First time brewer: in over my head?

[BlueSunshine]

So I'm going to be brewing for the first time in a few days, and this past weekend I made a stop my local homebrew shop. When I was there, I picked up the ingredients for the Cincinnati Pale Ale recipe as outlined on John Palmer's website. The guy working there said I was brave for not using a kit the first time. Does anyone agree with this?

I mean, I've been using Palmer's site pretty much as the bible for home brewing. Being that this is the first recipe that's suggested, do you think as a first time brewer I'm in over my head? The only thing that's different from the ingredients I picked up from Palmer's site is that I'm using liquid yeast.

 

[Yooper]

No, you're not over your head! You're following a very good recipe with well-written instructions with good ingredients.

 

[Parker36]

I'm sure you will be fine. I'm assuming you are doing extract? He probably though you made the recipe up. Just be sure to make a starter.

 

[david_42]

No, there isn't any difference between brewing a kit and buying the makings separately. The only possible problem is if you made a mistake in the purchase, like getting DME instead of LME.

I did my first kit after over a year of brewing.

 

[IrregularPulse]

You're still basically using a kit.All a kit is, is a predefined recipe in a box. He's just amd he couldn't overcharge you.

 

[FxdGrMind]

Nope, not in over your head at all. Keep reading here, learn all you can. Then set everything out and make a schedule of events and check them off just like the web page you linked.

Work to the plan and you will be just fine, anticipate errors and have a way to catch up/ get in sinc again. No worries!

By the way, what did your LHBS think you should buy??? Beer already in a bottle??

Now relax, make your plan and most of all "have Fun!!" that's what it's all about!

 

[Edcculus]

You will be in much better shape than people who buy a kit. Most people find Palmer's online book after they have followed the bad, confusing and sometimes incomplete instructions included in kits.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

It's intimidating at first, for sure. Beer is really hard to screw up though. Keep on track with the instructions per the kit and you'll be just fine.

 

[MultumInParvo]

That exactly what I did. If I didn't put in 10x the amount of priming sugar I was supposed to, I am sure it would've been good!

But yeah, Palmer won't lead you astray for the first brew. Everything won't go perfectly, but it'll certainly be beer!

 

[Windigstadt]

You're still basically using a kit.All a kit is, is a predefined recipe in a box. He's just mad he couldn't overcharge you.

I gotta agree with IrregularPulse. Personally, I've never bought a kit in my life. My first batch (a Hefe) was an extract recipe that my LHBS hooked me up with. After that I started crafting my own extract recipes with steeped grains, using Ray Daniels' Designing Great Beers and an online recipe calculator. I could see warning somebody if they were starting out all-grain for their first batch (and even then, it can be done) but to suggest you're over your head because you assembled the ingredients yourself rather than buying them in a box is ridiculous.

 

[rcrabb22]

Nope, not in over your head at all. Keep reading here, learn all you can. Then set everything out and make a schedule of events and check them off just like the web page you linked.

Work to the plan and you will be just fine, anticipate errors and have a way to catch up/ get in sinc again. No worries!

By the way, what did your LHBS think you should buy??? Beer already in a bottle??

Now relax, make your plan and most of all "have Fun!!" that's what it's all about!

+1 - and just take your time. I stressed over things like exactly 60 min boil, getting the cooled wort out of the kettle into the carboy as fast as possible which caused undue sense of anxiety. You're doing this for entertainment!

 

[BlueSunshine]

Phew, I'm feeling better already.

My preparation has been extensive thus far. In addition to using this site and Palmer's as resources, I'm in the middle of reading Homebrewing for Dummies and I also have the third edition of Palmer's book on the way. I also have about 3 or 4 full length videos to watch as well along with the ones I've already watched on Youtube.

With so much information available and a great forum like this, I'm hoping that the first time goes smoothly.

 

[MultumInParvo]

The impressive thing is that just the first chapter of Palmer's book tells you everything you NEED to know. Everything else is just sort of nice to know.

Basically, boil water, add extract, add hops, boil for a time, add extract, cool, pitch yeast, wait, add sugar, bottle, wait, open, enjoy. Poof, beer!

I know I love to know everything about everything, and part of the fun is over analyzing, but the actual process is simple.