First Brew

Just finished brewing my first ever brew. NB's Americain wheat extract kit. Everything seemed to go really well, now we wait and see....gonna be a long couple of weeks

Congratulations! Your anxiety will steadily increase until you crack your first bottle

cpac2k said:

Just finished brewing my first ever brew. NB's Americain wheat extract kit. Everything seemed to go really well, now we wait and see....gonna be a long couple of weeks

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Congrats! It will go by quick! Just let it condition!

Might want to start thinking about what your next brew is going to be.

Looks like fermentation is going well.....it's been a little over 24 hrs. Go baby Go...!!!!

I still get that excited with every fermentation, and it's been a few years since I started brewing.

48 hrs...still going strong....

Awesome! I've been doing this just over 7 weeks now? I would imaging if I went the bottle route, instead of kegging, I wouldn't have drank so much green beer. The first thing I brewed was an American Amber kit from BB. Man, if I'd have only waited and given this time to age. It's finally coming into it's own and I'm lucky if I have a gallon of it left. And 90% of that loss, was me taking a tastes worth every night when I got home from work. "Nope, not ready yet. Nope, not ready yet. Nope, not ready yet. Man this is good and almost gone now."

But, as Hackwood said above, might want to start thinking about what to brew next. When you start drinking, it goes fast. And my beer, who knows, probably not as good as I perceive it to be, but there is something special about drinking a beer that you turned from grain and extract into a drinkable concoction. There is something special about that.

Ok so it's been about nine days since my first brew day. The bubbling in the air lock stopped after about four days. The instructions say to ferment for two weeks I plan to wait just under three before taking a couple FG readings about three days apart.Then bottle conditioning for about two weeks.....Any thoughts...???

It will probably be good after 2 weeks, but even better after 3 weeks. My bb wheat is 4-5 weeks on the bottle and even my BMC Freinds like it

Ok I can wait another week in the bottles.....

Sounds like you're on the right track! I could barely wait a week before I started peeking and sampling my first beer in the fermenter =p Patience is always rewarded when brewing beer.

Oh I def can't wait.... I'm trying ... I drank a few sips when I took my OG ....tasted like beer flat and warm beer but still beer...

If you don't already have one get another fermenter and get another batch started. You will be surprised how fast the first one will disappear.

Also it is nice to have a couple... or 10... different beers to choose from.

ok so i took my first fg this afternoon 1.010......tasted really good too. I will take another on saturday then into the bottles on sunday....:rockin:

That's pretty much the standard formula if you add another week or two in the refrigerator after the two weeks of bottle carbonating.

I plan on bottle conditioning for about three weeks then into the fridge. Due to fridge space limitations some will probably sit a little longer does anyone see any issues with this?

cpac2k said:

I plan on bottle conditioning for about three weeks then into the fridge. Due to fridge space limitations some will probably sit a little longer does anyone see any issues with this?

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No major problem. Most of my beers spend more time unrefrigerated - like you, I just don't have the space - and I haven't had an issue. That said, it would be ideal to keep finished beers as cold as you can - the warmer they are the faster they'll stale (oxidization issues, loss of hop flavors/aromas, etc)

Well bottled my first batch today... Now the hard waiting really starts..!!!!

cpac2k said:

Well bottled my first batch today... Now the hard waiting really starts..!!!!

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Agreed... I just finished bottling my first batch as well tonight. The three weeks in the FV was cake. I didn't take a gravity reading until after two weeks. Now that it's in bottles though, I can feel them taunting me...

Yes that is exactly how I feel. I wound up 43 bottles so I sort of have an "extra" I plan on drinking after two weeks just to see how there coming along. The rest will sit for another long week.

Btw @ utahnate I am in Utah as well been here for just over a year.....

cpac2k said:

Btw @ utahnate I am in Utah as well been here for just over a year.....

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Cool... Doesn't seem there are very many of us around. Even more so in my area. Where are you located?

I'm in Springville how about you..??

Saratoga Springs... Nice to meet another happy valley brewer.

Same to you. We're practically neighbors (for out here) We don't know very many people out here so I'm always looking to meet new folks. What did you brew?

The batch I bottled last night was Salt City Brew Supply's Amber Ale kit. Just finished my first attempt at AG using Austin Homebrew Supply's Moose Drool clone kit.

I did northern brewers American wheat extract kit. I want to get a few batches under my belt before I try all grain. Maybe we could pm each other and grab a couple of brews sometime.

cpac2k said:

I did northern brewers American wheat extract kit. I want to get a few batches under my belt before I try all grain.

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Today's batch was my 4th (5th if you include yesterday's hard cider), but I have yet to enjoy any of my hard work. Decided to get into the hobby with guns blazing, but figure I need to slow down to see if what I have been doing is working or if I need to change my process a bit. Plus, it would be nice to finally be able to RDWHAHB while brewing...

cpac2k said:

Maybe we could pm each other and grab a couple of brews sometime.

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Sounds good.

First time brewer here too......it's been 8 days for my Amercan Blonde Ale to be in the fermenter,,,,looking to bottle next Sunday. Gonna have brew up another batch too.......thinkin about Hefewiezen.....I think I'm hooked

@ packerfaninsandeaigo my instructions said two weeks in the primary I waited three. If there is one thing I learned from this forum it's patience patience patience. It also said two weeks in the bottles I'm waiting three.... Again patience patience patience.....

@ utahnate I'll pm u sometime and we will work something out. Might be a couple weeks but you'll hear from me.

O.K. so here it is...its been eight days in the bottle and i just had to try one..!! Tasted real good slight hop bitterness at the finish but pretty good head and carbonation. Im sure it will only get better from here!!

Glad it turned out well for you. Just finished bottling my second brew, a Mild.

Thanks Nate....:rockin:

COngrats on your first homebrew!

I always wait at least (3) weeks min on allowing carbonation to take place in the bottles before refrigerating.

Do yourself a favor....this was recommended to me from someone on this site when I did my first brew:

After (2) weeks in the bottle....take (1) beer and put it in the refrigerator (mark the cap with a "2" for 2 weeks)....then after (3) weeks take another and put it in the refrigerator (mark the cap "3" for 3-weeks). Once you put in the refrigerator carbonation will stop....so what you end up with is (1) beer that has been allowed to carbonate for 2 weeks and (1) beer that carbonated for 3 weeks.

Now wait a couple days....and crack them open....pour each in a separate glass remembering which one was carbonating for 2 weeks and 3 weeks......taste and see the difference in carbonation for yourself.

I actually did this for a 1 week carb, 2 week, and 3 week.......

Now carb times required can vary depending on carb level required for type of beer...but I have found that 3 weeks seems to be fine for anything I have brewed as far as carbonation. SOme beers u will ant to bottle condition longer just for flavor reasons, etc.

It will show you the importance of allowing enough time for carbonation to take place.....shows you the importance of patience in this great hobby.

Cheers!

P.S. Dont forget to drink the rest of your experimental bottles.......even the "flat" one!