Recent content by noobie

My city water tastes like crap so I filter it first. When the wort gets boiled, the water does, too. If you have to worry about your water, then you have bigger problems than how it's going to make your beer taste. Sounds like you'll be fine.

I like Williams brewing supplies in CA. They have flat-rate shipping and reasonable prices and quality. I was using Midwestern for awhile but they don't offer reasonable rates on shipping anymore. Bad experience with Morebeer. Dry yeast is usually just fine and always cheaper than liquid. You...

Interesting question. Looking forward to more answers, but I would say that, yes, you can boil it for less time. The boil sanitizes the wort and a smaller batch will sanitize quicker than a large one.

From the pictures it looks like you were very well prepared. Good luck to you!

Anything wrong with pouring 3 gallons of hot wort onto 2 gallons of ice to make a 5 gallon batch?

Yeah, had a lid, but will use an airlock too next time.

Thanks, I'll remember that for next time.

Bucket was from Lowe's, but food grade. Yeah, that's fuzz, not a reflection.

I originally posted this in the wrong place I think. I definitely belong in the beginner's room. Here are some pics of what my very first batch looked like after 7 days. I thought I had cleaned my all-new equipment meticulously, as well as the dark room where I left the batch completely...

I was meticulous about cleaning stuff, which was all new anyway, bleached the windowless room I stored it in, turned off the lights, closed the door, and didn't open the door until I took these pictures. Assuming that it's contaminated, what could I have done wrong? And assuming it's okay, does...

Am I posting in the right place?

It's not a strong smell, but slightly sour.

This is how my first batch of beer looks after 7 days. (Two containers) I sanitized carefully, and the beer under the top tastes sweet, but not bad. The hydrometer sinks to the bottom. Should I wait this out or start over?