First AG Brew Day!

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TBC27

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Saturday is hopefully the day for my first home brewing experience. Planning to brew a Belgian Trippel recipe I found. Any advice???

I have two 10 gallon coolers w temp gauges, an 8 gallon megapot kettle, and a darkstar 2.0 burner.
 
Saturday is hopefully the day for my first home brewing experience. Planning to brew a Belgian Trippel recipe I found. Any advice???

I have two 10 gallon coolers w temp gauges, an 8 gallon megapot kettle, and a darkstar 2.0 burner.


Don't panic if you don't hit your numbers exactly. Don't drink (too much) during the brew day haha. I've made that mistake and have had some long days. Have fun.
 
Solid advice. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time!
 
A bazillion people have brewed beer for thousands of years. I'll bet you can do it too.
 
Wait to drink is rule number one. Have all your ingredients ready and labeled and it would not hurt to have your process written down as a reference.
 
Wait to drink is rule number one. Have all your ingredients ready and labeled and it would not hurt to have your process written down as a reference.

You forgot one thing...have a celebratory drink after completion of brew day!

Also, ice cubes to help bring mash temp down and a small 1 gallon or less of hot water to bring temps up...make sure to stir mash well and no dough balls!

Please have a little fun as well this is a hobby after all!

Cheers and beers!
 
Start early. Mash low (145-150F). Take notes (and photos) you'll want to remember what you did. You probably won't sit down much (there is probably something that needs cleaned or sanitized).

Not sure what type of lautering device is in your mash tun but 50 cents worth of rice hulls can save some grief on a first brew. You shouldn't need it but it doesn't hurt anything to throw a half pound into the mash and avoid a stuck sparge.
 
How does the rice help avoid a stuck sparge?
 
How does the rice help avoid a stuck sparge?


Rice hulls are just like the outside of a grain of rice and provides no fermentable sugars. The husks on grains is what really acts as the filtering agent. Adding more husks adds more filters.
 
Just relax, take things slowly, have your recipe with you to take notes on what worked and what didn't. Write it all down. And like everybody has mentioned don't start drinking until you are almost done. I brew early in the morning or sometimes throughout the night depending on the time of year, so I am usually drinking coffee. Just remember to have fun and in a few weeks you will have beer.
 
Plan ahead. Make sure you know what gets added when. Planning ahead also lets you know how much water you should be using to make the wort you need.
If you are brewing alone have a radio nearby playing your favorite music.

Since this is your first brew day I would caution against drinking while you brew.

Most of all, have a blast and welcome to the hobby!
 
Appreciate all the advice! Will update the thread with my results.
 
So my very first brew day went ok...I think. Hit temp for mash and fly sparge. Collected the full volume my recipe stated and boil was fine.

Post boil was chaotic. I was terrified of infecting the wort!!! I couldn't get an accurate OG reading cause the hydrometer kept sinking in the Pilsner glass I was using. Do I have to have a graduated cylinder to use it? I think my OG was somewhere around 1.081.

My main concern now is the fermenter. I worry I filled the air lock too full with water/star san. The orange cap just "floats". Is this ok??? Pics below. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471129419.816537.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471129428.756109.jpg
 
I haven't seen that style of airlock but a standard three piece airlock has some float to it. I'd recommend you replace the water with sanitizer to further prevent infection.

Congrats on a successful brew dzy!
 
Two weeks and 1 day since brew day. I transferred from primary to secondary yesterday (14 days in primary). Things are looking good thus far. Anyone see any issues here?View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1472424623.855386.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1472424664.881970.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1472424676.671693.jpg

FG read 1.011! My brew on the left. Victory Brewing Golden Monkey on right. Mine was a tad cloudy when taking FG reading but when transferring it looked much clearer.
 
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