Best First Brew?

[JediJoel]

Got a question. I'm just starting out and gearing up to brew my first batch. A lot of people say that a British Pale Ale is the best first brew but I'm not too sure. I don't like pale ales that much and I especially don't like IPAs (sorry, just don't), I tend to more malty, darker beers. Should I just brew it for the experience and rely on my friends to help me consume?

I was thinking about a brown ale but everything online said most brown ales will taste better with age. I want to taste the fruit of my labor SOON and insure I am hooked on home brewing. What about an Amber ale or Irish Red?

I'm open to critiques and suggestions...

 

[Brule]

I started with an Irish Red and was very glad I did so. I'd avoid the extremes for a first batch. So a moderate OG, alc%, color, and bitterness brew is a good bet. This just gives some leeway and is more forgiving. At the same time, one of these moderate brews won't be too light and gives good insight into what homebrew can taste like.

 

[DanVader]

Go with what you like! Dark beers are very forgiving, and at least in my opinion taste better than pale beers sooner. Again in my opinion, extract brews of any persuasion take a little longer to come around than all-grain.

Anything you make should be "drinkable" with a month in the bottles, depends on your threshold. I've been into some beers after 10 days in the bottle, but I try to be patient.

Never made an irish yet, have done several ambers, they all took about 2 months to hit my flavor region.

If you lean towards the dark side I think an oatmeal or coffee stout would provide quick results.

 

[SmugMug]

If you like weizens, they're fairly easy (using an extract) and quick to boot. From primary to mouth takes less than a month. Like everything else, it does get better the longer it sits.
I'm sitting on my first batch in a long time (a honey weizen) and it's only been in the primary 10 days and it smells FINE! But a good friend of mine who is an accomplished local HB'er passed off a Chimay clone to me that he had forgotten about and I think that had to be the best beer I've ever had! It had been bottle conditioning in his closet for close to 7 months.

 

[Chad]

My first beer was the Amber Ale from Palmer's "How to Brew." It's a great recipe, gets you up to speed on steeping grains, and produces an excellent beer relatively quickly. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Chad