Beginner Beer Snob Wanting To Make Some Beginner Beer!

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Messages
1
Reaction score
1
Hello all. I used to be a what I like to call 'young-punk-party-drinker', which means I pretty much drank large quantities of beers like Natural Light, Bud Light, etc in a short amount of time, disregarding the taste and my appreciation. I am not proud of this. I started working at my local Buffalo Wild Wings as a host about a year ago, and eventually moved my way up to server, and now I'm a bartender there. If any of you know much about BW3, it's beer that is one of our top three marketing ploys, the other two being wings and sports. With that being said, we have 28 different beers on tap, and a select-few more on bottle. I have since developed a new favorite of wheat ales, including Blue Moon, Shock Top, Hoegaarden (sp?), Goose Island's '312', etc. I would like to begin brewing my own beer because that stuff is mad expensive compared to the aforementioned american style beers. I was wondering if there was a "go-to" beginner's kit? What's the best way to get supplies if there isn't a local home brew store? Does lhbs stand for local home brew store? (Wondering because I am also a fish keeper and LFS is common for local fish store in forums and such) I think I would eventually like to expand the operation into two kegs and two taps so I can brew and keep a bud light style beer for my dad and girlfriend, and one for my blue moon clone or other beer that I'd like to try.

Just to give a little bit of my taste portfolio, I absolutely love Blue Moon, Shocktop, etc. I really like Dead Guy Ale from Rogue, as well as Leinenkugel (sp?) Summer Shandy. I really like the wheat ales and citrus flavors I guess haha.

P.S. I'm a 5th year Biology student, so I can understand and comprehend most of the science things involved and I don't need much simplified explanation. I actually more or less 'make' alcohol just by injecting CO2 into my smaller planted fish tanks by mixing yeast and sugar and water, and running an airline tubing into the water. My 55 gallon heavily-planted 'show tank' is running off of a 5# CO2 canister.
 
I don't have a clue what that last paragraph means, but if you're looking to start off with a kit you can find what you are looking for from any of the bigger suppliers.

Austin Homebrew Supply has clone kits for most of the brews you mentioned as, I'm sure, others do as well. The suppliers also will have equipment kits bundled. start off simple. At a minimum you'll need:

Sanitizer
5- gallon pot
Long spoon to stir
floating thermometer
hygrometer
primary fermenter bucket with lid
secondary fermenter - carboy
bottles
caps
bottle capper
bottling siphon wand
Bottling bucket - very helpful
autosiphon
bungs and airlocks - two each
... and probably a few other things I forgot. Someone will add them in.

Correct on the lhbs, it's great if you have a good one nearby, but I get along fine by mail ordering everything.
 
There were a ton of places online that I found when I first started looking. Amazon even has stuff for a starter kit. Do some shopping around and see what appeals to you. I found a shop by me that delivers for over $100. Good luck.
 
I do most of my mail order from Northern Brewer. You can't go wrong with their kits. Good luck! Happy home brewing!
 
I think it would help to read the on-line "How to Brew" or some other book on brewing before ordering equipment. Since there are options for how to go about it, you might be able to decide on methods and equipment that will work best for you.

Welcome and good luck.
 
MorebeerCom has almost everything you need. I would first check Craigslist in your area for someone selling their setup for whatever reason. You can usually get things Cheaper there. There are many online supply sites that offer a ton of stuff.
Morebeer's raspberry ale kit in my opinion is better than Shocktop, just sayin . Good luck!
 
KegConnection.com for keg stuff. I had a few very good experiences there (purchasing you perverts, purchasing!)
 
I actually more or less 'make' alcohol just by injecting CO2 into my smaller planted fish tanks by mixing yeast and sugar and water, and running an airline tubing into the water. My 55 gallon heavily-planted 'show tank' is running off of a 5# CO2 canister.

I don't have a clue what that last paragraph means, but if you're looking to start off with a kit you can find what you are looking for from any of the bigger suppliers.

A fermenter for producing CO2 is a common accessory for planted fish tanks. Basically imagine running your blowoff hose into a fish tank in order to provide the plants with the necessary CO2 to thrive. I think his point is that he's not entirely inexperienced with fermentation...
 
Wait a minute, OP...do you mean to tell me that you can turn fish into alcohol? That sounds like something Jesus would do if he was s***faced.

Also...if you like wheat beers, try doing a hefeweizen. Here, I made you a kit:
3 lbs. dry pilsner extract
3 lbs. dry wheat extract
About 3/4 oz. Hallertauer or similar hops (You're shooting for 8-15 IBUs, and the amount of hops will depend on the alpha acid content of the particular one you use.)
Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen yeast.

Instructions: Boil the first three items in water for an hour, cool it down, add the 4th item, put it in a fermenter for 2 or 3 weeks, then bottle.
I left out a few details, but that's the general idea.
 
I think it would help to read the on-line "How to Brew" or some other book on brewing before ordering equipment. Since there are options for how to go about it, you might be able to decide on methods and equipment that will work best for you.

Welcome and good luck.
I always tell people... if you can boil water and have a timer available, you can make beer
 
I would sign up for a class at your local homebrew store (hopefully they offer it) and start there.
 
Wait a minute, OP...do you mean to tell me that you can turn fish into alcohol? That sounds like something Jesus would do if he was s***faced.

Also...if you like wheat beers, try doing a hefeweizen. Here, I made you a kit:
3 lbs. dry pilsner extract
3 lbs. dry wheat extract
About 3/4 oz. Hallertauer or similar hops (You're shooting for 8-15 IBUs, and the amount of hops will depend on the alpha acid content of the particular one you use.)
Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen yeast.

Instructions: Boil the first three items in water for an hour, cool it down, add the 4th item, put it in a fermenter for 2 or 3 weeks, then bottle.
I left out a few details, but that's the general idea.


You do realize that this thread is 3 years old and that this was the OPs only post. 😏
 
Back
Top