Just bottled my first batch!

No questions, just thought I'd share my excitement with you nice folks. I just bottled my first ever batch of beer. It was just a simple Mr Beer West Coast Pale Ale that came with the Mr Beer kit. The only modification to the recipe was that I used corn sugar at bottling time instead of table sugar. I tasted a bit before it went in, and it tasted like beer. To be honest, I expected total crap after reading what everyone here had to say about the kit, but it really isn't that bad. Far from great, but it's the best I can do until my real kit arrives.

So yeah, I'm hooked.

Grats llazy!

I'll be bottling my first batch in a week or so and am already getting thirsty!

llazy_llama said:

No questions, just thought I'd share my excitement with you nice folks. I just bottled my first ever batch of beer. It was just a simple Mr Beer West Coast Pale Ale that came with the Mr Beer kit. The only modification to the recipe was that I used corn sugar at bottling time instead of table sugar. I tasted a bit before it went in, and it tasted like beer. To be honest, I expected total crap after reading what everyone here had to say about the kit, but it really isn't that bad. Far from great, but it's the best I can do until my real kit arrives.

So yeah, I'm hooked.

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Way to go man.. Making your own beer is making your own beer as far as I am concerned.. Mr Beer Kit or not, you have entered the world of brewing.. Many, many people on here got their start on Mr. Beer Kits. Good luck with the "real" kit!:fro:

Corkster said:

Grats llazy!

I'll be bottling my first batch in a week or so and am already getting thirsty!

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Howz that batch doing anyway, Corkster?

3 days later, and my Mr Beer is collecting dust in a cabinet. At some point, I'll yank it out to brew up some Apfelwine. In the mean time, I have 5 gallons of Hefe fermenting, and I'm trying to decide what to do with my 2 5g Better Bottles.

For now, I just have to resist the urge to make a "OMFG, it's been 12 hours and no airlock activity! What do I doooooooo?" post.

llazy_llama said:

3 days later, and my Mr Beer is collecting dust in a cabinet. At some point, I'll yank it out to brew up some Apfelwine. In the mean time, I have 5 gallons of Hefe fermenting, and I'm trying to decide what to do with my 2 5g Better Bottles.

For now, I just have to resist the urge to make a "OMFG, it's been 12 hours and no airlock activity! What do I doooooooo?" post.

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I knew it! I knew it! You bought into the addiction as quick as I did. I'm pathetic- I think about beer, I read about beer, I drink beer, I talk about beer, and I'm even (gasp!) on the internet forums discussing beer. I thought the addiction would lessen with time. I guess I was wrong.

I have a Beer Machine 2000 that I've used exactly once. It's been in the basement ever since. I should haul it out and use it for small batches, or for some cider. That's a great idea!

Hey, great to hear your really stepping up, 5 gallon batches are so much better. More payoff for your labor and patience. Now just get that pipeline filled so you shall never be without a great homebrew.
Welcome to the addiction.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

Hey, great to hear your really stepping up, 5 gallon batches are so much better. More payoff for your labor and patience. Now just get that pipeline filled so you shall never be without a great homebrew.
Welcome to the addiction.

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That's exactly what I'm working on now. I got a starter kit from Midwest Supplies and a few extract kits. It seems a bit strange to me that the kit comes with 2X 5 gallon better bottles instead of the 6 gallon ones. Makes me a bit nervous about celing stains and explosive krausen.

So to solve this, today I ordered a 6 gallon carboy and some tubing to use for a blow off, as well as a few more extract kits. I'm going to be busy this weekend.

Day two on my first extract batch, and I've already got some steady airlock activity. It's amazing! How do you guys keep from just sitting and staring at it all day? So hypnotic...

You can use a blow off tube with the 5 gal bottles, but I use a 6.5 gal carboy and plastic pale for my primaries. It helps reduce volume loss. I use 5 gal bottles for secondary and bulk ageing of meads.
I used to keep a lava lamp behind my glass carboys and watch it to relax, now I just drink a good homebrew.