Reading this thread brought a smile to my face. I remember when I started, there was no great forums like this one. Only the Homebrew Digest and Charlie's book. I studied and worried a lot (against Charlie's advice). I measured everything and prepared like crazy, recording everything, etc. I was in learning mode so this was natural. I got several hand fulls of AG sessions under my belt after a year or two, and I settled down. Then life brought changes and the beer gear went into storage for fifteen long years. That gear got very lonely in the shed.
Last September my friend pokes me in the ribs and says "go get your brew gear". I just chuckled and didn't take him seriously. Two months later my friend does it again, so I said "OK" with a smile, despite the rainy weather. Several hours later we had ingredients for a 10 gallon batch, a bunch of new tubing and such, rain gear, and a bottle of bourbon. The local supply store printed a recipe, but I just left it in the bag. I did not measure anything but temperature. Not because I'm really experienced, I just didn't sweat it. The bourbon may have helped me in this direction. For the mash, I told my friend to throw the grain in the ice chest and start stiring, while I opened the HLT valve. When it looked like it wasn't too thick we checked for gross temp. errors, closed the lid and noted the clock. Ninety (or so) minutes later we drained, sparged and started to boil. I opened the bittering hops and didn't weigh them at all just threw them all in. After an hour (or so), in go the aroma hops (all of them) and through the chiller the wort went. By the time I hosed out the last of the equipment, my shoes were soaking wet from rain and the dishwashing, it was 11 pm, and my friend was crashed on the couch.
Two weeks later the keg was under pressure. Two more weeks and we cracked the can. I won't says its the best beer on earth, but I do think its one of the best batches I've ever made. I may never reproduce the same batch, but it just goes to show you that beer is forgiving. This approach may not be for everyone, and I'm sure I'll get back to measuring and recording again. The brewing bug is now fully awake after fifteen years! I bought a pump, two more keggles, and the plate chiller arrives tomorrow.
The main advice I have for anyone starting out is to remove the things that worry you. For instance I brew outside, so I can make a big mess and clean it all up with a garden hose. Its a lot more fun when the worry level goes down.
Cheers all.
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