I’ve been wondering just how to write this without sounding like a drunkard. I still don’t know if I’ve accomplished that goal with the below, so I’ll leave that up for you to decide.
The beginning
For our wedding anniversary in 2006 Angie bought me a beer brewing kit from Midwest Homebrewing Supplies. It was something that I’d always wanted to try. Little did I know about the frustration and joy that would ensue.
In general…
If you’re reading this looking for sage advice, I think I can safely pass this along. Take your time and think about your actions. Every batch of beer that has turned out bad for me has had one of two things in common. I rushed through preparation and skipped something vital. Or I did something stupid, knew it was stupid while I was doing it, and neglected to take corrective action to stop the stupid.
I haven’t made the jump to all-grain brewing yet. I still used malt extracts with grain bags and all that. Now that we have some more space in the new house I’m planning on making the jump to all-grain at some point because that’s how the cool kids do it.
If you’re asking yourself if you’d like to do something like this make sure that you’re patient. Getting to the end result is a multi-week endeavor. Paying close attention to detail is mandatory. If I haven’t scared you away yet then check out the links below. I’ve found them to be excellent resources on my brewing adventure so far.
Happy brewing!
Midwest Homebrewing Supply
Main Street Homebrew Supply Company
Brew Your Own Magazine