So my girlfriend bought me a Mr. Beer kit for our first anniversary. I know, its not the holy grail of brewing beer. I've been interested in home brew for quite a while, just haven't jumped into it. I have looked at kits and if I were to buy one it would be the Northern Brewers or similar kit, but I figured that since my GF got me this one, I will give it a shot. I figured that if I tried a few batches that weren't too bad to drink and tasted fairly well, I may just get more into the hobby and get a more complex system. I use forums for a few other hobbies, so I stumbled onto here. I knew some basic facts and processes about brewing, but I see there are quite a few professional-grade home brewers out there. Looking forward to learning and expanding into the hobby!