1st batch, wondering if it's screwed

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silv3rbull3t

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Here's a long list of mistakes that i made during my first brew. Im wondering if it's gonna be drinkable.

1) didn't continuesly stir the wort at first (stired it maybe once a min or so)
2) took forever to actully get the wort to a boil
3) took forever to cool the wort (proubly close to a hour, forgot to put a lid on the wort while it was in the sink, and constantly checked my floating thermometer (wondering if i contaminated the beer)

What do u guys think?
 
I think you will be fine, RDWHAHB!:D
You don't have to stir constantly once the malt extract has been dissolved, just once in a while so that the kettle bottom doesn't scorch. Cooling the wort as fast as possible is always a good idea, but if you can't do it in 10min it doesn't mean the beer will suffer. I actually don't have a lid for my 10gal pot, I don't think you even need one. Most brewers choose to remove the lid during cooling. The evaporation from the wort can cause condensation on the lid, that can drip back into the wort and create a vegetal aroma.
 
hard to tell at this point - but if you put in a pack of healthy yeast(or made a starter) it should beat out any infections from the uncovered cooling period.
let it ferment and taste it after a week - it should taste like warm flat beer but a little yeasty.
if you don't taste anything funky or see anything growing(mold) go to secondary
wait 2 weeks and bottle.
good luck
 
rod said:
hard to tell at this point - but if you put in a pack of healthy yeast(or made a starter) it should beat out any infections from the uncovered cooling period.
let it ferment and taste it after a week - it should taste like warm flat beer but a little yeasty.
if you don't taste anything funky or see anything growing(mold) go to secondary
wait 2 weeks and bottle.
good luck


Oh yea, mistake number 4 lol. I put the wort into the bucket with no spickit, so it's in the bucket with just the lid. So i won't be able to try to taste any untill i lift the lid to put the dextrose in for bottling.

How long should i wait before i open it up for bottling?
 
Wait until fermentation signs have stopped, i.e. the airlock stops bubbling. Take a hydrometer reading to ensure that the final gravity has been reached. Make the priming solution, pour it into the bottling bucket, rack the beer onto the solution and mix it to ensure that the priming sugar is thoroughly dispersed, then bottle.
 
Generally, it's okay to open up the lid and take a little beer out for testing/tasting, there should be a layer of CO2 on top that will help protect it. Sounds like it should turn out fine.
 

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