My Advice For Those New To Brewing

BrewSwag 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
xinunix

xinunix

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
69
Reaction score
1
So I am far from being an expert, been doing this for just over 1 year, have about 11 batches under my belt, all extract partial boils. Over the course of my first year I have learned a tremendous amount from the people on this forum so the best piece of advice I can give you if you are new to homebrewing is to read and consume all of the knowledge you can from these boards.

Aside from that I have one other piece of wisdom to share...

Take a 6 pack of every brew you make, set it aside, and leave it alone for at least 8-12 months.

The hardest lesson to learn (though it is by far the most frequently given piece of advice from the gurus on this board) is patience. I can't fault any new brewer for ignoring this advice b/c I know first hand just how hard it is to resist the temptation to taste your latest creation. We seek all kinds of creative ways and reasons to avoid exercising the self control required to let your beer properly age and condition. And to be honest, I am not convinced that abstinence is the best policy. Tasting your beer early can be a very valuable learning experience, especially if you give yourself an opportunity to taste your beer after it has been properly aged and conditioned as a basis for comparison.

Two weeks ago I started chilling a few 6 packs from the first beers I made last year around this time (all of which were good then) and all I can say is WOW, it is absolutely amazing what time does for a homebrew, they are GREAT now! Had I known what I know now after tasting a few of these a year later, I would have set aside at least 12 or 24 from every batch and just brewed more often to make up for the difference.

Do yourself a favor, go ahead and dig into that 4-6 week old beer now but set aside a 6 pack and forget about it. You will thank me for it next year!

So I am raising this glass of my inaugural homebrew one year later :mug: to Revvy, Yooper, BierMuncher, Bobby_M, EdWort, yuri_rage, olllllo, and the many others on this forum that taught me the most valuable lesson in homebrewing...Patience.
 
I can definitely jump on the age-your-brew bandwagon. My worst brew (a heavily-hopped IIPA) came through fermentation way too quick (ran about 80F most of the time), and had massive diacetyl problems. Just finishing one out of the last sixers right now and it's literally a whole different beer.
 
Sometimes I break-down and buy commercial beers to drink so I am not tempted to raid the coffers prematurely. I envy those guys who "stumble across" a forgotten case or carboy because they have so many brews in the works. I guess if you are impatient like me; brew more and brew often.
 
One caveat to the ageing beer, is well if it's a session beer and you pitched a correct amount of yeast and controlled the fermentation temperature properly, it will be better far sooner... but beginners... scratch that. Home-brewers rarely do.
 
z987k said:
One caveat to the ageing beer, is well if it's a session beer and you pitched a correct amount of yeast and controlled the fermentation temperature properly, it will be better far sooner... but beginners... scratch that. Home-brewers rarely do.
Click to expand...

Home-brewers rarely do? Really? We're smarter than that.
 
JimE said:
Home-brewers rarely do? Really? We're smarter than that.
Click to expand...

I can't tell you how many people I've watched just pitch a single vial of white labs into a 1.090 wort. And then they wonder why all the esters or stuck and slow ferments.
 
z987k said:
I can't tell you how many people I've watched just pitch a single vial of white labs into a 1.090 wort. And then they wonder why all the esters or stuck and slow ferments.
Click to expand...

Hopefully, each person only does that once! There is so much info on this forum. I sure am glad to be able to research stuff and ask questions. I hope everyone does that...
 
I had to take some time off from brewing. So everything I've got bottled is between 1 and 3 years old. The only thing I had go stale on me was a hefeweizen.
 
z987k said:
One caveat to the ageing beer, is well if it's a session beer and you pitched a correct amount of yeast and controlled the fermentation temperature properly, it will be better far sooner... but beginners... scratch that. Home-brewers rarely do.
Click to expand...

????!!!!! what? Foriegn concept to some home brewers
 
most new homebrewers pitch it right and control the temps like it was a first new-born. We are too nervous to act like old-heads. z987k WTF???
 
well it depends on the style of beer that you want to age. A hefeweizen will be great after 2 weeks of fermenting and doesn't tend to age well. But IPA's seem to need some time to mature. It really depends on the style and the Alcohol %
 
I like this idea of buying stock with ones own homebrew but for a beginner is there a good method to use to know when your brew is worth a long term investment?

How long is an above average standard conditioning time?
 
Heartofglass said:
I like this idea of buying stock with ones own homebrew but for a beginner is there a good method to use to know when your brew is worth a long term investment?

How long is an above average standard conditioning time?
Click to expand...

An above average conditioning time is about a month and a half to 6 months in the primary/secondary carboy.

To understand if your beer is worth the investment you must first start brewing :) . For me, I am not nearly as patient as others so i tend to stay away from beers which require a long time of conditioning, plus i love german wheat beers (which have a very quick conditioning time, around 2 weeks). But its really up to your preferences to which beers you like and how long you can have them sit around in a carboy.
 
During my first year of brewing, I learned the lesson of the pipeline. Some effort during my second year was taken to put up more shelves in the basement for storage space, and accumulate more bottles, and brew more beer to put in them. Now I can brew without getting antsy about drinking the green stuff, because there's plenty down there on the shelves.
 
Ziggybrew said:
most new homebrewers pitch it right and control the temps like it was a first new-born. We are too nervous to act like old-heads. z987k WTF???
Click to expand...

I don't think I've ever seen a beginner with a fermentation temp controller of some sort. Maybe a swamp cooler here and there, but it's kind of a big investment when you're just stating a hobby. And aside from dry yeast, yes a lot of homebrewers under pitch. This is a big reason as to why a commercial brewery can crank out a Pale ale grain to glass in 14 days and homebewers cannot. Fermentation starts in a few hours every time. Filtering helps to.
 
z987k,
You're right about not starting with temp control equipment. That is my limiting factor while just getting started. I found the most temperature-consistant spot in the house and only brew what works at that temp.
So here is another question: Would a newbie (on a budjet) benefit more with equipment to hold specific fermentation temperatures OR invest in mash equipment to go all-grain? ("Benefit", as in building a learning foundation)
 
I would definitely suggest the fermentation temp control before going AG (though I am still an extract brewer so what do I know...). I bought a chest freezer and a Johnson Controls temp controller after my third extract batch, there is no doubt that fermentation temp control resulted in the biggest improvement in quality of my brews over all of the other changes I made to my process/equipment last year.
 
xinunix said:
I would definitely suggest the fermentation temp control before going AG (though I am still an extract brewer so what do I know...). I bought a chest freezer and a Johnson Controls temp controller after my third extract batch, there is no doubt that fermentation temp control resulted in the biggest improvement in quality of my brews over all of the other changes I made to my process/equipment last year.
Click to expand...

I think that you would find this to be the general consensus among members here. There are cheaper ways to get temperature control than a chest freezer, such as the carboy in a tub of water with ice bottles or the fermentation chiller.

Eric
 
Ziggybrew said:
So here is another question: Would a newbie (on a budjet) benefit more with equipment to hold specific fermentation temperatures OR invest in mash equipment to go all-grain? ("Benefit", as in building a learning foundation)
Click to expand...

Temp Control, and its not even close (as far as increasing beer quality)
 
ezboarderz said:
A hefeweizen will be great after 2 weeks of fermenting and doesn't tend to age well.
Click to expand...

I had a thread earlier about my Hefeweizen and everyone seemed to agree that the hef should sit in Fermentation for close to a month. It's been two and a half weeks in Fermentation and the FG has been at the correct level for over a week now. Should I begin bottling? Or should I just wait another week or so like I was planning on doing?

** By the way, this is still my first brew.
 
Ziggybrew said:
z987k,
You're right about not starting with temp control equipment. That is my limiting factor while just getting started. I found the most temperature-consistant spot in the house and only brew what works at that temp.
So here is another question: Would a newbie (on a budjet) benefit more with equipment to hold specific fermentation temperatures OR invest in mash equipment to go all-grain? ("Benefit", as in building a learning foundation)
Click to expand...

Temp control by far. And those swamp coolers hardly count as they have swings in temperature. Temp control means a steady temperature of your choosing not a few degrees below ambient that changes day and night.
 
z987k said:
I don't think I've ever seen a beginner with a fermentation temp controller of some sort. Maybe a swamp cooler here and there, but it's kind of a big investment when you're just stating a hobby. And aside from dry yeast, yes a lot of homebrewers under pitch. This is a big reason as to why a commercial brewery can crank out a Pale ale grain to glass in 14 days and homebewers cannot. Fermentation starts in a few hours every time. Filtering helps to.
Click to expand...

I am certainly a beginner - had an old refer with an A19 set up for my second batch. Why? - this forum!
 
Haputanlas said:
I had a thread earlier about my Hefeweizen and everyone seemed to agree that the hef should sit in Fermentation for close to a month. It's been two and a half weeks in Fermentation and the FG has been at the correct level for over a week now. Should I begin bottling? Or should I just wait another week or so like I was planning on doing?

** By the way, this is still my first brew.
Click to expand...

It is true that hefeweizen is better when drunk relatively young, but it should not be rushed into the bottle any faster than any other beer. Hefeweizen, by definition, will have some residual suspended yeast and will accumulate a thin layer at the bottom of the bottle as a result of bottle conditioning. One big mistake beginners make is to bottle hefeweizen with a 1/2" slug of trub in the bottle. Nasty!!

Don't forget: PATIENCE!!
 
Since I just finished my second batch, still in primary, I want to be sure to get this right from the start. Since I will be splitting most of my batches between 12oz and 22oz bottles I intend to keep at least 2-3 22oz from each batch for long term sampling, and to gauge my progress. I think this is a great idea, I can say so far with my first brew I've noticed a huge difference in taste just over the past month as it has gone from 'green' to GOOD!

My only question is when I label the bottles which date do I use, the "brewed on" date or the "bottled on" date. i.e. if I brewed on 1/11 and bottled on 1/18 from which date does my beer really start aging? It may be a stupid question but I ask because with cognac, for example, a VSOP aged in the barrel for 12 years and then kept in the bottle for another 12 is not a 24 year old cognac, it is still 12 years old, the time it spent in the barrel.
 
RushN24 said:
My only question is when I label the bottles which date do I use, the "brewed on" date or the "bottled on" date. i.e. if I brewed on 1/11 and bottled on 1/18 from which date does my beer really start aging? It may be a stupid question but I ask because with cognac, for example, a VSOP aged in the barrel for 12 years and then kept in the bottle for another 12 is not a 24 year old cognac, it is still 12 years old, the time it spent in the barrel.
Click to expand...

:eek: you bottled in only 7 days? You probably should have waited another 2 weeks at least. I'd label both.
 
DavidSteel said:
:eek: you bottled in only 7 days? You probably should have waited another 2 weeks at least. I'd label both.[/QUO

I did, I know I should have left it longer, but the gravity was steady for 3 consecutive days and the extra time would have just been to let it clear, it was my first batch I couldn't wait. You know there's not a first time brewer out here that has waited a full 4-6 weeks to try their first batch. The blonde I just made will be in the primary for a while though.
Click to expand...
 
RushN24 said:
DavidSteel said:
:eek: you bottled in only 7 days? You probably should have waited another 2 weeks at least. I'd label both.[/QUO

I did, I know I should have left it longer, but the gravity was steady for 3 consecutive days and the extra time would have just been to let it clear, it was my first batch I couldn't wait. You know there's not a first time brewer out here that has waited a full 4-6 weeks to try their first batch. The blonde I just made will be in the primary for a while though.
Click to expand...

Well, the yeast clean up after themselves after fermentation is over. I know edwort kegs after 10 days, but that is for relatively low gravity beers (about 5.3%) and he cold-crashes them to let the yeast and anything else floating around sink to the bottom of the carboy before kegging. I waited 4 weeks for my first batch; 2 in primary, 2 in secondary. I'd say 3 weeks is a must. But then again, I've had plenty of patients when I made wine in the past, letting it sit as long as a year before bottling, so 3-4 weeks was super easy for me.
Click to expand...
 
I can't freaken wait at all. The only thing I do to pass the time is buy new primaries and brew more beer it seems......
 
brewagentjay said:
I can't freaken wait at all. The only thing I do to pass the time is buy new primaries and brew more beer it seems......
Click to expand...

lol, I hear yah. I spent 23 hours brewing this weekend. I drove back home from college to do this too. When I have an open window, I jump through it and keep sprinting. Good stuff :mug:
 
Haputanlas said:
I had a thread earlier about my Hefeweizen and everyone seemed to agree that the hef should sit in Fermentation for close to a month. It's been two and a half weeks in Fermentation and the FG has been at the correct level for over a week now. Should I begin bottling? Or should I just wait another week or so like I was planning on doing?

** By the way, this is still my first brew.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a hefe will be fine after even 10 days in the primary. A hefe needs a month? haha no. It is meant to be drunk young. I, along with many others, have gotten away with a good hefe after 10 days in the primary and then kegged.

Although it is good practice to let beer in general sit for about a month, but not necessarily hefeweizens. Bottle/keg and enjoy

***edit*** as long as its hit its FG after 10 days.
 
ezboarderz said:
Although it is good practice to let beer in general sit for about a month, but not necessarily hefeweizens. Bottle/keg and enjoy

***edit*** as long as its hit its FG after 10 days.
Click to expand...

Of course.

Since the yeast is a big part of hefe's, I always wondered- how does that work out in the keg? In a bottle, I swirl the yeast and pour it into my glass. You can't do this in kegs, so, how does that work out? Just drink it clear?
 
DavidSteel said:
Of course.

Since the yeast is a big part of hefe's, I always wondered- how does that work out in the keg? In a bottle, I swirl the yeast and pour it into my glass. You can't do this in kegs, so, how does that work out? Just drink it clear?
Click to expand...

well what I generally do for a hefeweizen or a dunkelweizen is i crash cool at 40 degrees for a day then keg. I also tend to give my keg a nice swirl every 2 to 3 days to keep the yeast in suspension.
 
ezboarderz said:
well what I generally do for a hefeweizen or a dunkelweizen is i crash cool at 40 degrees for a day then keg. I also tend to give my keg a nice swirl every 2 to 3 days to keep the yeast in suspension.
Click to expand...

Haha, nice. Looks like we are similar age-wise, school-wise, music-wise, and in the sense that we both brew. Keep it true.
 
RushN24 said:
You know there's not a first time brewer out here that has waited a full 4-6 weeks to try their first batch. The blonde I just made will be in the primary for a while though.
Click to expand...

Actually, I brewed my first batch on 12/31/09 and waited 3.5 weeks before bottling day. When I decided to get into this hobby I didn't want to just brew beer, I wanted to brew good beer.

However, I did crack one of them open early just to see how it was coming along. :cross:
 
z987k said:
I don't think I've ever seen a beginner with a fermentation temp controller of some sort.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess you've found one. Am I the only guy who's building a lagering capable fermentation chamber, a 5 tap keezer, and having his water quality tested before even owning a brewhouse of any kind? And not starting with extract... either.

I know... 'Laddy-frickin-da':fro:
 
SankePankey said:
Well, I guess you've found one. Am I the only guy who's building a lagering capable fermentation chamber, a 5 tap keezer, and having his water quality tested before even owning a brewhouse of any kind? And not starting with extract... either.

I know... 'Laddy-frickin-da':fro:
Click to expand...

ok so maybe there are a few, but I think it's safe to say the vast majority of beginners don't. Also remember that this forum will attract the more enthusiastic homebrewers, as most new brewers only have Charlie, Palmer and maybe a friend to help them struggle along.
 

Similar threads

Tony B
First batch
Replies
10
Views
663
Kornssj
Kornssj
D
not really new but I sort of am
Replies
2
Views
452
RM-MN
R
monkelikesbeer
Newbie from Spain!
Replies
4
Views
216
wallyLOZ
wallyLOZ
spotted_dog
Beginners Advice?
Replies
34
Views
1K
spotted_dog
spotted_dog
?
Advice on how to enjoy homebrewing over the years without becoming an alcoholic.
2 3
Replies
89
Views
3K
corkybstewart
corkybstewart
Williams Brewing 300

Latest posts

Back
Top