Kits or Recipes for a Beginner?

Because I am stubborn and did not like the idea of just blindly following a kit, my first brew (a hefeweizen) came from a recipe I found online that seemed like a simple beginners brew. Though I do not know how it is going to turn out, did I make a mistake by not starting out with kits first? I liked the freedom of picking what my next beer recipe was going to be but realize that just because I read a book, doesn't mean I should have started a bit easier and worked my way up

My thought on the matter is that, for your first couple brews, your best bet is to go with a known good recipe. Whether that comes from a kit or a book or from a well-reviewed recipe online, doesn't really matter.

I think this is key so that if the brew doesn't turn out according to plan, at least then you can be relatively certain it was down to something you did and something you can fix, rather than wondering if it's because you made a bad choice of ingredients or if it was something process related.

In short, I don't think it matters much, recipe or kit, so long as you've got a reasonable level of confidence in your source (either your kit vendor or wherever your recipe is coming from).

if you bought the ingrediants and followed a recipe...

if you would of bought a kit (for example the one our local shop sells) the only difference should be that it comes in a box as opposed to being loose pieces in a bag...

I think you are just fine as long as you followed the recipe...

Kit to learn the process, IMO.

B

My first 2 were kits, but I'm slightly modifying my 3rd since it's a SNPA clone and the hops looked different from what I read elsewhere. I feel like I have the process down ok, and I'm only making a slightly substitution...

IM(very n00bish)O, you're probably fine as long as the recipe is from a good source. Brew away!!

I started with kits.. Then started modifying the kits a little bit.. Then downloaded brew target, picked a style, and randomly added ingredients til it met style. After experimenting that way, you still wind up with some decent to good beer and learn what different ingredients do.

My first beer was a kit, but I didn't like the fact that I had no control over the recipe. Since then I've gone with recipes. In each case, I've found a recipe, taken each ingredient, researched it to understand what it's adding to the beer, and then either taken it or left it or been ready to sub something out if the LHBS doesn't have it. I've made two that way since, both of which have turned out well.

I am brand new to this, and I started with a recipe from a book rather than a kit. I had no real difficulty on brew day. As stated above, the only difference between kits and book recipes is that with the recipe, it is up to you to make sure that you get all of the right ingredients before brew day. When I have had a question while shopping, my LHBS has been very helpful. Once you get home with all of the right ingredients, it is the same process.

stratslinger said:

My thought on the matter is that, for your first couple brews, your best bet is to go with a known good recipe. Whether that comes from a kit or a book or from a well-reviewed recipe online, doesn't really matter.

Click to expand...

"Well reviewed" is key for me. I am a little frustrated with the bloggers out there (no one reading this, certainly,) who provide a recipe and pictures of brew day but then don’t come back to let you know how the brew turned out. That is an important piece of information.

Authors like Palmer and Mosher have beginner recipes that say things like hops of your choice, or pick your own yeast. Those are good options if you want to make your own without getting in over your head.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter7.html

I agree with what was written above about there being really no difference between buying a kit and following someone else's recipe. When I follow recipes, I usually make substitutions, but that could be a problem if you don't know your stuff.