telemaster
Well-Known Member
First, thanks to HBT and all its members for increasing the chances of success on my first brew.
Judging by the shear number of thread titles indicating a first time brewing experience, I was not alone this weekend in my inaugural brewing.
I brewed a True Brew Red Ale extract kit with specialty grains.
Ingredients
Brew Schedule:
Notes:
I placed a metal coat hanger between the burner and my brew kettle to reduce scorching of the LME, but this reduced the vigor of my boil/hotbreak. Next on the shopping list is a turkey fryer. I wish I had known this from the beginning. To all new brewers who have the room outside. Just bite the bullet and get a turkey fryer kit for roughly the same cost as a quality brew kettle. It is definitely worth it. Hotter boils and no mess on the stove! SWMBO not so happy with me and It didn't even boil over, just a few spots on the enamel of the stove.
Were there mistakes made? Are there improvements in the process to be had? Yes and another resounding yes. Chances are I made beer, and chances are it's going to be a GREAT beer, because I made it! Pending hydrometer readings it will be follow a 2-2-2 schedule of primary-secondary-bottle.
According to the calculators at brewersfriend.com I should have an IBU of 8-9. Would the hopped LME add to this at all? I like hops!
Thanks to all!
Now the hard part waiting... so instead of mulling over the wort-to-beer transformation of the first batch, it is on to the second! A Power Pack Porter from Midwest as soon as the primary is free!
Judging by the shear number of thread titles indicating a first time brewing experience, I was not alone this weekend in my inaugural brewing.
I brewed a True Brew Red Ale extract kit with specialty grains.
Ingredients
- 3.3# light LME
- 3.3# light hopped LME
- 1# melanoidin specialty grains
- 1oz Liberty Pellets
- Irish moss
- US-05 Dry Yeast (re-hydrated)
Brew Schedule:
- 25 minute steep of specialty grains in 1 gallon water
- 50 minute boil of both cans LME and .6oz of hop pellets
- 15 minute Irish moss addition
- 2 minute boil of .4oz liberty
Notes:
- I did a two pot boil for an approximate 4.75 gallon boil (was going for 5, but more boiled off than expected)
- OG 1.057 (target was 1.045-1.055)
- Wort tasted very bitter with a very sweet finish (couldn't help myself :cross
I placed a metal coat hanger between the burner and my brew kettle to reduce scorching of the LME, but this reduced the vigor of my boil/hotbreak. Next on the shopping list is a turkey fryer. I wish I had known this from the beginning. To all new brewers who have the room outside. Just bite the bullet and get a turkey fryer kit for roughly the same cost as a quality brew kettle. It is definitely worth it. Hotter boils and no mess on the stove! SWMBO not so happy with me and It didn't even boil over, just a few spots on the enamel of the stove.
Were there mistakes made? Are there improvements in the process to be had? Yes and another resounding yes. Chances are I made beer, and chances are it's going to be a GREAT beer, because I made it! Pending hydrometer readings it will be follow a 2-2-2 schedule of primary-secondary-bottle.
According to the calculators at brewersfriend.com I should have an IBU of 8-9. Would the hopped LME add to this at all? I like hops!
Thanks to all!
Now the hard part waiting... so instead of mulling over the wort-to-beer transformation of the first batch, it is on to the second! A Power Pack Porter from Midwest as soon as the primary is free!