Finally, I'm a brewer too!

Im sure everyone is sick of hearing about people's first brew, but I'm damn excited! I've been thinking about trying this for years and my mother in law got me a Brewers Best kit for xmass (she rocks). My step daughter got me the European Bock starter kit (she rocks too).

I have been dreaming about brewing beer about 5 nights out of 7 since xmass. I have logged probably 25 hours reading this AWESOME website (and a few others). My mind has been totally consumed.

Even after reading every post I could, once I started tonight I felt (feel) like I have no idea what the hell I am doing but for whatever reason there is a little dude on my shoulder with a beer in his hand saying RDWHAHB!!!!!!

A few things didnt go well, but I will post questions later... I just LOVED the experience! Im sure the beer will be fine.

Attached a few pics (I think?). My first boil, my first boil over (haha!), the way-too-slow ice bath and the primary all ready to bubble away!

My last funny thought as I was pitching the yeast was "god I hope everyone else talks to the packet of yeast like this!" (I may or may not have told them to enjoy their time in the bucket and work hard for me!)

Im hooked. Totally hooked.

I LOVE the boil over pictures. That's awesome. My first (and second, and third, and so on) boilovers were on my kitchen stove which really weren't deserving of pictures. I'm still hearing it, many years later.

Anyway, welcome to the obsession, er, hobby, and let us know how we can help!

Nah, I don't think most of the people here really get tired of hearing about first brews. Especially when 99% of the first timers are so excited. I can clearly remember how excited I was with my first. Really, I still get that way almost every time I brew, "Woohoo!! I'm making beer!".

Welcome!

I couldnt resist taking a picture of it! It happened exactly as I have read in some other posts: The second I got tired of watching the pot because it had not done a darn thing forever, I go inside to pour a been and, Whoooosh, there it goes!

Congratulations! Now you have to learn to leave it alone for 3-4 weeks without worrying. (It took me a while!) It helps when you have 2,3,4 batches in different stages at the same time.

I second the nice boil over shot. And again with me I keep my boil overs on the stove. Wife just loves the smell LOL.

Welcome to the group! And you can admit it; that isn't a boil over. You were really, REALLY excited to be homebrewing!:rockin:

cracked1 said:

Nah, I don't think most of the people here really get tired of hearing about first brews. Especially when 99% of the first timers are so excited. I can clearly remember how excited I was with my first. Really, I still get that way almost every time I brew, "Woohoo!! I'm making beer!".

Welcome!

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I just made my first real non Mr. Beer brew this past Sunday after my parents were nice enough to buy me the five gallon setup with the Brewers Best Oktoberfest. I think I said "Woohoo, I'm making beer" as well. Love this new obsession, er.. hobby. I spend waaayyy too much time on this site, Midwest, Northern Brewer and Austin Homebrew and reading the COmplete Joy of Homebrewing. I feel ya man. Cant wait to make some sort of IPA next. Any suggestions????:rockin:

Honestly, reading about 'first brews' is always cool! I usually get pretty stoked the night before brewday. I love shopping for beer supplies more than I do for food, clothes or anything else! I can sit for hours tinkering with homebrewing software, lists of ingredients and reading about different methods. It is ridiculous how much time I spend on this board and telling myself, "I can do that!", or "I can build that!" I love it when I read that somebody is instantly hooked into this hobby. I love this hobby...

Welcome to the addiction!

first brew stories are like stories of how someone looses their virginity. they never get old.

BUCKEYE1303 said:

I just made my first real non Mr. Beer brew this past Sunday after my parents were nice enough to buy me the five gallon setup with the Brewers Best Oktoberfest. I think I said "Woohoo, I'm making beer" as well. Love this new obsession, er.. hobby. I spend waaayyy too much time on this site, Midwest, Northern Brewer and Austin Homebrew and reading the COmplete Joy of Homebrewing. I feel ya man. Cant wait to make some sort of IPA next. Any suggestions????:rockin:

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Dry hopping is good for IPA's.

davekippen said:

I couldnt resist taking a picture of it! It happened exactly as I have read in some other posts: The second I got tired of watching the pot because it had not done a darn thing forever, I go inside to pour a been and, Whoooosh, there it goes!

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LOL! when I made my first brew, digital cameras were in their infancy, and HBT wasn't even a smile on Txbrew's face. But I was every bit as fired up as you. Trust me, you will reach a point where it doesn't even faze you any more.

All I can say is Congrats and welcome to the obsession!

OK, here's how it works. You let it sit for a few weeks and you bottle. Everyone on here will tell you to let it sit for three weeks in the bottle before you try it, but you won't, because it's your first beer. None of us did. So crack one at a week, crack another at 10 days to two weeks, and so on. That way you learn how your beer tastes at each stage, and can call it research instead of cheating.

This is awesome! I'd still consider myself a noob and will for quite some time. I LOVE reading this stuff because it instantly makes me just as excited because I'm still in that infancy stage as well. I'm still as amp'd on this stuff as you and glad we've sucked in another person to this addiction! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

Welcome aboard...hope you enjoy your stay!

That's awesome man! Let us know how it turns out!

*update*

I did well and didnt open up the fermenter at all until today (11 or so days ), so I could take my first FG reading. Goal is to transfer to a secondary this week because I do plan on Lagering it for many weeks, and I want to start a new batch ASAP!

Of course, after checking the gravity I tasted the beer. Holy **** it was good! I know you are all laughing because it is still so green and I think it is good, but it is!! LOL. I cant wait to see how much better it gets with age. I cant believe I just made beer!!:rockin:

awesome!!!

NWMOBrewer said:

first brew stories are like stories of how someone looses their virginity. they never get old.

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Yeah, that is so cool.

Wait, what a coincidence! Beer is also responsible for a lot of people losing their virginity!

I love hearing about first brews... I have been brewing since '89, both at home and professionally, I can tell you the excitement doesn't go away! Welcome to the fold!

I racked into a secondary today. I know there are mixed feeling about this, but 1) I want to use my primary to make more beer! and 2) I am going to let this Lager for several weeks. Everything went well. Found a nice cold place out in the breezway that is about 40 degrees consistently. Should be perfect!

Secondary is fine as long as you make sure everything is super clean/sanitized. Welcome to this obsession.

Happy beer dude!

Well, its bottling day! Yep, its as tedious as everyone said but the Hopslam and Ruthless Rye helped!!

Everything went well, except from the 2 twist tops that I tried to fill and cap.... and the one bottle that broke when I tried to cap it... otherwise a smooth bottling night! Only ended up with about 42 12'0zers?? Oh well...

Only worry is that damn sanitizer that my lhbs sells - its a powder and it seems soooo soapy.......... gotty find a good source for Starsan for the next batch! Im sure its fine.

Pics: first 6 bottled (ever!) and then the whole batch in bottles...:rockin:

Murphy's Law of Brewing. A watched pot never boils. An unattended pot always boils over.

So true! Both happen EVERY brewday!

Welcome to the obsession! And I proudly call it that because what else would someone call currently having 40 gallons of 11 different styles of beer when you only drink a pint a night at best.

I have another batch fermenting right now (of course) and have no worries about how it will be devoured. This weekend a Belgian Strong will be brewed....... it never ends, does it!!

Per some suggestions, I refrigerated one bottle and cracked it open today - 1 week in the bottle. I want to track the changes in the beer from "green" to "mature" (if it lasts that long!). It was slightly carbonated and actually tasted really good. Slight "leathery" taste (?) but not in a bad way... normal for a bock? Color was great! Head was a little thin, but expected for one week in a bottle... I was actually brewing a Belgian Strong tonight, so officially this was the first time I got to drink a homebrew while I brewed!!!!!

Cracked one open after week 2 in the bottle. Head was great! Taste is really good too. There is some slight flavor I cannot place. I wondered about Tannin because I damn near boiled my grains (instead of a gental steep). Can anyone describe what a tannins might taste like??

On the topic of tannins: You've probably had a glass of red wine before - the slightly bitter/ astringent flavor is tannins. It sort of dries out your mouth a bit. This is a desired flavor for some red wines, but typically doesn't taste very good in beer.

I brewed a stout last year and extracted some tannins. Best way I could describe it is just an "off" bitter flavor. Not "hoppy" bitter.

I bet your bock will continue to improve over the next several weeks. Glad you are enjoying the hobby!

Cheers

For tannins, think of dry red wine or strong black tea. That slightly bitter, mouth-drying "flavor."

I'm new too and have been enjoying reading everyone's "First Brew" threads! Looks great, congrats!