Hello! I just bought my first brew kit, and I am brewing my first batch this Sunday. The kit came with an Autumn Amber Ale. Does anyone want to give a beginner some advice on what to do/not to do? I really appreciate it!
-Ritchie
-Ritchie
Does Anyone Want To Give Advice...
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RDWHAHB
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RDWHAHB
Picture a calm blue ocean...
WhiteEagle1
Well-Known Member
Read the directions a bunch of times before you brew. Have everything you need laid out ahead of time. Don't forget to take an OG. Don't forget to take a FG.....before you add the yeast. Don't add yeast untill the wort is cooled to around 70*. Keep a spray bottle of water handy to knock down foam to prevent boilovers. Have sanitizer on hand....use it on everything that will touch the cooled wort. MOST IMPORTANT! Have beer on hand to drink while you brew!!
WhiteEagle1 has some more constructive advice, but, it is true, the key thing to do for this first batch is relax and have fun. The chances of it being drinkable beer are good, the chances of something going catastrophically wrong are actually fairly low.
drkaeppel
Well-Known Member
Relax. Follow the instructions. Have a good time.
Don't worry about doing all of the advanced brewing stuff just yet
^This.
And remember that anything your post-boil wort touches has to be sanitized. Aside from that, beer is pretty tough to screw up.
Cheers, and have fun!
Star San is my advice. if your bored I am going to be posting links to a short series of 10-15 minute "short-movie" I made showing literally everything I did with a brewers best robust porter kit. Ill be posting the links in the general discussion section. also...ask questions,ppl here are great and have great answers. I am new to this and I gained a lot of confidence just talking to these fine folks at HBT
cheers
cheers
Depending on the kit.....
If the extract is hopped (some canned extract) don't boil that portion.
If you have to steep grains, keep the temp in the 150-160 range, don't boil
Turn the flame off prior to mixing extract so it does't scortch
Don't fret about all the trub from the kettle going into the fermenter...it just looks gross
DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF BOILING WORT, especially if your kettle is more than 1/2 full of liquid.
Be patient waiting for fermentation to begin...it can take awhile. Keep you wort temp as close to 67-68F as possible during fermentation.
Wait at least a week after fermentation begins to worry about a FG reading.
RDWHAHB
Have a blast!!!!
If the extract is hopped (some canned extract) don't boil that portion.
If you have to steep grains, keep the temp in the 150-160 range, don't boil
Turn the flame off prior to mixing extract so it does't scortch
Don't fret about all the trub from the kettle going into the fermenter...it just looks gross
DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF BOILING WORT, especially if your kettle is more than 1/2 full of liquid.
Be patient waiting for fermentation to begin...it can take awhile. Keep you wort temp as close to 67-68F as possible during fermentation.
Wait at least a week after fermentation begins to worry about a FG reading.
RDWHAHB
Have a blast!!!!
Star San is my advice. if your bored I am going to be posting links to a short series of 10-15 minute "short-movie" I made showing literally everything I did with a brewers best robust porter kit. Ill be posting the links in the general discussion section. also...ask questions,ppl here are great and have great answers. I am new to this and I gained a lot of confidence just talking to these fine folks at HBT
This (Star San). Keep everything that will touch the beer after it boils in a bucket of Star San water. Infection is the worst thing that could happen to you at this point. Make sure your fermenter is sanitized right up until the moment you pour beer in and don't reach in there with unsanitary hands/items.
amd133mhz said:Star San is my advice. if your bored I am going to be posting links to a short series of 10-15 minute "short-movie" I made showing literally everything I did with a brewers best robust porter kit. Ill be posting the links in the general discussion section. also...ask questions,ppl here are great and have great answers. I am new to this and I gained a lot of confidence just talking to these fine folks at HBT
I will be looking forward to those short movies. I can't tell all of y'all how excited I am to start brewing! Thanks!
helibrewer said:Depending on the kit.....
If the extract is hopped (some canned extract) don't boil that portion.
If you have to steep grains, keep the temp in the 150-160 range, don't boil
Turn the flame off prior to mixing extract so it does't scortch
Don't fret about all the trub from the kettle going into the fermenter...it just looks gross
DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF BOILING WORT, especially if your kettle is more than 1/2 full of liquid.
Be patient waiting for fermentation to begin...it can take awhile. Keep you wort temp as close to 67-68F as possible during fermentation.
Wait at least a week after fermentation begins to worry about a FG reading.
RDWHAHB
Have a blast!!!!
Helibrewer, I appreciate your advice. What does RDWHAHB mean? Thanks!
Og = original gravity, that needs to be taken before you pitch your yeast. Fg = final gravity and that is taken when fermentation is complete and it can also tell you fermentation is complete when you get the same reading three days in a row. Both og and fg can be taken with a tool called a hydrometer. Both of those readings can be used to estimate your alcohol % as well. This brew stuff ain't rocket science, but I for one absolutely love it. Have a great brew day!
GulfCoastGirl
Well-Known Member
I don't have any advice because I'm new too. I did want to chime in and tell you I'll be brewing my first batch (first non-Mr.Beer batch) on Sunday too. It also sounds like we will be brewing the same beer. I bought a kit from Midwest Supplies and it came with Autumn Amber Ale.
I'm not worried about anything.... what's the worse that can happen... if I f**k it up I'll just try again another day
GulfCoastGirl said:I don't have any advice because I'm new too. I did want to chime in and tell you I'll be brewing my first batch (first non-Mr.Beer batch) on Sunday too. It also sounds like we will be brewing the same beer. I bought a kit from Midwest Supplies and it came with Autumn Amber Ale.
I'm not worried about anything.... what's the worse that can happen... if I f**k it up I'll just try again another day
I bought the same kit, and my friend did the same. I am ready to rock!
AU_Bob, didn't you get the note about RDWHAHB?!?!?!?
Shooter, apparently not...
It's okay, I gave away the meaning of RDWHAHB once before I knew the rule as well. However, I have NEVER given away the meaning of SWMBO!!!!
Anyway, it's kind of like the first rule of Fight Club. When someone asks for the definition, we never give a straight answer, we make them work for it. It's a fun little game we play with all the newbs!!
Oh, EAC too, make them find that one on their own!!!
Brewsncrabs
Well-Known Member
Make check list, lay out your ingredients, follow the instructions, and enjoy yourself. Oh yeah, tell SWMBO to stay away for a couple hours! This will make it more enjoyable unless she likes to brew too.
It's okay, I gave away the meaning of RDWHAHB once before I knew the rule as well. However, I have NEVER given away the meaning of SWMBO!!!!
Anyway, it's kind of like the first rule of Fight Club. When someone asks for the definition, we never give a straight answer, we make them work for it. It's a fun little game we play with all the newbs!!
Oh, EAC too, make them find that one on their own!!!
Gotcha, Thanks for the heads up.:cross: Thank goodness for SWMBO. Keeps me on the straight and narrow!
Ritchie,
OG is Original Gravity. This is the specific gravity of the wort after the boil is finished.
FG is the Final Gravity of the fermented wort (beer) after fermentation is complete.
They are used to calculate the ABV percent of the beer. The FG is the determining factor on when you beer is finished fermenting. The recipe should give you a range for the OG and FG.
Here's a link to many beer making acronyms http://brewery.org/infobase/Acronyms.html
Have fun!
OG is Original Gravity. This is the specific gravity of the wort after the boil is finished.
FG is the Final Gravity of the fermented wort (beer) after fermentation is complete.
They are used to calculate the ABV percent of the beer. The FG is the determining factor on when you beer is finished fermenting. The recipe should give you a range for the OG and FG.
Here's a link to many beer making acronyms http://brewery.org/infobase/Acronyms.html
Have fun!
No problem Ritchie. If you haven't already, go to the top of the Beginners Beer Brewing Forum and check out the stickies. There is a ton of info in there that helps!
Happy brewing!
Happy brewing!
Good luck! Here's my advice... My first two batches were kits and I followed the instructions exactly to the letter. They were fantastic! The instructions presented steps that contradict what you will read on this forum if you hang around long enough. For example, I followed the timeline provided, which was something like 1 week ferment, then bottle. I was drinking these within 2 weeks. This definitely goes against common practice, but being new (and somewhat hard-headed), I figured that it was safe to follow what the manufacturer provided. And you know what? The beer was great!
After you stick to the instructions a couple of times, then you can start modifying your brewing processes to suit YOUR style. This forum is full of outstanding advice that folks have gained through experience. You will, in due time, find ways that will work for you. You may pick up a tidbit from one member, another from someone else, and may even provide your own tidbits to others.
Taking some time in the beginning to follow someone else's instructions really helped me understand what exactly was going on, and will help you later to compare the customized processes you will find on here to what you did with the kit.
Have fun and enjoy!!
After you stick to the instructions a couple of times, then you can start modifying your brewing processes to suit YOUR style. This forum is full of outstanding advice that folks have gained through experience. You will, in due time, find ways that will work for you. You may pick up a tidbit from one member, another from someone else, and may even provide your own tidbits to others.
Taking some time in the beginning to follow someone else's instructions really helped me understand what exactly was going on, and will help you later to compare the customized processes you will find on here to what you did with the kit.
Have fun and enjoy!!
GrainWhisperer
Active Member
I'm not worried about anything.... what's the worse that can happen... if I f**k it up I'll just try again another day
This is the proper attitude.
And it's highly unlikely that you'll end up with anything but SWEET DELICIOUS BEER.
if you can, take gravity readings after a week or 10 days, then take again in a day or two and see if the reading stays the same. If it does, I'd leave it for another week, then bottle.
If you can't/don't want to take gravity readings, I'd go 3 weeks, then bottle.
If you can't/don't want to take gravity readings, I'd go 3 weeks, then bottle.
Btw the autumn amber kit is great beer. I made this as my first one and liked it so much we brewed another one.
It's a solid medium darkness not to bitter or hoppy with a smooth finish.
Just a good beer to have on hand for the average drinker.
It's a solid medium darkness not to bitter or hoppy with a smooth finish.
Just a good beer to have on hand for the average drinker.
Relax and enjoy the experience.
I watched several videos on YouTube that were very helpfull. Be sure to get a spray bottle that makes a mist like a Windex bottle. Fill it full of water after cleaning it out and use it and the heat control to keep the hot break from boiling over. Remember to sanitize every thing that will touch your wort after the boiling is done.
I watched several videos on YouTube that were very helpfull. Be sure to get a spray bottle that makes a mist like a Windex bottle. Fill it full of water after cleaning it out and use it and the heat control to keep the hot break from boiling over. Remember to sanitize every thing that will touch your wort after the boiling is done.
