Trooper-Orange
Well-Known Member
Hello All,
Thought I would share my first brew. If it hadn't been for these forums I would not have made it this far. Thanks to all.
Getting ready for a full boil:
I had no idea how heavy 6 gallons was:
Getting ready to steep some grains, I don't know what I was thinking, but somehow I accidentally added the bittering hops prior to steeping the grains:
Finally the boil, now with IC put in to sterilize:
Last but not least, now in the primary fermentor:
It was a long night, took about three hours. The IC did a good job, cooled from boiling to 90 degrees in about 15 minutes, but the last 20 degrees down to 70 seemed to take another 15 to 20 minutes.
Lingering questions I have:
I don't know what I was thinking, but I added my hops prior to steeping my grains. Ideally my bittering hops, I think should have gone in when the boil started. Instead then went in at 155 degrees. I don't know what kind of an effect that will have.
I cleaned my fermentor out with star san. I dumped out the excess star san, then threw in my yeast starter, then put in the wort. Would it have been better to put the starter into the wort and not vice verse?
I am using what I have found to be a slow strain of yeast. The Wyeast Propagator 1214 smack pack. Around 12 hours later still no signs of fermentation. (I have not taken a gravity reading yet, figured I would wait until 72 hours). I assume such a slow start is normal? Could take up to three or four days, is that true?
Thanks once again everyone, I had a great time brewing.
--jake
Thought I would share my first brew. If it hadn't been for these forums I would not have made it this far. Thanks to all.
Getting ready for a full boil:
I had no idea how heavy 6 gallons was:
Getting ready to steep some grains, I don't know what I was thinking, but somehow I accidentally added the bittering hops prior to steeping the grains:
Finally the boil, now with IC put in to sterilize:
Last but not least, now in the primary fermentor:
It was a long night, took about three hours. The IC did a good job, cooled from boiling to 90 degrees in about 15 minutes, but the last 20 degrees down to 70 seemed to take another 15 to 20 minutes.
Lingering questions I have:
I don't know what I was thinking, but I added my hops prior to steeping my grains. Ideally my bittering hops, I think should have gone in when the boil started. Instead then went in at 155 degrees. I don't know what kind of an effect that will have.
I cleaned my fermentor out with star san. I dumped out the excess star san, then threw in my yeast starter, then put in the wort. Would it have been better to put the starter into the wort and not vice verse?
I am using what I have found to be a slow strain of yeast. The Wyeast Propagator 1214 smack pack. Around 12 hours later still no signs of fermentation. (I have not taken a gravity reading yet, figured I would wait until 72 hours). I assume such a slow start is normal? Could take up to three or four days, is that true?
Thanks once again everyone, I had a great time brewing.
--jake