Thanks for a Successful First Brew!

Brewed my first batch this past Sunday and I want to thank all the posters on the forum for the great tips, success and mistakes I read about previous to brewing my first batch.

Got the beginnings of a kit my Dad had previously used at Christmas after mentioning it was something I was thinking about again. Wound up with a useable brew pot (big enough for a 2.5 gallon batch), bottling bucket, 5-gallon carboy, racking cane, and bottling tip. Received Extreme Brewing by Sam Calagione from my mother and with that I had just enough knowledge to be dangerous.

Decided to go with the A-Z Brown Ale for my first brew. Used the excellent wish list/shopping cart at RebelBrewing.com to plan what equipment and ingredients I still needed on my budget. Ordered from them and picked everything up – since they’re local.

Getting ready for brew day (Sunday), I realized I had forgotten to tell Rebel Brewer to crush my specialty grains for steeping pre-boil. After debating between food processor and blenders (methods I found here), my wife chimed in with mashing with a rolling pin. PERFECT! Grain was broken, but not pulverized and powdered. I was ready to go.

Sunday was brew day and I had all my ingredients laid out and measured/weighed and noted with times to add to the pot. I’d like to think everything went pretty smooth. Could have used twice as much ice for cool down (or a wort chiller – on my whishlist) and a better thermometer. The candy thermometer I used started at 100, so cool down temps were gauged on where lower numbers should have fallen on the face.

I StarSan-ed everything and filled my carboy with my wort. It measured out to about 2-gallons. I had previously marked the 2.5 gallon line on my carboy – since I was brewing a half batch – and topped it up to the mark with more bottled water. I used bottled water for everything. Our water supply is very hard and high in PH. My initial SG was 1.067.

I pitched my yeast (1056) and used a little over half the pack, figured a little more wouldn’t hurt. Popped in my airlock, moved the carboy to the downstairs closet. I cut a small hole in a large, black garbage bag to let the airlock pop through, but keep the carboy covered. This should keep out any light from the closet opening. The next morning I check and I had very active bubbles.

Suddenly the thought of waiting at least 4 weeks to taste it seems harder than it did when I was planning everything. Will be adding some maple syrup in another day or so – and them more waiting.

I already have a huge wish list of stuff. I want a bigger brew pot so I can do full 5-gallon batches, but that will have to wait until summer, so I can use the propane burner on the grill. Definitely want another carboy, better bottle or fermenting bucket, so I can have two batches going at once.

Already planning my next two brews and my wife has stated that she wants me to make a bunch for her annual summer pool party.

So again, thanks to all on the forum. Your posts got me going and informed me and now I’m glad to join in and contribute.

Time to get a few more brews on the go so you eventually get to the sampling while brewing joy!

B

Nice work and a job well done. Sounds like a good brew with the maple syrup and all.

Keep an eye on craigslist for gear.

Added the maple syrup last night and the beer smelled great. Starting gravity was 1.068 and reading last night was 1.029 (adjusted for temp). Seems to be right on track.

If you are in Murfreesboro there are closer stores than Rebel. Depending on what you are looking for I might be able to hook you up where I work.

The first time my brother brewed a beer on his own it was the fabled A-Z Brown Ale! That brew has enough sugar in it to fuel a rocket ship so it has the potential to really ferment out. Which is what happened to him and the final product was really thin and boozy. So my advice is; I think with this brew, you really need to let it ferment in the right temperature as my brother's probably fermented a little too hot!

Suddenly the thought of waiting at least 4 weeks to taste it seems harder than it did when I was planning everything.

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Ha ha! I have this feeling every single time we brew! In fact, our first batch yielded a lot of wort so we tossed the overflow into a growler to ferment. We'd crack the airlock off of it frequently just to soak our senses in the union of Cascade and Centennial hops, and its marriage with malted barley fermentation! But what was the result? White particles growing across the surface of the liquid in the growler; alas, our first infected beer! But I digress.

Welcome to homebrewing; the activity that's about as exciting as drinking beer!

Fermenting at 68 - should it should be perfect.

That sounds like a decent temperature! Let me know how the beer turns out. After that fiasco I have been curious about what the original product is supposed to be!

Made a big mistake and primed with too much sugar for the half batch I made. Let it set for a few days and then fridged it. A little too carbed when first opened, but let it sit for a few and it's good.

djonas - it's pretty boozy (7.5% ABV) but I wouldn't call it thin. Has a Old Speckled Hen taste to it - malty and fruity. Hoping the alcohol will mellow a little with age. Overall, please with the results - despite my bone-headed mistake.

Ah, no worries. In fact, over-carbonating often results in exploding bottles but you dodged that bullet so you ought to be in the clear! Thanks for the update! As for the alcohol prevalence; in my experience and with most styles, anything above 6% ABV requires a few months to mellow out.