I'm a picky drunk. Help me choose my first brew!

[Dagobah]

Just racked my first batch of mead into my secondary, so I've got a bit of experience with the basic process. I've also purchased a second carboy and a 5gal brewpot so I can get some beer going while I wait the 1+yr for the mead to be ready.

So what am I waiting for? I've tried a few homebrews over the years. They've all failed to impress (I'm guessing my buddies didn't know what they were doing).

But to top it off, I'm a picky drunk. I love sours, saisons, and belgians. Followed by just about anything Oskar Blues or Dogfish head puts out. I've come to realize these are all much more advanced styles, especially the sours. (If I could brew anything, it'd be a duchesse de bourgogne clone. )

I need to start simpler, but I also want to make sure it's something I love to drink. I've read that there are some crap kits due to sitting around too long, and some good ones. But I think I'd be fine going up to partial mash. Doesn't seem that much harder.

Surely I'm not alone here. Any recommendations on a kit or recipe to start with?

 

[TheGreatFermenter]

The first kit I ever did was a brewers best dry stout. It's really good, you really just have to figure out what style you like an go with it. I really like wheat beers not to hoppy an good flavor.

 

[prrriiide]

Brewer's Best has a Tripel Kit. Never had a bad experience with BB.

 

[polvofiloso]

I haven't been here long enough to know what the hell I'm talking about but I'll do it anyway. I would suggest getting an extract kit with specialty grains. That's even more basic than partial mash but still not as "cake mix" basic as the all-in-a-can kits.

I would think you could find some pretty good belgians in extract kit form.

 

[ulfada]

Kits are a convenient way to get all your ingredients in one shot. If your LHBS doesn't have a particular style in a kit the staff may be able to put one together for you. IPAs and darker beers can help cover up the "extract" flavor from many kits.

 

[TheGreatFermenter]

I haven't been here long enough to know what the hell I'm talking about but I'll do it anyway. I would suggest getting an extract kit with specialty grains. That's even more basic than partial mash but still not as "cake mix" basic as the all-in-a-can kits.

I would think you could find some pretty good belgians in extract kit form.

I jumped into all grain after a few extract kits, it's not hard as some people may think an really makes you free to make any beer you choose. Plus I think it's alot more fun to.

 

[madchemist83]

But you'll have to have pretty big pot. I had only 3 pounds of grain and it was alot. My first kit was extract with some specialty grains, but I added more grain and hops. It's still going so I can't tell how will it taste later on but right now tastes pretty good.

 

[Brulosopher]

Sours? Buy an Amber/Red kit, do everything per instructions except pitching yeast... just leave the top off of your fermenter for a month or so

 

[midfielder5]

Do BIAB and look on here for a Saison recipe.

They are very easy- it is just pilsner malt (90min boil!) and saison liquid yeast (make a starter!) and about 17 IBU of a Euro hop.
+ read a good book (Palmer/ Jamil) or spend a lot of time reading threads-stickies here.

cheers,
Wendy

 

[Ultrazord]

Try a Belgian IPA. You can customize the hoppiness to your likings and most kits will form a solid Belgian. It's my favorite style now. My next batch will be a kit I've done before, but I'll be customizing it.

 

[Dagobah]

Do BIAB and look on here for a Saison recipe.

They are very easy- it is just pilsner malt (90min boil!) and saison liquid yeast (make a starter!) and about 17 IBU of a Euro hop.
+ read a good book (Palmer/ Jamil) or spend a lot of time reading threads-stickies here.

cheers,
Wendy

The saison recipes I've come across had a high fermentation temp (85-90) which I don't have the equipment for. Was it just the recipes I came across?

And yes, have been reading Palmer's book

 

[midfielder5]

The saison recipes I've come across had a high fermentation temp (85-90) which I don't have the equipment for. Was it just the recipes I came across?

You can crank, or not, the heat- my best one was at 70* though, with White Labs (c/r #).

It depends on the yeast (each strain has temp specs on website I'd review/follow).
Anyways, you just need a regular store heating pad (I had one for my back, otherwise $15), and/ or some blankets to wrap the fermenter to get it warm. no biggie.

 

[ShinyBuddha]

I'll second the kit suggestions. Morebeer, Austin Homebrew, Northern Brewer, and Midwestern are a few good sites that come to mind.

 

[ulfada]

Anyways, you just need a regular store heating pad (I had one for my back, otherwise $15), and/ or some blankets to wrap the fermenter to get it warm. no biggie.

I used to use a heating pad placed under my carboy with a blanket wrapped around it in the winter in a house with no heat. It worked very well.

 

[kcpup]

If you are serious about doing a partial mash, I'd suggest an Austin Homebrew kit. Any of their kits can be purchased partial mash.

They sell a large colander for use in the process. They also sell the bags. I had a 5 gallon pot for quite a while and it was big enough for partial mash batches.

AHS has clear instructions with their kits. I've bought kits from other companies and they were also good. However AHS has the largest selection of kits I've encountered. You're bound to find something interesting to brew.

Any of the large mail order companies - AHS, Northern Brewer, Midwest, Williams, Brewmasters, and others have enough volume that you won't get a stale kit.

Your local store is a solid option as well. Just use DME for the extract part and you should be fine.

I'd suggest you check out Deathbrewer's stovetop Partial Mash technique. It's a sticky in the all grain/partial mash section of these forums. It is a solid technique and can be used for all grain brews as well.

If you like Belgians, a witbier would be an option. I especially like AHS wit recipe. Over the years I've made it as extract, partial mash and all grain. All good.

Cheers

 

[william_shakes_beer]

My first 3 batches were brewer's best kits, extract and steeping grains. I listed the ingredients in the kit just as if I hd put it together from a recipie. That way you can purchase the materials to do it yourself next time.