Some Thoughts on Homebrewing

As much as I love beer, I admit that I am far from an expert on the topic. However, ever since I was introduced to craft beer, I've been intrigued by the various styles of beer and the interesting ingredients used to produces them. Also, I'm deeply fascinated by the delicate process of brewing a great beer.

Therefore, in an effort to gain a better understanding of what it take to brew a really great beer, and to gain a greater appreciation of the brews and the artists that craft them, I've recently given serious consideration to homebrewing. I can't imagine a better way to get closer to an art form that you love (and I'm sure we can agree that brewing is, indeed, an art form) than to do it yourself. I imagine the only thing better than a great beer is a great beer crafted from your own hands and imagination.

Having said all of that, I have some concerns:

1. Patience: Do I have the patience to brew a batch of beer? I understand that it can be a lengthy process, and I'm not known to be the most patient person in the world.
2. Commitment: How committed will I actually be to brewing beer beyond, say, my first batch or two? I'm sure the quality of the beers I produce will have a lot to do with, but I don't want to make an investment in brewing equipment that will just get stored in the basement four months from now.
3. Quality: How good will be beer be? I have zero brewing experience and I'd hate to spend a lot of time and money and end up with a crappy beer.

Therefore, I ask for your help. If you're an experienced homebrewer and you can offer any advise for newbie regarding equipment, recipes or resources (books, articles, etc), it would be greatly appreciated. In return, I'll share my (hopefully good) experiences along my homebrewing journey with you each step of the way.