First Beer

[Alistair Reece]

What was it? Did it work? Would you brew it again?

[Joe Stange]

I knew exactly what I wanted the first time, and it's still the "flagship" I brew every other batch or so. It's what I call an "extra pale," light in color and alcohol (4%-ish), crisply bitter at 35 IBU or so, and absurd in hop aroma.

What about you? What was your first and do you have a regular recipe that you like to brew most often?

[Alistair Reece]

My first was a smoked mild, using rauch malt and a Munton's hopped kit.

I recreated it as an extract and grains beer, replacing the rauch with peated malt, and it was good enough to pick up a silver at the Virginia Beer Blitz.

The beer I have brewed most though is LimeLight - a lime and coriander witbier.


Joe Stange said:

I knew exactly what I wanted the first time, and it's still the "flagship" I brew every other batch or so. It's what I call an "extra pale," light in color and alcohol (4%-ish), crisply bitter at 35 IBU or so, and absurd in hop aroma.

What about you? What was your first and do you have a regular recipe that you like to brew most often?

[The Abbot (Chris Graf)]

My first batch was Dunkelweizen. I came out just as it should and I continue to make it every summer. Got a little worried during the brew because I scorched some of the liquid malt, but that settled out in the secondary and didnt produce any off flavor.

[Barry M]

Hmm, I had to look back at some logs, but apparently my first brew was a kind of bastardised extract clone of Old Speckled Hen, just over four years ago. Myself and my brew buddy chose it as an easy start, and to see if it would be close to the beer we knew. As I recall it was ok, and a month later we threw away recipe books and just made our own up.

 

I don't really have a regular brew. Always changing. But I suppose I have a couple of recipes I remake with tweaks and variations with Klosteiner being the main one, with masses of late Chinook, Centennial and Cascade. Only the grain bill changes. I prefer if others judge my beers though...

[Dredpenguin]

A kit beer (coopers of some sort) + malt extract + cascade hop pellets that came straight out of Zymurgy. Turned out to be an average brown beer that was badly carbonated but just about drinkable. 

 

I have moved on a bit since then. No real "house" beer but do a standard 6-7% IPA with different single hops on a fairly regular basis. I think this is a great way to get to know the hops.

Simcoe being the best one so far. Chinook is next up.

[Sean Ayling]

My first kit brew was a Brupaks Pride of Yorkshire Colne Valley, my first all grain brew was an all pale malt beer with amarillo. I've made it twice and will make it again. Lovely beer.

[Bill Custer]

My first beer to brew was actually from a Mr. Beer kit.  It was an october fest style and with most Mr. Beer kit recipes was only OK.  I would only brew it again if I infused some grain into the brew kettle, added some better hops, and used better yeast... well I guess since I would have to change everything about it, I probably wouldn't brew it again.

[Red Headed Step Child]

My first brew was an Irish Stout straight from a kit. It turned out well, but I haven't made a beer from a kit since then. I tend to make my own versions of beers from other recipes now.

[HopRiverAles]

A Cali Common extract with steeping grains kit. boilover, wife freaked about the smell, the usual... Turned out drinkable (which was the goal) but probable had a quarter inch of sediment in every bottle.

[BigAde]

My first was a Tom Caxtons Real Ale kit, it wasn't very good to be honest but I kept at it. 

I've got a Muntons Bock kit made with 1kg of beer enhancers that's been in the pressure barrel for 3 weeks now, I'm itching to have a taste!

[Ale Evangelist]

Man, I am trying to remember what my first brew was.  Knowing what I know about me, and that amount is doubtful, I'd guess it was a malt extract scotch ale kit.  Turned out ok, considering I didn't know what I was doing, and felt a lot like I was making it up as I went.  lol.  I remember drinking the beer, but don't remember for SURE if it was my first.

 

I would totally brew a Scotch Ale again, but tend to stay away from kits these days. I brewed a scotch ale that I really want to make again called Crazy Hamish Scotch Ale.  Did really well in a homebrew competition.

 

It's all about time, though, isn't it?  lol

[Stefan Eriksson - Ölsvammel]

Mr first beer was actually two beers we made from brew kits. A hefe weizen and a belgian style trippel. Both where ok, around 3/5, but not something I would make again.

 

My first all grain brew was my own idea (but I didn't make the recipe) called Chocolate Cherry Stout (we also made a porter). But we used way to much cherries so it wasn't really drinkable, I have a couple of bottles left that Im storing to see if they improve over time.

 

My first own recipe was a hoppy hefe-weizen with Citra and Amarillo, which I named Spanked Virgin Wheat. Spanked because I spanked it with hops, virgin because I lost my recipemaking and brewmaster virginity and wheat because well it was a wheat :P I made a second batch of this and participated in the Swedish Championship and won gold in the peoples choice awards and silver in the judges competition wheat class.