Homebrewers:

[Earth_First]

Were looking into possibly embarking on crafting a few homebrews. We've been doing some extensive reading online this week. Any suggestions/tips/recommendations you would make?

Thanks in advance!

[Joe Power]

1. I'm in the same boat

I really want to give it a shot, but need advice.

[Richardo]

2. I know TXLib brews...

...but alas, I have not sampled. I hear good things, though.

[seriousstan]

3. Cleanliness is the most important thing.

Clean everything twice. There is nothing more important.

[AllegroRondo]

4. Great site for equipment and ingredients

www.morebeer.com

they can set you up with everything.

[TXlib]

11. That is indeed a great site

But if there's a local homebrew supply shop, I'd start there.

[cheezus]

5. i've made a couple batches

this forum has been very helpful:
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/

number one tip? SANITATION. You're creating an environment that's great for brewer's yeast -- that means it's great for all other sorts of nasty microbes. I suggest a no-rinse solution like one-step.

Other than that, get a kit with malt extract -- it's foolproof (assuming correct sanitation).

[TXlib]

12. Do you post there?

What's your screenname, if so?

[cheezus]

15. just been lurking

so far I haven't had any questions that seach didn't answer :)

[Floogeldy]

6. Alton Brown did an hour long show on it

A recording of that show would be very helpful, if you can get it.

I think he cleaned everything with a mixture of water and bleach.

[EstimatedProphet]

7. Yes, stay clean

It can be amazing how fast you can end up with malt vinegar if you don't. Also, with beer, I prefer all-grain mashes. However it will take a while to get to the point of making your own recipes if you've never brewed.

[AllegroRondo]

8. Start with an all-extract beer

use only metal or food-grade plastic implements - wooden spoons carry a lot of germs.

clean everything with bleach and water (and rinse)

let your wort cool before adding the yeast. otherwise you will kill your yeast and get nothing.

[TXlib]

13. Bleach is fine, but you really need to rinse the hell out of it

I prefer Iodophor.

[tsakshaug]

9. As stated above

Clean everything. Clean it some more. Rinse real well.

use fresh yeast. If you buy a kit, throw out the yeast and get a fresh pack. I prefer liquid yeast, but only buy it if I am making three batchs in a row and will re-use the yeast

[TXlib]

10. I'd recommend Charlie Papazian's book

The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing.

Read the first 3-4 chapters before buying anything else.

Definitely make your first batches from extract.

A starter kit costs under $100, and typically contains:

• 7.5-gallon plastic primary fermenter with lid
  
• 5-gallon glass carboy for secondary fermenter
  
• drilled stoppers and airlock
  
• hydrometer
  
• Racking cane, siphon hose, and bottle filling tip
  
• bottle capper
  
• bottle brush
  

In addition to that, you will need (available from homebrew store)

• 2 24-count cases of 12-oz brown bottles (don't bother with clear or green) plus 6 more bottles (a 5-gallon batch typically fills about 53 bottles)
  
• bottle caps
  
• iodophor for sanitizing
  
• PBW or similar product for cleaning fermenters and bottles
  
• 3-gallon pot
  
• large stainless steel spoon for stirring pot contents
  

As for your first batch of beer, I would recommend a pale ale, brown ale, porter, or hefeweizen.

Don't use the dried beer yeast. Get a liquid yeast (White Labs or Wyeast) appropriate for the style.

The extract method typically has you bring 2 gallons of water to a boil, then remove from heat and add malt extract and hops, stir til dissolved, and return to heat, and boil for an hour. Then you pour 3 gallons of cold water into your plastic primary fermenter, and pour the concentrated wort into that. One problem is that this tends to cause the beer to be very dark, and sometimes a little caramelised. Also, the hops don't get properly utilised in such a high-sugar environment.

For extract brews, I recommend adding a third less hops, and boil the hops only for 40-45 minutes. Then add the malt extract for only the last 15-20 minutes of the boil.

Also, with extract brews, if you don't want them to taste thin, make sure you use specialty grains like crystal malt. Papazian's book will tell you what to do with them.

If making a pale ale for your first beer, make sure you buy additional aroma hops to use as dry hops (added to secondary to impart lots of floral hop flavor and aroma).

Pay LOTS of attention to sanitation. Biggest mistake by beginners is skimping here.

Spend some time talking with the employees at your local homebrew shop. I guarantee they're all homebrewers themselves, and will have lots of advice. See if there is a homebrew club in your area, and go to some of their meetings.

Where are you located? I can tell you if there is an active HB club near you.


Also, check this out:
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/

And remember:

Relax, don't worry, and have a homebrew!

[EstimatedProphet]

14. Yes, Papazian's book is a classic

Also, the Big Book of Brewing by Dave Long. Both are very good resources, and both will take you from beginning brewing up to the most advanced you will ever make.

[naturalselection]

16. If I can,

I recommend that you visit a local brewshop.

Secondly, ask them about putting the new brew in a keg. It is soooooooooo much easier than bottling. Considering that you will be making about 5 gallons of beer, that equates to around 50-60 bottles. That means cleaning and bottling 60 bottles and capping them all. I recently bought a keg and CO2 container and I will NEVER go back to bottling.