I'm going to make some beer, I haven't done this before so does anyone have any advice or some websites they could point me to or amusing anecdotes about what maybe should be avoided?

http://www.qis.net/~truth/

 

Sorry, couldn't resist

pop on IRC and talk to YT2095, he brews his own.

http://www.qis.net/~truth/

 

Sorry, couldn't resist

this page is particularly ludicrous. This shall be useful for LULZ, possibly not for beers.

this page is particularly ludicrous. This shall be useful for LULZ, possibly not for beers.

 

But... I am cool when I'm drinking.

I agree that you should "think before you drink"; it's darned hard to think properly afterwards.

Anyway, I used to brew my own and the best advice I can give is keep everything clean. (Also don't prime bottles with too much sugar)