Priorities for a noob

[Anyhowe]

Let's face it, getting started brewing can be daunting. Especially when folks start clicking through the threads. Just like anything else, we can't wait till we get everything right before we start. So I thought it might be interesting to get folks thoughts on what is really important to a noob and let them improve with some of the other items as the brew count goes up.
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If everything is important, then Nothing is important. So let's have your top 5. Is it sanitation? Water chemistry?, ingredient quality? Shiny pots, ph, pid's, temperature of your mash, fermentation temp, boil length, hop timing, yeast type, yeast starters, chlorine? money spent?...well you get the idea. ipe:

 

[BigFloyd]

The three biggies are:

-Good sanitation (use StarSan, put some in a clean spray bottle)

-Pitch and fermentation temp control. Most ale yeasts (except saison and a few others) do best in the low to mid-60's.

-Patience

Keep it simple to start with (extract based kits and dry yeast). Get your basic techniques down. Gain confidence. Then you can grow into the hobby at your own pace.

 

[Aristotelian]

Sanitation.

Consistency. Don't worry about efficiency. A predictable, repeatable process is the key to hitting your target numbers.

Master one style. This way you can buy your ingredients in bulk while letting you isolate one thing each time. There are so many variables (grain types, hops, mash temp) and if you are trying different beers each time you will not be able to focus on the specific variables.

 

[Jim_Holmes]

first of all you need a pot to cook in ( doesnt have to be an expensive shiny one ) i started with a stoneware canning pot, second you need sanitizer for the pot and anything else that will touch the wort, third you need ingredients a simple extract kit is great for a start (just follow the directions), fourth you need a way to heat and boil (whether it be a kitchen stove, propane burner, or electric element inside the pot), fifth you need a fermenting bucket or carboy to put the finished wort in to change it to beer ( preferably with an airlock), sixth you need a hydrometer so you can take fg readings to be absolutely certain the beer is done fermenting (so you dont get bottle bombs), and seventh you need a way to store your finished beer (bottles, mason jars, etc...) and eigth a way to get the beer from fermenter to bottle( bottling bucket with bottle filler and a syphon ) so you can move beer out of fermenter and mix in priming sugar for carbonation.

i believe thats the basics maybe someone will see something i missed, and you may be able to do without some things but i myself wouldnt have started without at least the stuff i listed. as far as cooling wort to pitching temps i put the pot in the bathtub with ice water for the first 6 months until my wife got tired of me taking up the bathroom for the long time it took to cool and bought me a wort chiller for my birthday.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

My biggest one... Get, Have, and Stick to a game plan. So far, in my very short existence as an All Grain Brewer, I've had to fiddle with so much of my crap mid brew because I was so anxious to jump into the brew that day that I didn't have half of my equipment squared away, mis measured my volumes etc, which turned a fun process into a stressful one.

Secondly, sanitation. That plays well with the first part.

Lastly, have fun with it! If you're not having fun with it, it's a chore, and no one likes chores.

Tac

 

[JawZziff]

My biggest one... Get, Have, and Stick to a game plan. So far, in my very short existence as an All Grain Brewer, I've had to fiddle with so much of my crap mid brew because I was so anxious to jump into the brew that day that I didn't have half of my equipment squared away, mis measured my volumes etc, which turned a fun process into a stressful one.

yup, being organized makes the day so much nicer.

I'll vote sanitization too. but that's given so I'll add cleaning in with this one. and not just your gear. it helps to have a clean area. I started brewing in an old, dank, unfinished basement and wondered why I kept getting infections. now I'm in the kitchen and it gets a thorough cleaning before the brew begins.

my last suggestion is to just keep brewing. no matter the outcome and the reluctance of friends/family to try some of those first batches, eventually you'll figure it out and you won't be able to keep up with the demand.

 

[PADave]

I'd add, don't try to buy all the bells and whistles before your first brew. Do a couple batches with the basics, and see what you really want/need and go from there. Keeps from buying unnecessary equipment, or buying something that you'll upgrade soon.

 

[alexacuna]

I'd add, don't try to buy all the bells and whistles before your first brew. Do a couple batches with the basics, and see what you really want/need and go from there. Keeps from buying unnecessary equipment, or buying something that you'll upgrade soon.

I support this completely. Besides the essentials, I wouldn't buy anything until your system requires it. If you're handy, see what you can DIY. Leaves a higher level of satisfaction for me when I can build it, instead of buying it. Plus you'll have more money for ingredients!

 

[madscientist451]

I thought it might be interesting to get folks thoughts on what is really important to a noob and let them improve with some of the other items as the brew count goes up.
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. ipe:

I think its really important to try to relax, enjoy what you are doing and what you are making. Do you enjoy learning new things and making something useful?
So pick a beer you really like, one that's not too complicated, maybe a chocolate stout, a porter, even an IPA or APA. Don't get involved in lagers, sours, high alcohol beers or beers that have a lot of fruit or spice/flavor additions, you can do all that later on.
Anyway, pick a commercial beer you like, and look for a clone recipe online and brew that beer. When its done, compare yours to the commercial example. What do you like about your version? What don't you like?
Go to a local beer club with your beer and ask the people there what they think and for help. Re brew the same beer a few times to see if you can improve on it and to perfect your techniques. Get some fermentation temperature control, even if its crude. Learn about your yeast selection and what to do/not do. Get your sanitation practices squared away.
When you get your first beer where you want it, move on to another. Still having problems? Come back on here and post your specific problem alone with your process and you'll get plenty of help. Good Luck!