First brew - think I've messed it up!

Hi there everyone. First post (after Introduction), so please be gentle with me. However, as you'll see, I think I probably deserve at least some abuse...

Wondered if a few of you knowledgeable folk might cast your eye over my interesting first steps in home brewing, and let me know if I've well and truly messed it up already!

Due to a problem with a 3 gallon pot I borrowed from a neighbour (couldn't get it to boil on my electric cooker hob), I ended up boiling my 3lb of extract in only a gallon of water.

I added my hops at the correct times, plus some extra as I'd read on here somewhere that you need more hops if the gravity of the wort is higher, but I wasn't exactly scientific about it.

Once the hour was up, I poured the still very hot wort through a seive into 2 gallons of pre-boiled water that was sitting in my fermenting bin and had cooled to about 95 F. And just for good measure I gave it all a fairly brisk stir.

I then remembered something about oxidation, and having now gone over a few posts on here, articles etc, I'm feeling a bit stupid.

The fermenting bin is now sitting in a sinkful of cold water, and is down to about 82 F. Planning on adding about 8g of Safale No.4 yeast when it gets to 75 F.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

David

wanzelbin said:

I then remembered something about oxidation, and having now gone over a few posts on here, articles etc, I'm feeling a bit stupid.

Click to expand...

You'll prb be fine.

wanzelbin said:

I added my hops at the correct times, plus some extra as I'd read on here somewhere that you need more hops if the gravity of the wort is higher, but I wasn't exactly scientific about it.

Click to expand...

This is something that you will prb want to do some more reading on before just tossing hops (depending on what you want from the finished brew) randomly in your boil.

Yeah, it'll likely be ok.

Thanks folks. I've been sitting here feeling a bit glum about the whole thing, but now there is re-newed hope!

You'll be fine my friend. I would also suggest taking a look at this online book. It always helps to have a large knowledge base and to familiarize yourself with all aspects of brewing including the science behind why you perform certain steps.

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

You boiled the extract in 1 gallon of water and added it to 2 gallons of cold water in the fermenter but what about the additional 2 gallons? Maybe you were fixing on a 3 gallon batch or are you missing 2 gallons?

Bobby_M said:

You boiled the extract in 1 gallon of water and added it to 2 gallons of cold water in the fermenter but what about the additional 2 gallons? Maybe you were fixing on a 3 gallon batch or are you missing 2 gallons?

Click to expand...

I hope that it should only be 3 gallons. I must admit I had initially intended to make a 5 gallon batch, but accidentally only ordered 3lbs of extract so had to adjust my plans.

Jekster said:

You'll be fine my friend. I would also suggest taking a look at this online book. It always helps to have a large knowledge base and to familiarize yourself with all aspects of brewing including the science behind why you perform certain steps.

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

Click to expand...

That's a fantastic site. Thanks Jekster.

yeah, 3lbs of malt extract isn't enough for 5 gallons. even double that amount...

in a 3 gallon batch it'll be ok. making beer is as much science as it is art. read that howtobrew.com site and it'll help out a lot!

and, ask us questions. we're usually happy to help...but be warned: we make a lotta beer, so we drink a bit of beer, and sometimes we dish out drunken advice