[denny]

My first was an extract/crystal malt/Cascade hop APA from Pike Brewing Supply in Seattle.  I still remember the sound, aroma and thrill of opening the first bottle.

[Slowbrew]

My first was an extract/crystal malt/Cascade hop APA from Pike Brewing Supply in Seattle.  I still remember the sound, aroma and thrill of opening the first bottle.

My first kit came form Wally Von Klopp's Wine and Cheese Mart in MN.  It was an extract +grains and if I recall correctly it was a red and turned out "great" (great being defined as, tasted okay, didn't kill anyone).  All my notes from 1997 are hand written and in a box, somewhere, in the basement.  I might dig them out next Tuesday while I'm brewing (forced PTO on Veteran's Day).  Who knows they may spark ideas to try again.

Paul

[denny]

My first was an extract/crystal malt/Cascade hop APA from Pike Brewing Supply in Seattle.  I still remember the sound, aroma and thrill of opening the first bottle.

My first kit came form Wally Von Klopp's Wine and Cheese Mart in MN.  It was an extract +grains and if I recall correctly it was a red and turned out "great" (great being defined as, tasted okay, didn't kill anyone).  All my notes from 1997 are hand written and in a box, somewhere, in the basement.  I might dig them out next Tuesday while I'm brewing (forced PTO on Veteran's Day).  Who knows they may spark ideas to try again.

Paul

I have all my notes and notebooks from the first brew through the 469th that I did last week.

[jeffy]

A couple people mentioned Pike Place market.  That's where I bought Charlie's book before it was the "new" Complete Joy, back in 1991.  Getting that 12 bucks out of my wallet was tough, but I'm glad I did it.

[BrewingRover]

My first brew was an "IPA" that had a can of hopped extract, some hops, steeping grains, DME and a vial of something from White Labs  -- I was so excited I didn't pay any attention to specifics. It didn't taste like an IPA, but it was good enough to make me think that homebrewing was worth my time. I wouldn't try to recreate it, though.

[udubdawg]

got some LME among my prizes for medal win at NHC. 
I had planned to make starters, but maybe an extract batch is in order.

(note: if that sounds ungrateful, it was not meant that way.  it appears to be very high quality extract and I've kept it in my fridge since I received it.  My thanks as always to the competition sponsors.)

cheers--
--Michael

[denny]

A couple people mentioned Pike Place market.  That's where I bought Charlie's book before it was the "new" Complete Joy, back in 1991.  Getting that 12 bucks out of my wallet was tough, but I'm glad I did it.

Interestingly, my kit from Pike Place didn't come with Charlie's book.  It came with Randy's "Brewer's Companion".  I still think that's an overlooked brewing book.  I brewed maybe 5-10 batches before I got Charlie's book.

[blackislandbrewer]

A couple people mentioned Pike Place market.  That's where I bought Charlie's book before it was the "new" Complete Joy, back in 1991.  Getting that 12 bucks out of my wallet was tough, but I'm glad I did it.

Interestingly, my kit from Pike Place didn't come with Charlie's book.  It came with Randy's "Brewer's Companion".  I still think that's an overlooked brewing book.  I brewed maybe 5-10 batches before I got Charlie's book.

I think we started with the same kit, Denny. I posted a link above to an online auction of the kit that sold recently. I got Charlie's book by my second batch. I'd love to re-read Randy's book, knowing what I now know.

[thebigbaker]

My first was a Brown Ale LME w/ specialty grains from my LHBS, The Brew Hut.  It turned out not so good but that was because I was so excited that I didn't pay any attention to my fermentation temps and only waited about 14 days before I bottled.  I hadn't brewed a brown until last December when I brewed a hazelnut brown that turned out really well.  I've been doing a lot of big beers for the upcoming winter season, so maybe another brown is in order and I just may use that same Brown ale kit form the Brew Hut! 

[HoosierBrew]

IIRC I got Byron Burch's 'Brewing Quality Beers' as my first book and got Charlie's not too long afterward. +1 to Randy's book being really underrated.

[69franx]

I guess I did not post any specifics of my first batch. It was an IPA kit put together by LHBS, named Hiss Hiss, due to the heavy Simcoe additions and Nugget for bittering. 65 IBUs, 1.057(from Beersmith, their recipe sheet was much higher IIRc, and a lot darker than any IPA I had seen before. Now I know I could have avoided that with late additions of the LME. I did like it a lot, and did not brew it before I took an intro class at the same LHBS. I felt pretty well prepared, but still had plenty of questions after the brew day that Siamese Moose(great instructor by the way) was happy to help me with. Thanks again Rob W.

[denny]

A couple people mentioned Pike Place market.  That's where I bought Charlie's book before it was the "new" Complete Joy, back in 1991.  Getting that 12 bucks out of my wallet was tough, but I'm glad I did it.

Interestingly, my kit from Pike Place didn't come with Charlie's book.  It came with Randy's "Brewer's Companion".  I still think that's an overlooked brewing book.  I brewed maybe 5-10 batches before I got Charlie's book.

I think we started with the same kit, Denny. I posted a link above to an online auction of the kit that sold recently. I got Charlie's book by my second batch. I'd love to re-read Randy's book, knowing what I now know.

Yep, that's the one!  Although instead of Cooper's extract it was a bag of unlabeled extract.  I still have it all, including the box, with the exception of the hydrometer.

[Joe Sr.]

Toad Spit Stout, circa 1993 or thereabouts.  I'm pretty sure it was some dark LME, some light LME, some steeped grains, and Fuggle hops, but I haven't checked the recipe.

Would be interesting to brew it again, but I get so few brew days lately I'm not sure I want to give one up.  And the last brew was 10 gallons of stout, so I'm set there for awhile.

[duboman]

My first beer was a Black Dog Ale extract kit from Midwest supplies about 5 years ago. Surprisingly we brewed it up pretty easily and according to my notes it was actually tasty, not an overall great beer but it was my first and I was pretty psyched it was my own!

Interestingly my notes showed I brewed it again as an AG batch about a year later, the hops changed and my conversion to AG was probably not completely accurate but this batch turned out great, crystal clear, nice medium body, great aroma and crystal clear.

This beer then has gradually morphed into what I now call my Pebbleford Pale Ale as a house beer. It no longer really resembles anything of it's former self:)

[pinnah]

Seems like yesterday...well, maybe not... but not 10 years! Wow, time flies.

My first was a minimash Santa Cruz Lager from Seven Bridges and they still have it for sale.

Like Denny, I have kept notes from the beginning...it is somewhat humorous to go back and read my notes.
I remember at bottling time that I was worried about potential oxidation from the hydraulic head from the bucket providing pressure when filling bottles.  Heh.

It was a good beer, and I made it several times more.  It might be a good one to revisit.  It is about brewing season for me.