Absolute Beginner...

[ElChemist]

Yessir, a complete total and utter newbie here. Started a new job and after 2 and a half years without a drink, i had a few beers, decided I liked it still and didnt much like the price. Aquired a homebrew starter kit from Milestone and am about 2 days away from kegging my first batch of Pride of London.

I'm not a total novice to chemistry, it is and has been my job for the last 17 years, so I hope I understand the principles at least of brewing beers. I'm hoping to move to AG brewing once we move house, garage dependant of course, but am sticking to kits for the time being.

Any sage advice for the newbie?

Am a fan of lighter golden ales, and am really looking for a clone recipe for Harveys Best if such a thing exists. That will most likely get my AG juices flowing earlier lol, but if a kit exists which is similar to Boon Doggle from the Ringwood boys I'll have that in my FV quicker than you can say "Session Ale".

Regards

ElChemist

 

[TheRedDarren]

Yessir, a complete total and utter newbie here. Started a new job and after 2 and a half years without a drink, i had a few beers, decided I liked it still and didnt much like the price. Aquired a homebrew starter kit from Milestone and am about 2 days away from kegging my first batch of Pride of London.

I'm not a total novice to chemistry, it is and has been my job for the last 17 years, so I hope I understand the principles at least of brewing beers. I'm hoping to move to AG brewing once we move house, garage dependant of course, but am sticking to kits for the time being.

Any sage advice for the newbie?

Am a fan of lighter golden ales, and am really looking for a clone recipe for Harveys Best if such a thing exists. That will most likely get my AG juices flowing earlier lol, but if a kit exists which is similar to Boon Doggle from the Ringwood boys I'll have that in my FV quicker than you can say "Session Ale".

Regards

ElChemist

Howdy and welcome!
I think the best advice I had when starting (not that I'm a seasoned pro) was sanitise, sanitise and then sanitise.
Then I'd add fermentation control. It has been said that a kit brewer with fermantation control will churn out better beer than an AG brewer without. And I heartily agree. Since I built a fermentation chamber my beers instantly stepped up in quality.
And keep things simple, at least for a while until you get the hang of things.

Also, I went stright into AG and I'd urge anyone else to do the same. Its not that hard really, there are a lot of aspects to get right, but no of them are really hard. It's a bit like cooking really.

Anyway, good luck and post your successes and the not so successful, so we can all learn.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Also, I'm just drinking a clone of Boon Doggle I made, its not quite on the money yet as it was my first effort but its similar. You are welcome to the recipe, I'll post it if you like.
It's on here somewhere buried in a post about Ringwood beers.

 

[ElChemist]

I shall encourage the search function to give me better results next time. Thats for the info bud, always appreciated even if its not always stated.

I would go to AG immediatley, but I think the wife would actually kill me. I race RC Cars as well, and having 2 expensive hobbies would be the proverbial straw I think, aside from really not having the space until I get a garage.

AWAY! To the search function!! (Cue suitable superhero fanfare type music...)

 

[Notlaw]

Welcome to the forum ElChemist. You'll find plenty of help on here.

 

[GlentoranMark]

I shall encourage the search function to give me better results next time. Thats for the info bud, always appreciated even if its not always stated.

I would go to AG immediatley, but I think the wife would actually kill me. I race RC Cars as well, and having 2 expensive hobbies would be the proverbial straw I think, aside from really not having the space until I get a garage.

AWAY! To the search function!! (Cue suitable superhero fanfare type music...)

All Grain expensive?

You'll have most of what you need around the house for the above.

 

[cheapbrew]

Welcome

have a look here
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51684&highlight=newbie+tips

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum :

 

[Hoppyland]

Welcome!
My two top tips (assuming everything has been well cleaned!) are:
Keep your fermentation temperature stable (say 18-20C for English-style ales). Too low, it may just stop. Too high, you'll get peculiar flavours you don't want.
Once the first, vigorous fermentation is done then be rigorous in excluding air. Air can carry spoilage organisms. It definitely carries oxygen, and this will alter the taste of your beer - in a bad way!

Third tip - don't worry too much! I think that brewing beer is like training a dog. It doesn't go perfectly every day - but in the end you definitely get the right result :)

 

[Dutto]

...... I'm hoping to move to AG brewing once we move house, garage dependant of course, but am sticking to kits for the time being.

Any sage advice for the newbie?

........

Welcome to the Forum.

Forget "sage advice" on brewing, that's easily sorted, so listen to some sage advice on marriage.

When you are viewing the future marital home NEVER mention brewing anywhere on the property.

The garden will be a great place for the kids to play and NOT "A great place to install a brewing shed".

The garage will be big enough for two cars and NOT "Big enough to squeeze a car and a brewing kit into."

Even the house itself may have convenient cupboards and small rooms which are ideal for clothes and even visitors. They are NEVER "Somewhere that could store fermentors, bottles and a brewing fridge."

ANY property that doesn't match most of the above criteria can be sorrowfully rejected on the basis of price, location, lack of amenities, rising damp, etc etc etc without causing suspicion ...

... and then only AFTER SWMBO has selected the home of YOUR dreams do you mention with complete surprise how wonderful your spouse is to have selected a home so suitable for your hobby.

Enjoy. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Hoppyland]

Well, my marital advice is..........










Marry someone who likes good beer! I did, nearly 40 years ago. So, my hobby is not seen as expensive at all. Merely a way of getting great beer far cheaper than you could buy it! :thumb:

 

[JapanBrew]

Funny how this thread is turning toward the wife. Hahaha
Just brew bud and keep things clean.
You said kegging so that's a ton easier than bottling. So no worries there. Just decide whether you'll pressure carb with gas or with sugar. If sugar, stay with 3 to 5 grams per liter depending on the style.

 

[Notlaw]

Marry someone who likes good beer! I did, nearly 40 years ago. So, my hobby is not seen as expensive at all. Merely a way of getting great beer far cheaper than you could buy it! :thumb:

I did too, I took her to a real ale pub for our first date... it had 10 cask ales, beautifully kept, and she outdrank me!!

 

[ElChemist]

Well, my marital advice is..........

Marry someone who likes good beer! I did, nearly 40 years ago. So, my hobby is not seen as expensive at all. Merely a way of getting great beer far cheaper than you could buy it! :thumb:

Thats great advice, unfortunately I married someone who drinks only cider and maybe 2 bottles a year at most. Shes fine with my hobbies and interests and has even said that our next house must have a garage as "Every man needs a man cave to keep his hobbies and **** out of the house." I think I chose well...

Agree about the cheapness option. Might have to get me some more FVs as my maths says that I'm gonna run out of beer before the second batch has finished conditioning...

Thank god Morley Home Brew is open on a sunday...

 

[Birkin]

I brew in the kitchen with the window wide open to let the steam out, it does take over the kitchen for the day though!

And AG kit doesn't need to be expensive, it can be, but really doesn't need to be!

The end result of AG is generally a truly excellent beer.