Completely new to HB.

[grabby08]

Hi everyone , as the title states I am completely new in this area(although I have done more than my fair share of taste testing ) I am looking for a "starter kit" (I know that most often cheapest is not the best way to go.) I am looking for something basic so I can get the hang of it but of good quality that I can add on to if I like to brew as much as I like to enjoy all the different styles. I personally have taken a liking to two IPA's over the past few months, Snake Dog's Flying Dog and Redhook's Longhammer, and am looking to try something in those styles.


I am hoping that some of you experienced folks will maybe give me some tips to get started and some of the best links from this website to check out as there are so many!!!(Eventually I will probably read through most of them, haha)

Thanks in advance,

~Matt from Toledo

 

[Clonefarmer]

If you're just starting out most basic kits will do fine. If you have a LHBS nearby it would be a good idea to pick one up there since they can explain what the equipment is for in person. If there are no LHBS nearby than Austin Homebrew or Northern Brewer are good online retailers to get brewing supplies from. The two things that will make brewing much easier are an auto siphon and Starsan sanitizer.

 

[grabby08]

A recent Money Magazine article suggested a kit from Windriverbrew.com called the All World Apprentice Kit. Any feedback on that one?

 

[l1ranger]

the wind river kit looks pretty standard.

the guys at windriver are pretty decent too IME and their ingredient kits have worked well for me. I've also used austin homebrew and they've been good to deal with too.

also get a copy of papazian or palmer's books, or both! and do some reading

 

[Justibone]

I want to say my piece on reading...

...it can help or it can hurt.

If you read without having an idea of what the whole deal is about, then it can be burdensome and even confusing. Order your equipment, maybe even an extract kit, and THEN read. When its in front of you it makes much more sense. Try doing a 2 gallon apfelwein recipe, maybe even, and read after you've done that (it's hard to screw up apfelwein, and if you do it's still cheap so no big loss).

I read a complete book on homebrew two years ago, and I didn't learn much at all. I learned a heckuva lot more from screwing up doing it myself. That's not everyone's learning style, but getting familiar with what is involved before going to Pappy's book will make the book 10x - 100x more valuable.

That's my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt if you like.

 

[BlueSunshine]

I want to say my piece on reading...

...it can help or it can hurt.

If you read without having an idea of what the whole deal is about, then it can be burdensome and even confusing. Order your equipment, maybe even an extract kit, and THEN read. When its in front of you it makes much more sense. Try doing a 2 gallon apfelwein recipe, maybe even, and read after you've done that (it's hard to screw up apfelwein, and if you do it's still cheap so no big loss).

I read a complete book on homebrew two years ago, and I didn't learn much at all. I learned a heckuva lot more from screwing up doing it myself. That's not everyone's learning style, but getting familiar with what is involved before going to Pappy's book will make the book 10x - 100x more valuable.

That's my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt if you like.

I kinda agree with this. Before I started brewing, I did alot of reading and quite honestly I was very very confused. Even when I went on this forum, the majority of the jargon was gibberish to me.

When I actually got knee deep into things, it made alot more sense. When I got used to my own personal setup, I could put together all the pieces of knowledge I learned both here and in the books. I'd recommend to at least read the first "intro" chapter to John Palmer's How To Brew, then give it a whirl. After that you can get into the nitty gritty of things.

Just my opinion!

 

[JJL]

I have to agree with the other guys. Best thing to do is to jump in the deep end and start brewing. If you want a kit, a local homebrew store (LHBS) is best. That way you can ask questions when you buy the kit. If not, +1 on Austin Homebrew and Northern Brewer. They are reputable. Also Midwest Supply is good. By the way, be sure to ask about dry hopping if you are making an IPA. It's a topic that is often not covered in basic brewing instructions.

As for reading, I have to agree with the other guys. Don't immers yourself at the beginning. I would recommend Papazian's Complete Joy of Homebrewing. It's not very technical, but gives you some basic knowledge, and is a light read. Once you've got a couple of basic brews under your belt, Palmer's How to Brew is a good book. Jamil's Brewing Classic Styles is good once you want to start making your own recipe's. Also, picking up a clone book is sometimes helpful just so you can compare what you are making to something that already exists. It can help improve your palate. Just my 2 cents.

 

[fatmoose]

+1 on being an experience based learner but I think I still got value out of the reading I did in advance. I think that reading this board for a week or two and googling stuff you see referenced but don't understand has more value out of the gate than reading one of the more scholarly books on the topic. As BlueSunshine said, once I started to get into doing my first brew I started associating the equipment with the information I'd read up on.

Also, the kit I got from Midwest Supplies came with a how-to DVD. That was kind of helpful to see someone walk through things and see what they're doing rather than just reading about it.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Wellshooter]

It sure helps to have a buddy that has brewed a few times come and help with that first batch. I read a lot of stuff before starting, but my buddy's help got me through the first batch and then I started understanding what I was doing. I am sure it was somewhere in the stuff I read but if he hadn't been here I wouldn't have known to constantly stir after adding the extract. Likewise, sanitation procedures were a new thing to me.

Happy brewing

 

[SoonerDoc]

Also, the kit I got from Midwest Supplies came with a how-to DVD. That was kind of helpful to see someone walk through things and see what they're doing rather than just reading about it.

I watched that video before, during and after the first brew. I found it very helpful (although corny).

Again, I agree with the above posts. I found it easier to do it instead of just reading about it. What looks really complicated isn't that bad once you do it the first time. You just have to remember all the steps.
Good luck!

 

[mtngoat]

+1 on John Palmers How to Brew. For me that was all I needed to start.

I recommend looking for the website to get acquainted with the steps. Just the first chapter has everything from start to finish. I can not stress sanitation and patience enough. It really is important.

While I love IPA's I don't think I would do that as my first brew. Maybe a Pale Ale or an Amber is easy.

Welcome to the Hobby!