Ale Belly wrote:Question - Since anyone would want their first batch to come out at least drinkable, are their certain styles of beer that are 'easier' to have success with? .. Certain recipes that can't miss? .. Are there types of ingredients or types of beer that are maybe more finicky than others that I may want to avoid at first?
porter, stout, and ipa are all pretty easy starter batches. most mistakes can be covered up by the strong roasty and/or hoppy characters. and if you aim for a stout but it's too light or not roasty enough you can call it a porter (and vice versa). even a mediocre version of the above is still pretty tasty.
that said, the subtle nuances of these styles can make them hard to perfect - but it's fun to try! and especially with IPAs, there's so many hop varieties and ways you can use them that you can constantly be trying new ones.
Ale Belly wrote:I guess I'm just nervous about it turning out like piss and having to pitch the whole batch!!
stay away from really light and subtle styles at first: mild, bitter, pilsner and lighter lagers, etc. once you've got things nailed down and you're rockin' the easier stuff then you can move on to these.
there's a saying: malt, water, hops, and yeast REALLY want to be beer. keep it clean and you'll end up with something, and even if it isn't exactly what you expected i can guarantee that you'll learn something from it and your next batch will be even better. don't be discouraged if you feel like your first few aren't pushing you to world domination, just keep at it.
oh yeah, and remember the first three rules of brewing: 1) sanitation, 2) sanitation, 3) sanitation. keep it sanitary (postboil anyway) and you'll be in good shape.
