The humble beginnings of home brewing involved malt extract that was usually pre-hopped and a dry package of yeast (often bread yeast). As you can imagine, the resulting brews were pretty uninspiring. I don’t imagine too many friends and family were fighting over the end product. Today, many home brews are as complex and delicious as any you can find on tap at the pub. But it takes time and practice to master the craft. You have to start simple.

Here are ten delicious and easy home brewing recipes for the novice brewer.

The American IPA

This IPA brings lots of hops to the table – both, with the ingredients, and in the taste profile. This beer is often brewed with some combination of the “C” hops that characterize the American varieties which impart pine and citrus notes: Cascade, Columbus, Citra, Chinook and Centennial. The hops are added at the end of the boil along with some corn sugar for balance. Dry-hopping can also be used to enhance the aroma and flavor profile. Find the recipe here and be sure that those that share your efforts, must also share a love of hops.

Single-Malt, Single-Hop IPA

The challenges many new brewers face often result from tackling complex recipes. Don’t get discouraged, build your skills with what’s often referred to as a “SMaSH” (single malt and single hops) brew. As an additional bonus, you can also play around with the different hop varieties and get a real sense for their flavor profile. Thisrecipe is a great place to start.

Porter

This popular and flavorful beer is a home-brew staple. Brewers can learn to coax the flavors of coffee, caramel, and chocolate with just some simple tweaks. Get startedhere and begin to round out your beer brewing repertoire.

English Mild Ale

Crystal malts give this beer it’s distinct malt flavoring. The dark amber coloring is an indication of the subtle, medium bodied malt flavor. A lighter body and low alcohol content make this infinitely drinkable. Enjoy the English pub classic at home.

American Style Wheat

German “Weizen” or wheat beers are mostly free from hops. The focus is on the wheat and the interaction with the yeast, whereas their American counterparts often use a neutral yeast that emphasizes the maltiness of the beer and results in a clean, crisp flavor. If you opt for the American style, here’s an easy to brew recipe.

German Hefeweizen

The German Hefeweizen is a quick to the table, simple recipe that will have you turning to it again and again when time and effort are at a premium. The blended barley and touch of hops at the beginning of the brew process keep it well-balanced and easy to drink. You can even go the extra step and use German Hefeweizen yeast to get full on authentic with your brew. Enjoy this light session beer any time of the year.

Belgian Saison

Nothing is a cool and refreshing as a nice cold Belgium Saison in the summertime. These brews were typically made by farmers seeking refreshment during the harvest season – hence the “saison” (season) name. Give it a try after cutting your lawn in the late summer and you’ll learn to appreciate where the Belgian farmers were coming from.

Dry Irish Stout

No self-respecting beer connoisseur would claim to be an accomplished brewer without the classic Irish Stout recipe in his back pocket. This not-just-for-winter stout gets its flavor profile from a roasted, unmalted barley. The chocolate and coffee notes are present in an easy-to-drink, easy-to-brew recipe.

Pilsner

You don’t need to tap into the Rockies for this recipe, but you do need a dedicated refrigerator to keep your beer cold during the brewing process as a pilsner is a lager style beer. Lager means fermentation at a temperature ranging anywhere from 38 to 60 degrees F. Keep in mind that the colder you make it, the longer the yeast takes to break down the sugars. This recipe is an all-grain, easy to follow process.

Belgian Tripel

The title of this beer is not a mis-spelling, but it is an easy to implement, simple extract recipe for this Trappist-style beer and it makes an ideal candidate for beginning homebrewers. If kept in a cool, dry place, the beer can be aged without danger, and the flavor will improve over time. Trappist monks have been producing the strong, pale ale brewed with Belgian yeast, pilsner malt and noble hops for more than 70 years. Beginners can cut their teeth on it while the most advanced brewers can work to try and elicit the perfect Belgian yeast characteristics. This one might top the list due to its simplicity and, besides, who wouldn’t want to say they brew beer like a Trappist Monk? Here’s the link this must-try recipe.

While we can’t promise that your first few tries will be too share-worthy, keeping it simple and learning the ropes with these recipes will have your friends eagerly awaiting the end product in no time.

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