Hello form Southside Chicago!!

[Crimsonwine]

I always wanted to try brewing my own beer. I only really love craft beers and seek out micro breweries in my travels...

My father brewed his own beer when I was a kid...He also made wine and his own soda...Soooo....I was at a garage sale yesterday and they had a beer making kit still in original unopened box which contained two 6.5 gallon pales, hydrometer, tubing, sanitizing powder, bottle brush, bubbler, other goodies, and a brewing book...all for $5.... I couldn't pass it up....

Now i have been trying to to figure which beer kit to start with...I am not big on Hoppy beers...any suggestions? I do like wheat beers like blue moon...and Honey Wiess...it seems lager need to be kept cool during fermentation...not sure i can do that while apartment living....

Any feed back would be great...and if anyone know a local group...that info would be appreciated...

 

[Sean]

Welcome, I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, Hazel Crest. Where are you at?

If you do not prefer hoppy beers, why not start with a Russian-Double-imperial-chocolate-mocha-coffee-imperial-vanilla-bourbon-oaked-esspresso-smoked-Stout!!

Or maybe just a nice brown ale!

Luck!

 

[Crimsonwine]

I am actually in Worth...
I grew up in Michigan though...I am a transplant...

 

[Marko73]

Welcome from MA! Great pick up at the yard sale. I would start out with a mild, cream ale, or a honey wheat. A mild might be nice for the fall. My first homebrew was a cream ale from Brewer's Best and was super fun and super good.

 

[Crimsonwine]

Honey Wheat sounds Awesome....

 

[FromZwolle]

welcome to hbt.

 

[xeno]

Welocme!

I dream of finding beer stuff at garage sales for $5!

If you love weat beers they are easy to make as a new homebrewer. They turn out delicious through a broad range of fermentation temperatures.

 

[Pops]

Welcome
http://www.bossbeer.org/

 

[Pappers_]

Hi neighbor, I'm in Oak Lawn. Check out Bev Art, a homebrew store in Beverly at 101st and Western. They sell kits and also offer classes (beer, wine and mead).

 

[kjung]

Greetings from the S.E. 'burbs. For your first endeavor, I would start out with something easy, that you will also want to drink over the winter (Wheats tend to be more of a summer beer), like a Pale Ale or a Brown Ale.

Good luck, and check in often. You'll find a LOT of useful info here!

 

[eon]

Welcome from Chicago Heights!

 

[cork44]

There is also Barley and Hops on Halsted, in Glenwood. Newer homebrew shop, but growing.

 

[Lcasanova]

Welcome to the obsession

 

[Crimsonwine]

Hi neighbor, I'm in Oak Lawn. Check out Bev Art, a homebrew store in Beverly at 101st and Western. They sell kits and also offer classes (beer, wine and mead).

Hi there....I already came across your website and bookmarked it...

I've already been to Bev Art and picked up a kit and some other things...

I would love to see your setup...

 

[Pappers_]

Hi there....I already came across your website and bookmarked it...

I've already been to Bev Art and picked up a kit and some other things...

I would love to see your setup...

If you can talk to Greg at Bev Art, he's really great. He's also a professional mead maker (mazer, maybe is what they are called), his mead is called Wild Blossom. But he is very knowledgable, friendly, and just a nice guy.

I'll drop you a pm the next few times I'm brewing, if you'd like to come and join me that would be great. My setup isn't very elaborate - I have a long table in the basement

 

[Crimsonwine]

If you can talk to Greg at Bev Art, he's really great. He's also a professional mead maker (mazer, maybe is what they are called), his mead is called Wild Blossom. But he is very knowledgable, friendly, and just a nice guy.

I'll drop you a pm the next few times I'm brewing, if you'd like to come and join me that would be great. My setup isn't very elaborate - I have a long table in the basement

That would be great! I would love to come and watch you do your thing...maybe learn a thing or two...I am at Harlem and 111th....drop me a PM and we can exchange phone numbers...