First batch tasted!

I know...you've heard this before, but I had to share this with someone who might remember being new and with those of you who are currently agonizing over your first batches

I used to teach a fermentations class, and of course we made beer and wine. However, it was usually REALLY bad. When you are on a course schedule and not on the yeast's schedule, you can make some really funky brew!

This was my first batch not on a course timeline (just my impatience!). Like everyone else new here, I was convinced that I did everything wrong. No worries! Brewed a Scottish Ale extract kit with two weeks in the bucket, 3 weeks in the bottles and 48 hours in the fridge...ok...probably sampled too soon, but it was way better than I thought it would be. A bit "light" and not as clear as it could be (just a bit of haze), but I'm chalking all that up to impatience in the process. I only chilled 2 bottles to taste, so the rest will probably sit a bit longer for comparison.

Just wanted to say, "Hang in there, be patient, and enjoy your brews!"

Glad it came out! I sampled wayyyyyyy earlier than that.

Seriously, that's like the patience of a saint for the first batch. Congrats!

feel a bit stupid about the post now, but was pretty wound up that it turned out decent. I'm handing bottles out tomorrow, so we'll see if anyone else thinks it's decent - I work for a food company, so I'm hoping to find some sophisticated taste buds.

Thanks for the support

always fun to hear about the excitement of that first batch! congrats... and like the others, i was down at least a six pack by the time i was 'supposed' to drink my first few!

Congrats! 48 hours?! LOL Yeah, you have some pretty clear differences as that beer ages.

Congrats! I sampled my first beer it seemed every 24-48 hours of the brewing/fermenting process. It's great to see the excitement of new brewers. Keep up the work!

Chuck_Swillery said:

Congrats! 48 hours?! LOL Yeah, you have some pretty clear differences as that beer ages.

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Well, she had it bottled for 3 weeks and 48 hours.

The first batch always tastes great. I think my first batch was gone before it had even been in bottles for 3 weeks.

noob here too, haven't bottled my first batch yet, but it's been in the primary for 2 weeks this weekend. Haven't tasted it yet, think I will wait another week, before bottling it. In my excitement tho I did brew another batch while I was waiting so now I definitely going to be short of bottles, ah well, going to have to go buy some full ones to empty.

JDH said:

In my excitement tho I did brew another batch while I was waiting so now I definitely going to be short of bottles, ah well, going to have to go buy some full ones to empty.

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I feel your pain! My brother is visiting from another state and I'm trying to convince him that he needs to drink as much beer (non of that screwcap stuff) as he can while he is on vacation! I'm a lightweight and can't drink enough in several weeks for what I have in the buckets right now...well, I could drink that much, but would be totally useless at work

Thanks for the congrats all!

dndlyon,
Congtats on your first succcess!

I'm sure that my first batch was gone in your 3 week wait. What helped me to wait was kicking myself because the last botttle was by far the best.

Where in Ohio? if your close, I may be able to get you some bottles.

Bull

Hi Bull - we're pretty good on the bottle stash right now...my brother has spent most of his vacation either drunk or hungover, but he's willing to take one for the team to empty the bottles!

I'm about 45 min NW of Columbus...I'm sure we could manage to trade some full bottles once I get the hang of this. Have you found a decent local place for supplies?

If a little light flavor and dark colour are your only problems, it sounds like you did a good job! My first brew was flat. I didn't add enough corn suger when I bottled. Talk about a disappointed room!

dndlyon said:

Hi Bull - we're pretty good on the bottle stash right now...my brother has spent most of his vacation either drunk or hungover, but he's willing to take one for the team to empty the bottles!

I'm about 45 min NW of Columbus...I'm sure we could manage to trade some full bottles once I get the hang of this. Have you found a decent local place for supplies?

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I usually drive about 45 min for a LHBS.

Lucky for me, one is opening less than 10 minutes away.

http://thebrewmentor.com/Services_0T5B.html

Can't wait.

Bull

I just tasted some from my first batch. i had more beer in my primary then i could fit in my secondary so i bottled up a six pack. its "yeasty" and the flavors are "sharp" but i am very impressed with my self i cant wait to bottle up the secondary... ohhh and it flat as can be only 3 days in the bottle

I have a similar problem; I'm at the end of week 2, and it's in a 5 gal secondary (to free up my primary bucket- no other reason) for my first beer from a kit. I haven't sampled it yet.

So, last week, I started another. It's in a six and half gallon carboy (it was finishing a wine when I started the beer- wasn't available), where it will sit for awhile (Irish Stout) before being bottled.

Which makes me wonder- since the stout will age awhile, maybe I ought to start another batch this weekend. Maybe a nice AG- found that Centennial Blonde recipe which oughta be ready for mid/end of July.

And I haven't sampled any of the beer yet- wine making will teach you true patience (like 1 year or more for some of those to even be drinkable).

Then I realized I'm sitting on 10 gallons of beer still brewing and 6 gallons of wine that's finished at the moment, and I'm contemplating another 5 gallon batch.

I'm going to need volunteers to keep up with my pipeline at this rate.

Glad to hear it turned out well! I am impatiently waiting on my first batch to work it's bottle magic. I check them (look at them, make sure they haven't exploded) just about every day... it's like watching over a pile of dirt with seeds I just planted.
I think the only cure for this impatience is to start another batch

Bull - thanks for the info on the brewshop! Unfortunately I'm about 3 hours from them. I wish I really had some guts and a bit of money. I think a homebrew store would go over well in and around my area, and I'd love to set one up - kind of a combination beer / wine outlet where you can buy lots of different examples of what you might be making.

Congrats to the rest of you who posted about your first brew! Glad to know we are all in good company!

goofy trick for drink some of your first batch early. i know its "Bad" but it hurts to see it just sitting there waiting to be enjoyed!
mix it with half and half store bought brew to help the carb the flat beer... ohh its so hard to wait! i had about half a 22oz. when i bottled and ive been mixing it (American Pilsener) with some Honey Moon from blue moon...

i can taste the off taste (yeasty in flavor and smell) but time heals all as Grand Master revvy says!