Pictures of Batch #1

Trying to add pics, so hopefully it works. Racked my 1st Inaugural Batch of Brewer's Best American Amber into my glass secondary fermenter. Got in a tub of water keeping nicely at about 70 degrees until my electronic temperature control unit arrives. Then my new chest freezer will be the fermenter.




Sitting in cold water bath.



Pay no attention to the guy with the big belly, no idea where he came from. LOL.




This is the sludge that was left. I guess that's the yeast cake??



Sitting pretty and ready for cold water bath.

Gonna let her sit for another week or so before I bottle it. Hopefully it will clear up a bit.

Thanks

How's it taste?

LOOKS GOOD.. If fermentation is done and you have the ability. stick in the fridge for 2-3 days before you bottle it. That will help clear it up a LOT. You will still have plenty of yeast to bottle carb and you will put a clearer beer into your bottles.

Great Start.

I cracked open my first bottle from my first batch last night. I was stunned I could make such a great tasting beer. It was really good and I MADE IT.

Good luck with your batch.

Thanks all. Didn't taste it today, but it sure smells like some yummy goodness. I will fridge for a couple days before bottling. Just hoping it clears up, not sure what an American Amber is supposed to look like. I'm into this now, already ordered two more batches. . . More to come.

It'll clear, don't worry.

PS - for next time, you don't need to move to secondary. People used to be scared of off-flavors from leaving it on the yeast, but that's been debunked. No harm in what you did, but for next time you can save a step. TONS of threads on here if you want more info "To secondary or not"

In your second picture, the one with you racking from the bucket to the 5 gal carboy, is the siphon hose at the top of the carboy and all the foam/bubbles are from splashing?

TyTanium said:

It'll clear, don't worry.

PS - for next time, you don't need to move to secondary. People used to be scared of off-flavors from leaving it on the yeast, but that's been debunked. No harm in what you did, but for next time you can save a step. TONS of threads on here if you want more info "To secondary or not"

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Don't listen to him...move it to a secondary....

Thehopguy said:

In your second picture, the one with you racking from the bucket to the 5 gal carboy, is the siphon hose at the top of the carboy and all the foam/bubbles are from splashing?

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Probably not a good idea to aerate or put oxygen into the beer at this point. Next time get a hose that goes all the way down to the bottom of your secondary so you don't aerate your brew or better yet just leave it in the primary unless you are dry hopping, adding fruit etc.

idahobrew said:

Probably not a good idea to aerate or put oxygen into the beer at this point. Next time get a hose that goes all the way down to the bottom of your secondary so you don't aerate your brew or better yet just leave it in the primary unless you are dry hopping, adding fruit etc.

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Ya that's where I was going with that post. Or just put your secondary on a stool or something so the hose reaches the bottom of the carboy.

Thanks for the tip on the racking to secondary. So, let's say I wanted to add some fruit to see how it tastes, is this when I would do it? Just rack into secondary on top of some frozen fruit and just leave it in there until I bottle?

Thanks,
John

Yup, secondary is great for racking onto fruit.

TyTanium said:

Yup, secondary is great for racking onto fruit.

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Cool, thanks. Next couple batches arrive in a day or two. Got a nice Summer Pale Ale and a German Oktoberfest. Looking forward to the temp control unit so I can put into chest freezer, changing the ice bottles down here in Miami is a pain in the arse. LOL.

Had a nice Spring Ale from Sam Adams today at lunch, not too shabby.

Thehopguy said:

In your second picture, the one with you racking from the bucket to the 5 gal carboy, is the siphon hose at the top of the carboy and all the foam/bubbles are from splashing?

Click to expand...

NICE CATCH.. I didn't even notice

Racking onto fruit will also kick up fermentation again as well as the little friends eat up the sugar in the fruit. I just did a cherry stout and my gravity from primary to secondary actually went up (have to add the new points it went up to the OG) which kicked the ABV up about .3%.

Decided to bottle my first batch of American Amber. Tasted it, not too shabby. Got 54 bottles, will now let it sit a few weeks. What a painful process. 54 bottles, took 3 hours start to finish. Do I need to let them sit at room temp, or can I stick in the fridge??

Got 5 gallons in primary fermentation, brewed a Summer Ale. This time I got the temp under control.

Thanks,

John

The bottles of American Amber should be kept at room temp for about 3 weeks so they can naturally carbonate. After that stick them in the fridge for about 4 days before drinking one. cheers

Got 54 bottles, will now let it sit a few weeks. What a painful process. 54 bottles, took 3 hours start to finish.

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After a few times you can get that down. I bottle while I brew. While I am heating my strike water I rack to the bottling bucket. Once I start my mash I start bottling. Usually it takes me about 40 minutes.

There is a good sticky with somw good tips in the bottling/kegging part of the forum.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

BTW congrats on your first brew. Welcome to the addiction.

let me do it first.....SCREW BOTTLING BUY KEGS!!! just joking. It will get down to less than half that time if you do it a couple more times and read REVVYS BOTTLING TIP thread.