Brewing First Batch Next Weekend

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josephjdaniel

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I am brewing my first batch of beer next weekend. I am pretty excited to get started but had a question before I brew. I received the Brewers Best Double IPA ingredient kit as a gift along with my brew kit. Is there any added difficulty to brewing something like a double IPA with no experience? Should I go out and buy something easier to start and come back to this kit after a few batches? It is on the expensive side and don't want it to go to waste.
 
Those kits come with instructions right? Follow them without deviating and youll be fine - at this stage, the most important thing is learning about the process and sanitation really - and get ready for at least 3 replies telling you to brew whatever you like the taste of - its what home brewing is all about!
 
Thanks for the reply. It comes with instructions and I picked up the Complete Joy of Homebrewing. I've read the beginners chapter a few time which seems to has some great info on the process.
 
Heck yeah brew it!! As mentioned prior just follow the instructions! I made my first AG IIPA today :). Cheers!

Do yourself a favor and just let it do its thing... those yeast are some bada$$ critters and they will do there magic. My first brew I think I slept by my fermenter lol I was so worried about it... good luck
 
go for it. my first all grain batch was an IIPA (pliny) that i opened the first bottle of yesterday, and its stellar. As others have said, follow the instructions, be diligent in sanitation... you'll be fine.

Oh, one thing to ignore in the instructions, they're gonna tell you to transfer to a secondary. I wouldn't bother. Leave it in primary for a week after its done fermenting (some will tell you longer) and bottle. No need to transfer to secondary.

Does the kit have you dry hop? If not, I would read up on dry hopping and consider doing that. I have a hard time even fathoming making an IIPA without dry hopping. :D
 
A few things to remember:
1. Patience, patience, patience
2. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize
3. Your instructions that came with the kit probably say that it will be ready to bottle in a week. Don't. Let it sit for 2-3 weeks, then transfer to a bottling bucket and bottle it up
4. Patience, patience, patience
5. It's really hard to mess up your beer. It might: be cloudy, smell different then you imagine, taste different than you expect, you might forget to do a step, might drop something in the wort, any number of things. Don't freak out, you'll end up with a beer you're proud of
6. Relax Don't Worry Have A HomeBrew (RDWHAHB), or your favorite commercial brew

And most importantly:
PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE
 
Brew it! No question.

My $.02 = take notes - not just what you did but what you wish you had done and what would have made you brew day easier (equipment, preparation, etc.).

And, of course, as hard as it is, once it in the fermenter, forget about it for at least a week.

BTW - every time I pick up that book, I'm glad I did.
 
Thanks for all the advice! It does include dry hopping. Everything I have read says to transfer to the secondary then dry hop. Is that correct?
 
I, too, would say to throw away the instructions and read HBT. Primary for 3-4 weeks, then bottle and leave it for 2-3 weeks before drinking.

B
 
Have you came up with a way to keep your fermentation temp in control? I would say that is one of the most crucial thing for a first timer.
 
Have you came up with a way to keep your fermentation temp in control? I would say that is the most crucial thing for a first timer.

Excellent point.

OP, cheap way to control temp. Put the fermenter in a rubbermaid tote. Cover the fermenter with a t-shirt. Put water in the rubbermaid. The water provides a heat sink to stabilize fluctuations. The t-shirt pulls up water, which evaporates, providing evaporative cooling of the fermenter. And then you can also chuck frozen water bottles in the water if your fermenter gets too warm. Put an aquarium temp strip on the outside of the fermenter to measure temp. I cover the strip with packing tape because water will damage the temp strip.
 
I planned on keeping it fermenting in a closet right next to my thermostat. would that work?

Its better than having it in the garage or something. :D but the problem is that during active fermentation, your fermenter will be warmer than ambient if left to its own devices. The yeast produce heat. So if you have your thermostat at 72 (which is already warmer than ideal for many ale yeast strains) the fermenter might be 75-80.
 
unfortunately i dont have a garage or basement living in a second floor apartment. The rubbermade with water sounds like a good option.
 
unfortunately i dont have a garage or basement living in a second floor apartment. The rubbermade with water sounds like a good option.

I'm in about the same situation. So I use a tub of water that I try and keep the water temp around 60. I just toss in a 32 oz frozen water bottle before I leave in the morning and when I get home in the evening.
 
Putting a tshirt over the fermenting bucket will soak up the cool water and help keep your ferment temp down as well. And yes, secondary for dry hopping.
 
So I am brewing my first batch tomorrow. I have one more question before I get started. I do not have a wort chiller. My batch calls for a 1.5 gallon boil. After the boil, can I add 3.5 gallons of cold water to the wort in order to cool it quicker, or do I have to wait for the wort to cool before adding the remaining water? Thanks!
 

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