Advice to future home brewer

[Lilahblossom]

I did my first batch as extract just because I didn't have the equipment for all grain. Also if you keep the recipe simple you can concentrate on your technique and the process. It takes a few times to get it down pat. The difference between store bought beer and homebrew is like the difference between the chocolate chip cookies you buy off the shelf and your own fresh baked toll house. Which would you rather have? Good luck and don't be put off if the first batch goes south on you. For Pete's Sake, you don't stop cooking because a dish didn't turn out. You just file it away and go on to the next.

 

[1971hemicuda]

+1 on a lot of things being stated here. -1 on some too...but, I think the biggest thing to remember is that this is going to be something fun that you do. There are advantages to both extract and all grain...and some disadvantages too. I know some extract brewers that make great beer by using steeping grains and getting their process down pat. I know some all grainer brewers that make AWEFUL beers, but think that because they are all grain they are 'expert'

I personally am an all grain, all electric brewer...and wont knock either. I bought the Mr. Beer kit, but realized that i REALLY loved it and quickly sold my soul to brewing and went all grain, brew stand, electric RIMS 10 gallon keggle brewing because i'm nuts about it. I know a guy that has been brewing extract for years, has spend 1/100th what I have and has his process down so well that he just makes good beer too

It depends on what you want. Start out reading a book or two. The Joy of Homebrewing, How to brew by John Palmer...find yourself a brewery buddy, go to a homebrew club. All +1 ideas! You'll quickly know exactly how much you love it! If you want to spend 4-5 hours on a saturday making an all grain beer, doing yeast starters tweaking recipes trying to find that perfect combination because you're ultra meticulous then look at all grain. If you want to spend 2 hours on a wednesday night doing partial mash/extract beers by just adding some extract to water, steeping some grains and then boiling and 4 weeks later drinking...go extract.

Just remember, opinions are like ********. Everyone has one. Do what you think you will enjoy. In the end, that's what its going to be about. This hobby has won me more friends than I care to have some times LOL. I swear, half the time I'm only allotted a 6 pack to myself so many people want to drink it...even when my first few batches were AWEFUL because I had no idea what I was doing.

Relax. Enjoy. Have a homebrew!

cheers my friend! Good luck brewing and welcome to HBT!

 

[jholen]

Another suggestion of mine would to be to get into Podcasts on iTunes.

I've been downloading as many podcasts as I can, Brew Strong w/ Jamil Z. and John Palmer is a great example, and have been listening to them and taking notes when listening. Almost treating them like a lecture/class type situation - TONS of great information from great sources, and free to boot.

 

[d3EP]

Starting small is a good idea in my opinion. Don't worry about expanding too much because it sounds like you have a lot of responsibility with the family and all. The great part about brewing is you can do 1 gallon at a time. There are benefits to brewing small batches for both experienced and new brewers.

I would suggest the way I got into it. Buy a Mr Beer kit, follow the steps given by them. The only thing you really need is a stock pot to boil some water. Once you make that beer, you will know if you are really interested without spending much. Their kits come with a nice little booklet that will teach you some basics about brewing. I was able to trudge through a few bad brews before I realized I wasn't waiting long enough for the beer to settle and age. There are a million things to learn and some might find that unappealing. I was able to begin all-grain, which lets you be a bit more creative, no more than 6 months after i started with Mr Beer and other extract brands. I still use the Little brown Kegs they sell, I put new spigots on them (3 dollars) but besides that those things can make great beer! Easy to clean, fit in the fridge or on a shelf easy. Here is a list of things I would not want to go without when brewing:
20 quart stainless steel stock pot
Little Brown Keg (fermenting vessel) with the locking spigot
Bottling wand
Measuring device (liter/cup)
Bottling clamp + bottle caps + clean bottles
Star San (no-rinse sanatizer)

Other things that make life easier:
5 gallon bucket (2 dollars at Walmart)
Oxyclean (like 4 dollars, perfect for washing off labels)
Digital scale (weighing out ingredients)
Mesh strainer (good for straining out hops in the boil)
A second pot for sparge water and pouring to strain out hops
Nylon paint strainer bags (like a buck a piece on amazon)
Jars and bottled water to make yeast starters with
A second LBK so you can do a batch every weekend or every other.

Smaller batches win my heart 2.5 might not sound like a lot but if you are like me and do 3 batches a month by the time they are ready to drink you'll have bout 48-50 beers a month and it will be a variety not one brew

 

[Saxomophone]

I just skimmed most of the other responses so I don't know if anyone else mentioned it, but go check out Listermann's Listermann.Com - Home Page on Dana Ave in Norwood.

They have everything you need to get started and the guys who work there are great for answering questions. They also make their own extracts on site and have their own line of beer as well. You will also be supporting a local business.

There are a few homebrew groups in Cinci (Bloatarians and the Malt Infusers) if you are looking for a club to check out.

 

[DonMagee]

My advice is to buy a basic kit, relax and work out your process. I'm on my 3rd batch and each time I've learned something that improves my process.

For example, my first beer was a IPA kit. I just boiled it on the stove and cooled it in my sink (which too forever to heat and cool). I ended up with good tasting beer, but it was very hazy and I had a lot of trub. I was told this was because I didn't cool the beer fast enough and that I didn't siphon the beer from the kettle to the bucket (instead I just dumped it).

So I bought a cooler and I used a siphon. My beer was clearer (but still not what I would like) and tasty, but even though it was a rye pale ale kit, it tasted exactly like my IPA kit and had the same color (dark colored and carmel flavored with a lot of hops). I was told this was because I added all my extract at once and that I also did a partial boil.

So my 3rd beer I split up my extract (I need to get a bigger kettle) and I'm hoping that will help with the "my beers taste the same" problem. My next beer will be a full boil (and maybe a BIAB AG).

With each step I feel I'm improving my process. I've changed how I boiled, how I added hops (loose and now a bag), when I added extract, how I cleaned my stuff, etc. My first night of bottling took forever, the second time I had improved the workflow and got it done in about half the time.

My advice is just to jump in head first and focus on the process. Keep careful notes and look for ways to improve what you are doing. The road to good beer is smart and thought out practice (or at least I think it is).

 

[unionrdr]

I have to 2nd that,as I learn all I can about everything I do/see/smell in every batch. I/we finally got our 1st gbatches in the fridge that have gotten no chill haze at all! CHA-CHING! This is one of those little process milestones that one looks foeward to as a home brewer. Just realize,as I was often told as a young man,that you're never too old to learn.
Take it from me,I was hard headed,nose to the grind stone guy when I was young. But now that I'm middle aged,I see clearly now.
So pay attention to the little things,& the big things will fall in line.

 

[crackhead7]

STOP!!!!! DON'T buy anything

There is nothing wrong with Mr Beer. Many brewers got their start from a Mr Beer kit. That being said it does have it's limitations as far as the volume of beer you can brew, and the complexity of the beer you can brew.

What you really need to decide is how dedicated you would be to brewing beer longer term. I see you do not list your location. I would recommend trying to locate some home brewers local to you or even attend a home brewers meeting. If you can watch the process it will help you understand if and how you wish to pursue it. Ideally I would try to find someone who is brewing with extract. That is the simpler way to make beer early in your brewing experience.

Brewing extract will eventually require some equipment and most home brew shops offer starter kits. A decent starter kit is going to run somewhere in the $100-150 dollar range depending on the type and amount of equipment. Your most important element as a starting brewer is probably the boil kettle. Buying a nice kettle with somewhere in the 8 gallon and up capacity will allow you to do full boils for 5 gallon batches, and if you choose to upgrade in the future the kettle will remain useable for all grain brewing.

Finding and hanging out with a brewer will go a long way to help you understand how you want to approach brewing and what you will need. Don't be afraid to approach a seasoned brewer and ask questions. It's harder to get us to shut up then it is to get us to start talking beer.

Cheers[/QUOTE_]

This is by far the best advice go the American home brewers association web site and find a local club in your area. Don't be shy and find people willing to have you over for a brew day, one who does extract and the other who does all grain. You can save some money not buying a kit a piecing your equipment together. You will get an idea of what your in for, make new friends, and learn the proper processes. I cant tell you how much more enjoyable doing this will make you entry into the hobby. It is also very easy to get overwhelmed here at HBT and get distracted from having fun! Dont get me wrong stay, ask questions, and read read read! But I came here when I started and have learned a ton from the veterans here, but I really benefitted from the guiding an simplicity of help from my local club. That help allowed me to get the most value out of coming here an reading and posting!

 

[jetmac]

Buying a nice kettle with somewhere in the 8 gallon and up capacity will allow you to do full boils for 5 gallon batches, and if you choose to upgrade in the future the kettle will remain useable for all grain brewing.

8 gallons is just a little small IMO for all-grain. Having a 10 gallon kettle allows you to heat all of your strike water and sparge water at the same time. Then get a 5 gallon drink cooler from Lowes. You heat all of your water to the strike temp you are after, drain the required amount of water into the Mash tun, then continue heating whats left in the kettle to the temp you're after for sparging. Drain that into the drink cooler and this leaves your kettle free for boiling wort. Typically you would be boiling in the neighborhood of 7 gallons. The extra 3 gallons will give you room for expansion of the wort as it heats and gives you room for stirring and controlling possible boil overs.

 

[crackhead7]

8 gallons is just a little small IMO for all-grain. Having a 10 gallon kettle allows you to heat all of your strike water and sparge water at the same time. Then get a 5 gallon drink cooler from Lowes. You heat all of your water to the strike temp you are after, drain the required amount of water into the Mash tun, then continue heating whats left in the kettle to the temp you're after for sparging. Drain that into the drink cooler and this leaves your kettle free for boiling wort. Typically you would be boiling in the neighborhood of 7 gallons. The extra 3 gallons will give you room for expansion of the wort as it heats and gives you room for stirring and controlling possible boil overs.

I agree about the kettle being to small for most all grain set ups, I quoted that post while surfing on my tablet which I couldn't bold the advice I was referring to. That's why I said stop don't buy anything and look up your local Club, maybe what I meant was unclear