Campers First Brew Day

Well... we did it... started off with my Double IPA and had a great time... Only a couple of mistakes...

After the 60 min boil, I took my SG... but I did it before it was cooled... LOL and it warped and bent the hydrometer tube.... gotta get my buddy one of those..

and I boiled 5 gallons of water in our 11 gallon pot, but when we put it in the bucket, it was only 4... so i added a gallon of tap water... iS that ok?

after it cooled we took a reading and got a 1.075... so we shall see..

Oh... and after we cooled it, I was REALLY anal about sanitizing... spray my hands every time I did anything... Like I sanitized the yeast packet and the scissors i used to cut the package... Too much? LOL

So one week in the primary, then two weeks in the second with some dry hops... Will keep ya posted...

Oh... this is the hyrdo now... lol

I thought you meant you brewed while camping. I want to do that this year.

good idea...

checked it today and a lot of action going on... SWEET...

I am going to be brewing while camping in May! A spruce tip IPA! Kudos on the good brew!

Was this brew an extract or mini mash kit? If it was you'll be fine with the topping off part. Also you need to post your recipe for us to do anything with the O.G. reading you took. I actually don’t even dry hop in a secondary, I just wait till fermentation has stopped in the primary and chuck in my hops. Either way works!

Congrats!

9.3 lbs. Gold Malt extract
4 oz. Aromatic
12 oz. Caramel 60L
8 oz. Victory specialty grains

1 oz. Chinook 60 min
.5 oz. Cascade 45 min
.5 oz. Centennial 30 min
.5 oz. Cascade 20 min
.5 oz. Centennial 10 min
1 oz. Hallertau 5 min
2 oz. Cascade Leaf (dry hop)

another question... we brewed over my buddies house and the only place to leave the fermenter was in his garage, inside the shower. so it may be a little colder than normal. most likely around 55-60.. will it take longer or shorter...?

Thanx

Camper

GodsStepBrother said:

I am going to be brewing while camping in May! A spruce tip IPA! Kudos on the good brew!

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Sweet. I'm finishing up a 3.5G 120V system. I plan on taking that camping a few times. Should be no problem plugging into the campgrounds 30A outlets.

sanitizing yeast packet and scissors is normal practice.
Temp control during fermentation is critical - 60 is probably low end, though. Get a thermometer in that room to verify.
The yeast action will raise that temp by 4-10 F.

Don't forget the temp correction on your hydrometer reading. How hot was that, right out of the boil?

yup.. almost melted the hydrometer...lol I was reading the directions a little fast... kinda like.. "hey... cut the RED WIRE.... BUT AFTER you cut the blue one."

ok... so what temp should the room be.... and if it is too low... what happens... there are lots of bubbles, so thats good...

Firebat138 said:

Oh... this is the hyrdo now... lol

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That hydrometer sample is HUGE! must be at least 10 oz in there

Firebat138 said:

...ok... so what temp should the room be.... and if it is too low... what happens... there are lots of bubbles, so thats good...

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depends on your yeast - google the yeast website, look at the strain you're using, get the down-n-dirty on what temp ranges are perfect for that yeast - the low end is your target temp to allow for the yeast activity.

however, if yours is bubbling away merrily - it's doing fine, and you're going to have a great beer!

now - give it plenty of time ! (4 weeks in the fermenter would be good)

whoa... the directions said one week in the bucket and then 14-20 days in the carboy.... wait... i guess that is about 4 weeks

I've been starting my beer's ferment at about 62 and leaving them at that temp for about a week and then warming them to 72 to encourage the yeast to complete the ferment. it seems to be working as the beer gets to the predicted final gravity and tastes good.

Lots of kits instructions tell you to ferment for a week and then move to secondary but they never tell you why. Do you know why they don't tell? It's because they don't know. I leave mine in the bucket for 3 weeks only because I'm too impatient to leave it for 4 weeks. It turns out tasting good and it's cleared up nicely too. No off flavors in my beer from doing it that way.

so there is no reason to get a carboy.. i mean.. i already have it.... that blows.. I wanna taste it now... lol.... and that's what she said

sure there's a reason to get a carboy - or another bucket -

so you can start the next batch while the first batch is fermenting, conditioning.

so......who is camper?

Me.... It's my last name

Eric Camper at your service

Imagine brewing for the first time without the internet....

So... I have decided to keep the above recipe in the primary bucket for a month.... BUT... when do I dry hop?

a week before you're ready to keg/bottle

Firebat138 said:

so there is no reason to get a carboy.. i mean.. i already have it.... that blows.. I wanna taste it now... lol.... and that's what she said

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So....You already have a carboy to secondary and we just told you that you didn't need to secondary and you are wondering why you have a carboy? It's for the cider and mead that you will be making soon. Get yourself another bucket to primary in since you will want to brew more than one beer at a time and then start trying to decide on cider or mead.

Mmmm Cider.... I like that

Pouring the first growler of Double IPA


Looks good... tastes good too