Need help getting started

So I am a college kid (yes I am 21) and Im looking for the easiest way to brew some alcohol. I was looking into beer but i think cider might be a better alternative. I was wondering if you guys could direct me to a good starter kit, and also some easy first time recipies?

Is it possible to just drink it straight form the carboy? with out bottling or putting it in a keg?

Welcome to HBT nick!
You can use just about any bottle (wine, pop, growlers) for cider if you keep it uncarbonated. To carbonate it involves a little more.

Drinking from the carboy isn't probably the best idea. If you continually dip into your carboy, you may introduce nasties that may cause it to turn to vinegar. Besides, it just tacky!

Any food save bucket with lid, airlock, and good sanitizer will get you started.

Cider is easy but to make it good you need to follow some basic brewing principles. Good ingredients, good sanitation, and plenty of patience.

Here is one of the most famous recipes.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/man-i-love-apfelwein-14860/

nickmpower - The downside to cider is it does take longer to age and be perfect for drinking. If you can scrounge up bottles to use for storage and aging it would work a lot better, the downside is you will need a capper, and new tops which is an added expense, and I don't know what your storage space is like.
One thing I am using more and more of is the 16 oz and 2 liter plastic soda bottles. I don't re-use them too often but it's the best recycling I can think of.
Beer, Cider, Meads, they are all great but they take longer in that order.

Are there any recipies that take less then a month?

and so will it taste ok non carbonated?

also, i want a high alky content!!

The easiest DRINKABLE higher alcohol homebrew for a beginner is probably a wine kit (white) from concentrate. Why?

Because wine is more acidic and alcoholic - sanitation is not as big an issue. Because you dont have to mess with carbonation - you can just bottle directly into any handy cleanish containers you have around. If it doesn't taste too good you can always mix it with sprite and call it a cooler.

And please do drink responsibly.

PS the white wine is faster to drink (requires less aging) and less likely to give you a bad hangover (not unlikely - just less likely).:cross:

my friends and I hate wine....


So I have a 3 week break for christmas so I would like to just leave it here unattended if that would be safe?

i have found this place in my area

http://www.fermentationsolutions.com/

and am probably going to go there sometime this week. Any more recipie suggestions for a first timer? I guess i might try that Apfelwein first, maybe i should get 2 carboys?

also what all supplies should i get? carboy, airlock, sanitizer? then cider ingredients?