Fail Safe First Time Homebrew

After a lot of time reading many threads on here, I'm getting ready for my first homebrew. I've had some experience with distilling, and a horrible experience with Mr. Beer some years ago.

I was wondering what y'all would recommend for a fail safe, easy first homebrew? I was hoping for a IPA or something along the line of a Shiner Bock clone. Austin Homebrew has a decent looking clone, and with my family being from Shiner, I know their beers quite well.

I've spent countless hours reading up between here and other sites before I even got to this point. I have several buddies doing homebrew that make some damn good beer using Austin Hombrews kits.

I was just wanting to know what everyone here thought would be a good, fail safe first homebrew.


I love all beer styles, so I'm open to anything.

I'm bottling my first brew tomorrow. I went with an American Amber. It was easy enough, and after tasting it during a gravity measurement this evening, it turned out pretty good.

A caveat with a bock is that lagers require cooler temps to get the desired results. For most people, ales are a better starting point, since you can keep a fermenter in the mid 60s a lot more easily than you can keep it in the mid 50s.

I've had very good results with AHS kits. I haven't brewed any of their IPA kits, but from a quick scan of some of them, I would say maybe give the Shot Caller IPA a try? That suggestion is based mainly on the fact that I like complex hop flavors and they have 4 hops featured in that one.

I was thinking an ale might be more along my lines.

I plan on stopping by AHB one of these days, seeing how I pass it on a daily baisis, just can never find the time.

How is Coopers canned beer? I seemed to see mixed reviews, mainly on the sugars used.

I just started back after a 4 year hiatus. I currently have the Alaskan Amber clone from AHS in primary right now. My only suggestion is to have a scale to measure out the hops that they send you. They send hops in 1 oz. packages, but the recipes can call for equal or less than what they send. I was used to adding the recipe specific, pre-measured packages from my LHBS. I ended up adding a 1/2 oz. too many hops, but my beer should turn out fine. I agree that an ale would be a great first beer.

Yeah, it would be best most likely to stick with brewing ales starting out, unless you have lagering capabilities. I started with an amber ale extract kit. You can't go wrong, it's way easy, just pay attention to what you are doing, easy game.

Show me a list of ingredients and I will show you someone who has made an undrinkable beer out of them. (looks in mirror) There are no foolproof recipes.

You are at an exciting time in your experience because you haven't developed bad habits yet. Take this opportunity to craft a simple recipe that you can use as a measuring stick by which you can judge your future creations.

Example
6.6 lbs. of light malt extract (dry or liquid)
2 oz. of hops (any variety) -- 1 oz. @ 60 min. for bittering, 1 oz. @ 5 min. for aroma
1 pkg. of ale yeast (dry or liquid)

Brew it, taste it, critique it, then brew it again and change what you don't like about it. (There WILL be something you don't like about it.)

Not sweet enough? Too sweet? Not enough body? Too bitter? Smells like socks? Smells like a Band-Aid? Smells like a banana? Eats holes in anything it comes in contact with? Calls you names? Tastes oily? Tates salty? Metallic? Metallica? Sulfury? Cidery?

I know Mr. Beer hurt you, but don't be afraid of making a bad beer, especially for the first year or so. It's gonna happen, just be super careful with your sanitation and talk to your buddies about their technique, ESPECIALLY the ones who are making beer that you enjoy. Stick with it and keep it simple in the beginning, your friends will love you for it in the end. Until you are making better beer than them, that is, then they will hate you.

You could also call your buddies and see if they will come over and help brew. Its fun helping people brew. I help my buddy brew and bring over equipment so he doesn't have to buy everything right away. I would say get a kit from Austin homebrew if you drive past there. Never been there but everyone seems to love the place and I bet there workers are really friendly and knowledgeable. Tell the what kind of beer you want to brew and its your first they will help you get a easy good one. I would get a ipa that doesn't require dry hopping for my first one. Not cause its hard just one less thing to do.

Thanks for all the suggestions and quick responses. I think I will try AHS Texas Blonde Ale.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=332

Price seems right, and reviews sound good. Might get some buddies to help and try the mini-mash version.