beerluvva

Recipes 

thanks, the syrup was my #1 suspect too, that was a panic decision...I had started the siphon into the bottling bucket, had maybe a 1/2 gal in there and realized I forgot the priming.

Transamguy77

Recipes 

I do this now, I bottle 1 22oz bottle from every batch and plan to revisit them after about a year.

beerluvva

Recipes 

Everything is getting better since that first batch. To my fellow noobs: keep at it !

have done three batches since. I am playing with hop schedules and steeping times, so I don't list them out.

Batch 2
3 lbs Muntons Dark DME
1/2 lb Crystal 60
60 min boil
1 oz. Simcoe hops
3 gal @ 1.050 O.G.
Wyeast British Ale II smack pack

Batch 3
3 lbs Muntons Light DME
1/2 lb Crystal 60
60 min boil
1 oz. Hallertau & 1 oz. Perle hops
3 gal @ 1.046 O.G.
Wyeast American Ale 1056 smack pack

Batch 4
same as Batch 2, except I used a single step starter made from yeast slurry from batch 2.

What I've learned:

1. use StarSan, and a spray bottle. it really frees you up to be able to sanitize stuff more on-the-fly.

2. learn to make starters. I am pretty sure that batches 2 and 3, while very drinkable, suffer from under-pitched yeast, based on off-flavors I have read about for this. Batch 4, using a starter, seems to really be taking off much quicker than the others, and more aggressively.

Actually, I've come to believe that noobs should "train" by making starters first, as opposed to full on beers. Simpler, smaller volumes, gets you thinking about yeast sooner...

Anyway, very pleased to write this as I drink a glass of batch 2. Although I couldn't find "batch 2" in the BJCP style guide.

Tested gravity for batch 3 today, tastes pretty good, will bottle that in a week I'd guess.

plumber_bob

Recipes 

I can relate to your first batch experience. I started right off with 10 gal. all grain. (pretty ballsy right?)

Anyway it took me 1 year to get from conception to first brew day, cobbling together a system like I wanted the way I wanted takes time on my budget.

Meanwhile I'd brewed several good batches in my head and on paper to make sure my system was gonna be top notch first brew, every brew.

1st real brew day:
Things seemed great until the boil. Water wasn't calculated right, ended up with a 7 gallon batch instead of ten. Next, wort chiller plugged up. Took 24hrs to cool to pitching temps. Still I kept the faith and ended up with very drinkable beer. Not the best by far but it got drank.

I kept good notes on that brew and my next batch was fantastic! Excellent reviews from all I shared it with. Of course I did do some mods on my system to compensate.

Winter/weather is the only thing hampering my next brew, and it's getting to me. But I should be able to do it in a month or so.

I did keg mine, and was up to snuff on that end at least.

Bottom line of this post: I almost tossed that first batch down the driveway,... but all the reading I'd done here told me to follow it through. Glad I did! it was higher ABV than I figured, and a little off in the taste, but that's all I can gripe about.

pb --- everybody started as a new brewer.

kresimo

Recipes 

Ouch. Yeah it's like learning to drive a car. Eventually all of the steps become second nature. My first brew was underwatered, infected (I thought PBW was sanitizer), and bottled too early. I had about 4 people take a sip and say it wasn't their favorite and then just pour it down the drain when I wasn't looking. Of course my thoughts at the time were "pfhhhh they don't know good beer"

beerluvva

Recipes 

To say the least!