First brew day tommorow!!!!

[homestarhanes]

I got my first brew kit for christmas from my wife and a bunch of my friends. went to the local hb store and picked up my first extract ingredients kit called FullOFit Porter based on Fuller's London Porter. Got my turkey fryer ready and me and a buddy are going to start on our first batch on thursday. Just wondering if anybody had any hints that would help me out in this process. Im as giddy as a school girl and am ready to jump into something ive been trying to do for some time now.

 

[terrapinj]

going to start my first batch tomorrow as well

i found lots of good tips in this thread yesterday
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/stone-cold-lead-pipe-lockd-n00b-advice-54362/

 

[stratslinger]

I'm stoked for you both... I just ordered my own equipment, so I should be hosting my first brew day in a week or two - but I've assisted a friend on quite a few now, and have at least an inkling of what to expect.

First off - don't shortchange the cleaning/sanitizing process. Clean and sanitary equipment doesn't necessarily mean great beer, but dirty unsanitized equipment almost always means bad!

If you're using a new turkey fryer kit, especially if you plan to use the aluminum pot it came with, I've read a bunch of advice suggesting that you should boil water in it, at least once, for 30-60 minutes before you even think about brewing beer in it.

For the rest, really, to paraphrase Charlie, "Relax, don't worry, and [get ready to] have a homebrew." You've probably read more than enough on this site alone to have a good idea what you're in for - now jump in and do it!

 

[BMan1029]

Tips:

Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize
Have your ingredients layed out and ready to go
Be familiar with the steps involved in your kit....hop additions, etc.
Relax and have a blast...you are about to embark on one of the greatest adventures man can make

Also, not sure what size pot you have or how many gallons of boil your kit calls for, but keep an eye out for boil overs.....they can sneak up on ya

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Welcome aboard Gentlemen, just remember that every brewday has it's unexpected moments and that some of the best beers made may have come from a very caotic brewday!!

Have fun

Eastside

 

[FensterBos]

KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid

Try not to over think the brew process. I have about five or six batches under my belt and I've gotten paranoid over the whole process. Just relax and remember that patience is king in home brewing.

Quick tips:
I second everything BMan1029 says...but also, some of the stuff I screwed up on:
1) Use your thermometer for steeping the grains at the right temperature and turn off the burner; I've burned a grain bag before.
2) Use your hydrometer; by jotting down your OG and FG readings you will have a better sense of your estimated ABV and when your beer is done fermenting.
3) Repeat - USE YOUR HYDROMETER! - You are going to wonder when your beer is done fermenting. By carefully checking your beer with sanitized equipment you will know when is the correct time to bottle or keg your beer. Airlock activity is NOT a good measure of fermentation.
4) Once the fermenter is sealed don't touch it for at least seven days. There is nothing you can do to help it. Don't stir it. Don't shake it. As long as your handy stick-on thermometer says the beer is between the yeast's temperature range, you won't need to do anything.
5) Bottling - I made this mistake recently and it ruined a batch for me. Boil the priming sugar in one to two cups of water prior to adding it to the bottling bucket. I made the mistake of adding it without dissolving it and 4/5 of the beer is flat.

I can't think of much else except to have fun!!!

 

[dgoldb1]

Sanitize. The rest is fun and easy.

 

[HoppedIPA]

Everything thats mentioned above just remember Sanitize and cleaning is 80% of brewing.. Oh and dont forget to clean up everything when your finished and sanitize it all then so its ready to use next time.. if you wait the wort on everything will dry and then you have one heck of a time cleaning it.. just remember to resanitize everything before you use it again.. also if lets say i forget to put my thermometer in when the water is cool i preheat it up in some warm sanitizer water to condition it so it wont crack when i put it in me hot wort..

 

[flabyboy]

the thing I found the hardest was being patient. give your beer at least 3-4 weeks before bottling. sometimes much longer for bigger beers, like a porter. I personally made up 3 batches already this month to try and build up a pipeline, so I never feel like I have to rush a beer again.

 

[HoppedIPA]

On the pipeline part i totally agree i keep running out of homebrew as i keg it and it doesnt wait 3 extra weeks to be consumed.. I am working on a pipeline to have atleast 3-5 beers in some stage of fermentation but i only have 2 again..lol I need to keep brewing atleast once a week.. or get some friends to stop drinking my beer..

the thing I found the hardest was being patient. give your beer at least 3-4 weeks before bottling. sometimes much longer for bigger beers, like a porter. I personally made up 3 batches already this month to try and build up a pipeline, so I never feel like I have to rush a beer again.

 

[flabyboy]

I don't drink a ton of beer (one or 2 bottles a day), so once/week would be a little much for me once I get these 3 batches bottled. lol

 

[brewerie]

Good luck. I'm a noob as well, only done a couple batches. I'll tell ya it's rewarding as hell to drink your own. Be patient! Also, be sure to read the 'stone cold lead pipe' thread, good advice from everyone.

 

[milholen]

If your like most of us here, get ready to be engrossed in an awesome and rewarding hobby. Brewing great beer is a journey. Every time you brew, you'll improve somehow -- especially as you gain more knowledge.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[WuTang4Ever]

I'll be joining the newbie in brewing this porter. It'll be my first foray into brewing as well, so I'm definitely looking forward to the process.

If the porter turns out well, I've decided our next project will be a "black double imperial IPA."

Well...maybe not. But I subscribe to the "brew big or go home" mentality.

Cheers.