Hi all,
So I’ve read through Brewing 101 on this site and am ready to trying Homebrewing for the first time! I want the hard work I’m willing to spend on brewing my first beer to be worth it, so does anyone have any suggestions for recipes that taste great, but aren’t too difficult?
Thanks in advance!
Most of NBs kits are good. If it’s your first time brewing, you may want something with just extract only, no specialy/steeping grains(this isn’t too difficult though), and hopping isnt hard to do at all and may in fact hide some minor flavor flaws. I’d go with this guy if youre into hoppy beers:http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/smash-american-session-ale.html. Never brewed it myself, but you can’t go wrong with simcoe hops.
What commercial beers do you drink?
+1 to NB kits - i started with Mr. B kits a little over a month (don’t go there, although I like the LBK to ferment in) then went to NB (doing my first all grain this weekend) - anyway ALL of there 1 gallon kits are easy (i ordered two of the same and mixed together in my LBK). I just recently tried the Caribou Slobber and for a nut brown, it was quite decent (i drank side by side with a newcastle).
newToHomeBrewing, answer this, and someone here will be able to point you at a NB kit. I would definitely recommend a kit for your first try, with all the ingredients assembled and measured out for you, and clear to read instructions for every step of the process.
I will also be brewing for the 1st time this weekend. I was told you cannot go wrong with Caribou Slobber. I hope mine turns out slightly drinkable.
Be careful with your sanitation, follow the directions, keep the fermenting beer as cool as you can (low 60s is the ideal) and it will turn out great. Welcome to a great hobby! :cheers:
Depends on if you like brown ales. If you like Smithwick’s or Moose Drool, you will be fine.
If you don’t care for those beers, you may be disappointed.
Welcome to brewing. My advice would be to pick a beer you like and dive in. There are lots of recipes floating around (and beer kits) in homebrewland; just pick one and start brewing.
My website recently started a series on easy, surefire extract recipes (he says, shamelessly plugging his site 
). I’ve posted recipes for an American amber ale, a mild ale and a Scottish 70-shilling ale so far. Check one of those out if they sound interesting.
Chris Colby
Editor
[quote=“rebuiltcellars”][quote=“fle0348”]
Be careful with your sanitation, follow the directions, keep the fermenting beer as cool as you can (low 60s is the ideal) and it will turn out great. Welcome to a great hobby! :cheers: [/quote][/quote]
+1
Good sanitation is by far the most important habit to get into. I made my first extract batch in July of 1971 and it turned out surprisingly good, but probably only because I did the batch with a college buddy who was a biology major (it was his idea to use 2 cans of Blue Ribbon extract as well). He instinctively steered us in the right direction and that’s probably why I’m still brewing today. Nowadays, all the available ingredients are better so your chances of success are even greater.
Bottom line: select an extract kit (our hosts have some very good ones), follow the directions, and keep everything clean. Really… you are practically guaranteed a good or even great result if your sanitation is up to par.
