Brooklyn Brew Shop Everyday IPA Kit Tips

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Fermentation started overnight quite vigorously,to the point the blow off tube got full of foam from the brew and it poured into the jar of sanitizer. I have read that it is ok for that to happen as long as the tube does not get clogged,please let me know if that is correct.
 
I wouldn't worry about having to top off - same thing happened to me, and yeah I think it was from vaporizing too much water between the mash and boil stages. If you think about it, all the "stuff" you want in your brew is still there if you boil water away, so it makes sense to me that as long as you got the other ingredients right, topping off to 1 gallon will put you back at your target concentration.

As for the blowoff tube, yeah as long as it's not clogged. If you can see bubbles coming up in the sanitizer, you're good. All you're after is providing a sanitary way for air to escape so your carboy doesn't explode.

Jeff
 
Thanks jeffz! That is all good to know. I was wondering if for the next batch if I could use the brew-in-a-bag method? If you just steep your mash in the bag then remove the bag? That would make it much easier!... any one know?
 
MedBrewer said:
Thanks jeffz! That is all good to know. I was wondering if for the next batch if I could use the brew-in-a-bag method? If you just steep your mash in the bag then remove the bag? That would make it much easier!... any one know?

That's what I did yesterday with the BBS Cranberry Wheat and it went really well. After the mash I just put the bag in my colander and sparged.
 
MedBrewer said:
Fermentation started overnight quite vigorously,to the point the blow off tube got full of foam from the brew and it poured into the jar of sanitizer. I have read that it is ok for that to happen as long as the tube does not get clogged,please let me know if that is correct.

I'm on my first brew too - also a BBS kit - grapefruit honey ale for me. I had the same thing happen with the blowoff, to the point that I had to drain the bowl of sanitizer twice. I also ended up with a LOT of gunk stuck at the top of the carboy. I'm a bit concerned because I haven't managed to find any pictures that look like it. Here's what it looked like about a week ago:

http://twitter.com/paulbrimmer/status/260301450159206400/photo/1

I'm at two weeks in the fermenter now, so there's not much to be done about it at this point, since I'll be bottling soon, but I wonder if anyone has seen this happen before.
 
That is the krausen and it is completely normal and happens to me on every beer I make. The only problem is when it create a actual plug that you have to push down into the beer. I will usually do that then cold crash for a few days to let the stuff pack down at the bottom.
 
Thanks so much, good to know! I tried hunting all around for information about it, hoping to avoid asking a newb question, but I guess that's what the new brewers forum is for. :)
 
Hello all again,it's been 2 weeks since I started my batch,nd it's still fermenting,I still see little bubbles rising to the top of my jug,should I wait for all fermentation to stopbefore bottling?
 
MedBrewer said:
Hello all again,it's been 2 weeks since I started my batch,nd it's still fermenting,I still see little bubbles rising to the top of my jug,should I wait for all fermentation to stopbefore bottling?

You are prob ok to bottle but let it go three weeks and bottle. Wait two weeks then taste. I had problems with over carbing with their directions (bottle bombs). Trust me, use a priming sugar calc online.
 
Any one have a recipe for something like a Left Hand Milk Stout? It would be my second brewing endevor ;)
 
You are prob ok to bottle but let it go three weeks and bottle. Wait two weeks then taste. I had problems with over carbing with their directions (bottle bombs). Trust me, use a priming sugar calc online.

I didn't have bombs, but I think a combination of a bit too much honey plus bottling too early led to a slight over-carbonation in my beer. It didn't bother me that much (a giant head that took a few minutes to settle down).

Jeff
 
The pot with sugar method worked for me when I started. Its a small batch.

Can you tell me exactly how you would do the pot with the sugar method? This is my very first shot at brewing with this kit and I am ready to bottle it (honestly ready to drink it).
 
I bottled mine last night using the pot with honeey method. I was quite simple ( I did practice siphoning and ran through the process a couple times using just water)just as described in the instructions. 1)You mix 1/2 cup water with 3 tbs honey,2) then you pour that solution into a clean sanitized pot large anough to hold all your brew. 3)Siphon the beer from the 1gal jug into the large pot with the honey mixture (that is your priming solution for carbonation). 4)Siphon the primed brew from your large pot into your bottles leaving about 1 inch of clearance to the top.

Some notes from my experience last nite: 1)I used starsan to sanitize everything, when rinsing the bottles inside with star san I avoided shaking them so i dont get a lot of foam ( I just poured the starsan in the bottle then rotated the bottle to coat it internally with the solution then poured it out).2)I practiced siphoning water with the provided tubing, racking cane, and hose clip a few times. 3) I the source of the siphon up high, on top of my fridge in the kitchen and used a small folding table in front of the fridge to place all "siphoning to" containers.
Well sorry for the lenghty post, but hope it helps a bit! ;)
 
New brewer here- brewed with this kit about a week and half ago. My primary is sitting in the closet and the color looks good. Not much activity although I see some small-scale bubbling.

I've seen in this thread that one ought to wait 3 weeks in the primary rather than the 2 in the directions. What's the reason for this- any significant differences in the final product? And then, is 2 weeks enough for bottle conditioning or should I also wait more than that?

Just tryin to figure out a timeline here.
 
New brewer here- brewed with this kit about a week and half ago. My primary is sitting in the closet and the color looks good. Not much activity although I see some small-scale bubbling.

I've seen in this thread that one ought to wait 3 weeks in the primary rather than the 2 in the directions. What's the reason for this- any significant differences in the final product? And then, is 2 weeks enough for bottle conditioning or should I also wait more than that?

Just tryin to figure out a timeline here.

There are a few benefits to waiting an extra week...especially with a 1 gallon kit. First, you want your beer to "finish" and reach its final OG. Since you probably don't have a hydrometer, nor would you want to waste your beer since it is a significant amount, waiting an extra week ensure your beer is done fermenting and you don't get bottle bombs.

Part 2 is that beer will clear and condition over time. Some beers are meant young and others aged. For the most part, a week or two longer in the primary will have no ill effects and only help. When you bottle after two weeks, even if the beer is done, you sometimes will taste a "green" beer which isnt always a good thing.

Hope this helps
 
I hear ya. Makes me impatient indeed. This coming Monday marks 2 weeks of fermentation and I've planned for 3 weeks. But I kind of want to just get it over with and start bottling!
 
Odd. It's post-brew day 12 and I'm seeing quite a bit of activity (bubbling) at the surface of the beer. I'm trying to decide if it's the yeast becoming a bit more active because I picked up the jar and moved it to a different closet (one further away from the window as its getting cold) or if its because of something else. I'm not particularly alarmed, but it does suggest I am going to want to take the full 3 weeks to be sure its settled down if not longer.
 
I would wait 3 weeks. Mine was still slightly active at 3 weeks. I primed and bottled at 3 weeks with honey,the beer was a tad over carbed bit still delicious!
I'm trying to decide what to make next,I'd like to make something like abitas purple haze. Any suggestions?
 
I'm seriously considering brewing a SMaSH beer as a second brew. Has any one made any before?
 
I'm seriously considering brewing a SMaSH beer as a second brew. Has any one made any before?

All the time...I did a smash series for like 20 brews straight to see what each hop tasted and smelled like in a beer and how different base malts tasted. Now, when I get a new hop, I do a semi-smash of pale malt, munich and carapils and only that hop.

I highly recommend it to truly learn what each hop or malt can bring to the table.
 
I'm going to bottle my Everyday IPA tomorrow morning. It'll have been 24 days post-brew.

I just realized I need to get some priming sugar as it seems honey is too random of a source depending on where/when you buy the honey. This being my first brew, I didn't take an OG. Using the Priming Sugar Calculator (http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/) and a temp of 70 degrees, I get 24g of corn sugar. Is this consistent with what has been used in the past?

I should ask, is it better for a beer to be undercarbonated rather than overcarbonated? I.e. is it better to err on the side of too little priming sugar or too much?
 
So basically I went ahead and bottled. Doing some math, I ended up using 2 tbsp worth of corn sugar in 100ml of water as recommended earlier in the thread. No problems siphoning with the autosiphon- makes it so easy. And practicing with water is very helpful.

Was able to put together 10 full 12oz bottles. Tasted the leftover (about 1/8 of a full bottle) and its actually pretty delicious if a bit flat. A bit drier than I'm used to but has a good maltiness to it. I'm looking forward to drinking the first bottle in mid-December. Hopefully I didn't over/undercarbonate the beer.
 
@Steve

Honey works fine...I know this is late. I am approaching 100 batches with honey and no issues. I think you are going to be okay...and dont worry about the taste at this moment. It will be much better once they are carbed, chilled and in a glass
 
Hearts H0me Brewing - our infamous Warehouse style LHBS...

Pretty much everyone says the owner dude working there is a grouch at times.
LOL.

But hey, its all we've got for now.

Sadly, you have to get to know him and his moods when he's swamped with packaging mail orders and not exactly Mr Customer Service... I read this thread and got a chuckle when you mentioned your LHBS sucking.

Either that or order online and pickup so that you have minimal interaction.
 
Wow it is a delicious brew. Very well balanced yet the aroma is a sweet hoppiness. Love it and am hoping my 2 cases of IPA that I brewed after that turn out just as well!
 
Hearts H0me Brewing - our infamous Warehouse style LHBS...

Pretty much everyone says the owner dude working there is a grouch at times.
LOL.

But hey, its all we've got for now.

Sadly, you have to get to know him and his moods when he's swamped with packaging mail orders and not exactly Mr Customer Service... I read this thread and got a chuckle when you mentioned your LHBS sucking.

Either that or order online and pickup so that you have minimal interaction.

Wow, I didn't realize how much this thread was still being used. I still will only order online and pickup at Hearts. I'm actually placing an order now for some of the 2012 hops (Citra, Simcoe & Amarillo).
 
Wow it is a delicious brew. Very well balanced yet the aroma is a sweet hoppiness. Love it and am hoping my 2 cases of IPA that I brewed after that turn out just as well!

Really glad to hear you liked it.

My buddy picked up this kit and we are going to give it a shot tomorrow. Thanks for the pictures and reviews / timeline of this batch!
 
Going to be trying this kit for the first time on Sunday. Never used Brooklyn Brew tomorrow. I tried a Mr. Beer kit but the beer was way over-carbed. (I know this is way more involved.) I plan on adding honey during bottling like the instructions lay out. I've also read on some other forums that people thought their IPA from this kit turned out a little over-carbed. Any suggestions you guys can give to make sure its not too carbonated? I'd rather it have less carbonation than too much.

Any advice would be awesome! Thanks!
 
Going to be trying this kit for the first time on Sunday. Never used Brooklyn Brew tomorrow. I tried a Mr. Beer kit but the beer was way over-carbed. (I know this is way more involved.) I plan on adding honey during bottling like the instructions lay out. I've also read on some other forums that people thought their IPA from this kit turned out a little over-carbed. Any suggestions you guys can give to make sure its not too carbonated? I'd rather it have less carbonation than too much.

Any advice would be awesome! Thanks!

Use two FULL tablespoons instead of the three they suggest. I've moved in this direction with honey over the past few months and have really like the results. I think they are implying that you use 3 tablespoons to carb 1 gallon of beer to around 2.5 vols. But you are usually bottling .8-.9 gallons, so you are already getting towards 3 vols which is high for most types of beers
 
Use two FULL tablespoons instead of the three they suggest. I've moved in this direction with honey over the past few months and have really like the results. I think they are implying that you use 3 tablespoons to carb 1 gallon of beer to around 2.5 vols. But you are usually bottling .8-.9 gallons, so you are already getting towards 3 vols which is high for most types of beers

Thanks for the feedback. Makes sense. I purchased an auto-siphon to try to cut down on lost beer in the bottling process. Have also purchased a hydrometer to help determine ABV. Would you recommend 3 weeks for fermentation like others have before bottling instead of the 2 suggested?

For using the hydrometer, I don't have a spigot on my fermenter, so after 2-3 weeks, will it hurt if I unscrew the top and quickly use the auto siphon to get a bit of the beer in the test jar?
 
Thanks for the feedback. Makes sense. I purchased an auto-siphon to try to cut down on lost beer in the bottling process. Have also purchased a hydrometer to help determine ABV. Would you recommend 3 weeks for fermentation like others have before bottling instead of the 2 suggested?

For using the hydrometer, I don't have a spigot on my fermenter, so after 2-3 weeks, will it hurt if I unscrew the top and quickly use the auto siphon to get a bit of the beer in the test jar?

Just wait three weeks and you'll be fine...take a sample as you bottle. Good job on the auto-siphon, wish I had one during my first batch.

Wait three weeks after bottling, keep it at 70 degrees or higher. I usually wait 4 but its a personal preference.
 
Just wait three weeks and you'll be fine...take a sample as you bottle. Good job on the auto-siphon, wish I had one during my first batch.

Wait three weeks after bottling, keep it at 70 degrees or higher. I usually wait 4 but its a personal preference.

Only reason I knew to use the auto-siphon was this thread.

One other question when it comes to the honey. I read a few other reviews of this kit that said using the honey left a lot of unfermented sugar and residual honey taste in the IPA that took away from the taste of an IPA. These posters wished they had used table or corn sugar. Any opinion on that or do you think that was exactly what you explained earlier with potentially too much honey originally called for in the recipe?
 
I should ask, is it better for a beer to be undercarbonated rather than overcarbonated? I.e. is it better to err on the side of too little priming sugar or too much?

I would rather have my beers overcarbonated rather than undercarbonated. Undercarbonated is much more difficult to fix if you've bottled your beer already. If it is overcarbonated, you can easily let out a bit of pressure from the bottles and re-crimp them. You can also just swirl your beer a bit in the glass or let it sit for a minute.
 
I brewed my first batch with this kit yesterday. This morning I checked on the fermenter and found that it had expelled a good portion of air and liquid into the bowl of sanitizer solution, so much so that it overflowed during the night. I cleaned the mess and replaced the bowl, but it's still pumping out a good portion of air--my beer along with it. What started as 1 gallons is now down to 3/4. It shows no signs of slowing down. Should I be concerned? Should I replace the voided liquid with extra water?

Thanks.

EDIT: I think I've solved my own problem. Some further research online produced a solution: the tube is not supposed to touch the liquid. That makes sense now that I think about it, but I was reading the instructions and no where did it say that. It was actually depicted in a diagram, but I ignore diagrams because words > pictures. Oh, well. Live and learn.
 
Just used the kit this morning. Some things that may lead to inconsistencies later:

During sparge, my 7.5" mesh strainer was not big enough for all of the malts. Because of this, I had to do two "groups" of malt, one after another, in the strainer. This caused my beer to sit out a little long before returning everything to a boil.

Cool down took right around half an hour. When pouring through funnel and filter, noticed a lot of sentiment. Is that normal before pitching yeast? I should have been more careful, did notice a little bit of the sentiment made it into the fermenter. Spilled a good bit during this phase (too small of a funnel), so ended up having to add about 1/4 gallon of water at the end.

Biggest issue has been getting the tube to stay in the sanitized water now that it is in the fermenter.

Will keep everyone posted.

Plan on leaving it for 3 weeks in primary.
 
Well, I've been gone for 2 days and the tube that was in the sanitized water dish came out and was sitting on the table instead of in the dish. Is that going to ruin the batch? I've since put the airlock on.
 
I've also noticed that my air lock is not bubbling at all. Does look like any bubbling going on in the fermenter either. Has been about 80 hours since brewing. Should I be concerned?
 
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