Homebrew

[dustinpollock]

I would say 3.2 is a good limit for you.

we need you in the drunken review i know it would be awsome

dustin

less taste more filling

[debo08080]

well good luck to both of you. I'll be expecting a bottle of both when its done.


seriously though, it seems like something interesting to do.

[wild]

There is a whole host of internet homebrew stores:
Northern Brewer
Austin Homebrew Supply
Homebrew Heaven
High Gravity Brew
Homebrewers Outpost
just to name a few. Northern and Austin are the most commonly used and Homebrewers Outpost is out of AZ. I've been brewing for several years and have a great deal of recipes especially in extract with specialty grain. Many Imp Stouts and Belgians.
Note: If you're going to brew big beers, you'll need to bottle. Big beers can age well and you don't want to tie up kegs for years.

Good luck

[chefchris]

I've got my eye on this kit. How's it look?

What should I brew for my first batch? Would something like a stout be too difficult for a first timer?

[WOXOF]

I'll volunteer my services for the tasting panel.

[wild]

I've got my eye on this kit. How's it look?

That is the exact kit that I started out with and I still use most of it to this day.
Have you had the chance to read How To Brew By John Palmer?

What should I brew for my first batch? Would something like a stout be too difficult for a first timer?

Not at all. 95% of the beers you'll brew will follow the same basic steps.
Steap
Sparge
Boil
Add Hops
Add Adjuncts
Chill
Pitch yeast
wait
bottle

Do you have a favorite stout you'd like to clone?

[nhcigarfan]

I stick with extracts for your first dozen or so batches. You can make fantastic beer with extracts, costs a little more but way simple. Easier than making soup and the volume is less so you can fill your bucket with 3 gallons of ice cold water and dump your hot wort in, it will go down to pitch temp. in minutes.
The kit looks fine. It will work great.
Buy a couple of cases of a beer like Sam Adams, you can reuse the bottles. As for big bottles, if you know any wait staff, have them collect champagne bottles, they work great, are thick as hell and a regular beer cap fits them perfect. Its what I use for my really high gravity stuff.
As for cleaning, always rinse your bottles after pouring until clean then a little more. Let dry. Once you have a couple of cases worth that are rinsed clean and dry, put a little piece of tin foil (2 in sq) over the mouth, place in oven, turn oven to 350 wait about and hour and a half and then shut the oven off and go to bed, in the morning the bottles are cool and sterilized, not sanitized like with the rinses but actually sterilized. Uber clean and because of the tin foil, they will stay that way until the foil comes off so are ready to use whenever you need them.

[chefchris]

I'll volunteer my services for the tasting panel.

Oh don't you worry about that.

That is the exact kit that I started out with and I still use most of it to this day.
Have you had the chance to read How To Brew By John Palmer?

Not at all. 95% of the beers you'll brew will follow the same basic steps.
Steap
Sparge
Boil
Add Hops
Add Adjuncts
Chill
Pitch yeast
wait
bottle

Do you have a favorite stout you'd like to clone?

I haven't read How To Brew, yet. I joined a homebrew board and picked up The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.

Do I need a Carboy now? I'd rather just go ahead and buy it if I'll need it down the road. I understand it leaves the sediment in the first container instead of bottling it. Keeps you from having to leave a little in the bottle when you pour.

I love Rogue Chocolate Stout, and I saw a clone kit of Rogue's Shakespeare Stout which is yummy as well. But I don't want it to be like an Easy 'Beer' Oven like Mr. Beer. Plus the packet was like $44, seems steep.