Just thought I'd mention how I got started in homebrewing... In August of 2003, my sister bought me a Mr. Beer kit for my birthday. For the first 6 months or so, it worked great for me. It taught me the basics about sanitation, fermentation, natural carbonation, and lots more.
It didn't take long for me to meet the DOZE group over at the county fair in Antioch, where they told me about 5 gallon extract brewing kits, and invited me to their monthly meetings. I bought my first kit from Beer, Beer and More Beer (B3), and I was definitely hooked.
I still use my Mr. Beer kit, but it only makes about 2 gallons, and doesn't quite reach the quality of the ones from B3. But, it was a great way to get started, and it was still better than any commercial beer I knew of.
I'd recommend it to anyone interested in casually trying out the hobby, without breaking the bank to get started. http://www.mrbeer.com
