Home Brewing Beer, Need Help

**Umbound** · August-23-10, 02:28 PM

Hi Detroityes, I have been strongly thinking about learning how to make my own beer at home. If anyone here has experince with it, what supplies/kits do i need? And where could I obtain those items from? Along with the hops and such? If anyone can answer me I would really appreciate it, thanks DetroitYes.

Lance

**Vic_doucette** · August-23-10, 02:41 PM

I'm an ex-homebrewer; I had to give it up when I learned I had diabetes.

First, get a copy of "The New, Complete Joy of Homebrewing," by the godfather of the hobby, Charlie Papazian. I never met a homebrewer who didn't start with that book. Some never left it, as there are many, many good recipies in it.

I can't tell you where to buy ingredients these days, as the place I used to buy my stuff from [[Brew and Grow in Livonia), seems to have closed.

Good luck!

**Gannon** · August-23-10, 08:21 PM

There is a brew supply shop on Van Born just east of Telegraph. Just passed it the other day.

I've a friend who brews his own...I'll see what resources he recommends.

Cheers

**NormanPaperman** · August-24-10, 06:23 AM

I am a home brewer, great hobby!!! Since I no longer live in Detroit, I cannot recommend a supplier, but I can tell you, once you find a good one, stick with them, they are a great resource and love to talk the craft. Join a club if the brew shop has one, or knows of one, and enter your best in local competitions.

You probably want to begin by making a few batches of top fermenting ales, and PLEASE, spend just a little more and use LIQUID yeast, it makes a huge difference in the taste and quality of your brew.

Good brewing, have fun and quaff a few for me!

**gnome** · August-24-10, 11:10 AM

not a brewer myself, but I've known folks who started their hobby at the this place is Warren. They are a brewpub but they have a self-brew program they run on Saturdays. Since they have all the gear, and expertise, on site and for sale; you might be better off essentially renting before buying all the pots, hydrometers, etc.

http://www.kbrewery.com/bopwop/bopwop.html

**Umbound** · August-24-10, 07:17 PM

Thank you all for the response and support! And thanks for the link/source Gnome that I will strongly look into. Wish me luck Detroityes!

Cheers!

**Vic_doucette** · August-24-10, 08:51 PM

+1 on liquid yeast.

**johnsmith** · August-25-10, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

There is a brew supply shop on Van Born just east of Telegraph. Just passed it the other day.

That's a good place, decent prices, nice folks. The store is called Adventures in Home Brewing

Another good place is Cap N Cork at Garfield and 21 mile, it's a hike, but best prices around. Clean and well stocked.

Kuhnhenn on Mound is all right in a pinch. Not always well stocked. Their new location across the parking lot from their old one is cleaner and more organized. Their old location in the back of the pub was sort of unkempt and nasty. The owners are really nice guys.

My favorite on-line supplier I've dealt with are Midwest Supplies

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/

They have everything you need, they also have excellent prices on beginner start-up kits. The free little book and DVD you get from their starter kit will explain the whole process to you.

I've also dealt with Listermann. They used to have really good prices, but not so much lately.

http://www.listermann.com/Store/Default.asp

This is a great book to learn how to brew by John Palmer called "How To Brew." It will fill in the gaps that Papazian seems to gloss over. It's what I learned a lot from and is more well rounded, updated and complete than Papazian. Palmer has his entire book on-line for free, and you can also buy a hardcopy. I'd read or get a hold of Palmers book first, and then take a glance at Papazian's book and you'll see what I'm talking about. But both have a lot of good information.

http://www.howtobrew.com/

For the price of bottles, it's almost better to just buy Grolsch flip top pints to get the bottles [[and the beer), as the suppliers seem to rip you off for new empty bottles. I also collected a lot of the brown pint bottles that beers like Weihenstephaner, etc come in. Great bottles. I don't mess around with 12 oz bottles.

Kegging is another option, but requires much more expense to get started, and a refrigerator dedicated to keeping your kegs cold. Something I'd only consider down the road, not to begin with.

Happy brewing!