Did I F' This Up?

Hey peeps, ******* here. Apparently directions are too difficult for me cause I'm severely worried I screwed myself here. Details: First brew ever. Found a starter setup on craigslist(Billingtons Microbrewery). Bought Brewers Best German Oktoberfest kit(lager, I'm an idiot). Mind you the startup kit is just a 5 gallon carboy with accessors. Cooked the LME, DME, and hops as directed. Got approx. to desired 72* range with cool down of wort, into carboy, pitched yeast. Well a day and a half later no ferm. so tossed in a packet of yeast I started on the side. Fermed like mad 3 full days. 2 weeks later not much action(I know, no hydrometer). Bottled, 3/4 tsp per bottle of priming sugar. What'ya think? I was going off of the old ass instructions from the Billingtons **** instead of the kit instruct. I only read the part about when to toss hops and whatnot from the Brewers instruct. How ****ed am I? Thanks for any ideas. I know I'm an IDIOT, and I'm sure there's no help just wondering maybe how long I should wait(to taste?) or something. Thanks

I usually try one a week after bottling, then try another a week after that. After 3 weeks though they start disappearing pretty fast!

Sounds like it was in the fermentation vessel for a little over 2 weeks, so maybe you'll be ok. Just watch your bottles closely, if you find one exploded, get them to a safe place. Then again you may be a-ok. If it were me I wouldn't worry too much. You definitely need a hydrometer though as you already know. We all make mistakes, it's just important we learn from them.

When all is said and done, you've made beer! Relax, don't worry, and soon you will be drinking your own home brew!

For the initial pitch, if you pitched lager yeast and fermented at ale temps, then I'm not surprised it didn't start. I'm assuming you pitched an ale yeast for the second pitch. Now, you let it go for 5 days, then bottled, you may be fine but keep the bottles in a container in case the, ahem, explode. Otherwise, you'll have a nice Oktoberfest-ish beer in 2-3 weeks.

ps- in the future, be more patient, let the beer sit for 2 weeks minimum to allow the yeast to clean up after initial fermentation...and get a hydrometer.

Enjoy!

Appreciate the support. Shouldn't have been a trial and error session, but I won't let it happen again. Tasted pretty good before bottling, my main worry is the earliness of bottling and the 2 types of yeast. The initial yeast said it was a lager yeast but would perform ok at ale temps. but when I didn't see anything I jumped the gun and pitched in a packet of ale yeast too. So really I guess the blowing up of bottles is the worry, kind of a monetary thing cause I hate spending money to watch it blow up(not a fan of fireworks either) but hey we'll see. I got myself a bucket now for primary, and am getting myself in the mindset of paying attention to the proper instruction. Thanks

If one blows, put as many as you can in the fridge.. The cold temps will keep the yeast dormant, and the rest won't blow (most likely!)

pickedclean said:

So really I guess the blowing up of bottles is the worry, kind of a monetary thing cause I hate spending money to watch it blow up(not a fan of fireworks either) but hey we'll see. I got myself a bucket now for primary, and am getting myself in the mindset of paying attention to the proper instruction. Thanks

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Not sure if you're joking or not, but I'd worry less about the money and more about severe disfigurement or death. Seriously, if you actually see a bottle explode (live) it might be the one and only time. Watch the video below.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPzAuI9kRZI]Exploding Atwater Beer Bottle injures store employee - YouTube[/ame]

Got my attention there Mr Bell, and no I don't take anything dealing with high pressure lightly. I have small children at home, so what I did was put all the bottles in a closet with a couple towels covering them. Appreciate the reminder though, safety always must be a first in anything(even the fun stuff).

I almost always place my freshly bottled beer in a large rubbermaid bucket with a towel over the bottles and the lid on at temps that the bottles can prime (spare bedroom about 68 degrees). Keeps all the bottles in the dark, and if one explodes... Containment!

I think you are totally screwed... You followed directions and tried to make beer. What were you thinking??? Seriously people have been making beer since before there was electricity, it sounds like you will end up with a decent beer, congratulations! Now go brew another batch ASAP.