hmmm...i can defo help out here. i have been making my own beer for a couple of years and i think i can offer some advice. i will post this diatribe and then i will answer your posts directly it if think i can help.
where to start. okay. different types of "doing your own beer" from an ingredients perspective.
original ingredients...this is tough and only for the diehards. the only time i have ever done this was when i lived in bc and used one of the higher end "u-brews" where the blend of hops and barley etc could be adjusted to provide a "facsimile" of whatever beer. this beer was unbelievably similar to any commercial brand on the market. there shouldn't be u-brews similar to this in alberta...but if you know of one...please pm me!
because of liquour laws, you can't do this in alberta.
another way is to buy wort that comes in a tin can and can be found at superstore or other places. this wort is very thick and very sticky. you have to boil the wort and add water to it...i have done this and it takes alot of time. your wife generally won't be too pleased as you will make a mess of the kitchen...but this way does work and produces good quality stuff. but in my experience, this is alot of work when you see the next option below.
the best way that i personally have used is the way that i brew today and i cannot recommend this way enough. i have had ZERO bad batches, and that would be getting close to 100 batches of beer by now. my buddies all love the beer...and on more than one occasion i have been told that they would "pay" for the beer they liked it so much. the magic? pre-made wort. i bought my stuff at the brew it yourself store (i forget the name of the place) in crowfoot plaza...right on the west side in the plaza beside ricky's. as i live in st. albert now i haven't stopped by that place in a little while but i am sure that they are still there. anyways, these kits come with everything...the wort is premixed with water (much like a wine kit) and it has yeast and instructions inside. all good so far.
i will try to find the name of the brand as it is awesome and post it on this thread but there are a variety of different types of beer from lager to IPA to stouts. all of them good if you like that sort of thing hehheh (and i do!).
a couple of heads up...lager tends to pick up many different flavours along the way if you aren't careful, while i have found that the darker beers tend to retain their original characters more easily. lager is easier to blend with other things though...lime or lemon juice, or 7-up for a "shandy" so even if the taste is a little different it is entirely successful.
what do you need to do this? time, water, and a little patience. the first few batches will take longer as you become familiar with the process...but by your 3rd batch or so...you will be banging out the pops quickly and easily.
the best place to start (cheaply) is to look for garage sales which should be out there right now. usually, someone is selling a used wine making kit and that will give you most of the equipment that you need to start. oh yah and you will also have a winemaking kit as well as beer!
you need a large plastic pail for the primary fermentation and it should come with a cover. you need a glass carboy for secondary fermentation. you need an air lock for the carboy. you need beer sterilant. I cannot stress this enough. you MUST use BEER STERILANT and not wine sterilant. you need a couple of hoses to transfer the beer during its processes. you need a bottling gizmo which releases the beer as you press down on it. you will need a big plastic spoon. you will need a large sink and an area that doesn't have animals around.
i'm going to post this and do part 2.