First batch done... even the best laid plains go astray.

So after a couple weeks of reading, researching, ordering equipment and preparing last night we (myself and a good friend have decided to get into this together) brewed our first batch. I was pretty proud considering that we built our own counterflow using copper tubing in a large PVC pipe with a pump pushing ice water through it (no garden hose needed).

Now I've been told countless times by local brewers here that your first batch always goes wrong somehow, but I kept thinking that surely with all the homework we've done on the subject and the dry runs with water we should be good... right?

Alas Murphy's law applies. We decided to add the extract to all 5 gallons and boil it rather than doing three and putting three in the fermenter to mix like Palmer's book recommends. We had also decided to wait to buy a burner and figured we could just use the gas grill right? Wrong.

After 2 1/2 hours and still about 5 degrees below boil we decided to toss in the hops, start the hour and hope for the best. There was a lot of precipitate in the wort so maybe it'll work out? It's in the fermenter now so I guess we'll see.

Thoughts?

I'm not sure but I think it will be ok. It's really hard to screw up beer. Next time boil on the stove if you still haven't purchased a burner.

I think the only problem might be not enough bitterness, the 60 minute boil is to release the alpha acids from the hops. Did you ever get a boil?

It will still be beer, I bet it will be ok. Report back and let us know.

+1. Taste the wort and see how bitter it is. It ought to be just a hair more bitter than you want in the final beer. If it's not bitter, you may be able to boil some hops and add the hop tea to the beer (make sure you cool it before adding it...)

But I probably would not unless it was really lacking in bitter.

You're taking brew notes as you go along, right?

It seems like no matter how much anyone reads, we all still need to learn the hard way.

Thanks for the advice. Homer I think I'm going to let it go the way it is and just see how it comes out. I'll let you know. Zwolle yup noted everything.

Oh I have another question, is the OG before the boil or after? After right?

after.

Well it's bottled, didn't taste bad flat so I think it'll turn out ok. I'll comment again in two weeks when it's time to try.

So I've popped the top on my first homebrews and I've had the pleasure of telling my coworkers who brew that swore up and down "your first brew will suck, happens to everybody but it gets better after that" to go pound sand. My "All Jacked Up" amber turned out very tasty, Koz you were right it's not quite as bitter as it could be but it still has a refreshing uncomplicated taste. I'm very happy with my first brew and am planning the next to be a witbier, thanks all for the advice.