Brewing Beer At Home -- Any Tips?

sterilize everything.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

sterilize everything.

Thanks. I guess I should have specified that I'm looking more for product advice, as in, "you definitely need x, y, and z, and this kit will be easily expandable".

Try a real hobby like masturbating.

You must be a Fezziwig.

Start with a good introductory book...I recommend "Brewing the World's Great Beers" by Dave Miller. This book (and others) will have lists of gear needed. DON'T run to the homebrew store and buy a starter kit - probably has junk you don't want or need, and some of it you probably could buy cheaper at Target/WalMart. That being said, expect to spend about $100 on gear needed for a first batch. And if you like it, you'll spend $100s more over the years.

Gear needed from a speciality brewing store:

- fermentation bucket (or two, or a bucket and a carboy)

- airlock

- hydrometer to measure specific gravity

- racking cane + tubing (needed to transfer beer)

- sanitation stuff

- bottle capper, bottle caps

You might also want to seek out your local homebrewing club. They may have programs where you could buddy up with someone to brew a batch, and may open up opportunities to get recommendations on what to buy.

Eventually, a heat exchanger.

Repeat: clean equipment.

As has been mentioned above, the number one advice I would give would be - make sure you clean and sterilize properly. Also, use extra hops, this will make any brew taste 'premium dude, premium'.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

sterilize everything.

including yourself.

Read and enjoy

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

Adam Smith wrote:

Read and enjoy

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

Just a note on this. I have the print version of this book and I was trying to build the hybrid chiller that he detailed inside. I was searching for answers and came across the website version where he published the whole thing online, for free. I was impressed so I dropped him a line and thanked him for doing it. In the email I happened to mention how I stumbled across it and he wrote me back an email talking about the different copper tubing sizes for the hybrid chillers and it solved my chiller problem. Very cool.

You'll need a kettle of at least 3 gallons. 5 gallons would be better. That is a huge expense not many newbies consider. Buy Charlie Papazian's Joy of Homebrewing and read the first couple of chapters on getting started. This book is superior to all others in making the hobby interesting and rewarding.

Oh, and you better start collecting rinsed 12oz or 22oz bottles.

Boil the wort in the garage or somewhere other than your kitchen if you can...otherwise the whole house will smell like beer.

Some people quit after the first batch (I did) others keep at it for years and get really good at it...my buddy makes several varieties now depending on the season ..all delicious.

Gaius Baltar wrote:

You'll need a kettle of at least 3 gallons. 5 gallons would be better. That is a huge expense not many newbies consider. Buy Charlie Papazian's Joy of Homebrewing and read the first couple of chapters on getting started. This book is superior to all others in making the hobby interesting and rewarding.

Oh, and you better start collecting rinsed 12oz or 22oz bottles.

It's true. Also, one thing to be wary of is bottles shattering during the process. I've never done it, but my buddy brews his own beer and has had a bottle or two explode on him. Not sure if he messed something up or if that occurs with everybody.

Props wrote:

It's true. Also, one thing to be wary of is bottles shattering during the process. I've never done it, but my buddy brews his own beer and has had a bottle or two explode on him. Not sure if he messed something up or if that occurs with everybody.

He messed something up. I've been bottling beer for 6 years and never once had a bottle bomb.

yes read the Miller book cover to cover before you even turn on the stove. Then, start out with a kit, they are pretty much idiot proof. Once you've brewed a few batches with the kits, you can branch out.

Gaius Baltar wrote:

He messed something up. I've been bottling beer for 6 years and never once had a bottle bomb.

Never happened to me or anybody I know either. Must have bottled it with significant fermentation still occuring.

Make sure you sterilize it all.

Buy the generic beer kit, read or skim the previously mentioned books (or the one that comes in the generic beer kit), make a batch or two, then read this book:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1867842.An_Essay_on_Brewing_Vintage_and_Distillation_Together_With_Selected_Remedies_for_Hangover_Melancholia_Or_How_to_Make_Booze

Making good beer is easier than most texts and home brewers will lead you to believe.

You need a pot, a bucket with vapor lock, yeast, and anything with sugar. From there, season and refine to taste.

Homebrewing is like going fishing or hunting for an entree. You can get far better quality at the store and it'll cost way less per consumable unit. I wish I had a dollar for every horrible tasting beer some homebrewing knob has pushed on me.