Brewing Greenhorn

[Asherweef]

Afternoon all,

I'm asherweef - a brewing newbie based in the Northwest UK. I received a brewing starter kit with a St Peter's golden ale kit at Christmas which I eagerly made; girlfriend then suggested we try wine so we have some elderflower wine ageing.

Beer is nice though not great and the wine tastes quite sour... Although no more so than cheap supermarket wine.

I'm hoping that if I become active in the forum as opposed to intermittently browsing then I should pick more up.

We have a wilko white wine kit due to be started this week and I'm hoping to get a Christmas beer started too but have read I may be a little late now...


Anyway - hi!

 

[Mjgclutch]

Hi.

Welcome!

Beer nice but not great sounds like a decent start to me!

 

[MyQul]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum :

 

[wheazy_joe]

Welcome on board, +1 Mj, nice beer is a very good start!

 

[ManseMasher]

Welcome aboard!!

 

[clibit]

Kits will make nice but not great beer. Work towards extract brewing - partial mash brewing - all grain brewing. Or cut out the middle man and go straight for the bulls eye:

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51779

Sorry folks. :twisted:

 

[Covrich]

I'm hoping to get a Christmas beer started too but have read I may be a little late now...

Never its only August!! with partial mash or AG (which I know you're not likley to do just yet) you could knock together one late novemeber and be drinking it christmas.

Kits can take a little longer to improve.. your first go and even if its not great well it is a start and you will get better.

 

[Asherweef]

Thanks for the replies - I'm a little unsure as to how to actually start on the road to anything other than kit beers. A lot of the threads on here assume some level of knowledge (acronyms seem to be everywhere in brewing!). I love the science behind cooking and brewing so I think that I would take to something more complicated than emptying a tin.

 

[clibit]

Thanks for the replies - I'm a little unsure as to how to actually start on the road to anything other than kit beers. A lot of the threads on here assume some level of knowledge (acronyms seem to be everywhere in brewing!). I love the science behind cooking and brewing so I think that I would take to something more complicated than emptying a tin.

Check out the various options:

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51908

 

[Asherweef]

Check out the various options:

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51908

Thanks cilbit. I've only ever noticed guides with rotating sparge arms etc... Think I'll give your stout a try!!!

Any good local brew shops around here? I'm from Bolton/ work near Old Trafford.

 

[clibit]

Not really, in Manchester, for grain brewers. Shops are often focused on kit brewing. I order stuff online. I think there's a shop in Bolton, you could check that out. But I've found that the grain you get online is always really fresh, shop bought rarely is. There's postage to pay, but the prices are lower.

 

[Asherweef]

Thanks :) I'll have a look and give it a go.