specific gravity vs alcohol %

[FedoraDave]

Good idea, Ed. Keep us posted. There are recipes and kits for thousands of beers, this is great ride.

And once you start making your own, there's no limit to the number of possibilities (just don't go hog wild adding ingredients right off the bat; learn what different things bring to the table first).

I agree with both of these. A little research goes a long way, and some styles simply aren't meant to be high ABV. Take it slow at first; learn about styles, and learn what the extracts and hops do. It's a tough balancing act sometimes, because more malt will raise the alcohol, but it will also mask the hops, throwing the balance out of whack.

The best, and most succinct advice I've seen for beginning brewers is "chase flavor, and the ABV will follow."

Take things a step at a time. As odd as it seems, at the beginning stage, the slower you take it, the quicker you'll progress.

[Gymrat]

First I am unclear on how you check for alcohol content without checking specific gravity. Alcohol content is an estimate based on Original gravity and final gravity. So ABV is a result of specific gravity.

Second I remember when I first started posting on the Mr Beer forums in November of 2009 someone put up a post stating quite emphatically "DO NOT CHASE ABV". And that person was 100% correct. Go for the flavor and let the ABV chips fall where they may. Why do you put ABV over flavor or quality of beer unless you are just looking for a quick drunk? There are some styles that do call for a high gravity which results in a high ABV. I absolutely love my Wee Heavies. But that is more of a "desert" beer in my opinion. It is rather sweet and warming. Nice for sipping on on a cold winter day after a nice meal. If you like your IPAs nice and dry like I do they are going to result in a rather high (7% ish) ABV. Again that is a result of thinning the malt so the hops can shine. I do that buy low mash temperatures and/or adding some sugar after primary fermentation is done. But for just a nice good tasting drinkable beer for sitting on the patio on a nice evening or watching movies give me a 4.5 to 5.5% ABV Red Ale, Amber, Wheat, or Brown ale any day.