Pick a flavor of beer that you enjoy. It can be wheat, or a pilsner, or whatever, and look for a recipie. Practice, practice. Using malt extract in a can is the easiest. Getting more sophisticated takes a little more time, and more trial and error and patience. Have the gear on hand. Having a strainer is better than needing a strainer and wishing you had one. Ask your local brewmaster to show you all you are going to need before you make that first batch. If the beer sucks the first time, don't get frustrated, find and fix the problem. I've made some darn good beers with dry malt extract, and cracked malts. My best success has been with a John Bull wheat malt extract. I used the regular malt extract and botttled with dry malt extract instead of corn sugar. Less cidery and less crap at the bottom of the bottle. Perfect head. About 12% alcohol.
