I want to brew my own beer?!
Answers: I have started looking into this and I was wondering what the best way to go about it is. Ive looked at some sites but I kinda want some input from people who have done it before. I prefer a lager and Im just wondering how much it would cost to make like 5 gallons and how long it would take. Also any suggestions on sites to use or recipies would be great too! Thanks!
Equipment costs money. Kits generally are easier, but usually lack in taste and cost more per batch.
I highly suggest you curl up with a copy of Charles Papazian's "Complete Joy of Home Brewing" first. It explains everything, and will save you money and trouble in the mean time....
Good luck. It was a great hobby, and maybe I'll get back to it someday.
best way is to check the web or phone book and see if there is a store locally that sells kits.
Kits are the best way to give brewing your own beer a try.
cost wise for a 5 gallon kit would be around 30-50 bucks - its been a few years since i did this so that could be off.
Its a cool and fun hobby - but don't expect a prize winner first time. it can be fustrating but I've always drank everything I ever made.
Buy ready kit from Boots.
You need a home brewing kit, about 36 or so beer bottles, (preferably the ones that you can cap, some beer bottles are to big to use caps on.) You need a caper, sugar, priming sugar, and a beer kit, and alot of patience-waiting about a half a year. You can get most of the Brewing kit and Beer kits at your local Save on foods where they sometimes go on sale, like about the beer kit goes on sale for about 9 bucks.
It's worth it, because you get about 3 cases out of it. You could use the home-brewing kit many, many times, and make wine as well. If you know how much Ice wine is, about 50 dollars per bottle, but if you make your own, The kit is about 30 dollars,(On sale,) which happens alot, and makes 30 bottles of wine, you have 1 dollar a bottle.
Do a search for a local home brew supply shop in your area. You can always check out Northern Brewer or More Beer; they have great customer service.
Check out web sites like www.brewcrazy.com, www.beertribe.com, www.basicbrewing.com, www.howtobrew.com, www.beertown.org
It's a fun hobby and very worth the efforts.
Don't start with a lager. Ales are more forgiving than lagers if you should make a mistake. Besides, they are ready to drink sooner. As previously mentioned, Papazian's "Joy" is one of the best starter books available. "Homebrewing for Dummies" is pretty good too. You can either buy your equipment as a kit (easiest) or put one together, only buying the parts that you can't build or buy cheaply elsewhere. If there is a nearby homebrew store, go in there and explain your situation to the proprietor, who will have a vested interest in helping you succeed. Successful tyro brewers come back to buy more for a second batch and a third and a fourth ...
While waiting for your beer to be ready, load up on returnable empties. Beer distributors will usually sell you cases for the cost of deposit. Figure two cases of pints per batch. Clean the heck out of those bottles and sanitize them. You can do this ahead of time and cap them with sanitized foil to save time on bottling day. Also go to the Brew Your Own (magazine) website. Along with interesting articles, they have links to their advertisers. Check out their catalogs. Just remember, even though mail-order prices may be cheaper than those at the homebrew shop, you also have to pay shipping.
Welcome to the club.