Low man on the totem pole!

Hey guys! Just wanted to introduce myself since I have been lurking for quite some time now! I have been wanting to get into the brewing hobby for probably about a year now, but I could never afford the initial price. Well, let's step back, I could have afforded it, but I am also an avid fisherman, and spend WAY to much on rods, reels, gas, and lures, so brewing was never in the forefront. Anyway, knowing that I have wanted to get into it, my brother bought me a starter kit this year from Midwest supplies, along with a bunch of other stuff to get started.

The only thing he did not purchase was a pot/kettle, so I awaiting the 6 gallon order from amazon. As soon as that comes in, I am going to attempt to brew the extract kit he bought as well called "Rocky Pale Ale (supposedly like Stone Pale Ale)." I am really excited to get this going, and also really fortunate that my brother purchased, as the 2-3 hundred in supplies he spent, I would have easily put aside and purchase another rod instead as I have been doing for the past year!

Fishing is my real passion, but look forward to picking up homebrewing for the days I cannot spend on the water! Now I just need to find some time to fit a job in... How do ya'll do that?

Guess I left out, if ya'll have any advice for my first brew, please share. Also, is anyone on here in the Eastern NC area? I am located in Morehead City, NC. If anyone is around, I would love to have a brew tasting buddy!

Welcome! I'm in Greenville.

Welcome, used to live in Asheville and oh how I miss the beer culture there.

For advice just search the forum for any questions you have and they have likely been answered before if not 100's of times.

My advice, stick with it. You will hit some bumps in the road but brewing is a lot like fishing. You just sit back Relax Don't Worry And Have A Home Brew (RDWHAHB).

Good luck!

Howdy, I'm in northern NC (oxford-- about an hour north of raleigh).

LOTS of fishermen here, see this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f45/show-us-your-other-obsession-s-287532/

Homebrewing is definitely a LOT to take in at once. The best advice I can give for a beginner (as I feel I'm still one) is to read the free version of John Palmer's "How to Brew". (or at least do like I did, and read the first part of it, that will get you through your first brewday)

Also read Revvy's bottling thread. (a google search will point you to both of the aforementioned)

The first time you try a bottle of your own brew, you'll love it. Might taste like crap in actuality, might not..... but you'll love it because its yours.

Welcome to the obsession

histo320 said:

For advice just search the forum for any questions you have and they have likely been answered before if not 100's of times.
!

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You have no idea. I have seriously been wanting to brew for so long, and have been browsing these forums for probably close to, if not over a year. I feel like I have already brewed beer based on the amount I have read! I just try to make the most of my budget go toward gas because when you own two boats, plus a truck to tow, that bill really adds up! If I have any problems, I will search first, but I am really planning for all to go well with the research that I have put in.

I like that, RDWHAHB, although fishing is not always relaxing, especially once you get into money tournament fishing. What once started out as bluegill fishing at the pond, has turned into much more... Look forward to taking part in the forum here. I participate in many other fishing forums as well, and love the community here so far, and quick responses! Tip it back!

Advice: Do it and do not over-think things.

Sanitation. Get some Starsan or Iodaphor and use that.
Temperature control. Pay attention to your fermentation temperatures and look at ways to control the temperature throughout the fermentation.
If you don't have more fermenters get another one and get your second batch started soon after the first. You will soon want more going.

After you pass the initial outlay for the equipment most of your $$ will be going into ingredients.

If you do this you will soon be spending less on fishing equipment!

kh54s10 said:

Advice: Do it and do not over-think things.

Sanitation. Get some Starsan or Iodaphor and use that.
Temperature control. Pay attention to your fermentation temperatures and look at ways to control the temperature throughout the fermentation.
If you don't have more fermenters get another one and get your second batch started soon after the first. You will soon want more going.

After you pass the initial outlay for the equipment most of your $$ will be going into ingredients.

If you do this you will soon be spending less on fishing equipment!

Click to expand...

My brother purchased the starter kit from Midwest that gave me the ail pail, and the primary fermentor. He also got two better bottles, carboy cleaner, thermometers (stick on for all fermentors, and a clip in for the brew pot), two s style airlocks, one 3 piece, bottle brush, carboy brush, rocky pale ale kit, irish stout kit, SS mixing spoon, SS wisp, food grade funnel, hyrdometer test tube, and im sure there is some other stuff I am missing! I plan to brew only extracts for now, but will possibly upgrade later on down the line...

And I don't know about spending less on fishing, thats more than a hobby at this point, sort of a way of life, that I am hoping to one day quit my full time teaching job and fish full time.... Who knows, maybe I will hit the lottery and just fish and brew for fun, that's my ultimate goal! hahaha.

Fishing isn't fishing without homebrew....give it away at tournaments as a distraction...make it a competitive advantage

Cheers and enjoy. And is that a walleye?

Welcome to your new addiction. I bought a 6 gallon pot at my local Sam's club, it is aluminum not stainless though.

reinstone said:

Cheers and enjoy. And is that a walleye?

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I don't think I posted any pictures of fish, so maybe you saw another? If I happened to post one accidentally somewhere (highly doubtful, haven't had that many!) then, no definitely not a walleye! I haven't caught a walleye in probably close to 8 years, although I do miss them! Great fighter for a freshwater wish, and mighty tasty on the table! Truly, walleye is probably the only freshwater fish I would eat anymore, especially one from one of the northern big lakes ! I looked through that thread previously posted, tons of musky fisherman in there! Never caught one, but I would like to someday! Either way, it seems the trend is fishing, guns, and homebrew... with some others mixed in.... My kind of forum!

Thanks for the words of encouragement all. I ordered a 6 gallon commercial grade aluminum pot from amazon, hopefully it is better than what my local wal-mart offers (considering they are the only place around her that had a 5+ gallon stock pot). Soon as it comes in, I will start my first brew.

Welcome to HBT we're all a little nuts here. I'm a little up the shore in NJ. It a fun hobby to get into and your work really pays off. Some tips are to follow the direction your kit as well as you can, be a sanitation nazi, and have fun. I'm just starting to get into some more advanced stuff now but ALL my beer has been damn good and it's not ll that difficult to make. The folks here are awesome and have helped me many times. Good luck.

Welcome!
I use to fish a lot and I need to get back into it. Too many people out salmon sturgeon fishing now though. It used to be to go to your favorite river I hardly ever see another person. If you did you just went to your second favorite place in didn't worry about it.

I need to get back into fly fishing though.

Ask for advice on what to do, cleaning and sanitizing is key.
Temperature control during fermentation is important, cool the wort properly before you pitch the yeast, pitch enough of the proper yeast and most importantly relax and don't worry about it.

You put yeast in the wort and you will get beer. As long as everything is sanitary it'll be fine.