Best advice ever is to start out doing a couple extract kits. Easy, fun and helps with understanding the whole process.
Once you get comfortable with that, then you might consider doing a batch when you go back to Bavaria. I did this myself after discovering Augustiner, but keep in mind they...
I do wish I had more opportunity to drink through thier Weissbier, just as amazing but more filling and Im not that into just half liters while im in Munich :)
To answer your hops question, in dozen or so times I have been to the Augustiner Brauerei on Anulfstrasse and to the Augustiner Keller on Landsbergerstrasse, I have asked all the guys moving the casks and they said the hops are from Hallertau. The restaurant manager at the brewery also gave me...
Does anyone know which type of wood the Augustiner Helles barrels are? My guess is oak, but thats just based on what I work with in the wine industry and what Ive observed at the Augustiner Brewery and Beergarden....this also begs the question where the secondary fermenation/lagering they do...
Schau'n mer mal :)
Huge shout out to the new home brew supply shop that just opened in my neighborhood, J & M Brewing, that has all you could need to get your fermentation going be it vino or Bier.
Im another week away from firing up the kettle but still need to nail down the water...
Servus!
Really looking forward to your attempt at this great Helles, I am gearing up to try it myself. My local homebrew shop told me the Andechser yeast won't be available til the new year so this will keep me busy til then.
Viele Gluecke!