Clay

Recipes 

I have only made beer using starter kits, like from brewers best. How do you guys make your beer? If you buy your ingredients separately how do you know what you need and what goes together good. There is a liquor store near me with tons of homebrew ingredients, malt extract, hops, grains, etc. but I have no idea what do to with any of it. If I wanted to make something dark like Guinness is it better just to buy an Irish stout kit or go and pick out certain ingredients?

Thanks

El Pistolero

Recipes 

Buy a book like Clone Brews or Beer Captured for the recipes, and read Palmer's Book online for the techniques. Other than that keep reading old threads here, and most importantly, relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

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[/I] Up Next - Hobgoblin
After That - Czech Pilsner
Primary - Humboldt Hop Rod (4/24)
Primary - NOT Wheat AG SNCA (5/5)
Secondary -
Conditioning - SNCA Clone (3/3),

timdsmith72

Recipes 

Well, I went in to my HBS and asked them if they recommended a kit or put together ingredients and they suggested ingredients. Luckily, they knew what they were doing and asked me what kind of beer I wanted to make...what I liked...etc. They put together ingredients for me and it turned out exactly like I wanted. Maybe your HBS guys could do the same for you...

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Up next: ??
Primary 1: Haus Ale
Primary 2: Air
Bottled 1: Edwort's Apfelwein
Bottled 2: Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Bottled 2: Cranberry Wheat
Kegged 1: Edwort's Haus Ale
Kegged 2: Saison

wild

Recipes 

Once you're ready to strike out on your own, pick up Designing Great Beers or you can pick it up a little cheaper here.

Wild

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On Tap -

1. 3 year old Oak Aged Bourbon Porter
2. Irish Red Rye
3. Robust Porter
4. Russian Imperial Stout
5. Mirror Pond Clone dry hopped with Citra
6. Mirror Pond Clone dry hopped with Centennial

Primary - Nada
Secondary -

From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world. -- Saint Arnoldus

brewhead

Recipes 

what i like to do is find a recipe online (there are a bazillion outlets for that) find one that sounds good and has some feedback from others , brew a couple of batches and vary the ingredients until i find something that i really like

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SteveM

Recipes 

The guy at the store where I buy my stuff is very helpful, but that's all he sells. He asks what you like and he suggests combinations that should be good for your tastes. Or, if you have a specific request he will suggest what would work. The home brew stuff is not a sideline, and he is very knowledgable (sp?).