Cracking my first homebrew!

I just started brewing in January after my wife bought me the Brooklyn Brew Shop recipe book, and just this weekend I opened my first bottle.


I used the "A Well Made Tripel" 1-gallon kit, because it was one of the two available at the time. I followed the instructions in the book to a "T" until I had the batch fermenting, and then I found this forum for the first time. I need to thank everyone here for being so supportive of noobs, because there were several times I got worried (because of slow airlock activity etc.) and would have to come read all the RDWHAHB advice here to ease my mind. So anyway, I left it in primary for an additional week (3 total) since all the advice here about tripels pointed that way, and I had no hydrometer at the time.

Bottling was an adventure. My wife was supposed to help me, but had to leave the house for some reason and I ended up doing it solo. Of course that means I ended up losing siphon a couple times and pulling the racking cane out of the bottling bucket (stock pot) once, so I'm sure I oxidized it more than is desirable.

ALL THAT SAID. When I tasted it this weekend after only one week in the bottle, IT WAS BEER! It had already carbed, and had a good (some might say excessive) head. The consensus here seems to be that it will continue to improve as it ages, so I'm looking forward to that.

I now have two more batches from Brooklyn Brew Shop fermenting, and I actually have OG readings for them!

So I guess I just wanted to say thanks for helping this beginner through my first batch, and I'm sure I'll be relying on your expertise as I sink deeper into this hobby. Cheers!

Cheers brother! I share your enthusiasm. My first full boil 5 gal batch is tentativley scheduled for this weekend if I can get all my stuff together. The pic looks awesome!

Over time, that will become a silky velvety tight head. Time will make that amazing. Glad you're happy with it!

After it's fully carbonated put the bottles in the fridge for one week before you drink them and the head will be more creamy and the beer will stay carbonated to the last drop! Waiting is the hard part so I hope you have batch number 2 about ready to bottle!

Best way to learn is just to do it....congrats!

I made a Belgian for my first batch and after 1 week it had carbed and was good! I was impressed. Then I cold stored it for 10 days and I was FLOORED at how much it had improved. Wait til you taste this again after a week!

Looks awesome, congrats.

My first 2 batches had no head at all. I would pour them into the glass and there would be a tiny bit of foam, but within 30 seconds it was gone.

Cheers - you made beer!