Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me …

This weekend, being a time for the celebration of my birth, I figured I would treat myself to a present.  And what better gift than one that will keep on giving (at least until the bottles run empty).  This weekend I ventured out and begin to gear up for my foray into the fun and exciting world of homebrewing.  I must say, I was bristling with enthusiasm before I even made any purchase; afterwards I simply could not wait to get started on this journey.  Luckily, I have friends who share the same love for beer and interest in homebrews, and I’ve received some great tips and advice already along the way.  My good friend Derek was kind enough to bring me a batch of his recently finished pumpkin ale (Editor’s note: Delicious pumpkin ale! — Stoutmeister).  I must say I was pleased with it: nice color, an excellent spice balance, nice aromas … he is on his way in his homebrewing trek and is getting nice results already.  This has only provided me with a boost of confidence as I prepare to dive in myself.

I tagged along with Derek while he dropped in at Southwest Grape & Grain to pick up the makings for a new batch (I believe he’s doing a chocolate oatmeal stout next).  The aromas coming from the store were awesome and they have an excellent selection of everything one needs, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned brewer.  Later, yours truly and our very own Jon, a.k.a. Shilling, took a trip over to see the good folks at Victor’s Grape Arbor.  We talked shop with a wonderful lady who was extremely knowledgeable and helpful (her name escapes me unfortunately; I will certainly get it the next time I stop in).  For a meager investment, one can purchase a kit with almost all the equipment you will need to get started; the kit you see in the picture below contained the fermenter, glass carboy, brushes, airlock, racking cane, hydrometer, capper … I’m leaving stuff out, but you have a general idea of what it comes with there.  The kit I purchased also included a copy of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition, which is widely regarded as a “homebrewer’s bible,” and I’m inclined to agree after immersing myself in it.  There is a wealth of info in there; I highly recommend picking it up.  The only big items the kit did not include are a boiling pot, bottles, and your ingredients; these things can be purchased separately, of course.

In terms of ingredients, both of these establishments have pretty much every grain you’ll need to get your beers started, from ingredient kits for pretty much every different style, to bulk hops and malts that you can buy milled or unmilled.  Initially I wanted to try a Scottish ale for my first batch, as it is a style I enjoy greatly.  Eventually I settled on a custom ESB recipe made by the folks at Victor’s.  They have a wide range of ready-made kits that they put together at the store, a very nice touch.  This kit contained all my hops and malts, yeast, and sugars.  It calls for a bit of brown sugar as well, something that is readily available at any supermarket.  The associate informed me that they hadn’t received too much feedback at all on that specific recipe; I do like ESB’s, so I was happy to give it a whirl and be a guinea pig for it.

In all, for a surprisingly cheap investment of about $160, I am now prepared to get started!  The pricing will probably vary a bit for you depending on what ingredients you decide to go with, but for my first purchase of gear and ingredients I was extremely pleased.  Even Jon was so surprised that he is now planning on getting a kit to start brewing as well!  The folks at Southwest Grape & Grain and Victor’s Grape Arbor are all extremely friendly and knowledgeable individuals who are happy to answer any questions you might have.  Stop by and see them, grab some gear and start brewing!  I will keep you all posted on the brew day, which is tentatively set for the 27^th.  I can’t wait to share the experience with everyone, look for another update soon!

Prost!
— Cryptogrind