Noob from Montana

[epistrummer]

Just wanted to introduce myself to the homebrewing community...

I had a chance to watch a friend make an all grain brew a couple years ago and promised myself I would get involved in the hobby someday. Well I broke down yesterday and bought a beginner's kit from Brewer's Best. It's a basic kit and I can already see there are some accessories that I want but it will do for my first batch. I also bought The Complete Joy of Home Brewing to get more acquainted with brewing. I will be posting questions often so I wanted other posters to know something about me and my noobness.

 

[Vernacular]

First of all Greetings and welcome aboard....

I like reading through the introductions... you nickname got my attention. (You play an Epiphone guitar?)

I too started out with a Brewers Best starter kit, and an Irish Stout kit. A friend turned me onto John Palmers book "How To Brew". You can access it online at http://www.howtobrew.com/ It has been updated and revised in print but what's online is completely valid still and an unusual (not mainstream) approach to the subject. It was and still is a great help to me.

 

[epistrummer]

Hey, thanks. (and yes, I play an Epiphone guitar. You might be the first person to have figured that out on your own.)

I've been reading "How To Brew" online, I agree with you it is an excellent resource.

I made my first batch of beer today, it was Thomas Cooper's IPA. I THINK I did it mostly right. Their instructions were nearly useless. I found a Youtube video of a guy that made the same beer and pretty much did the same thing he did.

 

[Vernacular]

Yeah John Palmer pretty much says to ignore the instructions in kits... some even tell you that boiling isn't a requirement. I started brewing beers last fall and have gone all grain already. I made two kits and one stout kit I "extended" with improv... It's not easy to ruin a batch of beer... as long as you keep things CLEAN. Sanitation sanitation santation. And you can go overboard on that too,,, I have seen guys take a propane flame to the neck of their carboy before they insert the air lock???? Whatever....

As for the guitar... I play too.

 

[fifelee]

Welcome. I used to work and the old Semitool before heading home to take over the farm. Kind of miss your mountains. Hear C Falls is getting a brewery.