Get Brewin’

How do you get started brewing beer at home? First, buy a kit that includes malt extract and the other basic ingredients. Then buy a kettle. Brew on the stove. Ferment in a carboy (a large glass bottle). Read everything you can.

And avoid the beer-making equivalents of the bread machine: The results are worthless.

A few good brewing magazines: Zymurgy, Brew Your Own, Brewing Techniques.

A few good brewing books: “Dave Miller’s Homebrewing Guide” (Storey Books, 1995, $16.95), lots of science and technical information made accessible; “New Complete Joy of Homebrewing” by Charlie Papazian (Aon Books, 1991, $12), emphasis on having fun; “Homebrewing, Volume 1” by Al Korzonas (Shear & Vine, 1997), the latest word.

A few good brewing Web sites:

The American Homebrewers Assn.: https://www.beertown.org

Brewing Techniques magazine: https://www.brewingtechniques.com

Online home brewing lessons: https://www.storeybeer.com

Beer links: https://www.wp.com/hosi/links.html

Become a beer judge, if you dare: https://www.bjcp.org

Terrific home brew database and links: https://www.arq.net/db/zymurgy

A few good Southern California home brewer suppliers and “U-brew” sites:

Brewbaker: Brew on the premises. Will sell ingredients in bulk to established home brewers. Also houses a bakery specializing in European bread, including a spent-grain bread made from the grains used to make beer.

412 Walnut Ave., Huntington Beach. (714) 374-2337.

Brew Buddies. Sells home brewing supplies.

1509 Aviation Way, Redondo Beach. (31O) 798-BREW.

Brewers Rendezvous: Sells beer and winemaking supplies. Also sells 300 kinds of premium beers from around the world.

11116 Downey Ave., Downey. (562) 923-6292.

Brew ‘n’ Case: On-site brewing facility. Bulk ingredients are sold for home setups.

79 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. (626) 583-9087.

Culver City Homebrewing Supply Co.: Home brewing and winemaking supplies. Free home brewing classes twice a month.

4358 1/2 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City. (310) 397-3453.

Hamilton Gregg Brewworks: On-site brewing facility. No supplies.

58 11th St., Hermosa Beach. (310) 376-0406.

South Bay Homebrew Supply. Sells home brewing supplies.

23808 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance. (310) 517-1841.

Stein Fillers: Sells home brewing supplies as well as equipment for wine and vinegar making.

4180 Viking Way, Long Beach. (562) 425-0588.

Wine, Beer and Cheesemaking Shop. Open since 1972. Specializes in home brewing but also has supplies for wine and cheese making.

22836-2 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 224-3656.