just need a little advice

as a first time home brewer i am confused and unsure about wich direction to start in. If someone would be so kind as to tell me what brewing kits and methods wil be helpful to me it would be greatly appreciated. thanks jls1260

I started by finding the simplest recipes I could, and gradually built from there. But I think the most important thing is to have a good understanding of what is happenning when your beer ferments. If you search this site for "how to brew" I think you'll come across a really good link. I can't remember/am too lazy to look it up.

Keep up with this site. You'll have all your questions answered.

Edit: Howtobrew.com I've never been to this site, but I hear it has a lot of useful info.

i'd suggest seeing if there is a local homebrew shop that you can go to, ask questions, look at all the different equipment options, ingredient options, etc. that way you can get your hands on the stuff and see what we all talk about. then, go with what your comfort level is. most, start with just all malted extract and some hops, and dried yeast. others dive right in to all grain brewing. the first taking the least amount of $$$ and equipment, the later the opposite. although, cost of all-grain ingredients tend to be less expensive. malt extract is higher priced due to the process of making it.
check out www.cruisenews.net/brewing/ and www.howtobrew.com both very good informative web sites. and never, ever be affraid of asking questions here. no such thing as a dumb question :^)

Pretty much ditto what DeRoux said. Study up and ask questions. Welcome to the obsession

get a typical 50-60 dollar beginner kit. it'll come with a couple buckets and all the equipment you need besides a big pot. for your first brew get a recipe kit that comes with extract, steeping grains, and pellet hops. you'll get the best results from a kit like this, rather than extract only or with pre-hopped extract, and its not hard at all. a little harder than using just extract or a mr. beer kit, but if it wasn't a little bit of work it wouldnt be any fun.

I started with Mr. Beer back in college, but I'd recommend skipping that step for most people.

The best way to start would be to buy a turkey fryer kit. This gives you a good burner and a pot that's big enough to do 5 gallons AG batches as well as extract, partial as well. (Don't worry about the stainless steel vs. aluminum debate for now - get whatever fryer kit you can as cheaply as possible.) Then go buy the basic starter brewing kit from your local brew store or online (again, don't worry about glass yet - focus on cheap and just go for the stupid buckets unless you can get a good deal on a glass kit). Now buy an extract kit for a type of beer you like and brew it. I'd suggest sticking with extract for a few brews before stepping up to partial. Once you do a few partials you'll probably want to do AG. Come back and people will tell you what you need for that.

besides, even if you move into glass later, you can use the buckets to sanitize in.

agreed. I am only on my 4th batch. Palmer's How to Brew (link above) was invaluable for me. I read and re-read it many times before I put malt to boil, so to speak. I even used the starter recipe in the "Crash Course" section in the beginning. It actually came out good enough that I am making another batch! Also, I started with the standard 50-70 dollar kit. I have expanded a little, but I think that it was the right choice to start. From there, you will decide what you like and dislike, and can make your new purchases accordingly.

Just to resolve some potential confusion:

A beginner's brewing kit has just about everything you need to ferment & bottle beer (except bottles), but not to make the wort (raw beer).

You also need a kettle & a heat source, hence the turkey boiler. Try to find one with a 30 or 40 quart pot, 20 quarts is just too small.

I also highly recommend "Homebrewing for Dummies" for beginners.

I'm a big fan of the 'Dummies' and 'Idiots Guide' books. If there is a subject you know absolutely nothing about and want to get a comprehensive understanding, from basics to advanced, they are priceless. Some reference books I've read (not necesarilly brew books) assume that the reader already has some knowledge of the subject. The 'Dummies' and 'Idiots' books start from the very beginning.

I read one about buying a new car . . . got a great deal . . . about buying a house . . . got a great deal . . . about homebrewing . . . making great beer.

AHU