Looking for brewing tips

Hey guys, I am trying to formulate my own recipe for a new beer flavor, I have not been brewing for too long and and looking for some tips when it comes to using hops and everything. I bought a mr. Beer kit where the wort was premade in a can and I don't know how to make it from hops. Does anyone have some insight?

Your best bet is to visit your local homebrew shop, if you have one. If not, shop online, but call the vendor first. Get his/her advice. There are some very good kits available commercially that are not pre-hopped.

Or, you can research these forums. Decide first what kind of beer you would like to make. I would recommend something fairly straight forward, such as a pale ale, or an amber ale. As a general rule thumb, when it comes to designing beers, simpler is better.

I don't know what your boiling and fermenting capacity is, you might want to do something like:

5 or 6 lbs light liquid malt extract
1/2 to a pound of Crystal 40, steeped at 150 degrees for 30 minutes.
1/2 to a pound of Munich malt, steeped with the crystal.

1 ounce of Northern Brewer hops, boiled for an hour
1 ounce of Fuggles, boiled for 15 minutes.

Yeast of your choice.

Ok I'll ask my vendor, and do you have any ideas on how to get certain flavors like pumpkin, chocolate, fruity, or do I have to find the hops and grains that give it those flavors?

I move up into a Beer Kit from your Homebrew shop w/ the LME, steeping grains, hops, dry yeast included : Usually around $30-40 They usually have several dozen to work with with the directions

Then try these books in this order:

How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time by John Palmer

Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew by Jamil Zainasheff

ahaley said:

Ok I'll ask my vendor, and do you have any ideas on how to get certain flavors like pumpkin, chocolate, fruity, or do I have to find the hops and grains that give it those flavors?

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I've not used pumpkin, but I think some brewers use pumpkin pie filling. Fruity flavors can come from certain strains of yeast, fermenting at somewhat higher temperatures. If you are looking for a citrusy quality, hops such as Cascade and Centennial can supply that.

Chocolate flavors can come from steeping some chocolate malt, or you can actually use chocolate (I recommend bakers chocolate).

Outstanding thank you, sorry I haven't been on in a while, works been throwing me crazy schedules and I've not had time for this really, what I really want to make it a sour beer, preferably sour apple do you have any insight on that?