Success!!!

Well, I broke down and threw a bottle of my maiden batch into the fridge when I got home. I let it chill for 2 1/2 hours and cracked it--------fshhhh.......with a nice co2 cloud left in the neck- and it had only been conditioning for exactly 1 week (primed w/1 cup of corn sugar). Color came out really nice- a coppery color, not as red and amber as Bass is, but a nice shade. The smell? Like IPA.... Iwas surprised. A lot of bubbles...I have only about 1 inch left in my pint glass, and it is still bubbling, and you can feel the carbonation when drinking- is this normal after a week? The Taste? Like BEER!!! It has a nice strong hoppy taste, a little dry, but a good full flavor for a Pale Ale. My wife- who is not a beer drinker, even liked it!!

Given that I didn't use a secondary, it came out really clear- I think that with a couple of days' cold conditioning, this could be really really clear!

I am really happy with how it turned out- no off flavors, other than being a tad dry, and the drinkability factor is high. As I type this sentence, I just finished it off...I should have put a couple more in the fridge!!!

1 cup of priming sugar? That is a lot of carbonation for a pale ale. I only use 2 oz for British style ales. I really like the drinkability of low carbonation in ales. 1.5 volumes is all I'm looking for.

With 1 cup, your looking at at least twice that. It'll be more like a Hef Weizen in carbonation level.

I like a little fizz, and I got it, I guess. I am less concerned with that than with the flavor, and I am very happy with the flavor. I think I might adjust hops a little if I make it again, but I am very pleased considering it is my first brew.

Sounds good.

Congrats on your first batch, Truble! Here's to the next batch :cheers:

LupusUmbrus said:

Congrats on your first batch, Truble! Here's to the next batch :cheers:

Click to expand...

starting it tonight!

Nice work! Always good to get that first one under the belt (so to speak)! My wife likes fizzy beer so I usually err towards the side of med-high carbonation depending on the style. I usually pour my beer right in the middle of the pint glass and fizz it up real well to release some of the carbonation before I drink it and it seems to work out fine.

well, if it is too much, I can reduce on the next one. I just didn't want there to be "not enough"...I am brewing this weekend, so the new batc hshould be ready to bottle in a couple weeks. By then, I should know better how 1 cup did.

northern brewer sends out thier kits with 5oz of corn sugar for priming when you bottle. 5oz is about 2/3 of a cup. you shouldn't need a full cup. thats 8ozs. with 5 ozs you will have plenty of carbonation.

I was basing 1 cup off of some other homebrews I have tried from a friend that used 2/3cup. I would have preferred those brews to be a little more carbonated, so he suggested going to a cup, but not more.

It tasted great last night after 1 week- so much so that I had another last night and put a couple in the fridge for tonight.

I will track the carbonation levels, and see what happens.

Wait... you're starting it now? Never let the secondary sit empty... that just makes sure that you don't have enough to drink so that the wait will suck. <smiles>

I don't have a secondary yet- Buying it today. Work and school have precluded me from being able to get free time to brew the next batch. I am going to try and hit it this weekend. Up here in N.E. time is getting short to finish up the outside projects as well, and the SWMBO still has some outstanding issues for me.