Here I am from Diego!

[jasonmlewis]

Hello.....

I just got a brew kit from my wife for Xmas. She picked it up from home brewmart in San Diego. I think it's where they brew Ballast Point. www.homebrewmart.com. I made my first batch of tasty West Coast Pale Ale. The beer has now been bottled for two weeks and I cracked open my first bottle tonight. Icey Cold and Super Tasty. I ended up just using one of the starter kits and the beer is great. I need some one else's opinion. I left in the fermenter exactly 21 days. I am going to brew ballast points yellow tail pale ale next. Im interested in finding out how it tastes. Also, do you think it's better to brew batches of beer in a staggered formation?

Im also interested in a little bit of a non hoppy beer, something more like an amber lager. Any reciepe tips would be great.

Also, if you could give a new brewer five easy tips that you learned from your own mistakes what would they be?


Thanks,

JLew

 

[NitrouStang96]

I also got my kit from homebrewmart this Xmas from my better half.

What ingredients and yeast did they give you for your West Coast Pale Ale? They gave me:
3lb Amber
3lb Light
2oz Nugget
Nottingham yeast

I think they gave me a cross between WC Pale Ale and California Common. But I'm new too, so I don't know. I'm hoping they gave you and I the same ingredients, because I sure hope this batch (my second batch) turns out better than my first one (their Hefeweizen ingredients). For the love of god, if you get their Hefe ingredients, don't let them give you the Safbrew WB-06 yeast... tell them to sub the American Hefe yeast and thank me later.

Anyway, where do you live, man? I'm about 5min ESE of homebrewmart.

 

[RichBrewer]

Welcome to HBT JLew!

The biggest tip I can think of is to have patience. The beer really does get better if you let it sit for awhile. I know this is hard to do especially when you only have one batch in the house. Solution? Brew more beer while you are waiting!

 

[Blender]

Welcome to the forums.
One of the best things that will improve your beers is temperature control during fermentation. You need to keep the temp in the range for the yeast you are using, it really improved my beers. That will be a challenge in San Diego during the warmer months so be prepared.

Lagering a beer requires the use of a refirgerator to lower the temperatures down to the high 30 to 40's during the lagering period. Difficult to do without a refrigerator.

You can also learn a lot listening to some podcsts. Here are a couple.

BasicBrewingRadio

JamilsShow

 

[chione]

I have yet to head over to homebrewmart but I have been very pleased with American Home Brewing Supply
http://www.redkart.com/ahbs/
Also you should pickup a copy of The Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Papazian. If you are short on cash the the library has a copy.