I, like many others on here, received a brewing kit for Christmas. I was very excited about this as a good friend of mine had been brewing for about 4 months and seemed obsessed with the hobby. When I got home and inspected my bucket, carboy, hoses, etc. I became very interested and stumbled upon this sight. I read constantly for a week about sanitation and technique making sure I had a basic understanding of a brew day.
My mother-in-law bought this kit for me and included the ingredients for an extract wheat beer. I also went out and bought a brewers best Munich Helles kit not really thinking about lagering.
For my first beer I did the Helles and ended up converting my chest freezer into a fermentation/lagering chamber using a johnson controls temp overrider and a ceramic heating bulb. Works great. Let it sit in primary for 2 weeks then racked to secondary where I lagered for 3 weeks.
About two weeks after I racked my lager to a secondary fermenter I brewed the wheat beer. This was a Muntons kit and had very vague directions. This fermented about a week and a half. I got two consecutive hydrometer readings and decided it was time to bottle. I bottled the Helles the same day.
After two weeks in the bottle I couldn't wait any longer so this weekend I threw one of each in the fridge. I first tried the wheat beer. It is a bit overcarbonated but tastes good none the less.
Next came the Helles. I was very happy with the way this tasted. Malty goodness in a glass. I think another few weeks in the bottle and this one is going to be very good.
Overall I am very happy with these two. I have moved onto BIAB while I wait for my SWMBO approves the purchase of another 10 gallon kettle or igloo cooler to convert into a MLT. I did a Farmhouse Ale on Saturday a my first BIaB attempt.
Thanks for all the help. Without all of these posts I would have probably not have made as good beer as I think I have.
-Brett
My mother-in-law bought this kit for me and included the ingredients for an extract wheat beer. I also went out and bought a brewers best Munich Helles kit not really thinking about lagering.
For my first beer I did the Helles and ended up converting my chest freezer into a fermentation/lagering chamber using a johnson controls temp overrider and a ceramic heating bulb. Works great. Let it sit in primary for 2 weeks then racked to secondary where I lagered for 3 weeks.
About two weeks after I racked my lager to a secondary fermenter I brewed the wheat beer. This was a Muntons kit and had very vague directions. This fermented about a week and a half. I got two consecutive hydrometer readings and decided it was time to bottle. I bottled the Helles the same day.
After two weeks in the bottle I couldn't wait any longer so this weekend I threw one of each in the fridge. I first tried the wheat beer. It is a bit overcarbonated but tastes good none the less.
Next came the Helles. I was very happy with the way this tasted. Malty goodness in a glass. I think another few weeks in the bottle and this one is going to be very good.
Overall I am very happy with these two. I have moved onto BIAB while I wait for my SWMBO approves the purchase of another 10 gallon kettle or igloo cooler to convert into a MLT. I did a Farmhouse Ale on Saturday a my first BIaB attempt.
Thanks for all the help. Without all of these posts I would have probably not have made as good beer as I think I have.
-Brett
