Cracked the first homebrew...

I bottled my first batch 8 days ago. I chilled and cracked one tonight just to taste the progression. I was pleasantly surprised. It was carbonated, clear and tasted pretty good. It had a very slight fruity taste but not too bad. I plan to taste another in a week, and so on. Thanks to everyone for all the help. I plan to brew batch #2 tomorrow.

Congrats!!!!

Nice job!

It is an amazing feeling to crack that first brew and drink it and not have it taste terrible.

What is up next?

I'm thinking about doing an EPA.

It is a great feeling cracking that first one . . . and the second one . . . ad infinitum.

Enjoy!

That "hissss" was very nice to hear.

Brewing an ESB tomorrow.

I used to get that fruity, wine taste and smell when brewing kit beers. Some say it comes from fermenting in a warm place or the cheap yeast that is given in low end kits. You may even try to experiment with using dry malt extract instead of sugar to carbonate. You can try fermenting in a cooler place next time or buy a name brand yeast separately. I found that with age (months) it went away a little. The higher priced kits didn't give me that cidery taste. Now that I brew all grain brews with liquid yeast, fruity tastes are a thing of my past. Now I get good stinky, malty, bread after taste beer that reminds me of the beer my dad used to let me sip from when I was a kid at German clubs.

dvdfnzwbr said:

I used to get that fruity, wine taste and smell when brewing kit beers. Some say it comes from fermenting in a warm place or the cheap yeast that is given in low end kits. You may even try to experiment with using dry malt extract instead of sugar to carbonate. You can try fermenting in a cooler place next time or buy a name brand yeast separately. I found that with age (months) it went away a little. The higher priced kits didn't give me that cidery taste. Now that I brew all grain brews with liquid yeast, fruity tastes are a thing of my past. Now I get good stinky, malty, bread after taste beer that reminds me of the beer my dad used to let me sip from when I was a kid at German clubs.

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Like the old hofbrauhaus on 55th.

Do you know of any good German clubs/restaurants on the east side?

Bull

abledsoe said:

I bottled my first batch 8 days ago. I chilled and cracked one tonight just to taste the progression. I was pleasantly surprised. It was carbonated, clear and tasted pretty good. It had a very slight fruity taste but not too bad. I plan to taste another in a week, and so on. Thanks to everyone for all the help. I plan to brew batch #2 tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Yup, I know exactly what you are feeling! I had beer #4 from my first batch last night with some delicious pot roast, and the beer keeps on getting better. It was brewed exactly one month ago today, and it's yummy!

glenn514

bullinachinashop said:

Like the old hofbrauhaus on 55th.

Do you know of any good German clubs/restaurants on the east side?

Bull

Click to expand...

I'm a West Sider. I grew up going to Lenau Park Donauschwaben Club in Olmstead Falls. Which is still around http://donauschwabencleveland.com

Try the Slovenian House which is still located directly across the street from the now defunct Hofbrauhaus. 1401 E. 55th Street http://www.sterlescountryhouse.com/ German food and Beer are served there and has a very old World feel.

My biggest memory was the old Banater Hall on Lorain Rd on Cleveland's West Side. Which is now moved out for years after they built the hall at the Olmstead club. The fish bowls served in the bar there was my greatest childhood memory of tap foamy head beer sipped from dad. I can remember how my uncle and the old bartender with a missing arm replaced by a mechanical hook would laugh when my brother and sister and I would raid his beer after polka dancing. That also brings back memories of that bartender pouring shots with his hook holding the bottle and draft with his hook pulling the tap. Which is not a good memory. lol
Prost

congrats.
my first has been bottled for 3 weeks. I've tasted a few and am going to have a couple with a friend when we brew this afternoon.

Nice. I remember my first... She was brown with a great head. Some called it love at first sight, but I didn't really fall in love until I tasted her. It was amazing...

I've never heard one hiss though. My all go gurgle into the bottom of the glass. I bought a kegerator to fill with commercial kegs. It held two commercial kegs before I started homebrewing.

I remember cracking open my first home brew. I was ready for all sorts of fail... but, I turned out really well. The LHBS knew what they were doing and really hooked me up. Had the first batch turned out terrible... I prolly would not have come back.

Congrats

I love that first taste of homebrew no matter how many batches I have drank.

I'm only a few batches in, but damn those homebrews are tasty!