Homebrew

I am not going to lie to you...I am not one of those guys who is very meticulous and calculating with every aspect of homebrewing beer, never satisfied with any brew that is less than perfect. There's nothing wrong with those guys, in fact, many are close friends of mine. However, I am not one of those guys! I took up home brewing only because my brother-in-law bought me a kit for Christmas one year, and I must admit that I was skeptical. I thought "There are plenty of good beers out there without me going through the hassle of brewing my own"... But, he spent the money on the kit and even bought me a Brewer's Best ingredients kit for making an American Pale ALe. So I did it. And I am here to tell you that no beer I had had up to that point had ever tasted as fine as my first homebrew Pale Ale. I have had many better brews since, but up to that point nothing could come close. So, I am gearing this page toward the ROOKIE BREWMASTER. I hope to share some good advice and tips for new brewers, if you are an experienced brewmaster, let me tell you right now that my site will be WAY below you and there is probably nothing for you to gain by reading further. However, if you are entertaining the idea of jumping into the homebrew arena then, Read On!! This site's for you!

                   BAKER'S TOP 10 TIPS FOR NEW HOMEBREWERS

10)   Talk to someone who has some brewing experience for some more tips
9)   If you drink mass-produced, domestic beers like Bud, Miller, Coors, etc....Save your money, time, and energy. Homebrewed beers are probably not going to be to your liking.
8) Start with a pre-measured ingredient kit. Brewer's Best makes good inexpensive kits.
7)   Brew what you like...Your gonna be drinking it, so you may as well enjoy it.
6)   Be thorough in your sterilization and control techniques, but don't let it take the passion and creativity out of your brew. Anal retentiveness is overkill and will cause your brew to have undercurrents of ass!!
5)   Experiment, Experiment, Experiment!!! Sometimes flavors that sound strange are in fact quite wonderful in a brew. ie: I made a pineapple-orange-amber ale once that was an Award winner!!
4)   The secret when using flavorings is moderation. The drinker should recognize the flavor but not quite be able to put their finger on what it is.
3)   Use established recipes at first with your own alterations. ie: Follow a recipe in books such as "The Joy of Homebrewing" and add the things or flavorings that interest you.
2)   HAVE FUN!!! If the process seems like too much work or trouble, then put your equipment away and go to the liquor store and buy a six pack of a good microbrew. I recommend "Louies Evil Lager" or "Foggy Bottom Ale". IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING FUN, IT WILL NOT BE WORTH IT!!!
1)   Share with you friends! Some of your best advocates, and critics for that matter, will be your close friends. They will be happy to tell you when you have brewed the nectar of the gods and will be comfortable enogh to tell you if you latest "masterpiece" should be called "Sweaty Ass Ale"!!!