It depends on what type of beer you're making. Different beers have different and/or more steps.

Are kits like this worth while? Seems a easy way to get started. Found the same thing for $20 less elsewhere, just using this as an immediate example.
http://store.homebrewheaven.com/shar...CS=hombre&All=

Technically, it's homebrew. Microbrew is generally commercial.

If you're going to buy one homebrew book, buy The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. It's a good, rounded introduction to both the mechanics of brewing and many of the various styles and such.

A lot of cities have homebrew supply places where you can go both for equipment and recipes. Otherwise, here are some links. I don't have any particular experience with these vendors, but they seem popular and will give you a good idea of prices:

http://morebeer.com/search/102141///New_To_Brewing
http://www.northernbrewer.com/starterkits.html
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_33_52
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/

The "absolute minimum" essentials are:

1- Large pot (3-6 gallons) for boiling the wort
2- Long plastic or metal spoon, for stirring
3- 6 gallon plastic bucket, for fermentation
4- Airlock, for bucket
5- Some plastic tubing, for siphoning
6- A capping device, for bottling
7- Bottling wand and racking cane
8- Sanitizing solution

Seriously, that's about it. Everything beyond this is luxury.

What kind of bottles should i try and get? I think my local health food store sells all this stuff. I should go see what they have and don't have and buy one of these online kits to get started.

you can reuse the bottles from the last beer you had. just make sure to wash them well and sanitize them.

actually start with the wikipedia entry on beer for some background on it and how the brewing process works. it's like a chemistry lesson and very informative before you commit any money to a book. it also gives you an idea of the scope involved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer

Cool will do. Only problem with using my more recent beer bottles is they're all screw tops. Going to have to stay away from Yeungling if I'm going to collect press-ons.

Fat Tire for me. Not sold here, but Tennessee is getting it soon and that's only a 4 hour drive and a lot more fun to travel to than Illinois or Missouri.

Landshark is fucking disgusting.

As for the guy who said mmmm 5 minute Guinness pour, they're doing it wrong. Guinness themselves have specified that the perfect pour takes just under two minutes.

You guys drink that much that you'd want to microbrew your own?

Fuck that.....I'm too active.

U guys in 10 years. :bowrofl:

http://www.williams.gi/images/wowgut.jpg

Vash-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinnes...ng_and_serving

Looks like 119.5 seconds for guiness.

I don't really drink enough that i want to brew my own. I just want to do it, i can always pass the equipment on to a friend. If anything the guys at work would trade for it.

Ever had the leinenkugel Honey Weiss? Thats my latest fad beer for me.
Leinie got some really great beers, I carry a few at the bar, they sell well.

www.leinie.com

Most of the time I drink Killian's Red when I'm out, its a "popular" beer.

Read up here:

http://beeradvocate.com/

Anybody try Stone Mill Organic Ale?
My advice is dont it sucks, but then again I like the flying dog ipa which wasnt spoken to highly of

Stone Cat Ale:

http://www.funnyhub.com/pictures/img/pint-of-kitten.jpg

"Waiter, there is a hair in my beer."

I like this one too.
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...AAAAAAAAA:.jpg

Widmer Hef, FTW.

I hate Guinness, and hops.

there's a place in downtown portland that sells $1 pints of PBR during happy hour, along with a huge slice of pizza for $2.50, I have issues passing it up.

Well, I vote for a ban. All in favor?

hoppy beers on a hot day are the best. they have more flavor when they're not ice cold.

ban seconded. but you knew that.

Picked up a pack of hoegaarden tonight, I forgot how much I like that stuff.

Yeungling gives me the smelliest beer farts/shits ever. Moving on to something else as a default next time.

zFucking instant ban for not liking guineisses. lol had to much