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jcanwell

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Hello,
I have wanted to make beer for a long time. I have never gotten anywhere with it because when I ask someone how to get started, they give me a long, ambiguous answer about how it depends, there are many styles, etc. I know there are many varieties. I've been drinking beer since I was a teenager. So, I want to make pilsner and I want to go to the store TODAY and buy everything I need. Then, I want to make pilsner. Can anyone tell me in simple terms: 1. what to get, 2. what to do? This is all I want to know, and I'm pretty sure an experienced brewer can whip up this information in a flash. I understand that you can do this with a 5 gallon bucket and some simple hardware available at any hardware store. Is this so? If so, then please advise!
Thanks,
Jeremy
 
If you're going to the store to buy the ingredients I would start by asking the folks there to help you get started with a homebrew kit which includes everything you need to make a batch of pilsner including the ingredients. Note that a pilsner requires low fermentation temperatures at must be lagered (stored cold) for a considerable amount of time before you can enjoy it which makes it more difficult to make than a basic ale.
 
Hey there Jeremy! Welcome! The kit you are looking for will look something like this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/starterkits.html

From what BeeGee says about the beer you want to make, it needs to be lagered. This might not be what is the easiest for you to do for your first beer. You need to be able to store it on the cool side. I dont know much of the specifics because I've never brwed a lager. Just seems to require too much space (live in an apartment). But check out that website and you should find a lot of ideas for all inclusive recipes that come with everything you need:)
 
Pilsners are a tough place to start. They require long (3-6 weeks) fermentations around 50F and then months of aging (lagering) around freezing. You might ask the people at your store about a making plisner-like ale.
 
1. what to get, 2. what to do? This is all I want to know

1. Get a starter brewing kit and a kettle. (IMHO the bigger the kettle and heavier the better, 10 gallons is WAY more then enuff). It will probably be a 6 gallon bucket, maybe a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, some hoses, a bottle capper, air lock or 2, maybe a brush, a book or something check out http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ for a better idea.

2. READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ READ and then when you are done, read some more. Read anything you can get your hands on. The website El P listed is great and so is the Complete Joy of Homebrewing, you can find that at the link above also

3. Pilsners are a type of lager, and lagers IMHO, exspecially when ya first start, are just a HUGE pita. Aks the guy at the store to recomend something lager like as others have said above. I would suggest maybe a pale ale or something. If you want to just use a kit that works great as well.

If you can boil water and follw 3rd grade instructions you can make beer, GOOD beer, beer better then 99% of the stuff you can buy. Just remember to take it slow, dont jump in too fast and make sure you become a clean freek . . . some of us are more freeky then other about that here but you will need to be a freek to some degree

Hope everything works out and dont forget to let us know how ya doing :D
 
Pumbaa said:
If you can boil water and follw 3rd grade instructions you can make beer, GOOD beer, beer better then 99% of the stuff you can buy.

This is a furphy. I don't know why so many people on here say this. There are a huge number of excellent beers on the market; for some reason the beers that tend to sell the best are the few crap ones.

My last few brews (I now have nine under my belt) have been good, but not as good as any of the 'really nice' beers you can buy. It's difficult to make beer as good as that from a microbrewery or similar.

However, it's more than possible to make beer that's enjoyable to drink, and even more so if you've made it yourself!! And it's great fun.

end rant...
 
Because like 70% of the market is Bud, Miller, and Coors. Look at the shelves, unles you find a REAL good store thats about all you will be able to get, MAYBE 5 or 6 things that arent the big 3. There are good beers out there dont get me wrong and I could list a TON of comercial beer I like ALOT and even some that I try to get real close to or even wen tlooking for recipies to clone, but looking at what is on the typical shelve thats only about 1% of the beer I see. Now if I go to my favorite liquere store and drink 1 of every beer that they have and I wouuld LIKE to drink . . . well I wouldnt be walking out for a couple weeks, and would be hung over for a month. If you ever come to Milwaukee, I'll take you to my favorite places in the city. Plan on going to Miller Valley for the smell and just cuz I love to take the tour, a few micro brews downtown, Sprecher Brewery, and Discount Liquor GAWD I LOVE THAT STORE. Lets have one of my local Cheeseheads back me up here, that place ROCKS
 
I echo everyone else's comments, but the main reason I brew is because I can't buy the stuff I make!:drunk: :D

I can buy the big guys, but...why?

It's just not the same as good homebrew!.:D

PS I was re-reading your post...unfortunately, you may get everything you need, but you will never get everything you want!

I really recommend you find a local brewer and try to get them to brew with you and give you tips along the way. That's kind of like the best advice anyone can give you.
 
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