I'm almost a home brewer.

[jeremu]

Hello Everyone I'm here from N. Cal.
And hope to make my first Home Brew before the month is out.
I have $1,000,000 plans with a $10 budget, but slowly I will grow my Home Brew Kingdom.

If anyone has any easy recipes for my first brew I'm all ears (ale or lager)

I hope I will be of some great help in the near future.

 

[Grimster]

Are you going to go all grain at once? If you're going to just start with a "kit" or one of the canned Muntons/Coopers/Best Brewer kits you can easily get all the stuff you need to get started for just over $100

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/products/Basic-Brewing-Equipment-Kit.html

$60 + 7.99 shipping for the kit
Add some bottles ($13 a case or drink them empty "for free") $26
and an ingredient kit, I started with a Munton's, $18.63 at my LHBS and a pound of DME ($3.19) and a pound of corn sugar ($2.19 I think?).

I assume you already own a pot big enough to boil a gallon of water in?

So about $120 for the bare necessities.

If you're wanting to do all or partial grain then you'll need more equipment I think.

 

[jeremu]

Thanks for the advise. I was thinking about going whole grain, but after counting up the cost I'm gonna start with a kit. Then build my mash tun. And hopefully I will have my Kegerator Conversion kit before I finish fermenting my brew.

I was going to buy a 16 qt. stainless steel pot for $20 cause I can't find any SS bigger. I have some really good pots, but none SS. Would it be ok to start with an Anodized Aluminum or Non-stick pot?

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome
I think I started out spending ~$150 the first time.
That was an equipment kit (intermediate, I think, from Midwest), brew kettle, and recipe kit.

 

[Pops]

Welcome, I don't remember what I spent.

 

[Richabt]

If you have access to a good " local home brew store" or LHBS, talk with them and see if they offer a good starter kit.
As for a first brew, I'd recommend a simple pale ale recipe. They tend to be easy and give you a good understanding of the process.

 

[jeremu]

I assume you already own a pot big enough to boil a gallon of water in?

I do, but it's non-stick. Should I just wait till I get a stainless steel pot? The biggest I can find locally is a 4 gal. for $20.

 

[Palefire]

Where in NorCal do you live? (and welcome!). There are some really great LHBS's up here that can help you out with some of this stuff.

As far as a first brew goes, doesn't really matter what kind as long as it's relatively simple (i.e. not too strong, no fruit or weird adjuncts, etc.). Pale, Brown, Bitter are all good ... choose one you like and go for it!

 

[jeremu]

Where in NorCal do you live? (and welcome!). There are some really great LHBS's up here that can help you out with some of this stuff.

I live in Sacramento. I just visited this great LHBS called Original Home Brewers Outlet here, but if you have any suggestions I'm totally open to ideas.
For $100 they have a full home brew kit with bucket fermenter and secondary better bottle fermenter and a beer kit.

I heard that I could modify a keg to be a kettle, but have no clue where to get a keg.

Can I use my electric stove for my boil?

 

[Fingers]

Have a look in Craigslist for used carboys and equipment. I bought several from an elderly gentleman who used to make wine. I think he just wanted someone to show up at his door and take them away. He didn't look like he needed the few bucks I gave him.

Welcome aboard. Don't be afraid to collect as you go. That's part of the fun. You start off with next to nothing, and in a few years you have dedicated brew space and an apparatus that makes most people look at you funny. (No reference to any anatomical part intended)

 

[jeremu]

Thank you all! I have had my fair share of beers, but never became addicted ... But I haven't even started brewing and feel some what addicted to brewing already. Is there some type of HomeBrewers Anonymous in case it gets to crazy? Maybe some type of apparatus