Hello and First Brew day coming soon!

A big hello and thanks to all the posters here.. I have been lurking for a couple weeks now - reading and building up equipment. (Trying to get a first brew in without a massive outlay of cash - thanks to a fellow brewer letting me borrow his BrewKettle and burner)

Built a Cooler MLT - with CPVC Manafold
Cleaned 48+ bottles.
Just ordered my grains from Midwest... Scottish Ale 80 All-Grain
(Pale Malt - Crystal 20L, 80L and 120L, Peat Malt, EastGoldings Pellet - and Wyeast 1728)
Would anyone recommend a little Irish moss - esp. in my first brew?

Wish me luck... I will post results after brew day, if anyone is interested.

John
Aurora, Il.

Nice work John.. good setup to start with thats for sure.. would love to know how it all goes.

welcome!

The irish mosh is not a necessity but more of a finishing touch or basically if you want to clear your beer up. Depending on how Wyeast 1728 flocculates you may not need it, I am not familiar with that yeast strain. It won't hurt anything though and it's not like it's expensive...

All grain for your first brew, you are far braver than I. Maybe one day we'll take that step. Let us know how it comes out, and welcome aboard.


Primary: Octoberfest
Secondary: Mead
Bottled: Wit Bier, ESB,

I use Irish Moss since it's cheap and easy (don't tell it I said that). Not really sure if it does all that much though.

Welcome

You know what today is... "Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble." --- What better way to start Halloween than firing up a cauldron of wort!

My first all-grain brew went well! No boil overs! my DIY MLT worked - no leaks! My DIY chiller cooled the beer in around 20mins! Again I have to give HUGE props to all the posters here... the numerous tips I read REALLY helped.

Two questions:
1. Only small issue I had was I don't think I had my sparge water hot enough - I batch sparged with 4.5gal - but the grain temp reading was only around 160ish... any issues with this?

2. I have my primary in the basement - but right now the bucket temp strip is reading about 70degrees... I pitched Wyeast 1728 (Scottish Ale) - which I think need a lower ferment temp... any major issues here? And any suggestions to try to cool it?

Cell Phone Pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=120916&id=619873338&l=d1f1017187

Search for swamp cooler to see one way to lower the fementation temp.

It really works.

Welcome to homebrewing!

I normally put Irish Moss in all my brews. I did not use Irish Moss in a couple brews a few months ago because I was drinking to much while brewing and spaced it off. Those brews came out pretty cloudy. It does not change the flavor, but sure makes them look nicer if you are using clear glass to drink it.

good luck with your first day of brewing !!

Good luck and can't wait for the pics

To follow up on my first brew - which is still in the bucket. Took a sample - hydro reading of 1.018-ish. Has a nice red color - good aroma, I find it to be pretty clear (wife said she sees a little cloudiness... assume that that will clear even more over time). Tastes good - even as young as it is.. my first sample a couple days ago tasted a bit watered down - this is tasting more like ...

[insert mental image of Tom Hanks - thumping chest in Cast Away]
"Ah, look what I have created, I have made BEER!"

The sample taste also gave the roof of my mouth a certain numbness, I can't really describe it ... not a bad flavor - just different. I also noticed this on an Uriege Alt beer I had a couple weeks back.