New Brewer

[Goldsbeer]

I'm from Crestview Florida and just purchased a brew kit yesterday from my LHBS. I went straight for a 6 Gallon Carboy kit. I kinda like the idea of watching the whole process through the glass instead of a bucket. I think the kit was something the LHBS put together and not a prepack. My first Brew is going to be the Coopers Brewmaster Wheat Beer Extract kit. I'm going to try the whole recipe boiling thing eventually but thought I would start easy to minimize (notice I didn't say eliminate) the chances of a skunky beer my first time out. Hooray Beer!

 

[mrk305]

Welcome to HBT! Forget the instructions on the can. I hope the LHBS sold you some extract to go with it. Good choice on the carboys. I have buckets. Where is crestview?

 

[Rick_R]

Welcome to the forums. As mrk305 suggested, you ought to have some extract to go with the kit. Have fun with the process.

Rick

 

[Goldsbeer]

Crestview is in the Panhandle of Florida, near Ft Walton Beach and Eglin AFB. My LHBS sold me a bag of sugar. After doing some reading first on this forum decided to forgo the sugar and go with some type of extract, haven't decided what to use yet.

 

[mrk305]

I should probably add that my first (and probably worst) beer was two cans of pre-hopped extract that I boiled (and boiled over). I think the local home brew store (LHBS) was thinking... "there goes another one. we will never see him again."

My second beer was a boxed kit with extract and steeping grains. That was a lot better beer and more fun to make. From there I bought a grain bag and started buying extract from the LHBS and getting them to grind grains for me for steeping.

I took a class at the LHBS, and in my opinion they taught lots of things wrong. I found HomeBrewTalk soon after that. I still don't know squat compared to lots of these guys, but I make a darn good beer using all grain.

 

[Jared311]

Congrats on your first purchase! You made the right choice in my opinion for choosing the glass carboy over the plastic. Glass is a lot easier to clean and you can sit back and enjoy the show. Not to mention that plastic can be scratched and have little nooks ands crannies for trouble to creep into. Good luck on your first batch.

 

[Lanfox]

Good choice on the carboy it will be a good investment, and very entertaining for your first 6 or so batches.

 

[Fishstick]

Goldsbeer,
I have been procrastinating buying supplies for awhile now and would like to start within the next week. I live in Crestview, FL as well, but I have no idea where the nearest LHBS is... about a year ago I found a site for a store in Panama City, but I can't find it now, any chance you could point me in the right direction?

TYVM

 

[BeerSmith]

Welcome!
I lived in Niceville nearby for a while - really enjoyed the white sands there.

Happy homebrewing!

Brad

 

[Iechyd Da]

Welcome to the forum. I spend a couple months every year down your way in Niceville. I've never looked for a LHBS while down there. Where did you go? Might have to stop in there next time I'm down.

 

[PUD]

hooray beer! speaking of carboys, i need to clean the carboy i transfered from on monday. i hate when i get buzzed and don't finish my cleaning process. i'll pay for it tomorrow when i'm trying to get all the dried crap out of the top of the carboy.

welcome, this forum rocks my socks off!!!

 

[Fishstick]

Well, after an interesting goose-chase around Pensacola, I managed to find a nice HBS on Nine Mile Road - The Shady Lady. In the midst of the search, we stopped into McGuire's Irish Pub and and scored two samples of their liquid yeast as well! The first batch is in the carboy and fermenting nicely!

 

[morrighu]

If you want to go all grain, I can tell you that we did a lot of reading but our first batch ever was all grain. If you can make tea, you can make beer. It's not that much more complex. It just looks harder.

HTH,

M.