So I was panicking until I saw the sticky. I thought fermentation occurred almost immediately, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Here's what I did to start my first brew - an england brown ale I'd appreciate tips along the way to make it easier next time.
I added my 2 types of DME (3lbs light dried malt extract & 2lbs amber malt dried extract) to my stock pot of warm water (~100-105 degrees), and stirred it for 20 minutes to get it to dissolve. After that, I added the specialty malts in a muslin bag (chocolate malt/crystal malt - 120L) and turned the heat up to medium high. After 20 minutes at that temp, I raised the temp to a boil.
Here's where I f'd up. I added the bittering hops (which were actually the aromatic hops - N. Brewer whole hops) and boiled for 35 minutes. After that, I added the whirfloc tablet (what exactly does that do?), and boiled another 10 mintues. Then at the very end I was to add the aromatic hops (which was actually the bittering hops (Fuggle pellets)) Since I screwed up the hop order...just how screwed up will that make my england brown ale? Is this batch a tosser?
Sanitizing was a pain in the keister. Any ideas on how to simplify that process? I dunked everything in a solution of water and bleech. Then I did it again to the fermenter prior to adding the mash. I hope it doesn't have any bleechy taste, because I did try to wipe it out as much as possible.
Also, the cooling of the mash took forever. I poured it into the fermenter and it took until 3:30am to cool to 80 degrees - at which point, I finally added the dry notingham yeast. Everything I've read said 70 degrees is when you are supposed to add it...but after 6 hours...i just wasn't gonna wait any longer. I have some cooling tubes, but forgot to sanitize them, and so I didn't use them this time...won't make that mistake next time.
Any advice/tips - besides not mixing up my hop order
I added my 2 types of DME (3lbs light dried malt extract & 2lbs amber malt dried extract) to my stock pot of warm water (~100-105 degrees), and stirred it for 20 minutes to get it to dissolve. After that, I added the specialty malts in a muslin bag (chocolate malt/crystal malt - 120L) and turned the heat up to medium high. After 20 minutes at that temp, I raised the temp to a boil.
Here's where I f'd up. I added the bittering hops (which were actually the aromatic hops - N. Brewer whole hops) and boiled for 35 minutes. After that, I added the whirfloc tablet (what exactly does that do?), and boiled another 10 mintues. Then at the very end I was to add the aromatic hops (which was actually the bittering hops (Fuggle pellets)) Since I screwed up the hop order...just how screwed up will that make my england brown ale? Is this batch a tosser?
Sanitizing was a pain in the keister. Any ideas on how to simplify that process? I dunked everything in a solution of water and bleech. Then I did it again to the fermenter prior to adding the mash. I hope it doesn't have any bleechy taste, because I did try to wipe it out as much as possible.
Also, the cooling of the mash took forever. I poured it into the fermenter and it took until 3:30am to cool to 80 degrees - at which point, I finally added the dry notingham yeast. Everything I've read said 70 degrees is when you are supposed to add it...but after 6 hours...i just wasn't gonna wait any longer. I have some cooling tubes, but forgot to sanitize them, and so I didn't use them this time...won't make that mistake next time.
Any advice/tips - besides not mixing up my hop order