Getting your feet wet in the world of home brewing can be a bit confusing.
Where do you start? There are so many great sounding recipes out there, but what's the best option for a new brewer? While some of the more exotic sounding beers are not that hard to brew, it's best to stick with something very easy - a simple ale.
Why is Ale Simple? Why is ale a simple option for the beginning brewer? Well, it is and it isn't, so to speak.
There are more complex ale recipes out there and if you decide that brewing is the thing for you, then you'll certainly want to try them.
However, ale is a basic brew that can be made with a variety of ingredients, all of which are readily available.
In addition, making a good ale doesn't really require any super-specialized equipment - a basic home brewing kit can do the job nicely.
Types of Simple Ales There are several types of ales that can be very easy to make.
These include amber ale, pale ale and brown ale, all three of which will go down nicely once you've gone through the brewing process.
Amber ale has a reddish color, and uses a lesser amount of hops than other ales.
Pale ales use more hops, and they're lighter in color than ambers, as well.
Brown ales are darker in color than amber ales, and usually use specific types of hops and malts, but can be very easy to brew on your first try.
To Kit or Not to Kit? The question of whether you should start out brewing from a kit is one that only you can answer for yourself.
Often, this is a great way to get into the world of home brewing without having to buy your ingredients separately (which can be more expensive).
Kits are great for first-timers because they contain only the amount of each ingredient that you need to make a batch.
Kits are not usually used by experienced brewers, of course.
That's because there's not as much control over each batch.
However, as a new brewer, you really just need to get the brewing process down right now - the control aspect will come later on.
Therefore, using a kit can be an excellent (and affordable) idea, and you will find all three of the ale types mentioned above available from various vendors out there.
Poto Cervesia, Dustin Canestorp