Hi From Iowa, God's Country

[doggie_doc]

First time home brewer, reading like a crazy woman to try and learn as much as I can. Howdy to all and thanks for all the help you seasoned brewers offer us newbs!

 

[Roadie]

Welcome. This is a good site to pick up answers from. What type of brewing are you going to do (extract, all grain, BIAB, etc.)?

 

[Sammy86]

Welcome to the group! My mom lives in Ankeny...heard you have some decent breweries popping up!

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

 

[doggie_doc]

Thanks guys! Yes we have some terrific micro-brews in this area. LOTS of them actually.

My first try is a full extract brew but with the oatmeal stout kit I steeped 2 bags of different grains and some ground cocoa (yay...cocoa!) It smelled amazing. I want to learn about all types of brewing, but needed to start somewhere more simple and go from there. I am half way through John Palmer's book, any suggestions on other books that would be good? I am a reader/researcher so I will likely be a big ole' pest on the forum. Hehe.

I love dark beers, stouts, porters and the like and strangely also mexican beer (in the summer mostly).

 

[Roadie]

While good in a general sense, I find that the information in a lot of the books is a little outdated and that online, especially on this forum, you'll find more recent information. To find what I'm looking for here I usually do an advanced google search. You may want to subscribe to a magazine like BYO or join the American Homebrewers Assosciation (AHA) and get Zymurgy. I get both and find them good reads. Quite a few good books on the AHA site as well.

 

[Spellman]

You should check out www.iowabrewersunion.com, we meet every 3rd monday of the month at 7:00, usually at the Kegstand. A great way to meet other people in the area brewing and we have a lot of fun!

 

[doggie_doc]

Thanks for the info! Hope I can make time to pop into a meeting and check it out!

 

[MaxStout]

Welcome, from MN!

I grew up in West Des Moines, but been a while since I've been there. I should head down some weekend and see what my old neighborhood looks like.

 

[doggie_doc]

If you come down for a visit, but sure to go to a place downtown called "El Bait Shop". They have sooooo many great brews on tap, many local microbrews and microbrews from everywhere for that matter. Several on nitro tap as well.

 

[MaxStout]

If you come down for a visit, but sure to go to a place downtown called "El Bait Shop". They have sooooo many great brews on tap, many local microbrews and microbrews from everywhere for that matter. Several on nitro tap as well.

I've heard a lot about that place. In fact, they even advertise in The Growler magazine up here. That would be a definite stop on a trip to Des Moines.