First brew day over... what do I do now?

[Birdsnake]

Yesterday was my first brew day. I did the AHS double chocolate stout kit... liquid extract/specialty grains. I did a full boil and reduced the hops based on beersmith calculations. I researched for a couple of weeks and watched many hours of brewing videos so I was prepared. Everything went smoothly.

It's in the primary bucket bubbling away nicely. Awesome!

What do I do now? I'm ready to brew again! I have a 5gal better bottle so I can rack to that after active fermentation slows down and free up my primary. I'm already planning my next brew day... is this normal?

 

[edco76]

Very. Buy another carboy/bucket.

 

[Craw3773]

Yes. It's normal. Whatever you need to do to get your mind off that batch, do it now.

Especially as a beginner, time is your friend. Leave that batch alone. Anything you do to it will have a higher probability of making it worse rather than better for the next 2 weeks.

 

[hou_me]

Very. Buy another carboy/bucket.

^^^ this. Welcome!

-ben

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I agree, get another bucket and some spare airlocks. This will help you be a little more patient. Patience is the key and let the first batch run it's course in the primary bucket. Don't bother racking it to a secondary as it only increases the risk of oxidation or infection. You don't want to rush things and screw up what appears to be a good first try.

Start researching your next batch, document how your first day went while it is fresh in your mind. Start a spreadsheet of your batches (include brew date, bottle date, yeast used, temperature fermented at, type of recipe (LME, DME, etc), OG, FG, etc.). This will help you keep things straight. I am batch 35 in less than 10 months and they all tend to blur together.

 

[kh54s10]

Save the 5 gallon BB for smaller brews. Get more 6 gallon BB's or buckets and brew some more. You can skip secondaries and just do the primary. 14-21 days in primary then bottle.

Most of all don't rush things. Longer is almost always better than too short.
Watch your fermentation temperatures. Mid sixties is best for most ales. The fermentation will create heat so don't trust the temperature in the room.

Most of all, have fun brewing, read up to refine your processes, and enjoy your beer.

 

[soccerdad]

You've been bitten. The only known antidote is more brewing. My condolences.

 

[ChefRex]

Leave the top on the bucket! No peeking!

 

[Sailingeric]

If you are bottling you can practice racking and capping. It is not hard but capping a few bottles is a good idea.

 

[tritch]

I am in pretty much the same situation The waiting is killing me I already planned what I want to do for my next 3 brews!

I was wondering though if people use buckets with spigots on them to ferment. I know it is at least water tight but I don't know if it would hold up completely during fermentation. Do you guys use those buckets or know if they will work?

 

[Birdsnake]

No secondary huh? I though maybe just to free up my bucket but I also know it increases my chances of messing up my batch.

I guess I totally need another primary... I have time to brew once a week and I know when my off days come around I'm going to be wishing I had another primary bucket.

How many of you brew weekly? How many primary buckets/carboys do you rotate?

I was wondering though if people use buckets with spigots on them to ferment. I know it is at least water tight but I don't know if it would hold up completely during fermentation. Do you guys use those buckets or know if they will work?

I though about using the bottling bucket for fermentation but it's just not leak proof enough. I messed with the spigot tightness after assembly until it didn't drip water from around the seal but I wouldn't trust it to hold up for the weeks it takes to ferment.

I also thought about fermenting in the 5gal bb with a blow off tube but really I know I need to just get another bucket.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

tritch, I would not recommend using a bucket with a spigot. Oxygen can come in through the spigot and affect your fermentation (it happened to a buddy of mine whose batch got infected).

I would just buy another 6.5 gallon bucket...

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I have 3 6.5Gallon buckets that I rotate around. I brew about every 10 days (or whenever I have enough bottles).

I am using my glass and plastic carboys for my wine...

 

[troutbumcolo]

Brew another batch. I just started brewing after Christmas. Tomorrow I am doing my third batch and then I go to the drawing boards for the fourth batch.

First batch is now in bottles, an amber ale

Second batch is an IPA with four varieties of hops. Dry hopped today.

Tomorrow is the third with a red Amber ale.

 

[liquiditynerd]

On a side note, you could try to identify a brew you like and look for a clone recipe to try to duplicate. Take that style and try as many other brews in that style you can so that when you do get around to brewing, you'll have a good idea of what that style SHOULD taste like.

Otherwise.........commence with more 6G, 6.5G carboys, a used whiskey barrel, a used wine barrel, a fresh oak barrel, some 1 gallon carboys for different yeast strains and additions, ohhhhhhh! a separate setup for Brettonomyces and sours, a lager setup, a keg setup, ..............oh the rabbit hole oh the rabbit hole.

 

[Birdsnake]

I went ahead and ordered another bucket and a recipe kit today

 

[airbrett]

tritch, I would not recommend using a bucket with a spigot. Oxygen can come in through the spigot and affect your fermentation (it happened to a buddy of mine whose batch got infected).

I would just buy another 6.5 gallon bucket...

So this concerns me. I've been using bottling bucket as the primary for nearly two weeks now. I was very careful to sanitize the spigot and make sure it was sealed. I also put a plastic bag around the outside of it, securing with a rubber band.

Is it very common for oxygen to get in through it or just a risk that happens every once in a while?

My next/second brew is going to be a primary only using a carboy, knowing what I know now.

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

Sing and read to your beer. Helps the yeast

 

[Moose_MI]

So this concerns me. I've been using bottling bucket as the primary for nearly two weeks now. I was very careful to sanitize the spigot and make sure it was sealed. I also put a plastic bag around the outside of it, securing with a rubber band.



Is it very common for oxygen to get in through it or just a risk that happens every once in a while?



My next/second brew is going to be a primary only using a carboy, knowing what I know now.

Your screwed. Send me your address so I can pick it up for environmentally responsible disposal 😛

It's going to be freaking awesome beer....brew on!

 

[kh54s10]

Using a bucket with a spigot should not be a problem. If air gets in through the spigot I would think beer would get out!

IMO it is hard to have too many primary fermenters.

I have 2 buckets that I use for wine, 4 six gallon Better Bottles, 1 five gallon Better Bottle and 2 three gallon water bottles. I have had as many as 6 fermenting at the same time.

Right now I have roughly 170 pounds of grain, 23 different hops, about 15 different yeasts (some dry and some frozen)

Brew on!!!