Making my first homebrew in 18 years. Bit o' help please....

oldscoil

Hi Folks,

I have decided to make my first HB since I was 17.

My prerogative has changed slightly, this time I’m doing it because I want to spend time creating my own brew which I can enjoy with friends or a bottle or two on a Sunday afternoon, kinda like making a big chilli from scratch ….instead of stuffing your face with abrakebabra like young folk do.


Anyway, I have decided to go for a stout for the long winter evenings and Christmas togethers.

I have no equipment whatsoever as all my old gear ended up in a skip at the turn of the millennium.

I was thinking of going for the Beer starter kit from The Home Brew Company.
http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=213

And brewing a Brupaks Brewer's Choice (The first dried ingredient kits that don't require boiling)
http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_161&zenid=4aecd485fb769b6fc2805b71ba3b7c01

Is this a bit adventurous?

Should I just pick one of the following kits (if so, any pointers one any of these)

http://thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

The Home Brew Company should be paying me for this ad J

In regards to bottling, are the standard brown bottles with the ordinary caps OK for stout?

Or should I go for the Keg?

And finally, I’m thinking of adding my own slight flavour to the final product, coffee, chocolate, vanilla etc etc……does anyone have any other suggestions.

As I said, this is the first crack of this since I was a young fella, and I really want to brew something I don’t have to hold my nose before I neck it quickly with a plastic bag beside me, just in case…. Aaahhh ’92 - ’93… what was I thinking!!!

So any info no matter how small is greatly appreciated.

Thanks Folks,

Brian

Saruman

Go for the brewers choice... I imagine it will produce a better beer than one with liquid malt extract..

Do not however go adding in other flavours for now. You will probably not like the results.

oblivious

oldscoil wrote: »

Is this a bit adventurous?

Should I just pick one of the following kits (if so, any pointers one any of these)

http://thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

Any of the all malt kits (no sugar) have gotten very good reviews, Woodfordes Kits are a good example

rabbit Stew

Use one of the premium 3kg kits.
No guesswork or measuring out fermentable sugars.
I'm with saruman on adding flavours, just don't
Not until you have a couple of drinkable brews under your belt anyway.
Then experiment away.
That kit seems to have everything you need to start off.
You might want to get 1kg of brewing for priming the bottles after fermentation.

In regards to bottles brown is best, try get your hands on 45 500mls bottles from your local pub.
Koppaberg, erdinger, paulaner etc. are all non returnable and go in the bin so €20 in the right hand should get you all the bottles you need.

Happy brewing
Stew

Saruman

No need to get brewing sugar for priming. Normal household sugar is all you need. Brewing sugar is just glucose which you can get in any supermarket anyway but normal sugar is fine, especially for priming.