Kit reomendations

[o2bwest]

I'm getting a brew kit for my birthday on April 4th. I have to have a beer ready to go for memorial day. We have a family reunion on memorial day every year, and this year we are having a home brew comp. We are all first time brewers so I need you guys to give me the edge. What's a good kit for me to brew? We are German so I was thinking a German style would be appropriate.

[spiderwrangler]

I'd go with an ale for your first brew. Where are you getting your kit from? Check out stuff from places like NB or B3...

[o2bwest]

I'm getting a Northern Brewer Better Basic starter kit. My Extract Kit will come from NB as well. Would their Bavarian Hefe. be a bad choice?

[spiderwrangler]

Sounds like a fine choice, and one that is meant to be consumed younger.

[Drawdy]

My first beer kit was an American Wheat and that was drinkable after 4 weeks (2 weeks in bottles) the longer you let it sit in the bottles the better it gets. I tasted some at 5 weeks and those were damn good then finished them off at 6 weeks. The older it got the better it tasted so now I learned to wait until at least 6 weeks from brew day to drink the beer!

[FSUplumber]

My first kit was a brown ale and that is what I recommended to first time brewers. It hides flaws well and everyone enjoys drinking it.

[o2bwest]

I found an old carboy in the barn. It is pretty dirty. Can I get it clean enough to use as a secondary ferment? Do I need to a secondary fermentation?

[snowcapt]

Id say it'll clean up just fine. As long as it isnt cracked or some shit. Give her a good long soak and scrub the bastard, rinse her out and see how it looks, should be fine.