jimboeric
Member
Hi, my name's Jim and I'm new to this site. I found this site in an effort to make my own brew at home. Many years ago I made some fine wines, but from reading I see that beer-making is somewhat more difficult and I need some advice before I start. I've already chosen a "starter kit" that I can afford at this link:
http://www.homebrewers.com/c=o8LOalvovhFrBpa1AwvtfOO8Z/product/1000
I have saved about 60 cappable bottles and found a boiling pot(not provided in the kit) which is a large pure aluminum "tamale steamer" pot for about $25 at HEB. So my questions for those of you who can help me are:
1. Is this "starter kit" good? Will it ferment/etc. my beer well? Just from reading it seems to me like a good buy, and it comes with ingredients for my first batch which leads to....
2. How do these ingredients look to an experienced brewer? I want to replicate something like "Spaten Optimator", a dark beer with about 7% alcohol. That beer may be too high quality for the included ingredients to live up to, but of the choices there is a london brown that looks like a choice in the 6 or 7 options. Please someone browse this site briefly and tell me which choice will yield a darker malty brew?
3. All the "starter ingredients" to choose from yield 4.5% alcohol. Like my fav. Spatan Optimator, I want an alcohol content around 6.5% to 7.0%. When asked, the site provided no answer: "What ingredients, special yeast and/or sugar must I buy in addition to yield 7% alcohol?"
So these are my questions. I really don't want to spend more than $100 on my first kit and ingredients. Actually, if I could brew 5 gallons of something not so spectacular but still dark like Ziegenbock or Shinerbock with 6-7% alc. I will be happy. Any help is appreciated! Thanks, Jim
http://www.homebrewers.com/c=o8LOalvovhFrBpa1AwvtfOO8Z/product/1000
I have saved about 60 cappable bottles and found a boiling pot(not provided in the kit) which is a large pure aluminum "tamale steamer" pot for about $25 at HEB. So my questions for those of you who can help me are:
1. Is this "starter kit" good? Will it ferment/etc. my beer well? Just from reading it seems to me like a good buy, and it comes with ingredients for my first batch which leads to....
2. How do these ingredients look to an experienced brewer? I want to replicate something like "Spaten Optimator", a dark beer with about 7% alcohol. That beer may be too high quality for the included ingredients to live up to, but of the choices there is a london brown that looks like a choice in the 6 or 7 options. Please someone browse this site briefly and tell me which choice will yield a darker malty brew?
3. All the "starter ingredients" to choose from yield 4.5% alcohol. Like my fav. Spatan Optimator, I want an alcohol content around 6.5% to 7.0%. When asked, the site provided no answer: "What ingredients, special yeast and/or sugar must I buy in addition to yield 7% alcohol?"
So these are my questions. I really don't want to spend more than $100 on my first kit and ingredients. Actually, if I could brew 5 gallons of something not so spectacular but still dark like Ziegenbock or Shinerbock with 6-7% alc. I will be happy. Any help is appreciated! Thanks, Jim