First batch: start big or small?

Going to start my very first brew this weekend!! I'm SO stoked but I don't think I have the space needed for a 5gal brew. Also I have a fear of screwing up 5gal worth of beer! Ive read blogs in which people recommend brewing 1-2gal batches to experiment and get the process down.

Any thoughts? Think this is a smart idea for a first-timer?

Sure, why not? Depends on your equipment I guess. Never a bad idea if you're just starting, or brewing something experimental, who wants to end up with 5 gallons of something awful? If you've got the right size buckets/carboys or whatever to do a smaller batch, go for it!

Although I always have trouble understanding when people say they don't have the space to brew 5 gallons. I mean a 5 gallon bucket takes up like one square foot of room. Must be one hell of a small apartment!

It's not as hard as you think. Keep things clean and you will be ok. Good luck!

The first batch I brewed was 10 gallons.

I mistakenly had unhopped extract and added no hops.

I bottled it in 2L Coke bottles.

I loved it.

Go big, small, whatever. If I had to do it again, I'd do a 5 gallon recipe of a beer style I liked that had high ratings on this forum. I'd also add hops...

Something I still do to this day is write up a small itinerary for my brew day. As in clean, sanitize, heat water, etc... Helps me focus!

Good luck on your brew! Worst that happens is you make swill that I guarantee you will still drink.

Cheers

Big. What if it turns our good? Or even halfway decent? If you have a few friends over to share in the success, you'll be wanting that extra 2.5 gallons. Enjoy the process and have fun.

Just make sure to get a good 5 gallon kit. Something with steeping grains, fresh hops and fresh yeast.

Northern Brewer website, check there.

Do a 5 gallon batch. You'll be happy you did in the end. Good luck and keep everything clean as you go.

Big, making beer is more time consuming than money consuming, if you screw things up you "wasted" almost the same amount of time if you brewed 2 or 5 gallons(you don't really wasted the time, see it as learning), and if things go good you will have way more beer to drink afterwards.

Oh and making beer is not hard, most people I know end up making at least, a drinkable first batch.