproducts. ------------ JimSmetana said: Cannot beat this! http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...arter-kits/essential-brewing-starter-kit.html Ipas-for-life said: Got this kit for my brother for christmas. Thought it was a good price. I just added on a 8oz bottle of starsan and he can buy the bottle caps. https://bellsbeer.com/store/product...ewing-Equipment-Kit-w{47}-Better-Bottle®.html By: reverseapachemaster If you have a local homebrew shop they usually carry starter kits of all the basic equipment and then you just need to buy a suitable kettle. You can buy those at the same place but you might have something at home/parents have something that is suitable to start with and you can upgrade later.The basic equipment kits are mostly all you need other than the kettle. I've been brewing for 3.5 years and still use the same stuff as my primary equipment. If you don't have a local shop, midwest supplies frequently runs groupons for the starter equipment kits for I think $60. You probably have to pay shipping on top of it but it might be a little cheaper than ordering at other places online or even locally. Lots of people are getting into the hobby and deciding they don't like what they are making or don't want to put in the work and unloading equipment on craigslist. Look around locally, you might be able to find a basic kit with minimal use dirt cheap. There's usually some Mr. Beer kits that people use once or twice after getting them as Christmas gifts and then try to unload on CL a couple months after the holidays. That's also an option to start with but the ingredient kits are not the greatest beers and are expensive for what they are. Still, you might be able to get the Mr. Beer equipment kit for like $20 and that equipment is all perfectly useful in the future. There are people with 10+ years of brewing that use the Mr. Beer equipment from time to time. JackHorzempa says: Permit me to discuss one item: if you have a ‘good’ LHBS nearby I would strongly encourage you to buy your homebrewing kit there and establish a relationship with the folks at the store. Keep in mind that the LHBS has a BIG interest in getting you educated and making good beers. If your first batch is a ‘success’ you will come back to the store and buy more ingredients. Don’t be shy in interacting with the store personnel; ask them lots and lot of questions. Brew your first batch during store hours; that way you can call them up if you have any questions while brewing your first batch. OK, I will discuss a second item: remember to Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Homebrew!
Pretty much everything you need to know has been hit upon. But I'll add a little more. 1. Pay attention to your sanitation, almost nothing is more important. Use StarSan...and yes it is really a no-rinse sanitizer. 2. If you are happy with your first brew, understand that it could be quite a bit better...but it's going to cost you a ton of money. Beer equipment aint cheap. 3. As you're doing this on the cheap, brew a beer/use yeast that will work with your fermenting environment...i.e. the coolest most consistent temp in your house/apt. For instance...a Saison would be extremely easy as your first brew. Good Luck...brewing is fun as hell.
Here is where my buddies and I are buying from from now on. They just added liquid yeast after I requested it and are looking into adding more grains I wanted after I requested it. http://www.valuebrew.com/collections/ingredient-kits
Hi. I'm a fellow Boilermaker currently residing in Missouri. If you tell me the general region of Missouri you live in I may be able to recommend a homebrew shop.
I'm in St. Louis. I stumbled randomly across Friar Tuck's homebrew area that I didn't know existed, even after 5 trips.
Have you tried using BA's awesome SEARCH feature? Have you tried using BA's awesome SEARCH feature? BA's awesome SEARCH feature returns these threads... http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/getting-started.49813/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/t...d-in-home-brewing-where-to-shop-online.49108/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/is-starting-out-with-extracts-really-necessary.54361/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/noob-help.31245/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/going-to-start-homebrewing.80299/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/posts/1077232/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/homebrewing-where-to-start.70838/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/equipment-where-to-start.58486/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/what-to-start-homebrewing-what-do-i-do.42144/ http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/what-kit-to-start-with.27498/ Might could be be a good place to start? --- And of course... http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html
If not mentioned above, find a club in your area. Best way to taste homebrew, see it being made, and get hands on experience with an experienced brewer. There may be some that are BJCP with good palates that can taste your beer and give suggestions for improvement. This is what moved my abilities up several notches, and the beer I make now is pretty good.
