any homebrewers?

[Badger]

I'd like to add a not on siphoning. I had an auto siphon but I broke it. I prefer not to use it anyways as my method is fast and effective.

With everything sanitized fill the siphoning tube with water. Put your thumb over the end of the tube beer will flow out of. Bend the top of the tube as much as it needs to be so you can insert it into the carboy/bucket without your hand touching the beer. Remove thumb and as soon as beer is flowing and not water move the pour from a bowl to whatever the desired receptacle is.

This may be standard practice, but I suck started my first few batches, which wasn't easy as I tried to find ways to avoid mouth-hose contact.

My first brew was also a nut brown. I've never had a batch go bad, but my nut brown was my only failure. I bought all my equipment used from somebody at work. Bottling night happened post midnight on the night before a hiking trip. I had some friends over who were helping bottle and organize gear for 16 people. It was then that we realized my capper didn't work with the bottles I had been given. It was too late to go buy beer to make empties, so my first batch went to waste.

Moral of the story: Don't use that crappy wing-nut looking capper. Buy the stand with the pull down arm, or keg.

Good luck and happy brewing.