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Bacchus00 · 12-30-2012, 08:59 PM

Today I went to my LHBS and picked up some things that did not come with my Midwest Supplies Starter Kit that I got for Christmas. I am preparing for my first brew day hopefully next weekend (still have to decide on a pot and burner to order). I have a few questions to hopefully ensure the best batch possible, I might be overly concerned about the cleaning and sanitation, but I have read and read about how important it actually is.

1. I picked up PBW and was wondering if there is anything I shouldn't use it on in a typical home brewery set up, and what is the best way to use this with some of the smaller items (let it soak im guessing?) and for larger items like a carboy, if i should fill it up or just put a gallon or so in there and swish it around/use a carboy brush.

2. With star-san, how long should i soak stuff in star-san, and i have the same carboy type question. Fill it up, or put some in there and swish it around.

3. I picked up a Brewers Best Belgian Tripel Extract Kit for my first beer, seems like it will be a great first brew. Is there anything in a typical extract kit i have to worry about storing somewhere special? (Dry yeast packet in fridge, or is that just yeast starters?)

Thanks!!

Fireman-Mike · 12-30-2012, 09:16 PM

The cobtact time for star san is two minutes, no rinse. I brew one gallon batches so what i do is fill my carboy up with the star san mix and let it sit for a while during my boil. When i put my pot in the ice bath to cool, i dump my star san in a container with all my other supplies and cover my carboy opening with a piece of sanitized aluminum foil.

I would put your yeast in the refridgerator until the day before you brew, then take it out and let it warm up slowly over night.

**grem135** · 12-31-2012, 12:57 AM

That brewers best triple is a big beer 8.5-9% DON"T RUSH IT. You can probably brew an irish red a week or 2 later and be drinking it before the triple is ready to bottle.
I'm thinking it will be 4 to 6 months before that triple will really be ready to drink.

Maybe you should do a smaller beer first? Just a thought.

Bacchus00 · 12-31-2012, 01:46 AM

Wow 4-6 months? Didn't realize that, guy at the LHBS just said any box that said 'easy' would be good to start with, and the tripel looked awfully tasty. I figured it would have to spend a longer time (maybe 4-8 weeks before bottling) since the high ABV but didn't realize it was a 4-6 month beer. I guess I'll just rack to my carboy after a week and order a good Irish red like you suggest. If I were to hold off on the tripel can any of the ingredients or yeast go bad?

**grem135** · 12-31-2012, 02:00 AM

Make it, get another kit and bucket... get that pipeline going!
rack after 2 weeks is more likely I think, others will chime in here soon I'm sure.
You can bottle in 8 weeks. but bottle condition will take time could easily be 8 weeks before beer starts to come into it own.
It will still be easy to make.

evolcoms · 12-31-2012, 02:03 AM

My Blind Pig IPA took 7 weeks until it was ready to be drank. It had an ABV of 6%

**grem135** · 12-31-2012, 02:16 AM

I will be tring my first scotch ale after 7 weeks but wont open a second till after 8 weeks. 6% ABV

NeighborsBrewingCo · 12-31-2012, 02:33 AM

That Tripel will not be any "harder" to make, trouble as stated is the time it takes to ferment and then condition in secondary.

I would recommend Edworts Haus Pale Ale. I think he has an extract conversion. Cheap. Quick. Delicious.

**sok454** · 12-31-2012, 02:58 AM

My first was laden with whiskey and I brewed it in October. It's just now getting to the point where the whiskey has tamed a little bit. Pretty damn good now.

**Dan** · 12-31-2012, 03:14 AM

I'll answer question number two. StarSan. The guy that made it claims it only needs about 30 seconds contact time. The directions say 1 minute or 2, don't remember. The reason the directions don't say 30 seconds is because the government that rate
s this stuff only uses minutes. The makers of StarSan had to put a gov rating on it. So they had to use the goverments standard. @ one minute. The maker says thirty seconds is sufficient. Spray on is just as good as soaking.