Suggestions for a first recipe

DaveMcPhee · 02-12-2010, 07:47 PM

Hello expert brewers;

After wanting to brew my own beer for a few years now, I spent this week researching equipment and costs, and low and behold, got my budget approved by the wife. I'm pretty shocked.

I live in Austin so I'll be heading down to AHB tonight or tomorrow and figure I'll pick up ingredients for my first batch too, and this is where I got stuck. This forum helped me a lot for what gear is essential, important, unnecessary and a plain old waste of money for a beginner. But a good first beer?

Ideally I'd like to start with a Malt Extract only recipe without any grain. I'd list a bunch of beers I like here but decided I didn't want to influence the masters on these here forums. Although if you twisted my arm ... a hoppy IPA or a bitter german style pilz... would be pretty sweet to start the summer off with. But mostly I'm looking for an extract recipe that a newb can't really screw up. Anything goes.

Your expertise much appreciated!

**rwinzing** · 02-12-2010, 07:52 PM

I order from Austim HB they have tons of kits for the beginer. I would go there and pick out one that tickles your fancy. Decide what you want to be drinking in 6 weeks and go from there. Good Luck

**Yooper** · 02-12-2010, 07:54 PM

Welcome! First of all, don't rule out using grain in your first recipe. The Austin Homebrew kits come with excellent directions, and if you can make a cup of tea, you can brew with steeping grains. I think you'd be very pleased with ANY of their kits. I particularly like their "clone" kits. If you go to their website, you can see that they have a ton of kits in every imaginable beer style. I've done their "Pete's Wicked Ale" clone, their "Fat Tire" clone, and a few others that I no longer remember!

I'd recommend doing an American pale ale (like Sierra Nevada), since you like that style. German beers tend to be lagers, and pilsners are especially tough for new brewers.

Any ale kit that you choose would be fine, though. They are all very similar in technique, so none of them would be too complicated. The only beer style to stay away from right now are lagers.

DaveMcPhee · 02-12-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YooperBrew

The Austin Homebrew kits come with excellent directions, and if you can make a cup of tea, you can brew with steeping grains. I think you'd be very pleased with ANY of their kits. I particularly like their "clone" kits. If you go to their website, you can see that they have a ton of kits in every imaginable beer style.

Holy ... [I should check if swearing is allowed on here

) you're not kidding, they have a ton of clones. I headed straight for my absolute favourite beer of all time and they have a clone. I'm impressed. I guess that answers the question then! It a full grain recipe so with your encouragement I'll go for it.

**Yooper** · 02-12-2010, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveMcPhee

Holy ... [I should check if swearing is allowed on here

) you're not kidding, they have a ton of clones. I headed straight for my absolute favourite beer of all time and they have a clone. I'm impressed. I guess that answers the question then! It a full grain recipe so with your encouragement I'll go for it.

No, no- not an all grain recipe! Get the extract recipe. But they come with grains, as well. Which kit is it? If you provide the link, we can take a look and see if it's a good fit for you.

DaveMcPhee · 02-12-2010, 08:08 PM

I have a strong feeling you're going to say no

Schneider Aventinus

If you do think it's a bad fit for a first attempt, what do you think of this, Real Ale's Rio Blanco Pale Ale

**Yooper** · 02-12-2010, 08:17 PM

You could do either one of those beers. The Aventinus clone wouldn't be too hard for you, but I'll warn you that it will take longer. A higher alcohol, "bigger" beer takes a few weeks longer than a lower alcohol beer, especially one like the Aventinus that has some flavors that have to mellow. That's one caution.

The only other thing I have to add is the Aventinus requires liquid yeast. Since it's your first beer, I'd suggest getting three packs of yeast instead of making a yeast starter. That means about $18 in just yeast, but it's really needed for a bigger beer like that. (Dry yeast is an option, but you WON'T get the right flavor with it).

The pale ale can be made with dry yeast, so it's a little cheaper. Otherwise, if you get the extract version, either beer is doable.

In fact, if you do the pale ale, you should go ahead and get the dry yeast, the Nottingham which is suggested in the dropdown list, and not the liquid. Liquid yeast isn't any more difficult, but it usually requires a starter to ferment a beer of about 4.75% or higher.

DaveMcPhee · 02-12-2010, 08:23 PM

Then I'm going to do exactly that.

DaveMcPhee · 02-12-2010, 08:45 PM

oh god im excited now, the clock isn't ticking towards 5pm fast enough

**Yooper** · 02-12-2010, 09:19 PM

Well, work on your shopping list!

Extract kit
Yeast
Sanitizer
Autosiphon

What else?