A few years ago I ventured into the realm of homebrewing alone. Speaking from experience, there are two key things which are important above all else at this point. #1: Brewing is more *art* than it is simply science. Don't obsess over the numbers and data (at least not yet.) This is very similar to attempting to cook a brand new meal following a recipe. If your times are off a couple of minutes either way when cooking, it's a difference which rarely makes-or-breaks the meal. #2: The likely-hood of ending up with... er, well.. of ending up with any result which resembles what you were intending is medial. If it is *drinkable*, you have done very well. It took me several different brewing attempts before I finally produced something which was casually drinkable. Just as with cooking, there are subtleties in the process which take time to really get a hang of... and it also takes trial and error. The worst part of home brewing, for me, was the wait. It was weeks--or months--between the initial creation of the batch before finding out the results. It was during this time--between the mixing the batch and the patiently watching it ferment--which I would rethink my actions and decisions, question if they were correct, worry about mistakes, etc. It isn't an issues of patience--I knew better than to think I could hurry the process--but it would still gnaw at me... the unknowing. So the best advice I can give you: Don't over think it. Don't start second-guessing choices and actions.... at least not until it's finished. I made that mistake, and found I reached conclusions on things without even knowing the outcome. And don't expect too much from these first few batches. ;)